rekindled(英文版)-第34章

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fail。　It　was　a　possibility；　wasn't　it？　She　hadn't　started　the　car　once
all　week。

But　it　coughed　to　life　at　the　first　turn；　and　hummed　smoothly　as　it
warmed。　Which　left　only　one　thing　left　to　do。

She　was　about　to　climb　from　the　car　when　that　one　thing　rounded　the
house。　〃You　weren't　going　to　leave　without　saying　good…bye；　were　you？〃
he　asked；　bending　to　talk　through　the　open　window　of　the　car。

〃I　was　just　going　to　e　and　find　you。〃

〃Do　you　have　all　your　stuff。？〃

〃Uh…huh。　I　left　the　rest　of　the　apple　pie　for　you。〃

His　eyes　sparkled　warmly。　〃Thanks。　You　do　make　a　good　one；　even　though
your　coffee　is　still　too　weak。〃

〃Then　you'll　be　glad　to　be　rid　of　me。〃　She　smiled　wryly。　〃When　do　you
leave？〃

〃Later　today。〃

〃Oh。〃　What　else　to　say？　His　fingers　curved　over　the　window　ledge。　They
were　strong　fingers；　nice　ones。

〃Will　you　be　back　up　here　at　all？〃　he　asked　quietly。

She　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　thought　too　far　ahead。　It's　been
a　good　week；　though。　I'm　sorry　to　be　leaving。〃

〃It　wasn't　all　that　bad；　was　it？〃　He　seemed　suddenly　hesitant。　〃Look；〃
he　began　tentatively；　〃I'll　be　ing　up　the　week　before　Thanksgiving。
Kind　of　to　give　myself　a　boost　before　the　holidays。　Keep　it　in　mind。〃　He
stopped　short　of　an　open　invitation；　but　the　implication　was　there。

It　struck　her　that　she　would　probably　want　a　boost　herself。　〃I'll
remember。〃　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Well；　good…bye；　then。〃

He　smiled；　hit　the　ledge　once；　and　pushed　himself　straight。　〃Safe　trip。〃

When　he　stepped　away；　she　put　the　car　in　reverse；　backed　around；　and
headed　for　the　road；　all　the　time　thinking　that　she　might　have　liked　a
kiss。　It　was　a　whimsical　thought。　Not　so　whimsically；　his　lank　image
shrank　steadily　in　the　rearview　mirror。　When　the　car　took　a　curve　and　he
disappeared；　she　narrowed　her　sights　on　reality　and　New　York。

How　different　the　road　looked　this　time　around。　Parched　brown　leaves
blanketed　the　ground；　forests　of　bare　branches　joined　evergreens　in　a
blur　of　gray…green　on　distant　hills。　Mountains　stood　stark；　more　harsh
without　greenery　on　their　slopes。　Leaf　peepers　had　long　since　gone　home
to　city　beat　and　thoughts　of　Thanksgiving；　barely　two　weeks　away。

Those　thoughts　had　precipitated　Anne's　trip；　or　so　she　told　herself　as
she　drove　steadily　north。　On　one　hand；　things　had　improved　in　New　York。
Her　return　trip　had　been　uneventful；　her　apprehension　at　facing　life　and
its　memories　eased　by　the　onset　of　autumn　and　a　renewed　strength。

〃You　look　marvelous！〃　her　mother　had　said　the　first　night　of　her　return。
〃I　like　that　pink　on　your　cheeks。　It　bees　you。〃

Even　after　the　long　drive；　Anne　was　full　of　energy；　which　was　why　she
had　stopped　at　her　parents　in　the　first　place。　〃It　was　perfect；〃　she
said。　〃Just　what　I　needed。〃

〃Sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　it；〃　the　older　woman　ordered；　and　Anne
had。　Almost。　She　didn't　mention　Mitch。　He　played　no　role　in　her　real
life。　She　didn't　even　know　his　last　name。

