His eyes lit up. "You want to write about me in your
newspaper?"
"Yes, I think it would interest our readers. Would that be
okay?"
He nodded vigorously. "It is wonderful. Praise be to God!
I will come tomorrow if that is all right. I am going with Jed
to do something special today."
"Yes. Tomorrow is perfect. How about nine o'clock in
the morning? That way we can get it into this week's paper
with your photo and everything."
82Melody Carlson
"I will come ifjed can bring me, for I do not drive a car."
He grew~thoughtful. "But I can paddle a canoe."
She grinned. "I bet you can. See you tomorrow then."
By late afternoon, at least six inches of snow had accu-
mulated. Maggie stepped out of the newspaper office and felt
as giddy as a child as she surveyed the town now coated in
a clean blanket of white. Shop windows glowed warmly, and
the old-fashioned lampposts looked cheerful, their golden
Llight reflected on the freshly fallen snow. It was like a Cur
rier & Ives card-a true winter wonderland! Jed had
returned her car only moments ago, and Abigail had encour
aged her to go home early so that she could practice her
snow driving while it was still light enough outside to see
4"Now, take it nice and slow, honey," the older woman had
sagely advised her. "No fast moves, gentle braking, gentle
steering.. and you'll be just fine." Maggie hurried over to her
car; relieved that her windows were still cleared of snow as
she hopped into the driver's seat, still slightly warm. On the
dashboard was a new ice scraper probably a thank-you gift
from Jed for borrowing her car. How thoughtful of him. But
something seemed different inside. She sniffed the air curi
ously-there was a distinct, pungent aroma of rubber. She
turned around to see where it was coming from, and there in
the back of her station wagon was a set of four tires. How
very odd. Then she recalled Jed quizzing her on Thanks
giving about whether she'd gotten snow tires yet. She
hopped out of her car to examine her tires-and there, sure
*enough, she could see shiny, metal studs gleaming in the
afternoon light. Jed had taken her car over to Byron to get
snow tires put on for her! She smiled happily as she climbed
back in and started the engine. Now, if that wasn't
love.. .what indeed was? She carefully navigated Main Street,
her confidence growing steadily (and greatly, due to her new
tires). She turned off toward home alone. There was no need Lookin~ for You All M~ Life
to pick up Leah today as she'd said this morning
going to bring her home later-after they'd had dinner
Pine Mountain Hotel. Maggie hated to admit, even to herself,
that she'd felt a keen prick of jealousy about this news,
wishing that Jed was taking her instead. But in the same
instant she'd been happy for Leah's sake, realizing how the