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father.  Her entire life has been based on being his wife.  His needs matter, hers just don ’ t.  It breaks my heart. ”
    “ I ’ m sorry to hear that ,” Evan says softly, stroking strands of my hair. “ Do you two get along? ”
    “ Well, we ’ re not really close.  I love her, though.  And I ’ d do anything for her.  But, I never want to end up like that. ”
    “ So, I shouldn ’ t expect you to serve my meals to me, then? ” Evan winks, attempting to lighten the mood. He is so friggin ’ charming.
    “ You ’ d better not, because it ’ s never going to hap pen.  Consider yourself warned.  Seriously. ”
    “ I ’ d never expect anything like that from you.  You have to know that .”  C oncern spreads across Evan ’ s now serious face.
    “ Of course I know that.  It ’ s embarrassing, though.  Don ’ t take it personally if I don ’ t introduce you to them for a while.  They ’ re in their own world.  I see them for holidays and such, but that’s about it.”
    “ Don ’ t they live in the area? ”
    “ Yeah, they live about 30 minutes from here .” Evan ’ s eyes widen in surprise. “ I know, I know.  It ’ s bad.  I’m a horrible daughter.”
    “ I didn ’ t say that.  I just wish you had a better relationship with them.”
    “ Me too, Evan, me too.  But, I think they ’ ve always seen me as a bit of a freak.  I ’ m nothing like either of them and I know they resent me for it.  My dad was always pressing me to get a degree in English or History or whatever.  He wanted me to be a teacher like my mother.  He hated that I was more interested in my art classes and barely paid attention when it came to the ‘ real ’ classes. ”
    “ What kind of art classes did you take? ” Evan asks, and I can tell he ’ s interested.  My heart flutters a bit.  He doesn ’ t know about my passion, not yet anyway.  I think I ’ m ready to tell him.
    “ Well, I was always into painting and sculpting.  But, in my senior year of high school , I discovered photography.  My uncle, Mark, gave me an old film camera and I ’ ve had it ever since.  It ’ s kind of a relic, and it ’ s starting to lose its ability to take good pictures, but I love it. ”
    “ Film, huh? ” Evan chuckles.  It stings. I don ’ t want him to think I ’ m silly, the way others have in the past.
    “ Yeah, I know.  Everyone ’ s moved on to digital.  But, there really are so many things about film that are just so much better for the pictures.  I ’ ll bore you with the details another time.  But, honestly I don ’ t know that I ’ ll ever go digital; at least not with the photos I take for myself.  If I ever have a business . . . ”
    My words trail off, and suddenly I ’ m feeling extremely self-conscious.  My pulse begins to quicken as I stare at Evan for some sign of skepticism regarding having my own business.  Every boyfriend before him has looked at me like I was crazy, like it was something I could never hope to achieve.  But, this feels different.  Evan stares back at me with a confused expression.
    “ Where ’ d you go, Kate? ” he asks inquisitively. “ I was fascinated and you went somewhere else in your brain. Everything okay? ”
    “ Yes, it ’s better than okay.” I smile broadly as I use every ounce of willpower to keep the tears in my eyes. I love that he ’ s fascinated, and I don ’ t want to freak him out with my baggage of boyfriends past.
    “ So, do you take a lot of pictures, then? ” Evan asks.  I love that he wants to know more.  It ’ s refreshing and exciting and I find myself drawn to him even more than before.
    “ Yes, I ’ m constantly taking shots. I go downtown to take pictures of the architecture and the people.  I love to see tourists, they make interesting subjects; especially when they have no idea they ’ re being photographed. ”
    “ And you think you ’ d like to have a business? ”   I nod.
    “ I think that ’ s