第30部分(第5/7 頁)

　professor　for　whom　she　did　the　ongoing　grant　work；

organized　a　dinner　for　the　seven　people　involved　with　the　project。　There

were　two　secretaries；　three　research　assistants；　Alex　and　a　colleague　of

his；　and　Anne。　Thumbing　his　nose　at　the　usual　budget　restraints；　Alex

reserved　a　long　table　at　one　of　New　York's　finest　restaurants。　Only

because　she　had　refused　him　on　so　many　other　occasions；　Anne　agreed　to

let　him　pick　her　up　and　drive　her　to　the　dinner。

She　was　self…consciousness　when　they　arrived　together；　but　the

awkwardness　faded。　No　one　seemed　to　think　twice　about　it。　Besides；　she

knew　these　people　and　liked　them。　This　was　the　kind　of　dinner　with

friends　that　she　and　Jeff　had　always　enjoyed。

And　Mitch？　Did　he　like　spending　time　with　friends？　There　were　other

groups　in　the　restaurant。　Her　eye　skimmed　one　or　two；　then　went　to　a

third；　and　her　pulse　tripped。　A　man　there　had　Mitch's　hair　and　good

looks。　He　wore　a　dark　suit　and　tie；　and　a　crisp　white　shirt。　He　was　with

a　woman。　In　all　the　time　Anne　watched；　he　didn't　take　his　eyes　from　her

face。

Funny；　but　the　possibility　of　their　bumping　into　each　other　hadn't

entered　her　mind。　New　York　was　a　big　place；　and　she　rarely　went　out。　The

man　in　the　corner　couldn't　be　Mitch。　It　would　be　too　much　of　a

coincidence。

She　refocused　on　her　friends。　Shortly　before　dessert　was　done；　though；

the　maitre　d'　materialized　beside　her　and　slipped　her　a　folded　piece　of

paper。

〃What's　this；〃　Alex　teased。　〃A　secret　admirer？〃

Anne　unfolded　the　paper。　There；　in　a　bold　black　script；　was　the　short

message。　unul　DECEMBER　3lst。　Her　eyes　flew　toward　where　the　man　and　his