Now, as she'd done so many times before, Sandi stood staring at the handsome, sun-bronzed man in the photo. His deep blue eyes seemed to stare directly back at her, and she felt an urge to push the lock of wavy chestnut hair off his forehead. Though the young bridegroom was unsmiling, she could tell from the faint suggestion of a dimple in his strong jaw that he was not unhappy, merely embarrassed at having to pose in his wedding clothes when he really only felt comfortable in jeans and a motorcycle helmet. Even the rented tuxedo, however, could not conceal his healthy, masculine physique, and as Sandi gazed at her husband's muscular figure she felt a familiar rush of pride.

Then, as she remembered that Verne was miles away in Kansas with the Cycle Circus, the smile that was starting to form on her lips faded to a worried frown. What was the good of having a handsome husband when you never saw him? And when he was surrounded by plenty of cute girls all day long, his good looks really became a liability rather than an asset. In the early months of their marriage, Sandi had often accompanied her husband on his tours, and she'd had plenty of opportunity to observe the other girls who hung out around the cycle tracks. Most of them, the worried young wife felt certain, wouldn't hesitate to chase after the show's handsome star whether or not he happened to be married. And Verne… would Verne be able to resist their attentions… would he even try to…?

"I won't keep thinking those things about him!" she told herself firmly. "I won't be a jealous wife."

But try as she might, the suspicions remained in the back of her mind, even as she attempted to push away the fearful imaginary vision of her chestnut-haired husband standing beside some peroxide blonde in a low-cut blouse, his strong arm draped around her bare shoulders and his warm lips mashed against her lipstick-smeared mouth. Even though the picture was pure fantasy, Sandi's slender body began to shake in anger and she had to bite her knuckles to keep from bursting into tears.