beautiful, and a date could hardly be considered involvement. She could always end it there.
"I didn't tell you the rest of it. He wants to take me to the Chamber of Commerce Dinner Dance next Saturday."
"That's a problem? For crying out loud, go. When's the last time you went to a dance? High school?"
Lynn glanced at Violet, and said, defending herself, "I've dated once-in-a-while. It just never turned out." Actually, the one time she tried had been almost painful, involving long silences with nothing to say. No common interests to discuss. Not enough sparkle there to even consider a goodnight kiss. She winced, inwardly, even as she knew an evening with D.G. would not be like that.
"So?" Violet demanded. "You're going to the dance or not?"
"But it's formal. I'll have to buy a dress."
"Not to worry. Bernice, up at Personal Expressions, will get you all decked out. They have some elegant dresses up there."
"But he'll have to rent a tuxedo."
"Lynn." Her voice grim, obviously out of patience, Violet said, "If the guy can afford these roses, he can afford to rent a tuxedo. You're grown up now. And he isn't some horny teenager breaking open his college-fund piggy bank to take a girl to the prom. It's his idea. Deal with it."
"Of course you're right," Lynn said with a sigh, and then her spirit brightened. "Besides, he is the most gorgeous man I've ever met, and his eyes, when he looks at me, make my knees weak. They're like melted dark chocolate."
"Melted chocolate? I know where I'm having dinner tonight. Come on, we've got a store full of customers. Let's go make some money so you can buy a new dress."
Chapter Twelve
The sun had mellowed into soft, autumn light late that Saturday afternoon, when Sarah walked the last block to her house. She'd had a good day. Knowing Logan changed her. It had given her the courage to be herself.
That morning, when she started dressing for her meet with the TAMs, she chose her smartest outfit. It felt good to be blonde again, with a little makeup and nice clothes. Starting Monday, she'd lose the Emo-Goth look and go normal. She still wanted to be part of the TAMs, but on her own terms.
Her reception at Tiffany's house was sweet justice. Tiffany gushed over her outfit, especially her new Wild Diva floral print boots, and Ashley's eyes had flashed jealousy before she was able to hide her feelings. For sure, she didn't like being second best.
Logan would approve of the change, so the TAMs would live with it, or to heck with them. She smiled, feeling the old Sarah returning, like from a couple of years ago, before Mom got sick.
"Hey, Sarah." It was Logan, calling her.
Looking ahead, she saw him, in his dorky camos and straggly hair, sitting on her front steps. He could be really cute if she could talk him into doing something about that hair, but for now all she wanted was to talk to him, and tell him about her day and how she got the best of Ashley.
"Hey, Logan."
"Hi. You've been gone all day."
"You've been sitting here waiting for me?"
He smiled—still shy with her—and tossed his hair back, out of his eyes. "No. I was out at the Humane Society kennels. I volunteer on Saturdays. They're always short of help."
"How come you do that?"
"It looks good on college applications for scholarships."
"You have a plan for that far ahead?"
"Sure. I have a plan for everything. Otherwise you make mistakes, and your life doesn't turn out the way you wanted."
His eyes met hers, clearly waiting for her to laugh at him. It was a dreary way to look at life, but this was Logan. She rushed on with her news. "I have a secret to tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone else, or I'll get into trouble if my dad finds out."
"Is it legal?"
"Of course. I didn't break any laws." Well, she had signed the paper swearing she was eighteen. "Not any important laws, anyhow, but no one else can know."
He looked at her doubtfully. "If it involves the TAMs, it could be anything." Eyes alight with
"I didn't tell you the rest of it. He wants to take me to the Chamber of Commerce Dinner Dance next Saturday."
"That's a problem? For crying out loud, go. When's the last time you went to a dance? High school?"
Lynn glanced at Violet, and said, defending herself, "I've dated once-in-a-while. It just never turned out." Actually, the one time she tried had been almost painful, involving long silences with nothing to say. No common interests to discuss. Not enough sparkle there to even consider a goodnight kiss. She winced, inwardly, even as she knew an evening with D.G. would not be like that.
"So?" Violet demanded. "You're going to the dance or not?"
"But it's formal. I'll have to buy a dress."
"Not to worry. Bernice, up at Personal Expressions, will get you all decked out. They have some elegant dresses up there."
"But he'll have to rent a tuxedo."
"Lynn." Her voice grim, obviously out of patience, Violet said, "If the guy can afford these roses, he can afford to rent a tuxedo. You're grown up now. And he isn't some horny teenager breaking open his college-fund piggy bank to take a girl to the prom. It's his idea. Deal with it."
"Of course you're right," Lynn said with a sigh, and then her spirit brightened. "Besides, he is the most gorgeous man I've ever met, and his eyes, when he looks at me, make my knees weak. They're like melted dark chocolate."
"Melted chocolate? I know where I'm having dinner tonight. Come on, we've got a store full of customers. Let's go make some money so you can buy a new dress."
Chapter Twelve
The sun had mellowed into soft, autumn light late that Saturday afternoon, when Sarah walked the last block to her house. She'd had a good day. Knowing Logan changed her. It had given her the courage to be herself.
That morning, when she started dressing for her meet with the TAMs, she chose her smartest outfit. It felt good to be blonde again, with a little makeup and nice clothes. Starting Monday, she'd lose the Emo-Goth look and go normal. She still wanted to be part of the TAMs, but on her own terms.
Her reception at Tiffany's house was sweet justice. Tiffany gushed over her outfit, especially her new Wild Diva floral print boots, and Ashley's eyes had flashed jealousy before she was able to hide her feelings. For sure, she didn't like being second best.
Logan would approve of the change, so the TAMs would live with it, or to heck with them. She smiled, feeling the old Sarah returning, like from a couple of years ago, before Mom got sick.
"Hey, Sarah." It was Logan, calling her.
Looking ahead, she saw him, in his dorky camos and straggly hair, sitting on her front steps. He could be really cute if she could talk him into doing something about that hair, but for now all she wanted was to talk to him, and tell him about her day and how she got the best of Ashley.
"Hey, Logan."
"Hi. You've been gone all day."
"You've been sitting here waiting for me?"
He smiled—still shy with her—and tossed his hair back, out of his eyes. "No. I was out at the Humane Society kennels. I volunteer on Saturdays. They're always short of help."
"How come you do that?"
"It looks good on college applications for scholarships."
"You have a plan for that far ahead?"
"Sure. I have a plan for everything. Otherwise you make mistakes, and your life doesn't turn out the way you wanted."
His eyes met hers, clearly waiting for her to laugh at him. It was a dreary way to look at life, but this was Logan. She rushed on with her news. "I have a secret to tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone else, or I'll get into trouble if my dad finds out."
"Is it legal?"
"Of course. I didn't break any laws." Well, she had signed the paper swearing she was eighteen. "Not any important laws, anyhow, but no one else can know."
He looked at her doubtfully. "If it involves the TAMs, it could be anything." Eyes alight with
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