In the Post

A jerk of her head sent snowflakes flying. She toed out of the heavy bearclaw snowboots and shrugged out of the red down jacket. The jacket dropped to the sidechair, then slid and pooled on the terra cotta tiles in a crimson puddle.

The stack of mail hit the table with a thud. She pulled one item from the pile and opened it with a flourish.

He shook his head in amusement. "Anything interesting in today's mail?"

Waving a hand toward the assortment, she murmured, "Oh...the usual..."

"Nothing that catches your attention, then?" He swallowed a chuckle, but just barely.

"Umm...oh, you know. Uh, nothing much. Just..."

"The Burpee catalog?"

She nodded, her gaze glued to the glossy pages.

"I guess spring really is coming this year, then?" He laughed, the sound filling the room and finally catching her attention. She looked over the top edge of the catalog, a grin pulling the edges of her lips upward.

"It looks that way, doesn't it?"