第19部分(第5/7 頁)

at

inner　spark。

Lee　held　out　a　hand。　〃Friends？〃

She　met　his　hand。　〃Friends。〃

〃And　we'll　accept　the　offer　from　Stephenson？〃

She　yanked　her　hand　back。　〃No。　Yes。　I　don't　know。〃　She　strode　toward　the

door。　〃Do　what　you　want！〃

How　to　go　from　high　to　low　in　seconds；　she　mused；　as　she　returned　to　her

office　and　settled　in　at　the　desk。　Ross　was　forcing　her　hand；　totally

determined。　What　was　it　he　had　said　about　love　being　wanting　and　wanting

until　one　would　do　nearly　anything？

She　did　have　options。　She　could　stand　firm　and　refuse　to　have　anything

to　do　with　Ross；　send　someone　to　New　York　in　her　place　for　the　Rye　Beach

negotiations；　systematically　shuttle　retainer　work　to　another　member　of

the　firm。

Another　option　was　more　dangerous。　She　could　go　to　New　York　and　do　his

work；　remaining　neutral。　Did　she　have　a　chance　in　hell　of　doing　that？

Lee's　words　returned　with　frightening　clarity。　Did　she　love　Ross　enough

to　fight　herself…and　her　past…for　him？　Could　she　go　back　to　New　Orleans

and　face　the　ghosts；　finally　put　them　to　rest？

She　hit　emotional　overload　with　that　last　thought。　Too　much　had　happened

too　fast。　She　couldn't　think　about　it　anymore。　There　was　work　to　be

done…if　she　was　to　be　enroute　to　New　York　by　Wednesday。

With　a　long　steadying　breath；　she　sorted　through　the　papers　before　her。

There　were　people　to　call；　meetings　to　set　up；　reports　to　plan　out

before　she　left；　and　the　rush　was　for　the　best。　Her　mind　would　be

filled。　Worrying　was　useless。　Only　time　would　give　her　the　answers　she

needed。

Unfortunately；　Ross　wasn't　as　patient；　but　he　received　a　different　Chloe

on　the　phon