He pulled back and kissed the end of her nose.

"You're my favorite oldest daughter," he said with a smile that made wrinkles appear at the corner of his eyes. His happiness was infectious.

"I'm so glad you're here," she purred into his chest.

"Me too," he said. "Now get ready before your mother gets out her whip."

He pushed her back into her room and shut the door. Maybe she didn't need to speak with her mother after all. She was sure her father would be very open with her about the pendant. She'll ask him as soon as the party was over.

Satisfied she had a plan, Sasha finished getting ready.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

When Sasha spied Evan coming across the restaurant toward her table her, she felt a thrill as her stomach dropped in excitement as if she'd just ridden a roller coaster. She loved how a guy could make her feel that way.

Evan strode confidently toward the table, his clean-cut good looks setting him apart from the crowd of mostly families with children. His hair was cut short, his clothes were pressed and his eyes shone. He looked as nervous as Sasha felt. His smile met hers and she couldn't shut hers down. Her glee was uncontrollable as she watched him take the seat next to her and place a card in front of her plate. She felt an urge to lean over and kiss his cheek but resisted the impulse.

Even though he sort of accepted the invitation, she wasn't sure he would show up. Sasha was pleased she'd been able to save the seat beside her for him. Cady was on Evan's other side and Hannah was on Sasha's right side, while Jenna sat across from her. Sasha was dying to open the card but instead put it in her purse to save for a private moment.

The adults were at the other end of the table talking in hushed tones. Her father sat beside her mother but didn't seem engaged in the conversation. When he saw Sasha watching him he winked at her. Sasha ignored the adult end of the table and focused on a conversation between Cady and Evan.

"I can't believe we haven't met," Cady said in her best southern belle voice. "I would not have forgotten a guy like you."

Cady was laying it on a bit thick and Sasha's smile faltered as she watched Cady get into her flirty girl mode.

"I can't imagine you and Sasha have much in common," she said. "I'm more likely to find her in running shorts, while you, I see in leather."

Evan eyed her quizzically. "I don't understand," he said.

"That's ok," Jenna interjected. "You aren't the only one."

Cady glared at Jenna but wiped the hostile expression off her face within a nanosecond. Cady smiled at Evan and put her hand lightly on his forearm.

"I just meant you don't seem like Sasha's type," she said lightly caressing his arm. "Isn't she dating Sean? He's one of those partier athlete types."

Sasha panicked. What was Cady doing? She didn't want Evan to think she was dating another guy, especially not that octopus Sean.

"I'm not dating anyone," Sasha announced loudly. The conversation around the table stopped. Embarra.s.sed Sasha moved the food around on her plate trying to pretend she didn't exist. Jenna regarded her with sympathy, while Hannah elbowed her in the ribs.

"That was really loud," Hannah said equally loud. "I think the whole restaurant heard."

"Shut up," hissed Sasha.

Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a small smile on Evan's face. Cady's face was a mask of stony disapproval.

Sasha stared at her favorite food that she couldn't force herself to eat. Her throat was tight with sorrow. This dinner was turning into a disaster and her mother came to her rescue.

"Jenna how do you decide what color to dye your hair?"

They engaged in an animated discussion about whether blue or pink made a grander statement.

Sasha turned to Cady hoping to distract her from Evan.

"What big event did you cancel to come here?" Sasha said. "I thought you were busy."

Cady took a sip of her drink.

"I didn't cancel," she said. "I've pushed it back. It's not like this party is going to go late into the evening."

Sasha smiled at her dig.

"I hope not," Evan said with an exaggerate look of relief. "I've still got to study for an exam tomorrow."

Jenna and Evan launched into a debate over whether schools should do away with midterms and just rely on a.s.signments and final exams for marks. Sasha stayed quiet enjoying listening to Evan talk. He was much more intellectual than she thought and seemed very focused on his studies.

"Evan," Sasha's father asked him while Sasha picked at her tiramisu birthday cake. "Where are you from? You don't sound like a Texan."

Evan seemed to collect his thoughts before speaking. "I was born in California but I've lived all over." He didn't elaborate.

"Military?" Sasha's father pressed.

"Yes sir," Evan said.

Sasha's father nodded and didn't pry further. It was obvious Evan didn't want to elaborate. Even Sasha didn't know his living situation. She just a.s.sumed he lived with his parents but now she remembered that he only spoke of his grandmother when they were at his house. Gosh how selfish of her that she'd never inquired about him and only talked about herself. She promised to rectify the situation as soon as possible. She was very interested in the intimate details of his life.

"How did you meet Sasha?" Cady asked even though she already knew. Sasha frowned not sure where Cady was leading with her questions.

"I work at the Second Cup," he said. "We met a few days ago when she came in for a hot chocolate."

Evan turned to Sasha and winked. "It was a hot chocolate wasn't it?"

Sasha smiled at the private gesture and nodded. "I'm surprised you remembered," she said. "I mean you must get a hundred orders a night."

Evan's face turned serious as he turned to her and spoke in a low voice.

"I won't ever forget your order," he said. "It was a standout night."

Sasha's face flushed and she hoped he meant it was a memorable night because he met her but she had a feeling he meant he couldn't forget the night because of the robbery.

Cady giggled and covered her mouth as if she were in on the private joke. "I didn't know hot chocolate made such an impression on guys," she said fanning herself. "I'll have to make sure I order it the next time I'm in the cafe."

