Free Girl on the Run by Rhoda Baxter

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    From: Polly, To: Jane
    We heard you sneaking in during the small hours last night. So? What happened? I want details . 　Pol.
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    From: Jane, To: Polly
    Nothing much happened. I told you he rescued me from the muggers. After that, we went to his flat . 　He made me tea and got me to phone the police. Then he cooked me dinner. He made pasta sauce from scratch, Pol. He just got the ingredients out and cooked. No fuss. And it was delicious. I didn't know men could cook like that. Ash's idea of cooking me dinner was to make me a tuna sandwich ! 　Marsh was a total gent the whole time. We talked . 　He's so NICE. And so grown up – especially after Ashby and his mates! Apparently, Marsh's parents died when he was twenty-one and his sister was thirteen. So he's had to look after his sister all that time. She's at uninow. She lives in the flat with him during the holidays . 　I found out he was single, by the way. He's had a disastrous relationship fairly recently and has been single ever since :-)? Jane.
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    From: Polly, To: Jan e 

    So, did you pull? Are you going to see each other again?
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    F rom: Jane , 　To: Polly
    No, didn't pull. I thought for a moment that he was going to kiss me … but then he didn't – well, he kissed me on the cheek, but I don't think that really counts. He did promise that he wouldn't try anything when he first invited me to his flat. I guess he was keeping his word. Of course, now all I can think about iswhat it would have been like if he DID actually kiss me . 　I have a huge pile of work to do, but I can't concentrate. Aaargh!
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    From: Polly, To: Jane
    Hang on , hang on. He's good-looking, he's charming, he can cook, he's single. He lives with his sister. AND HE DIDN'T MAKE A MOVE ON YOU. Are you sure he's not gay?
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    From: Jane, To: Polly
    NO. At least, I'm pretty sure he's not. His last relationship was with a woman in the office … 　And he isn't camp.
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    From: Polly, To: Jane
    Not all gay men are camp, you know . 　There's one sure way to tell. Does he fold his clothes up neatly, or just throw them on the floor? Pol.
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    From: Jane, To: Polly
    If I knew the answer to that, we wouldn't be having this conversation . 　I have a plan. I'm going to ask him out for dinner. To say thank you.

Chapter Nine
     
    From: Marshall, To: James
    Help ! 　My life has suddenly gone wrong. In order of increasing importance : 　1. I have four working days before I have to give Susan my opposition draft. I've been wracking my brains to come up with some decent arguments. I have a few, but no really good prior art document to hang it on. The ones I have are, at most, tenuous. 2. I have three patent drafts due in by next week. I'm going to have to phone at least one client and ask for a time extension. I hate doing that. It looks really unprofessional . 　3. Stevie's dating some prat who keeps borrowing money off her. When I try to tell her so, she gets annoyed with me. I thought she would have grownout of the whole 'you're not Dad' thing by now . 　4. Last, but not least, I really like Jane and I can't ask her out because she's a work colleague. I know Keith is already trying to put the oar in with the partners. I can't give him more ammunition. I'd like to keep away from Jane, but it's a bit difficult when I work with her every day. She's so damn lovely, I can't concentrate on my work. Just shoot me . 　Marsh.
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    From: James, To: Marshall
    Sounds like a mess all right . 　Can't help you with the time management issues. I'm sure you'll cope with your usual style . 　I'll see if Lou has any ideas on how to help with the Stevie situation. Perhaps a quiet woman to girl chat . 　Regarding Jane … How MUCH do you like her ? 　Jim.
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    From: Marshall, To: James
    I like her a LOT! It was all I could do not to kiss her last night . 　And in a weird way when I'm with her – outside of work, I mean – I feel like everything is just … right. Which is odd, since I