Another pause, and Jenny heard him take a breath. She took one, too.

"So will you meet me? It's ahnost six now. If you get home any time in the next hour, will you meet me? I know I should come to your house, but I have to be at my job by seven-thirty, and it's in the op-

posite direction, almost in Mount Harris." He took another breath and laughed softly. "Also I... well, you've probably figured out that I'm not Mr. Outgoing. I mean, ringing the doorbell, making conversation with your parents, I'd probably make a rotten first impression. Couldn't we just be together first, someplace quiet? After all, you might not like me. But if you do, I'll come to your house next time and make the best impression I can. Promise." A slight pause, then he went on. "There's a place I like. It's on the way to my job. You could come and we could talk. Face to face, finally."

He went on to describe the place he liked, and as she listened, Jenny realized he was talking about the rimrocks.

When he finished giving directions, he took another deep breath. "I hope you come, Jenny," he said. "I'll be waiting for you. If you can't make it, don't worry, I'll understand. But I sure hope you can."

The message was over. Before it could erase itself, Jenny pressed the save button, thinking that she'd listen to it again.

Instead, she found her purse, took out her biUfold and stuffed it in the pocket of her jeans. Then she ran through the house, turned on every light, turned on the radio loud enough so anyone coming by would think there was a party in progress, and ran out the door.

She wanted someplace to run to and her admirer's message had made her think of one: the airport

in Mount Harris. She'd go there and wait through tonight and tomorrow for her parents' flight to come in. Plenty of people spent the night in the airport, and if anyone asked, she'd just tell them she missed a connection.

First, though, she'd make a stop at the rimrocks. A quiet place, a quiet talk with a shy, gentle-voiced boy. Someone who cared, who she could feel safe with. A boy so gentle that he had said he would understand if she didn't meet him. That was what she needed now, someone soothing, quiet, and caring.

She wasn't even afraid of the rimrocks if her secret admirer was there.

Chapter 11

By the time Jenny turned her car onto the bumpy drive that led to the bottom of the bluff, the sun was almost down. But she knew it would be a while yet before all the light left the sky. They'd have plenty of time to sit and talk and get to know each other.

She stopped the car and got out, looking around. The rimrocks weren't so bloodred now; they'd faded to a soft, pale pink, with purplish shadows created by overhanging rocks. The breeze was still blowing, and the air smelled of pine, even though there weren't any trees around. It was nice now, she decided. A perfect setting, something she might see in a movie.