Looking For You All My Life Part 86

over and explain to him that this was absolutely nothing

more than a business meeting, and that she had only dressed

up to catch his eye! She couldn't bear to hurt him, not even

slightly. And yet, at the same time, it seemed silly to make

too much of this. Perhaps she was only imagining she saw

any hurt in his eyes in the first place. Uncomfortable with her

confusing feelings, she smiled once more at him and then

forced herself to look away, focusing her eyes instead upon

the fireplace. To distract herself, she watched the graceful

motion of flames. Unlike her childhood memories of the big

log fires that were lit in here on a cool summer night, this

river rock fireplace was now fueled by natural gas. Still, the

cement logs and orange flames looked amazingly realistic

and although it wasn't quite the same as the snapping of

pitchy wood, it was warm and friendly. She glanced furtively

back at Jed, who was now immersed in conversation with

the other three. She sighed and hoped they were all enjoying

their time together. She wished she could see Michael's face

but his back was toward her. She knew she'd soon hear what

Michael thought of Barbara Harris. Judging by Barbara's Looking for You All My Life137

face, she was impressed with Michael. That was a huge

relie

"Sorry about that," said Cohn as he slipped back into his

chair just in time for the waitress to serve their entrees.

"Business?"

"Yes. A problem that couldn't wait until I got back." He

looked down at the plate before him and picked up his fork.

"Once again, this looks absolutely delicious. The chef here

is really first-rate, you know. I sneaked into the kitchen and

tried to entice him into going home with me and working in

one of my restaurants, but he wouldn't hear of it, and then

Cindy very nicely but firmly escorted me Out of the kitchen."

They chatted as they ate. Dinner was very pleasant, very

congenial. Maggie had to remind herself from time to time

that Cohn, according to Clyde, was still the enemy. But to

her surprise she almost found herself hoping that she'd been

completely wrong about him. Really, wouldn't life be much

simpler if she could just step away from this battle with TS

Development? After all, wasn't this exactly what the town

wanted and needed? Maybe it was time to let bygones be

bygones, after all. Besides, they had other, more serious,

issues to pursue anyway. Things like Randy Ebbert and his

hateful, racist views. Even today he'd circulated a new flyer

suggesting that the town needed a conservative newspaper

to balance the liberal views of the Pine Cone! That had made

her laugh out loud. As if she'd ever been considered a "lib-

eral" in any other circle! Why, her old editor at the Times

had often laid into her for what he called her overly "con-

servative" views. Politics were funny.

Just after Maggie and Cohn were served their dessert, Jed