The Ties That Bind

represented to him if he didn't see her as a "social situation."

* * *
    TWO DAYS LATER Shannon no longer worried how Garth viewed their relationship. Since the night of the broccoli-cooking exhibition everything between herself and Garth had somehow shifted into a new and gently rewarding course. She was aware of a bubbling sense of happiness and anticipation whenever she saw him or thought of him. It was at the back of her mind when she worked on her sketches, and it was there during the hours she spent drawing the blade of the squeegee down the silk-screen frame to produce her greeting cards.
    Garth's attitude was becoming increasingly indulgent and familiar, but he had studiously avoided any overtly sensual approaches. It was as if he sensed he had nearly ruined things that first evening and was determined not to repeat his mistake.
    On the afternoon of the second day, Shannon sat cutting out a stencil of a letter A that she had designed in a medieval Anglo-Saxon style. The A was a frame for a hunting scene with fanciful creatures playing along the legs of the letter.
    As she worked she pondered the fact that she was soon going to be ready for Garth to repeat his "error" of the first night. She wouldn't mind now at all if he showed some interest in making a pass. The thought made her smile as she used the fine, sharp blade of her knife the way she would a pencil to cut out the portions of the design that would be printed in red. The canvas fabric she intended to silk-screen the next day would have to be run through the screening process a different time for each color used. She would start with the red. When she had finished with that batch she would let the ink dry and then run the fabric sections through again to apply the yellow portion of the design. The process would continue until she had completed the illustration on each canvas square. Then the fabric would be sewn into tote bags. She wanted some especially good examples of her work for the buyer who was due to pay her a visit.
    It occurred to Shannon that she might have to find a subtle way of letting Garth know she was no longer adverse to the idea of taking their relationship to a more intimate level. He was being so cautious that it was almost humorous.
    Shannon finished cutting the film and set the knife down on her worktable. Critically she examined her creation and was satisfied with the sharp, crisp lines. It should print well. Tomorrow she would attach it to the frame and run off a few samples. Laying the film down on the table, she leaned forward on her elbows and studied the cottage across the way.
    The afternoon sun was warm, and the day was balmy with a pleasant breeze off the sea. There was no sign of Garth, however. He didn't seem to be making any effort to enjoy the fine day. He rarely appeared in the afternoons, Shannon realized. She was beginning to wonder how he spent his time inside the cottage. It hadn't seemed polite to ask.
    Idly she glanced at the calendar on the wall and saw that she had circled today's date in red. In tiny letters she had noted "T of S at 8. Must go Verna prod." Hastily Shannon deciphered the cryptic reminder and came to a sudden decision. Hopping down off the drafting chair, she left the cottage and went to knock on Garth's front door.
    There was a short delay before Garth appeared at the door. He looked at her bemusedly for a moment, as if he had been in another world when she'd knocked. His shirt was open, the sleeves were rolled up on his forearms and he was barefoot. His dark hair was in disarray, as if he had been running his fingers through it. All in all, he appeared to have been very much involved in something when she had knocked. His expression cleared abruptly as he realized who stood on the threshold. Shannon was certain that he was pleased to see her. She wished his eyes would soften a bit more often the way they did now. He had terrific eyes.
    "I just came over to see if you'd like to go with me to a local theater production tonight," Shannon began lightly, glancing curiously around the room. There was a pile of business documents and papers spread out on the old table in the corner. "A friend of mine is producing and directing it, and it should be interesting. They're doing The Taming of the Shrew and I can't wait to see how Verna has interpreted it. She's a strong feminist with very radical feelings on the subject of women's roles. I can't imagine how she'll handle Kate and Petruchio ." Shannon