al pulled a chair from another table, and Min scooted over to let him in. She was wearing another soft shirt, this one in panels of different colored sheer prints, and she looked pretty and warm and more desirable than he could have imagined.

Beyond her, Tony shrugged and looked apologetic.

“Tony said you’d told him you were going to work late tonight,” Min said as he sat down.

“I lied.”

Min shifted a little more to give him room, and he caught the faint scent of lavender and felt dizzy again. “Well, at least you’re honest about your dishonesty.”

“ ‘I was raised to be charming, not sincere,’” Cal said, and relaxed as she smiled at him.

“You know Into the Woods?” Min said, “That’s my favorite Sondheim.”

“Mine, too,” Cal said, watching her face. “Tony likes Sweeney Todd, and Roger’s is Sunday in the Park with George, but—”

“You’re kidding me,” Min said, blinking those dark eyes at him. “You’re all Sondheim fans?”

“We roomed with a drama minor in college.” God, you look good.

“There was a fourth roommate?” Min said, and then she closed her eyes. “Of course there was. Emilio. It was his restaurant you worked in when you were in college.”

“No,” Cal said. “It was his grandpa’s restaurant. He went out on his own about two years ago.”

“And he’s not setting the world on fire.” Min nodded. “That’s why I brought Liza here. It took me all night to talk her into it, but I think she likes the place.”

“Good,” Cal said, not following and not caring. It felt too damn good to be sitting next to her again to insist on clarity, too.

“Liza’s a fixer,” Min said. “She finds businesses that need help and then she... helps them.”

“So, she advertises that she can fix things,” Cal said, not caring.

“No,” Min said. “She chooses. There are a lot of places that need a kick in the butt to get going, and Liza gets a job and provides the kick. She’s not good for the long term, once things are good she leaves, but for the year she stays, magic happens.” She grinned at him. “Sort of like you and women.”

“Hey,” Cal said, but then he caught sight of Emilio, gesturing to him from the kitchen door. “Be right back.”

Emilio dragged him through the door when he got there. “There’s a woman out there,” Emilio said. “The redhead with Tony. She just told me she’s thinking about working here. Is she delusional?”

“Not even a little bit,” Cal said. “Tony knows her better than I do, but if you’re asking, I vote you hire her. It can’t hurt, and Min says she’s a genius at what she does.”

“What does she do?” Emilio said.

“I’m not sure,” Cal said, looking through the round window on the door to see Min. “I’m just going on what Min says.”

“Min.” Emilio nodded. “Min I trust.”

“Me, too,” Cal said and followed Emilio back to the table in time to hear Min say, “So here’s something I just found out. These guys are Sondheim freaks.”

“What?” Liza said, turning to Tony in amazement.

“What?” Tony said back. “I can’t have facets?”

“Because of Emilio,” Min said. “Which I bring up because I want to hear his voice.”

“Uh,” Emilio said.

“Don’t fight it,” Cal said, sitting down next to Min again. “She gets what she wants, too.”

“I like the ‘Moments’ song,” Min said, grinning at Emilio. “Or ‘Into the Woods.’ That’s peppy.”

“Nah,” Tony said. “ ‘Sweeney Todd.’ ” He sang the first line of “Sweeney Todd” in a surprisingly true bass, and Roger joined in on the next line, and they sang until Emilio gave up and helped them finish on “the demon barber of Fleet... Street,” while Cal watched Min smile and thought, Kiss me.

“Probably not the best thing to sing in a restaurant,” Cal said when Min was done clapping, and Emilio winced.

“You don’t sing?” Min said to Cal.

“Only in the shower,” Cal said, and imagined Min in the shower.

“Wuss,” Tony said, breaking the moment. “He can sing, he’s just a coward.”

“But you are not,” Liza said, turning back to Tony. “You are multi-talented. Who would have guessed it?”

“What else does he do?” Bonnie said, and Tony grinned at her.

“He has skills we’ll discuss later,” Liza said. “This is excellent pasta, Emilio. This place should be packed every night.”

“Which is your job,” Min said to her. “Save Emilio. I love him.”

“I think so,” Liza said. “Let me check out the kitchen first.”

She got up, walked past Emilio, and pushed her way through the swinging doors.

“Is she—” he said to Min.

“She’s the best waitress you’ll ever have,” Min said. “And she will get you business. She’s checking out your kitchen now. If you pass muster, you’ve got her.”

Emilio went to protect his kitchen from Liza, and Cal poured more wine into Min’s glass. “Drink this. I’m about to try to talk you into something, and I need you juiced.”

