Katherine folded the letter slowly and a wistful smile crossed her face. Jonathan was very faithful to write back as quickly as her letters

arrived. Wherever he was on the East Coast, following baseball teams, he would take the time to chronicle what he was doing and observing.

He even sent her copies of his articles from various newspapers and magazines. Katherine was amazed at how good his writing actually was!

While Jonathan was humble and considered what he wrote to be rather "pedantic," Katherine found his articles to be more than baseball

statistics and general news. He always seemed to pick out something unique to discuss- a player's unusual background that brought him

to the game, a nuance of training that made the team stronger or potentially flawed..She was just about to re-read his fine article about

the dashed hopes of a team in the Midwest whose manager had succumbed to the scourge of dyptheria when...

The clock on the bank building struck two and her lunch hour was over. Her parasol and handbag under her arm, she headed back to

the concierge desk all the while wondering what Jonathan meant when he signed his letters Yours. "What does that mean to him; a man

of the written word?"

Katherine's workmate, Colleen, was ready to hurry off from the desk as she approached. "I'm famished, Katherine! Marcus is assisting

a large group with their rooms. Can you handle the desk alone for a bit?" Katherine waved Colleen on and began to refocus on the job

putting Jonathan out of her mind for the moment.

The Brown Palace Hotel was a relatively new job for her, but she was already enchanted by the historic beauty of the building, and

was truly enjoying meeting people who came from all over the country. How glad she was that she had heard about and applied for

this position. She promised herself time to daydream about Jonathan Walker at the end of her shift.

Marcus appeared with a portly looking guest chewing on an unlit cigar. "Mr. Eppsley, may I introduce Miss Brown? She will be glad

to further assist you with your team's needs." Marcus leaned over and whispered confidentially, " Katherine, he is the coach of the

baseball team that is staying here. I've got to head over to the kitchen and speak to the chef. Can you handle this please?"

"Of course,"Katherine smiled brightly. "Mr. Eppsley, how can I assist you?"

After a brief discussion Katherine was able to help quickly resolve the room situation for several of the players. As he retrieved his

paperwork from Katherine with new room assignments, Mr. Eppsley leaned over the mahogany front desk and bellowed, "Are you

a baseball fan, Miss Brown?"

Katherine smiled and replied, "Well, rather an interested bystander, you might say, Mr. Eppsley. You see, I have never actually

attended a ballgame."

The hand that did not hold the cigar came slamming down on the desk so hard that Katherine jumped. "That's a shame, Miss Brown!

We have to resolve this right now!" He reached into his vest pocket and produced two tickets. "Have a beau to take you to tomorrow

night's game? Our boys will give you a rollicking evening's entertainment!"

Katherine blushed as she tried to refuse the offer, but he would not hear of it. "Well, thank you. I have been meaning to attend because

Jon...a friend writes professionally about baseball. I shall take my youngest sister. Thank you, Mr. Eppsley!"

As she turned to straighten the desk after his departure into the elevator, Katherine wondered if her sister Hannah would come

along, and also if Jonathan would be surprised that she had finally attended a game!

"Are you reading the manuscript without me, Shane?" Oliver asked, coming in from their back door and planting a kiss

on top of her head. Hanging his jacket in the closet, he glanced back at the reading material in her hands.

"No, Oliver. I was re-reading this last part we read this morning. I'm wondering if Katherine was going to see the

Denver Bears or the Denver Mountain Lions play. In that era, there was no major league baseball in Colorado."

"Been googling away since this morning, Mrs. O'Toole? And how long before major league came to our fair state?"

She patted the seat next to her and put her arm around the back of the couch behind him as she responded. "1991

is when the Denver Rockies came onto the scene. And guess what also came with the latest manuscript from Jonathan

yesterday that we missed? Two tickets for us to attend the Denver Rockies game on Friday night! Jonathan

and Katie will join us there."

"It'll be cold according to the weather predictions. They are suggesting flurries."

She ruffled his hair and made it stand up, smiling when he mildly protested. " When doesn't it, here in Denver?

Let's bundle up and sit clooooose together." She demonstrated by doing just that to which Oliver did not protest.

"I've never been to a Major League Baseball game. My dad took me only to football- the Washington Redskins.

What about you and Joe?"

"I'm afraid sports were not of great interest to me, "sighed Oliver. "Although my father enjoyed them. Maybe we could

get another ticket and have him accompany us?"

"Great idea! Let's make it two and he can bring Jane, that counselor he has been dating." Shane smiled directly into

his eyes. "Your turn to read. Is it too chilly outside for the swing?"

"Maybe we need to toughen up for that stadium outing, my love. Want to snuggle out there? I promise to warm your ear

by reading very closely into it."

"That could be quite distracting, Mr. O'Toole. I'm in!"

Jonathan had spent many busy weeks traveling from stadium to stadium in the Norhtwest, reporting on games, teams, statistics,

predictions, injuries. The late summer and early fall were particularly grinding times for him as baseball

plunged forward, and he recently felt quite lonely traveling so much alone, sitting in dugouts ,hotels, diners, and the like. But he

was finding his loneliness heightened and comforted by the letters that would make their way to him via his mother's deft hand at

locating him. Bills and advertisements she handled, but certain letters made a swift journey to wherever he was. For Mother knew that

a certain lady in the West had captured her son's heart. And Jonathan was grateful that he had confided to his widowed mother of his

growing affection for Katherine Brown.

He pulled out the letter as he stretched across the hotel bed; the neon lights from the building across the way blinking on and off and on.

He could get up and pull the flimsy curtains together but didn't want to waste a minute once he saw her pretty handwriting on the

envelope. And what was this? A Babe Ruth stamp!

He read with eagerness the opening lines of greeting and questions about his health and general well-being. Where was he when this

letter reached him? Katherine always wanted to know. And he asked the same. And had he read any fine literature lately? He had begun

that practice since they met so they had other things to discuss besides his profession-Katherine being a lady of books and letters.

Together they were reading a newly published novel entitled The Secret Garden. Katherine was also reading it to her youngest sister,

Hannah.

"What a fine man to read a children's novel," Oliver murmured.

"And it's excellent literature, Oliver. I read it in high school."

"Perhaps we should read it together, Shane?"

"Or watch one of its many film versions..."

What truly delighted Jonathan even more was the story of the baseball team in Katherine's hotel, the tickets that were given, and

her first experience at a minor league game! He read with a smile her deft descriptions of the sights and sounds. Her comments on

the game itself and her questions. He was surprised she got an invitation to the dugout from Mr. Eppsley and felt a slight rise of

jealousy. She mentioned the athleticism of the players and the boredom of Hannah who immersed herself in The Secret Garden while

Katherine took notes throughout the nine innings that stretched to ten.

But it was her final remark that Jonathan read several times and underlined.

All I could imagine was you sitting next to me, making jokes and singing along with the band...

He quickly penned a letter back to her, even at this late hour. Jonathan commented on all her remarks and her

astute perceptions of the game he loved. And he ended the letter with, "...I am every day inspired by the everyday heroes

who take up bat and ball and swing for the stars. Perhaps someday I will know the joy of standing with you as we cheer on

the Tigers or the Cardinals or my beloved Red Sox!..."

Shane glanced up at Oliver. He felt her gaze and put the manuscript down. "What are you thinking in that lovely mind?"

"I am remembering us in that vault," she said stroking his hair gently," and laughing at that comment of Jonathan's

and recalling how incredible it was to see you smile at me like you did. So genuine and sweet. I'll never forget it.

I was so thankful for those letters then, afterward and now..."

"As am I. What would you say to turning on the backyard lights, some music and dancing under the stars...?"