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table, “but I’m fine.”
    “Ha! If you hadn’t noticed, big sister, you have no life.” Kate chewed a bit of wheat berry toast. “The ‘fifth wheel’ is a gorgeous guy.”
    “But . . .”
    “But what?” Kate looked up from her plate, eyes wide, the picture of innocence.
    “You can’t go to the lake if I don’t go, right?”
    “ No-o . I can find someone else to go with us. But it won’t be nearly as much fun without you. Come on, Annie. Please .”
    “I don’t think so.”
    Kate shook her head slowly, giving Annie a sorrowful puppy look. “You’re turning into an old maid.”
    “You never know,” Annie said. “I just might surprise you some day.”
    No doubt, Kate would think her life was over if she spent two dateless weekends in a row. Annie hadn’t been out with a man in months. Still, she had no intention of spending the day fending off the unwanted advances of some “gorgeous” guy, who probably couldn’t string six words together without getting a headache.
    “I’m sorry, Kate.” Annie reached across the table and patted her sister’s hand. “I already have plans for today.”
    That wasn’t a lie. Earlier, between shampooing and conditioning, she’d decided to spend the afternoon researching online. She hoped to find an explanation for what she’d experienced with Tom. If she got the chance to talk to him again, she wanted to have something to talk about. And if she had enough knowledge of the subject she might be able to keep them talking for a long time.

4
    June 7
    A nnie worked at the Rockville Cineplex as the concessions manager, which on busy nights meant she worked the cafe section and scheduled two teens to handle the popcorn and candy. This Monday night, she’d work both sections with only one teen.
    When Jacqui, one of the teens ending her shift, came to the counter and ordered an espresso to go she leaned toward her and spoke as if they conspired. “Did that guy come back yet?”
    “What guy?”
    “Kevin forgot to tell you?” To emphasize Kevin’s sin, Jacqui heaved a sigh and shot a deadly glare across the lobby at him. “Well, some guy came in this afternoon and asked if you worked today—okay, he didn’t actually ask for you , he said he was looking for ‘the pretty woman with the long, dark hair’ and Kevin said he must be talking about you, and that’s a compliment—that Kevin would think of you, I mean—or maybe the guy said ‘beautiful’, I forget. Ask Kevin. Anyway ,Kevin told him you weren’t scheduled till tonight, so I just wondered if he’d come back yet, but I guess not, huh?”
    Annie capped the cup of coffee and set it on the counter. An espresso was the last thing the girl needed, but her whitewater flow of words had quickened Annie’s pulse.
    “No one’s been in to see me tonight.” Annie pushed the cup closer to the girl’s hand, eager for Jacqui to leave so she could ask Kevin precisely what “that guy” had said.
    “Well, who’s the guy?”
    “I don’t know, Jacqui.” She didn’t care that her tone was edged with impatience. “I guess I’ll find out when he comes back.” Although she felt sure it was Tom, she had no obligation to share that with this hyper teen.
    “Oh. Right. Well, I gotta go.” Jacqui grabbed her espresso and turned to leave, but with a laugh she called back over her shoulder, “Maybe he’s your Prince Charming.”
    “I hope so,” Annie whispered. She stepped out from behind the counter, intending to walk over to where Kevin was taking tickets. She froze. Tom had just walked through the lobby doors.
     
    In Tom’s excitement, he felt as though he floated above the tiled entry, but when he stepped onto the lobby carpet, he stopped as abruptly as if he wore Velcro shoes. The girl in the ticket booth had been wrong. The Woman wasn’t behind the concessions counter where he’d been told he would find her. He kicked himself for wasting an excuse to get out of the house, not to mention paying for