“I kind of miss the charm,” Min said, picking up her glass. “Listen, I was thinking about the snow globe and the movies and everything, and I apologize for calling you the devil. They were all coincidences.”

“Yeah,” Cal said. “Tony thinks it’s chaos theory.”

“Bonnie thinks it’s the fairy tale,” Min said, and sipped her wine.

“Fairy tale?” Cal said, lost again.

“You know, you’re a prince, it’s meant to be, we’ll live happily ever after. It’s okay, she’s sane on everything else.” Min smiled at him. The point is, we’ll be fine as long as we stick to the plan.”

“Right,” Cal said. “The plan.” Her lips were soft and full, curved in that comforting smile, and he started to get dizzy again. Kiss me. “I think we should start dating. Want to go to the movies?”

Min blinked at him and put down her glass. “Did you hear anything I said?”

“Everything was a coincidence, we should stick to the plan,” Cal said. “That’s not going to work for me.”

Min folded her arms. “Why not?”

“Because if we don’t date, the universe is going to maim me.”

“What?”

“The universe, fate, chaos theory, fairy tales, the spirit of Elvis, I don’t know what it is, but I’m not fighting it anymore.” Cal leaned closer and caught the faint scent of lavender again as Min looked at him as if he were insane. “You hate me, you’re high maintenance, you’re pathological about food, and your best friend will kill me someday, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going to give this a shot. Does your mother still want to check me out at dinner? I’ll go”

“Why, if I’m that awful?” Min said, looking annoyed.

He smiled down into her beautiful face. “Because you’re smart and kind and funny, and my nephew is crazy about you, and you wear great shoes, and you look like a depraved angel.” Because I’m going to go crazy if I don’t touch you.

“Uh huh.” Min nodded. “And because of that, you’re going to dinner at my parents’ house tomorrow night so my mother can see you’re harmless?”

“Tomorrow?” He nodded, trying not to look appalled. “Good. We’ll get that out of the way fast. Tomorrow night it is. So about tonight—”

“On the dating thing? No, so you’re off the hook with my mother, you do not need to go to dinner. But if you want to do a friends-night-out thing, we could go to the movies. Blue Hawaii is playing at ten o’clock.”

“Blue Hawaii,” Cal said. “I don’t suppose that’s porn.”

“It’s part of the Elvis revival,” Min said. “You don’t have to go.”

Cal sighed. “Yes, I do. And I’m going to your parents’ tomorrow, too.”

“I’m not understanding this at all,” Min said, and he took her hand, happy to be touching her again, and said, “Come with me, Minnie. I will explain.”

He pulled her out of her chair and across the restaurant to the front door, and when they were out on the darkened street, he leaned down, his heart pounding, and he kissed her with no reservation at all. The familiar rush was fast and hot as always, hotter because he wasn’t fighting it, but there was comfort there, too, she felt so right under his hands, against his mouth, and when she slipped her arms around his neck, he kissed her harder, falling into her helplessly, not even trying to save himself. He felt her move closer, and her perfect mouth opened as her lush body pressed against him, and years passed, and he saw paradise, and the voice in his head whispered, THIS ONE, YOU IDIOT. Then something smacked him hard on the arm and jarred them both out of the kiss.

“What the—” he began, still holding on to her, and then saw Liza, standing on the sidewalk with her purse. “You know, if Bonnie is right, a leprechaun will be by any minute to kneecap you.”

“Liza,” Min said, stepping away from him a little, and he felt cold where she’d been touching him and held on to her.

“I didn’t hit him on the head,” Liza said.

Cal looked at Min. “Forget her. You want to know why? This is why. It really is bigger than the both of us, and I, for one, am not fighting it anymore.” She opened her mouth to say something and he said, “And you want this, too.”

Liza scowled at him. “Oh, tell me you know her. Tell me—”

“Yes, I do know her, although not as well as I’m going to,” Cal said, facing her down. “And yes, I care about her. A lot. And I don’t know the rest, but I’m going to find out. Is that all right with you?”

Liza looked at him for a moment. “Yes. But I’m watching you.”

“All right then,” Cal said, feeling relieved in general. The just-friends bit wasn’t good, but that was okay, he was good at courting women. We’re playing my game now, he thought and looked down at Min with great affection.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Min said and turned to Liza. “We’re going to the ten o’clock movie, just as friends. Want to come?”

“Yes. Tony?” Liza said as Tony came out of the bar to find her. “We’re going to the movies at ten.”

“It’s Blue Hawaii,” Cal said to Tony.

“I don’t suppose that’s porn,” Tony said.

“It’s Elvis,” Cal said.

“Why?” Tony said.

