"You look like you should be modeling. Custom-made suit?"

He nodded. "So. Are we ready to go?"

"Absolutely." She put on her coat, picked up her purse and joined him at the door.

By the time they reached the theater, Jodie had laughed so much her tears hadwiped off the little makeup she wore. Not that she cared. She couldn't remember thelast time she'd so enjoyed herself.

With Dean perhaps?

Don't go there.

Once they were seated, she said, "I can't believe you got such good seats."

"Actually they were a last-minute cancellation. Looks as if we lucked out."

As the lights began to dim, Jodie noticed a couple being seated a few rows in

front of them. She recognized the man immediately-it was Dean with his newgirlfriend.

She couldn't believe that they had chosen the same night to see the musical. Shegave her head a quick shake of dismissal.

"Something wrong?" Carl leaned toward her to ask.

"Not really. I just saw the man I work for. He doesn't seem to be themusical-theater kind, so I was a little surprised." She nodded toward the couple.

"How long have you worked for him?"

"Close to five years. It's a great company to work for. They've paid for me totake college courses at night. I'll actually get my degree this spring."

"Great benefits."

She watched as Dean leaned over and said something to the woman he was with. Shelooked to be about his age, and from what Jodie could see, she appeared to be veryattractive.

The overture finished and the curtains opened. After that, Jodie forgot everythingelse but the magical experience of musical theater.

Dean and Susan went into the lobby during intermission. He told her to wait thereand he'd get them something to drink from the bar. While going through the crowd,he almost literally ran into Jodie.

"Well, hi," he said with a slight smile. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Hello, Dean," she said. "I'd like you to meet Carl Grantham."

Dean hadn't realized that she was with someone. He held out his hand. "DeanLogan." The man was everything he wasn't. Good-looking-all right,great-looking-debonair and appeared charming.

"Dean is the man I work for," she said to Carl.

"I'm glad to meet you. Jodie was singing your praises a little earlier."

Dean looked at Jodie and she turned a fiery red. He looked back at Carl. "That'salways good to hear. If you'll excuse me, I was headed to the bar to get drinks forSusan and me. Good meeting you, Carl. I'll see you at the office, Jodie."

Dean turned his back and walked away before he did or said something outrageous.He wanted to flatten Carl and grab Jodie, proclaiming that she belonged to him andonly to him. He'd never experienced such a surge of jealousy and possessiveness.What was wrong with him anyway? He'd never dated Jodie, so why should a few sharedkisses last week make him feel so possessive of her, of all people? He wasn'tjealous of women he dated.

Dean glanced back at the couple, who appeared to be enjoying each other's company.He frowned. Damn it, he didn't want her seeing other men. When he rejoined Susan,she thanked him and said, "What a striking couple you stopped and talked to. Theylook perfect for each other. Are they married?"

"No. She's my secretary."

"I see. Jodie, isn't it?"

"You've got a great memory. Yes, that's Jodie Cameron."

"I remember when you hired her. After a few months you couldn't say enough goodthings about her."

"Well, she's taking another position in the company in a week or so and I'm goingto need another secretary. Don't suppose you'd be interested?"

Susan laughed. "I'm afraid not. I'm more comfortable doing private care work."

"How do you like your present assignment?"

"I like it. In fact, the son of the man I'm caring for has shown an interest inme."

"That's not surprising. The question is, are you encouraging him?"

"I believe I am," she admitted with a smile. "He's a single parent with twochildren. I have no idea where their mother is. She's never mentioned. The girlsand I get along famously. They were upset that I was going out tonight with someoneother than their dad."

"A ready-made family. Is that what you want?"

Tears filled her eyes. "That's the only way I'll have children. I think this couldturn into something serious." She blinked away the tears. "I don't think he wasparticularly enamored of my seeing you either."

"It will do him good. We won't tell him that you're the sister I never had-"

"And the brother I never had," she finished.

He touched her cheek. "You know I'll always be there for you. Would you like me tomeet him and make intimidating noises about his treating you right or he'll answerto me?"

Susan laughed out loud and gave him a hug. "I really don't think that will benecessary, but I'll keep it in mind."

Jodie watched the attractive woman with Dean hug him and turned away. The lightsflickered, signaling that it was time to return for the next act. Once seated,Jodie did her best not to watch for Dean.

She also decided that she didn't need to see him with other women either. Nexttime she'd make certain not to go anywhere where she might run into him.

Ten.

There was another bouquet of flowers on her desk when Jodie arrived at work onMonday. This time she didn't bother to thank him since the flowers were for theoffice. However, she did comment on how beautiful they were.

He looked up from his work. "Did you enjoy the musical?" he asked.

"Very much. I haven't seen a stage production in much too long a time. How aboutyou?"

He shrugged. "It was okay, I guess. If you like that sort of thing. I've neverbeen able to figure out why, when they become romantic, they sing to each otherinstead of kissing."

She smiled. "So why did you go?"

"Susan mentioned wanting to see it."

"She seems very nice."

He leaned back in his chair and studied her. "I spoke to Frank earlier. He said hecould put you to work in three weeks if that's okay with you."

She nodded. "That's fine with me. I'll call the employment agency and find someoneto replace me."

He cleared his throat. "Jodie, there's no one who can replace you. I'd like tokeep you here, but I know I'm being selfish. You deserve a chance to put youreducation to good use and I don't want to hold you back."

She blinked back the tears that suddenly appeared. "Thank you for giving me thechance. I promise I'll find someone who is every bit as good as I am. Within a weekyou won't notice there's been a change."

He shook his head. "That will never happen." He picked up a letter lying on hisdesk, a clear dismissal of her, which was just as well.

Jodie returned to her desk. She was going to miss seeing him every day, but it wasbetter this way. The infatuation she seemed to have acquired while on Maui woulddie a natural death once she wasn't around him so often.

The days went by and Jodie slowly settled into a routine of doing her work andinterviewing prospective employees.

Rachel seemed to be back in Dean's life. She called him every day or so, and Jodiehappened to hear him making plans with her for a weekend next month.

Jodie spent her evenings working on school projects and studying for finals. She'dbe glad when she moved to her new position. Being around the old Dean who neverlaughed and rarely smiled made her heart ache for him. He'd returned to hishard-crusted shell, and it was as though the man she'd gotten to know in Hawaii no longer existed.

She had hoped that, for his sake, he would look around him and enjoy his life morefully. It was his choice, of course, to revert back to theall-business-all-the-time man he'd been.

Why should she care?

She didn't want to think about the answer.