Take-Out with Dale — Callie Endicott

Having shared an apartment and becoming best friends during college, Dale never expected to her and Austin to stop being friends. And when her fiancé walked out on their marriage a few week after graduation, well, she didn't expect Austin to come back from London and his terrific new job, but maybe later, to see how great she's handled everything.Nine years later, Dale decides the yearly Christmas card isn't enough and sends a letter to her old friend, asking if he'd like to be in better contact.Austin has achieved everything he'd hoped to while getting his M.B.A. He owns his own large company and is considering moving corporate headquarters to Seattle. He's pleased to hear from Dale and stunned to hear she's not married. When he visits Seattle and she offers to house him while he's moving his company, it's an attractive prospect--no more hotels or executive apartments. the old friendship is wonderful; she teases him about his girlfriends and single status with her old cheerful impudence.Dale enjoys having Austin back in her life. True, she reocgnizes in a new way how attractive he is, but she doesn't have to pay attention. They're radically different people and what works for friends wouldn't be right for anything romantic.