“Because it’s time to make my move,” Cal said, looking down at Min.

“Hey,” Min said.

“Oh, well, hell, then,” Tony said. “Let’s go.”

Min had started her Saturday by calling her mother to tell her that Cal would, in fact, be dining with them that night.

“We’ll see what kind of man he is,” Nanette said, her tone boding no good for Cal.

“You’re going to love him,” Min said. “He’s gorgeous and successful.”

Nanette sniffed. “Probably the kind who thinks he’s an eight and you’re a four. Men are shallow and treacherous. Wear something slimming.”

“He’s a ten, Mother,” Min said. “And I’m not slim.”

After that, baseball seemed an improvement, at least until she got to the park.

“You’re sticking with me,” she told Liza. “Bonnie always wanders off with Roger, but you are staying so you can jab me if I start to act goofy around Cal.”

“There’s not that much jab in the world,” Liza said, but she followed Min to the bleachers anyway.

“Min,” Harry yelled when he saw her, and she stopped to smile at him as he came running up.

“Hey, you,” she said as he skidded to a halt in front of her. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” he said, nodding his head. “Thanks for coming.” Then he looked down and said, “Whoa. Cool shoes.”

“Thank you,” Min said as Harry bent closer to see the blue plastic fish that overlapped across the toes of her sandals. “You know, you’re a lot like your uncle.”

“Harrison, your instincts are right,” Cal said from behind them, and Min jumped. “Women are more important than baseball, but get your butt back to the outfield anyway.” Then she turned and he grinned at her, his face softening, and her heart rate bumped up again. “Minnie, you’re getting freckles on your nose.”

“I know.” Min rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying not to care about the affection in his voice. “It’s these Saturday mornings. I never go out in the sun so I keep forgetting to get sunscreen.”

“I like them,” Cal said, and Min felt her heart bump again.

“Me, too,” Harry said from below.

“I don’t,” Min said, trying to keep a grip. “But I’m stuck with them because I keep forgetting—”

Cal took off his cap and put it on her head. “Problem solved.” His grin widened. “Very cute. You can play for my team any time.”

“Stop that,” Min said, and tried to adjust the hat so it wouldn’t squash her curls. It felt warm from him, and she kept her hand on it a minute longer just to feel it. You’re worthless, she told herself.

“Harry!” somebody called, and Min turned and saw Cynthie walking toward them in a fluttery pink dress, smiling beautifully at Harry. “How are you, buddy?”

Harry scowled. “Hi.”

“Hi, Cynthie,” Min said, trying not to hate her, and turned back to Harry. “We’re going to go get good seats. Knock ’em dead, kid.” She looked past Cal’s ear, avoiding eye contact. “Thanks for the hat. I’m sure it makes me look like hell.”

“Nah.” Cal tapped it on the brim. “It makes you look like a butch angel. Shanna should be here.”

Min smiled at him in spite of herself, warm all over, and then Tony yelled, “Hey, we’re playing baseball here,” and Cal dragged Harry onto the field.

“How’d I do?” she said to Liza.

“As well as could be expected under the circumstances,” Liza said.

“Do at what?” Cynthie said.

“I’m practicing my cool,” Min said.

“Oh,” Cynthie said. “Well, good job.”

Min followed Liza and Cynthie over to where Bonnie was sitting and watched Harry’s team get killed in the first three innings, trying not to watch Cal. When he looked up and caught her looking at him, he grinned, and she thought, Oh, for heaven’s sake, Minerva, and turned to Liza to distract herself. “You’d think Tony would be apoplectic by now,” Min said to Liza.

“No,” Liza said. “He just wants them to have a good time. He yells at them so they’ll get better, but he doesn’t care if they win. He says all their games are practice for the future.”

“Really?” Min said. “He does have layers.”

“Only about three,” Liza said. “I was wrong about him being dumb, though, he’s actually quite bright. He’s a nice guy.”

“That’s all?” Min said.

“Yes,” Liza said. “That’s all. He is not The One. Speaking of which, nice ball cap you got there, Stats.” She tapped the brim. “Maybe he’ll buy you a soda after the game.”

Min shook her head. “We’re just—”

“It’s the fairy tale,” Bonnie said. “He’s winning you.”

“What?” Cynthie said. “Fairy tale?”

“Yes,” Bonnie said. “Min and Cal, they’re a fairy tale. She’s the girl who doesn’t have the life she deserves, so her fairy godmother got her a prince to rescue her.”

“Fairy godmother?” Min said.

“Liza,” Bonnie said. “She picked Cal out for you.”

“Wait a minute,” Liza said. “I am not accepting responsibility for Calvin Morrisey.”