Evan turned toward her with an unreadable expression. Evan was so good at masking his feelings Sasha couldn't tell if he was flattered or annoyed with Cady. Her friend was certainly trying hard to make an impression on him and it seemed to be working as she'd drawn his attention away from Sasha.

"What days do you work?" Cady asked flipping her hair over her shoulder as if it were annoying her rather than one of the moves she does to make people stare at her. Sasha knew Cady's techniques and suspected her friend was moving in for the kill and there was nothing she could do to stop it. If Cady wanted Evan, Sasha was helpless to stop her.

Sasha let out a big sigh of relief when before dessert was finished Cady stood to leave. Cady threw her coat over her arm, slung her purse over her shoulder and leaned to whisper in Evan's ear. Sasha couldn't hear what was said and the expression on Evan's face remained the same placid look he'd had before.

Sasha walked Cady to the front door of the restaurant. "Thanks for coming," Sasha said. "It meant a lot to me."

"Happy to oblige," she said. "By chance do you know if Evan is single?"

Stunned, Sasha didn't know how to respond. She never got the chance to tell Cady about Evan. She just a.s.sumed since she invited him to her party and had him sitting beside her that Cady would understand his significance to her. She a.s.sumed too much obviously. She didn't want to encourage Cady but she also had no claim to Evan.

"I don't know," she said diplomatically.

Cady leaned in to air kiss Sasha's cheeks. "No problem," she said. "I'll find out. Later darling."

Sasha watched Cady leave and get into a black Lincoln sedan that was waiting for her in the parking lot. Sasha couldn't see who was driving and a.s.sumed it was one of Cady's parents.

Evan was the next to leave and said he still had to get in some studying tonight. Sasha walked him to the front door wishing she could hold his hand.

"Thanks for coming," Sasha said. "I wasn't sure if you were afraid it would be another night of pyrotechnics."

Evan smiled politely. "I can't say it didn't occur to me," he said.

"Yeah, about that," she said. "I have no answers yet. I'm working on it."

"I wish I could help but-."

"No, no that's not what I meant," she said. "I don't want to put you in danger anymore."

Evan nodded his understanding. He held out her overcoat so Sasha could slip into the arms. She pulled the belt around her waist and gazed expectantly at Evan. Was he going to kiss her? They were alone in a dark corner near the hostess desk.

"Have you told anyone?"

Disappointed, Sasha shook her head and surveyed the lobby.

"Are you going to do anything about that?"

Sasha paused gathering her thoughts. She gave Evan a tiny nod and checked to see if anyone could hear them.

"I'm going to talk to my dad," she whispered.

"About the fireb.a.l.l.s?"

"Sort of," she said in a low voice. "I'm not sure how much he knows and I don't want him to think I'm crazy."

Evan laid a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "If you need me to back you up I will."

"Thanks," she said tentatively. "I'll keep that in mind."

Evan removed his hand, straightened his shoulders.

"Listen Sasha," he said getting formal. His speech got more clipped and tense. "I want to help you, you know that right?"

Sasha nodded suddenly afraid of what she was going to hear. She didn't like the direction of the conversation.

"Good. I have a lot going on. I've got work. I'm helping my grandmother pay some bills. I need a scholarship to go to college," he said swallowing hard. "What I'm trying to say is I don't have time for us."

Instead of looking away in embarra.s.sment by his rejection, Sasha fixed her eyes on Evan as they welled up with tears of disappointment. Evan met her stare. The expression on his face softened when he saw she was about to cry.

"I'm sorry," he said his voice becoming gruff. "I like you. I do. I just don't have s.p.a.ce in my life for a relationship. It's crammed and I don't think it would be fair to you."

Sasha nodded and wiped away a tear with the sleeve of her coat.

"It's ok. You don't owe me anything," her voice caught. She breathed deeply attempting to get her emotions under control. "I am in your debt. Don't hesitate to collect."

Evan smiled. "That won't be necessary. Thanks for being understanding. I'm sure it will all work out for you."

Sasha nodded again. She felt like a little robot. What she really wanted to do was throw herself in his arms and tell him not to leave because she needed him. But she didn't. She stood still and tried to get through the moment without falling apart.

Impulsively Evan grabbed her into a hug. She felt the hardness of his chest and the quick beating of his heart. She thought she felt his lips on her forehead. He held her in place for a minute and then let her go.

"Take care," he whispered and walked out of the restaurant.

Sasha didn't have a second to collapse before she was surrounded by her family and drifted out the restaurant to the car.

Sasha wanted to hide in her room as soon as she got home but her father asked her to watch the hockey game with him. She could have pretended she had homework but she hadn't seen her father in a couple of weeks. She brewed a pot of tea and took it and some biscuits into the family room.

Sasha was not interested in professional sports. Her dad loved baseball, football and college basketball. He'd only become a fan of the Dallas Stars recently. Sasha thought her dad was making up for not having a son.

Sasha blew on her tea as she sat silently beside her father on the couch. He listened to the announcers and didn't like to talk when the game was on.

During a commercial break her father picked up a cookie and offered the plate to Sasha.

"No thanks," she said. "I'm not feeling it."

"You didn't have desert at the restaurant," he said.

"I know."

Her dad turned back to the game and waited until the next commercial to start peppering her with questions.

"So, that was a very nice young man," he said. "How did you meet him?"

"Dad, does it matter?"

"Can't I take an interest in your life?" he said.

"I guess," she said grumpily. "There's not much going on."