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man holding her in his arms. It was Brandt Lyon, the masculine line of his mouth curved into a smile.
    Her stomach turned over with sickening suddenness. She had always known there were other women in his life. With a man like Brandt Lyon, there were bound to be. On odd occasions, she had even taken messages over the telephone that would confirm it, but she had never seen him in the company of a woman.
    At that moment the woman snuggled her head against his chest. Joan watched his gaze lazily sweep the room while he made some whispered comment to his partner. For a fraction of a second, his gaze lingered on her. She waited in breathless anticipation for his nod of recognition before his attention reverted to his partner.
    Her teeth bit into her lips as she realized with a start that her boss hadn't recognized her. A wistful smile curled her lips as she wondered what his reaction would be if she identified herself to him. Would he revise his opinion about his efficient secretary or would he still doubt her ability to be attractive?
    Then Ed's arm was curling around her shoulder urging her towards the door. His touch took her out of the world of make-believe and into reality. Her crush on Brandt Lyon had been over a long time ago. She had to end this foolish speculation. The truth was that even if he did suddenly see her as a woman, she could never compete with the likes of the blonde in his arms.
    It was a waste of time to keep pining for someone who was out of her reach. Joan pushed aside the romantic dreamings and called upon the stronger, practical side of her nature. Ed Thomas was nice, much nicer than she expected. It was time she stopped comparing each man she met with Brandt Lyon. Men were individuals and she had to begin looking at them as such and stop trying to put them into categories.
    Infatuations were all right when she was young. Now she was older, supposed to be wiser.
     

 
    Chapter Two
     
    KAY teased Joan unmercifully about her vow that she wouldn't entertain Ed the entire weekend. In fact, Joan had ended up going to the airport to see him off that Sunday. She decided that she had needed to see Brandt Lyon with another woman to completely kill the last of her infatuation. And Ed had been all too willing to fill the gap, not in any serious way, however.
    Joan still believed he was something of a playboy, but she truly hadn't minded. Although she had to admit she was rather surprised by the flowers he had sent to her the day after he left and the telephone call from Cleveland on Wednesday. He had even made plans to fly back to Chicago the weekend before Christmas. It was obvious she had impressed him, and that filled her with confidence.
    Outside her office window, flakes of snow were swirling in a light wind. The weekend promised to be white and Joan began to daydream about her plans for the following day. She and Kay were going shopping for the remainder of their Christmas gifts. She wondered if she should buy some small gift for Ed, nothing expensive or personal, but a little something.
    The intercom buzzed commandingly. "Miss Somers," Brandt Lyon's voice sounded crisply over the speaker. "bring me in those figures Jenson left with you on the Danville hospital."
    "Yes, sir," Joan responded promptly, flicking off the intercom switch as she rose from her desk.
    She was nearly to the filing cabinets when the buzz of the intercom called her back. "Get Lyle Baines in here. The figures on this hospital bid don't look right. I want to go over them with him before we submit it."
    The idle moments of the first hour of the morning disappeared as Joan found herself running back and forth from the filing cabinet to Brandt Lyon's office. An error was found in the computations for the hospital construction bid and now every item was being double checked.
    At noon, Kay stuck her head inside the door asking Joan if she was going to lunch. Joan glanced towards the closed door and grimaced.
    "I doubt if they know what time