Snowbound - Harlequin.com

JANICE KAY JOHNSON 185
with her mother who, astonishingly, had invited a male
friend to dinner.
I’m embarrassed at how terribly awkward I found it,
even though they were very careful not to even brush
hands while passing the gravy. Honestly. I felt like a
sullen twelve-year-old!
John reported:
I was one hell of a lot politer than he deserved. I even
reduced his bill.
I wish I could have seen your face, Fiona said, and
he could almost hear her laughing.
John started driving to town twice a week to check
his e-mail and write her. She always responded immediately.
He began to resent the lodge’s lack of telephone
service that would have allowed him to have an Internet
connection.
Of course, he could call her. But talking never came
easily to him. He could just imagine the silences so long
he’d keep wondering if he’d been cut off. She would undoubtedly
sound warm and friendly, but without seeing
her face how could he tell if it was forced?
Until she’d come to the lodge, he hadn’t known he
was lonely, but now with her gone, the isolation from
any meaningful human contact ate at him. It was almost
worse when the lodge was occupied. People rarely came
alone. They came in couples, family groups, parties of
friends. He would see the way they touched each other