Lonely Millionaire by Grace Carol Page B

dinner in her kitchen with just the two of them, no guests, no sister.
    What was wrong with her? She was full to overflowing with guests and she was longing for the good old days when she was half-empty. The truth was that Adam filled up the place all by himself. With him there she forgot all about guests. And right now she'd almost forgotten about the sauce simmering on the stove and the noodles boiling in the pot. She rushed back to the kitchen to take charge.
    It seemed to take hours for them to serve and for the guests to eat, but when they'd finished, and the well-fed, contented guests had toddled happily up the stairs to bed, Mandy fell onto the sofa and Laurie walked in the front door in blue jeans and a sweatshirt.
    "Where is everybody?" Laurie asked in a loud whisper.
    Mandy, almost too tired to speak, pointed one hand toward the second floor, the other toward the kitchen.
    Laurie nodded and sat next to her sister on the couch. "Good heavens, why didn't you tell me he was God's gift from the Yukon?"
    Mandy smothered a smile. "You didn't ask me."
    Laurie crossed her legs underneath her. "Maybe they all look like that. Even Jack. Maybe it’s the air or the cold weather."
    Mandy leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes.
    "What Jack looks like is not important. What is important is that he's honest and faithful." Mandy didn't see Adam come into the living room, but she felt Laurie's sharp dig with her elbow. Her eyes flew open.
    "Sounds like man's best friend," he commented, looking at Mandy.
    "We were talking about a friend of Mandy's," Laurie explained. "Another Yukon man. I don't suppose you know Jack, do you?"
    "We've already been through that," Mandy said. "It’s a big territory."
    "Sounds like a great guy," Adam said, jabbing the log in the fireplace with a poker.
    "He's looking for a wife," Laurie said.
    Mandy shifted uncomfortably. "I don't really think Adam's interested in what Jack is looking for."
    "Not interested," Adam repeated brusquely. "But don't let that stop you. You two go right ahead and discuss him while I clear this mess out of here."
    Mandy jumped to her feet. "No, you sit down while I clean up."
    Laurie untangled her feet from the sofa. "Why don't we all work together and get it done faster?"
    "Laurie, you go to bed. You must be exhausted from serving meals to two hundred people." Mandy wanted to give her sister a nudge in the direction of the door. There was no telling what she'd say. She might tell Adam that Mandy had met Jack through Yukon Man, that Mandy was in love with Jack, or that Mandy was perfect for Adam. But Laurie was determined to stay.
    Before they adjourned to tackle the kitchen, Laurie asked Adam where he was going to sleep. He shrugged and pointed to the couch. Mandy ran her hand through her tangled hair. It didn't seem fair for Adam to cook the dinner, wash the dishes and then sleep on the couch. But what could she do? There was a brief pause while she looked at Laurie, who was looking at Adam, who was looking at Mandy, then they all trooped into the kitchen.
    Mandy washed, Adam dried and Laurie put away. Laurie told stories about the charter flight she'd worked the night before, about spilled drinks, inebriated passengers, and the three of than were soon laughing and talking as if they'd known each other for years.
    When Laurie finally put the last glass away, said goodnight and went to her room, the house was suddenly quiet. The dining table had been returned to its place under the window and Mandy reached into the hall closet for a pillow and a blanket.
    "Your sister's a great girl," Adam noted, taking the bedding from her arms.
    Mandy nodded. "She thinks you're nice, too." She could hardly say "She thinks you're God's gift from the Yukon," but she thought it. "Thanks again, Adam," she said. But before he wrapped himself in the blanket and settled his long, lanky body into the narrow confines of the couch, she hurried down the hall and closed her bedroom