The conversation was relaxed and moved with ease as they discussed a variety of subjects, and eventually Cal asked him about the hospitals he'd seen, and they wound up talking about Cal's high-tech diagnostic equipment. Steve gave him a critical assessment of it, praised two of Cal's machines inordinately, and gave him some interesting insights and pointers from a physician's standpoint. And Cal looked pleased by what he was hearing from him.

They moved inside to the dining room after an hour, and Cal served a Mouton-Rothschild Bordeaux that impressed Steve no end. And at eleven o'clock they were still talking over brandy. It was nearly midnight when they left, and Meredith had the impression that the evening had gone well. Both men seemed to have liked each other.

“What did you think of him?” she asked in the car on the way back to the hotel as Steve drove. She was interested in Steve's assessment of him.

“He's a hell of a bright guy. And you're right, he's good looking of course, but you forget about it after a while. He's got so many innovative ideas, and there's so much he wants to do, you kind of get caught up in his head and forget the fancy clothes and the movie star looks. I can see why you like him.” And then he smiled sheepishly at his wife. “I'm sorry about the jacket, Merrie. I'll bring a better one next time.”

“Who cares?” She smiled at the man she loved. She was so proud of him and loved him so much, and she was glad he had liked Cal. And she was a little stunned by what he said next. “I think you ought to take the job. I don't think you'll ever forgive yourself if you don't. You'd always wonder what might have happened if you'd come out here. Baby, you've got to do it.”

“You're amazing. What about you?”

“I'll find something. There's plenty of work. They just have to make room for me.” And he felt sure they would, in time. “Right now, this job for you is the main thing. I want you to be happy.” There were tears in her eyes as he said it. He was so good to her, and so kind, and so generous of spirit.

“I'm not making any decisions until we know where things stand for you. This involves both of us, not just me, no matter how altruistic you are about it.”

“Let's see what happens on Monday. And in the meantime, let's have a good time this weekend.” Cal had offered to tour them around the next day, but Steve had told him they wanted to discover the city on their own, and they had agreed to come over on Sunday afternoon to swim, and have dinner with him with his kids. And Cal had promised to do a barbecue for them. But Steve and Meredith were looking forward to spending time in the city before that.

On Saturday, they went to Marin, and crossed the Golden Gate Bridge with the top down on their rented convertible. They had lunch in Sausalito and wandered around in the shops, and they had dinner at Scoma's. The view was spectacular, and afterward they drove around San Francisco, and wound up at Fisherman's Wharf for an Irish coffee. He took her to the Top of the Mark at midnight just to see the view, and then they went back to the Peninsula, and talked about what they'd seen of the city. Cal had told them that Pacific Heights would be the place for them to live, and they had driven through it, with its neat rows of pretty Victorians and brick houses and colorful stuccos. Everything looked tidy and neat and clean, and the streets were immaculate. And Steve had fallen in love with the city.

On Sunday morning, they visited the Stanford campus, and then strolled through Palo Alto. They were both overwhelmed by what they'd seen and how much they'd liked it. They arrived at Cal's on Sunday afternoon and joined everyone at the pool. Steve was playing Marco Polo in the water with Cal's children, as Meredith chatted with Callan.

“I think you've made a convert,” Meredith said softly as they watched him. “He loves San Francisco.”

“And you, Merrie?”

“I love your company, and the work.” She smiled at him. She would have been happy at the north pole with a job like the one he was offering, and they both knew it.

“You're a workaholic, like I am. We're hopeless.”He glanced at her husband playing with his children and smiled back at her. “He's a nice guy, Merrie. You were right. And I hear he's a damn good doctor.” He had made some polite inquiries before recommending him at the hospitals where he'd sent him. “How's the job front looking?”

“Nothing yet. No one has an opening for him, but he doesn't seem too panicked about it. He's got an interview in the East Bay on Monday.”

“I hope it works out,” Cal said fervently, and meant every word of it. He was more desperate than ever to have her come out and join him. The past three days had confirmed to him everything he'd thought about her.

