"So, is he going to stay with you?" asked Leah.
"Sure. I think it should be interesting to get to know him.
He sounds like a very nice person in his letter. He writes well
and seems educated."
"A missionary to Pine Mountain," repeated Audrey as if
still processing this unusual information.
"I'd like to do a story on him," said Maggie. "Do you
think he'll be willing?"
"Don't know why not." Jed heaped another dollop of
mashed potatoes onto his plate. "He seems to have a lot to
share."
After everyone sufficiently praised Leah for the fine
dinner, Maggie offered to clean up, sending everyone else to
the library. But before long Jed slipped back into the kitchen.
"Thought I'd make myself useful," he offered as he took
over rinsing plates and handing them to her as she loaded the
dishwasher. Occasionally their fingers brushed each other,
sending a happy tingle up her arm. Jed took out the garbage,
then lingered on the back porch for a moment. "Hey,
Maggie, come here!"
She hurried outside to see what was wrong, then followed
his gaze up to the dark sky where hundreds of delicate
snowflakes could be seen floating down in the beams of the
back porch light.
"Oh, it's absolutely beautiful," she breathed with excite-
ment, stepping out from the protection of the porch overhang 34Melody Carlson
to allow the delicate snowflakes to fall directly upon her
upturned face.
He joined her, putting an arm around her waist. "Not as
beautiful as you!" he whispered as he pulled her close, his
face ve?y near hers.
"Where'd you two go?" called Leah from the still-open
backdoor.
Maggie felt herself pull away from Jed's embrace,
instantly wishing she hadn't. "We're Jown here, Leah. It's
snowing!"
"Snowing?" cried Leah, bounding down the steps and
twirling around in the fast-falling flakes. "Oh, isn't it won-
derful!"
Soon they were all outside, dancing and rejoicing in the
falling snow. Even Daniel joined in, which Maggie thought
was sweet since he'd obviously seen many winters in Pine
Mountain before. Finally Audrey enticed them all back
inside with her famous homemade apple cobbler.
By the next morning the only remnant of last night's
snow was wet pavement, and perhaps the mountains were a
bit whiter. Maggie went to the fitness center to work Out
before her interview with Rick. Concerned about what
Cherise's reaction might be to running the story about the
Westerly property, she broke the news to her as gently as