At　first　she　gave　little　thought　to　the　idea　of　returning　to　Vermont　in
November。　The　new　semester　had　begun；　and　she　was　up　to　her　ears　in
translation　work。　Friends　still　hovered；　but　she　had　more　patience　for
it　now。　In　turn；　they　sensed　her　calmer　state　and　began　to　ease　up。

She　still　refused　to　date。　But　she　was　excited　enough　about　one
professor's　project　to　agree　to　sign　on　as　a　part…time　assistant。
Assured　of　steady　work　to　off…balance　incidental　work；　she　faced　the
fall　and　winter　seasons　with　confidence。

But　Jeff　was　gone；　and　the　holidays　approached。　These　would　be　her　first
without　him。

When　she　first　heard　low　whispers　in　the　back　of　her　mind；　she　ignored
them。　After　Halloween；　though；　they　became　a　murmur。　Go　to　Vermont　go　to
Vermont　go　to　Vermont；　they　said。

But　how　could　she？

That　first　time　had　been　an　accident。　Sharing　the　cottage　with　Mitch　had
been　a　makeshift　solution　to　an　unexpected　problem。　If　she　went　this
time；　there　would　be　nothing　unexpected　about　it。

But　Mitch　was　right。　The　closer　Thanksgiving　came；　the　more　she　dreaded
it。　She　could　use　a　boost；　indeed；　before　facing　them　alone。　Recalling
with　pleasure　the　land；　the　air；　and　the　cottage；　she　figured　that
whether　he　showed　up　or　not　the　week　would　be　good。

This　time　her　parents　raised　no　objection。　As　a　precaution；　she　made　a
reservation　at　an　inn　thirty　miles　from　the　house。　It　was　the　nearest
one；　but　would　assure　her　a　place　to　stay　if　Mitch　either　didn't　want
her　or　wasn't　there。

She　didn't　have　a　key；　because　she　hadn't　called　the　rental　agent。　What
would　she　have　said？　Is　Mitch　going　up　this　weekend？　No；　I　don't　know
his　last　name；　but　we　spent　the　week　together　there　last　time。
Embarrassing！

She　made　the　sharp　turn　off　the　highway　onto　the　rutted　road　that　lead
up　the　hill　to　the　house。　The　ruts　were　harder　now；　more　jolting　in　the
cold　of　a　raw　November　than　they　had　been　in　September。　In　that　instant
her　thoughts　jolted；　too；　up　and　down；　in　and　out。　She　shouldn't　have
e　she　had　to　e。　What　did　she　hope　to　acplish…why　did　she　have　to
hope　to　acplish　anything？　What　if　Mitch　wasn't　there…what　if　he　was？

She　had　deliberately　waited　until　Saturday　morning　to　leave　the　city。　If
Mitch　had　driven　up　on　Friday　night；　like　last　time；　she　would　reach　the
cottage　just　when　he　was　waking　up。

Her　heartbeat　quickened　when　she　rounded　the　final　curve　and　saw　his
sporty　blue　Honda　parked　in　front　of　the　house。　It　stood　out　clearly　in
the　dusky　November　day；　a　bright　and　promising　robin's　egg　in　a　dried
twig　nest。　Her　pulse　pounded　as　she　pulled　in　behind　it；　slid　out　of　her
car；　and；　pulling　her　navy　pea　coat　closed；　approached　the　door。

All　was　winter　silent；　such　that　the　heels　of　her　leather　boots　sounded
abnormally　loud　on　the　flagstone　walk。　The　grass　bordering　the　walk　was
aged　and　dying；　the　lilac　forlornly　naked。　But　Anne　felt　alive　as　she
knocked　on　the　door。

When　there　was　no　answer；　she　imagined　him　in　the　kitchen；　and　knocked
harder。

Still；　silence。

But　his　car　was　there。　She　wondered　if　he　had　broken　habit　and　gone　for
an　earlier　hike。　She　tried　the　doorknob；　but　it　didn't　budge。　Finally；
she　banged　on　the　door　with　a　full　fist。

