"That was my mom's idea, and he didn't fight it."

Paige wished she knew more of Noah's side of the story. "Did you ever ask why he didn't?"

Sara scrunched up her nose and shook her head "Maybe you should."

"We don't talk about things like that."

"Maybe you should. If it's bothering you" "I didn't say that it was,"

Sara said quickly. "I don't care why he did what he did.

He lives his life and I live mine."

"Seems to me the two are overlapping now."

"Not much. I don't see him often. He avoids me."

Paige let kitty down and gestured Sara toward the kitchen. "I was under the impression that he avoided you because the two of you agreed to keep your relationship a secret." She took a package of chicken from the refrigerator and unwrapped it "That was the idea, but it's not working.

People are finding out anyway." ills he telling?" Paige couldn't imagine it.

Her impression was that Noah felt a definite loyalty toward Sara. He hadn't told Paige that Sara had lied about having a younger brother, when he might easily have done so.

"Kids find out. They ask questions. They want to know where you come from and who you live with and what you're doing on Thanksgiving vacation."

UAhhh. So you told them."

"Just a few," Sara said defensively. "My closest friends. I had to."

Her expression soured. "The rest will find out soon enough.

Fall weekend's coming up. Most everyone's leaving, but I'm not.

They'll want to know why."

"You could always tell them California is too far to go for a weekend,"

Paige suggested.

"Then again, you might want them to know the truth. They know you now.

Their opinion of you will have already been formed. And maybe their opinion of your father is softening."

Sara looked noncommittal.

ills it? Is there as much grumbling as there was at first?"

Sara shrugged.

"Didn't the mountain climb help?"

"A little, I guess.

"Well, that's something, then." She took two bottles from the refrigerator. ill have to warn you, I'm not the most imaginative cook in the world. I always do my chicken on the grill out back, but I can do it either with honey-mustard sauce or teriyaki sauce. Which would you like?"

"Honey-mustard," Sara said, then, "Did you mean what you said the other night about not being in love with him?"

Paige took the cap off the honey-mustard sauce. "I don't know him very well. How could I be in love with him?" She coated the chicken with sauce.

"Do you think he's handsome?"

"Very."

"Do you think he's smart?"

"Very. But those things are low on my list of priorities. When I fall in love with someone, it'll be because of the person inside." She grabbed a match. "Hold that thought. I'll be right in." She went out i back, lit the grill, and returned to find that Sara had held the thought all right, only it was a slightly different thought from Paige's.

"Would you like to be in love with him?" she asked aActually," Paige said, taking salad makings and a loaf of French bread from the fridge, "I'm not sure I'd like to be in love with anyone right now. My life is a mite busy."

Sara nodded. She shifted Sami in her arms.

"Too heavy?" Paige asked.

"No."

Jill returned, looking excited but unsure. In response to Paige's questioning look, she said, "My friend Kathy has tickets to the Henderson Wheel concert. She says I can have one if you don't need me that night. It's a week from Saturday at the movie house."

Paige didn't like the thought of anything at the movie house, but she knew that the concert would go on with or without her approval. She also knew that Jill needed a pickup.

ill don't need you. It's perfect, actually. I work in the morning, but then I was thinking of staying over at my grandmother's. She adores Sami."

"So I can go?" Jill said with an enthusiasm Paige didn't see often enough on her face "Call Kathy and say yes before she gives the ticket to someone else." Jill ran off.

It struck Paige that the concert was on the same fall weekend that Sara would be one of the few at Mount Court. "Are you a Henderson Wheel fan?"

Sara made a dubious sound.

"Is that a yes or a no7" "It's a so-so." ill could try to get a few tickets if you like" Forgive me, Mara, but it's for a good causeUfor whoever is left at Mount Court with you."

Sara shook her head. "It'll be a local crowd.

They don't like us much."

"Who told you that?"

"Everyone knows. They think we're spoiled little rich kids. They like our money, but that's all."

Paige wished she could have denied it, but years of misbehavior on the streets of Tucker had formed a definite image in the minds of the locals. "Maybe that will change under your dad. So far this year, there haven't been any embarrassing incidents. His rules must be paying off."

She left the kitchen long enough to put the chicken on the grill, then was back to make a salad. By the time she was done, Jill had returned.