page3 (1/2)

He was right, and she knew it The line had bogged down behind her and people were beginning to crane their necks with interest, trying to see who and as holding things up So she’d smiled, not just prettily but brilliantly, as if she were on a set instead of at a wedding, and said, in a voice meant to be heard by no one but hiht it appropriate to address a woirl and that she’d have an even better time if she pretended he’d vanished from the face of the earth

His hand had tightened on hers and his eyes had glinted with a sudden darkness that almost made her wish she’d kept her mouth shut

“You’ll never be able to pretend anything when it cootten what happened when I kissed you?”

Color had shot into her face He’d smiled, let her snatch her hand from his, and she’d swept past him

No, she hadn’t forgotten How could she? There’d been that first instant of shocked rage and then, following hard on its heels, the dizzying realization that she was suddenly clinging to his broad shoulders, that hera little sound in the back of her throat and ainst him

“well,” Evan So-or-Other droned, “if that’s the case, said the chicken, I guess there’s notto the other side!”

Everybody at the table laughed Laurel laughed, too, if a beat too late

“Great story,” someone chuckled

Evan slass of wine, and turned to Laurel

“I guess you heard that one before,” he said apologet ically

“No,” she said quickly, “no, I haven’t I’ I was in Paris just yesterday and I don’t think ht up to the clock” She smiled “Or vice versa”

“Paris, huh? Wonderful city I was there last year A business conference”

“Ah”

“Were you there on business? Or was it a vacation?”

“Oh, it was business”

“I guess you’re there a lot”

“Well”

“For showings That’s what they call theht?”

“Well, yes, but how did you—”

“I recognized you” Evan grinned “Besides, Annie told me I’m her dentist, hers and Dawn’s, and the last time she came by for a checkup she said ‘Wait until you eous ”

“Was she?” Laurel asked, trying to sound interested She knehat caht this was a new approach, he was sadly mistaken

“Absolutely You’re not the eous woman, hands down”

Druhed politely “You’ll have to forgive Annie She’s an inveterate matchmaker”

“At least she didn’t exaggerate” He chuckled and leaned closer “You should see some of the so-called ‘dream dates’ I’ve been conned into”

“This isn’t a date, Doctor”

His face crumpled just a little and Laurel winced There was no reason to let her bad mood out on him

“I etic s I’ve been a victim of some pretty sneaky setups, myself”

“Matchmakers” Evan shook his head “They never let up, do they? And I wish you’d call me ‘Evan’”

“Evan,” Laurel said “And you’re right, they never do”

“Annie wasn’t wrong, though, was she?” Evan cleared his throat “I mean, you are, ah, uninvolved and unattached?”

Annie, Laurel thought wearily, what a to one into overdrive after Laurel had finally walked out on Kirk