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"Can’t, sorry" She did sound genuinely regretful "I’ up this costuo as Dione Tyler suggested we go as Greek gods, and, not knohat I was getting reed Worse, I decided to sew my own costu permission and had no one to blame but himself

"Of course" She sounded surprised "You don’t need to ask, Saht?"

Sam arrived less than thirtyathered on the kitchen table

"I’ht, Saetic "I didn’t knohat I was getting myself into when I chose this costume The instructions didn’t look that complicated"

"I didn’t know you could sew"

"As you can see, I’o in Girl Scouts My leader was a seairl know the fundah-pitched voice that apparently i Sam to smile

He wandered around her apartment, lost, forlorn, ill-at-ease, and, in a word, er "So you’re going to the dance with that Tyler guy youthe obvious

"Not going going," she returned, as if that explained everything

Sam narrowed his eyes "What does that mean?"

She looked up froainst the frothy fabric she fed into the"

"Oh" That htly better Not much, but so as?"

"Zeus"

"Oh" Zeus? Apparently, Tyler had a high opinion of himself

Beth scooted back her chair, stood, and placed her hand against the s out as she relieved the pressure in her spine

"I’estion" He’d feel a lot better if she hadn’t taken it up with quite soback down and returning to her project The portable sewing machine buzzed like a chainsaw as she continued to feed the cloth through "You ret the entire conversation He’d overreacted and now he’d dug himself into a black hole One week out and he wasly, thankful he couldn’t be heard over the noise

Feeling like he washelpful, he headed for the door

"On second thought, you could order us that pizza," Beth suggested, her back to him as she sat at the table

You’d think she’d offered him a lifeline from the way he reacted "Happy to" He knehat she liked, sausage and black olives on one half and meat lovers with anchovies on his side

"I’ll pay "

"The pizza was my idea," Sam insisted "Let me pay for it"

She stared at him "You sure you want to do that?"

"I’ the fabric through the machine

"Thirtythe order

"Great I’own onto the table and turned around to face hiood week?"

Here was his chance to tell her he’d been even more miserable than he’d been the week before The easy way Beth had accepted his suggestion had dented his ego He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but it hadn’t been that She seeer to see other ined there would be tears, accusations, anger He had to say, this woet anywhere close to the truth "I’ to admit "What about you?"

"Busy! The entire week has been hectic I’ve had so this costuether at the last minute"