Part 15 (1/2)

her. ''Audrey said you were putting your feet up in here, but

it looks to me like you're thick in the middle of work.”

”Not really. I'm just daydreaming mostly. Come on in.”

She rose from her desk, suddenly feeling slightly awkward

and self-conscious and wis.h.i.+ng she'd gone upstairs to

I! freshen up a bit. Jed looked extra handsome in a neatly

pressed khaki s.h.i.+rt, topped with a muted-toned woven vest.

Although she knew he hadn't a vain bone in his body, he

always had such a sense of style about him.

”Nice fire,” he commented, sinking down into the couch

and sighing with deep satisfaction. ”This room's become a

very inviting place. Quite a difference from when you first

moved in here.”

She laughed. ”That's for sure. In fact, I was just thinking

that it's become my favorite room in the whole house. I sup-

pose that means I better get to work on the others.”

”Plenty of time for that.” He sat up and looked at her.

”Sometimes I think you never give yourself a break.”

”You should talk, Mr. Whitewater. You're one of the

hardest-working people I know.”

He smiled. ”Ah, so it seems. But what you don't realize

is that I always take time to refresh myself.”

”You do?”

He nodded. ”Yes, it's something I learned from my father.

He always took time to walk in the woods, to enjoy nature

and relax. I remember how he'd tell me that life wasn't