“So do I,” she said quietly, as Steve threw the ball to Mary Ellen and she squealed with pleasure. As cautious as the children had been around Meredith, they seemed to have no trouble opening up to her husband. But she had never been very comfortable around children, and they sensed that.

It was an easy afternoon for them, and Steve and Cal and Meredith got into long, interesting discussions that night, mostly about politics and their effect on business. Steve had his own pet peeves in what related to medicine, and they exchanged points of view for hours, and when they left, Cal wished him luck the next day at his interview, and told Merrie he'd see her in the morning.

She was in Cal's office with him when Steve called at noon, and he sounded exhilarated.

“What's up?” she asked, sounding distracted. They'd been going over some projections for the next quarter.

“I thought you might like some news.”

“What's that?” she asked, smiling, as Cal watched her intently.

“I have a job. And so do you, I suspect. They want me on January first. The head of trauma here is leaving, and if my references check out, which they should, if they call Lucas, I'll be their new head of trauma. How does that sound?”

“Wow!” Her eyes met Cal's as she said it. “Congratulations, sweetheart!” She was nearly speechless. It was all falling into place with so little effort. It was as though it was meant to be. It was obviously kismet.

“The same to you. Are you going to tell Cal you'll take it?”

“What do you think?” she asked cryptically. She wanted to be sure it was really all right with him if she did it. But now they both had great new jobs to come to, and it lifted a ten-ton weight off her shoulders. She was free now to take the job Cal was offering her and that she wanted so badly.

“I think if you don't tell him you'll take it, I will. Go for it, sweetheart. You deserve it.”

“Thank you, Steve,” she said, feeling grateful and happy and relieved all at once. She was still smiling when she hung up the phone a few minutes later. And Cal was watching her with a worried expression.

“That sounded hopeful.”

“Better than that.” She beamed at him. “He got the job.” Cal's face broke into a broad smile, he was as relieved as she was.

“Where does that leave us, Merrie?”

“Where would you like it to leave us?” she asked directly, her eyes never leaving his for an instant. It was like dancing with Fred Astaire again, they were perfectly synchronized, their minds always working together.

“I'd like it to leave you as the new CFO of Dow Tech. Will you do it?”

She nodded slowly. She was sure now. It was almost like getting married, a huge step, and an important commitment. “Yes, I will, if that's what you want.”

“You know I do, Meredith.” He held out his hand then and shook hers. “Is it a deal?”

“It is. I can't believe this has happened.” And it had all happened so quickly. Two weeks before, they'd been on a road show together, and now she was his employee and moving to California.

“Neither can I.” He went to the small wet bar in the anteroom to his office and took out a bottle of champagne and two glasses. And when he came back, he was smiling from ear to ear. “Let's celebrate. This is the best news I've had in years. Maybe ever.”

They toasted each other, and sat drinking champagne and talking for a while, and then they started talking about the details.

“How soon do you want me, Cal?” She knew that Charlie McIntosh had given him two weeks, but she assumed that he'd be willing to stay on for a while, particularly knowing now that she'd be coming out and would need a little time to tie things up at her end. Two weeks, if he'd stuck to it, would have meant the eighth of October, and there was no way she could do that. If nothing else, she had to give her firm a decent notice. She was thinking about a month, and she had to sell their New York apartment. And Steve had said they wanted him in the East Bay on the first of January. That sounded about right to her.

“No later than October fifteenth,” Cal answered calmly. And she laughed, thinking he was joking.

“Very funny. I'm serious. Steve has to be out here on January first. Maybe December fifteenth, or just after Christmas?”

“No way, Meredith.” The shrewd businessman she had seen in operation before had risen to the fore. He had to think of his own needs now, and Dow Tech's. He wasn't going to wait three months for her to come to California. “Charlie has already told me that he won't stay a single extra day, which is lousy of him, but that's Charlie. He can't wait to get out of here. He and his wife have already planned a two-month tour of Asia.’’

“Cal, there's no way I can be here in three weeks. That's crazy.” She was more than a little startled, and she didn't want to be out two and a half months before Steve, that wouldn't be fair to either one of them. But she also had to think of Dow Tech and Callan's needs.