From the Heart

beforegraduation. I’d put that down to too much beer and the pressure of delivering the valedictorian address.” She sighed now and felt her body relax.
    “And since then?” He had felt the fear and tension pour out of her. Her body was warming.
    “A couple of times. Once when Pop was in the hospital with pneumonia. It scared me to death; he’s always bursting with health. Once on a dig. We’d had to shoot a rabid dog. It broke my heart.” She felt safe and grew sleepy again. Now she’d given him her trust as well as her love. She was content, for the moment, to be cared for. “That was two years ago. I don’t know what set me off tonight.”
    He heard her voice thickening and said nothing. She’ll sleep now, he thought and stared up at the ceiling. He wouldn’t. His mind was too crowded with Kasey Wyatt.
    When he had first met her, he had thought her a tough eccentric with a great deal of charisma. Now he realized there was far more to her than that.
    Her breathing was even now, and quiet. Tomorrow they would return to Palm Springs and complete their work on the book. In another few weeks, Kasey would be finished with her work. Then it would be up to him.
    Reaching beside him, Jordan found his cigars and matches. He lit one and smoked in silence while he listened to Kasey breathing deeply in sleep.

10
    I n two weeks it would be Christmas. Kasey could feel the time rushing by her. The brief interlude in New York had done much to settle her. She felt in control again—of her nerves, of her situation. What she had with Jordan, she was able to accept again without all the doubts and discomfort which had been piling up. She loved him, needed to be with him. When the time came to pay the price, she’d pay it. Still, she wished time wouldn’t move so fast.
    For Alison’s sake, she would have liked Christmas to come quickly, but for her own, she could wait. She would have drawn out each day, each hour. After Christmas would come the new year. With the new year would come the time for her to go.
    Watching the child’s simple pleasure helped to keep Kasey’s mind off herself. For two short weeks she could spend her free time making the holiday come alive for the girl. The elegant red garland and silver bells that Kasey had seen the staff unpacking weren’t really Christmas. She had spent one stiff, formal Christmas in her life. That was enough for her.
    “Jordan!” Kasey dashed down the stairs and burst into Jordan’s study. “You’ve got to see this. Come upstairs.” She was pulling on his arm and laughing.
    “Kasey, I’m in the middle of something here.”
    “Put it down,” she ordered. “You work too hard.” Sheleaned over and gave him a quick, hard kiss. “It’s really terrific. You’re going to love it,” she promised. “Come on, Jordan, you can be back at work before your typewriter knows you’re gone.”
    She was difficult to refuse under any circumstances, but when she was pulling on his arm and laughing like this, it was impossible. “All right.” He rose and allowed her to drag him toward the stairs. “What is it?”
    “A surprise, of course. I’m crazy about surprises.” Upstairs she pushed open the door to her room and motioned for him to enter. He did, then studied the room in silence.
    Red and green paper chains hung everywhere, crisscrossing and draping from wall to wall. They wound down the bedposts and framed the windows. Cardboard angels, Santas and elves hung from doorknobs and balanced on dresser tops, and a red felt stocking overflowed with candy canes. There was a bright gold star suspended from the center of the ceiling.
    Jordan took a turn around and faced Kasey again. “Redecorating?”
    “I didn’t do it.” She rose on her toes and kissed him again. He delighted her when he used that dry tone. “Alison did. Isn’t it wonderful?”
    “I can certainly say I’m surprised.” Shaking his head, he looked around again. “And I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
    “You should see the bathroom,” Kasey told him. “It’s spectacular!”
    He smiled at Kasey and sent an elf spinning on its string. “And, of course, you told her you loved it.”
    “I do love it,” Kasey countered. “It’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever done for me. She wanted me to feel at home for Christmas. And now I do.”
    Jordan reached out to touch her hair. “If I had known paper chains would make you happy, I’d have made some