It　opened　then；　and　she　knew　he'd　been　asleep。　He　was　bleary…eyed；
unshaven；　mussed　of　hair；　and　rumpled…looking　in　an　old　shirt；　tails
hanging　low　over　wrinkled　jeans。　He　was　as　tall　and　lean　as　she
remembered；　though　not　quite　as　enthusiastic　as　she　had　hoped。

She　swallowed　doitch。〃

〃Where　in　the　hell　have　you　been？〃　he　bellowed。　〃I　was　thinking　of
sending　the　troops　out。〃

If　not　for　his　gruffness；　Anne　might　have　hugged　him。　Only　then　did　she
realize　how　much　she　had　wanted　to　see　him。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　leave
the　city　until　this　morning。〃

〃Why　not？　You　knew　I'd　be　arriving　yesterday。〃

〃No；　I　didn't。〃

Though　his　eyes　were　a　deep；　deep　green；　he　continued　to　scowl。　〃I'm
beginning　to　wonder　if　you're　more　trouble　than　you're　worth！〃

〃Thanks　a　lot；〃　she　said；　offended；　and　suddenly　she　remembered　every
little　annoying　thing　about　him。　〃I　could　say　the　same　about　you。　I
think　I'll　leave。〃　Spinning　on　a　heel；　she　took　a　single　step　before　he
caught　her。

〃No！〃　His　voice　softened。　〃Don't　go。〃　When　she　looked　back；　his　eyes
were　gentler。　〃e　in。　Please。〃

She　had　no　choice　when　he　drew　her　in。　Not　that　she　wanted　one。　Struck
by　his　height　and　good　looks；　she　was　very　glad　she'd　e；　and　suddenly
shy。

For　a　minute；　he　seemed　unsure。　He　studied　her　eyes；　searching。　Then　he
let　out　a　sigh　and　drew　her　close　for　a　hug。　She　returned　it　as　though
it　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world。

His　lips　moved　against　her　hair。　〃It's　good　to　see　you；　Anne。〃

She　smiled　against　his　chest。　〃Same　here；　Mitch。〃

He　drew　back　and　framed　her　face。　Tipping　it；　he　kissed　her　softly。　His
mouth　played；　lightly；　sensually。　His　tongue　made　the　moment　even
sweeter。

When　he　drew　back　this　time；　his　eyes　smoldered。　His　voice　was　thick。
〃How　about　making　coffee　while　I　get　cleaned　up？　You　look　a　damned　sight
better　than　I　do　right　now。〃

〃You　don't　look　so　bad。〃

〃Get　the　coffee？　Please？　I'll　get　your　bags　later。〃　Putting　her　from
him；　he　strode　off。

Anne　tossed　her　coat　on　a　chair。　She　made　coffee　strong；　and　eggs
scrambled　moist。　When　the　food　was　hot　on　the　table；　she　went　to　the
window。　The　backyard　looked　bare。　A　dull　apple　or　two　clinging
stubbornly　to　lonely　branches。　The　firs　stood　out；　towering　over　trees
that　were　deleafed。　They　swayed　gallantly　in　gusts　of　wind　that　sent
shivers　through　the　tall　grass　below。

But　the　chill　was　out　there；　and　Anne　was　in　here。　She　was　warm　and
content。

〃You're　looking　well；〃　Mitch　said　from　the　door。　〃A　little　pale；　but
better　than　last　time。〃　He　was　groomed　meticulously　now　and　looking
devastatingly　fresh　in　an　opermecked　wool　shirt　and　clean　denims。

〃There　wasn't　much　in　the　fridge；〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　the　eggs　are
enough。〃

He　took　a　chair　and　helped　himself　from　the　platter。　〃I　thought　we'd　go
marketing　today。　Unless；〃　he　shot　her　a　look　over　the　rim　of　his　coffee
cup；　〃you　brought　groceries。〃

〃Not　this　time。　I　wasn't　sure　I'd　be　staying　here。　I　made　reservations
at　an　inn　in　Woodstock　just　in　case。〃