Min started to laugh. “You did pick him out. You sent me over there to meet him. Now, that’s funny.”

“A fairy tale,” Cynthie said, sounding as if she wasn’t sure they were serious.

Bonnie nodded. “Cal gave her the ball cap because it’s part of his quest.”

“No, he gave her the ball cap because he’s courting,” Cynthie said, a little sharply. “It’s part of the attraction stage.”

“Attraction stage,” Liza said.

“He is not attracted—” Min began.

“There are four stages to mature love,” Cynthie said. “Assumption, attraction, infatuation, and attachment.”

“Now, see, I would have called the way he looks at her infatuation,” Liza said.

“Excuse me?” Min said, looking at her best friend, the betrayer.

“It’s the fairy tale,” Bonnie said.

“It’s attraction,” Cynthie said flatly.

“It’s love, a random reaction,” Liza said. “Chaos theory.”

“Hey,” Min said, and they looked at her. “It’s a kind act by a friend because I don’t want freckles. Not everything is a theory.”

“The fairy tale is not a theory,” Bonnie said. “Even if you won’t believe it’s happening to you, it’s happening to me.” She smiled at them all, too happy to be smug.

“So how’s Roger?” Min said, more than willing to have somebody else be the topic at hand.

“He is The One,” Bonnie said. “He’s going to propose in a couple of weeks and I’ll say yes. I told my mama to plan the wedding for August.”

“He told you he’s going to propose?” Cynthie said, and when Bonnie looked at her, surprised, she said, “I’m writing a book on this. It’s none of my business, but I am interested.”

“Oh,” Bonnie said. “Well, no, he hasn’t told me. I just know.”

Min tried to look supportive, but the silence that settled over them must have reeked of skepticism because Bonnie turned back to the field and called Roger’s name. When he came trotting over to them, she said, “Honey, are you going to ask me to marry you?”

“Yes,” he said. “I didn’t want to rush you, so I thought I’d wait till our one-month anniversary. It’s only eleven days.”

“Very sensible,” Bonnie said. “Just so you know, I’m going to say yes.”

Roger sighed. “That takes a lot of the worry out of it.” He leaned over and kissed her and went back to the field.

“That was either really sweet or really annoying,” Liza said.

“It was sweet,” Min said, trying to imagine Cal saying any of that. Stop thinking about him. “And annoying.”

“I told you,” Bonnie said. “It’s the fairy tale. You have to believe.”

“Positive thinking,” Cynthie said, nodding. “There’s good evidence for that. Could I interview you? For my book. Because this is fascinating. You’ve moved into the infatuation phase very quickly.”

“Sure,” Bonnie said. “But it’s not infatuation. This is True Love. Like Cal and Min.”

“Will you stop that?” Min said.

“Of course,” Cynthie said to Bonnie with no conviction whatsoever, and they began to talk.

Min took a deep breath and turned back to Liza. “Cynthie seems nice,” she said quietly, hoping for a conversation that didn’t have Cal in it.

“She is,” Liza said. “But I think she wants Cal back.”

Min gave up and stared out at the field where Cal was talking to somebody on third base. His face was serious again, and the kid nodded, hanging on his every word. What a darling, she thought and then remembered, No, beast, but that wasn’t working anymore. Well, it had never worked, really.

“Are you going out tonight?” Liza asked.

“Yes, but just as friends,” Min said. “He’s doing me a favor. We’re going to my mother’s so she can stop worrying about him being a vile seducer.”

Liza shook her head, looking doubtful. “I don’t think meeting Cal is going to reassure your mother.”

“Why not? Elvis likes him. And Elvis has very good instincts.”

“Elvis?” Liza said, sounding alarmed.

“The cat. I named him Elvis,” Min said.

Liza sighed. “Thank God. I thought you’d finally cracked.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who believes in the fairy tale,” Min said. “Or in chaos theory, for that matter.”

“Or the four-step program to love,” Liza said, jerking her head toward Cynthie, who was listening to Bonnie finish up the theory of fairy tale love.

“Right,” Min said. “That’s all garbage. You don’t need a theory, you just have to be practical, figure out what it is you want in a man, and then find one who has those things. Make a plan. Stick to it.” Her eyes went to Cal. “Don’t get distracted.”

Liza rolled her eyes. “Or you could just fall the fuck in love.”

“Oh, right,” Min said, looking away from Cal. “That’s like saying you could just fall off a building. Because it won’t hurt until you land.”

Liza drew back. “I just meant—”

“No,” Min said as several people turned to look at her. “You have to be sensible. It’s not silly love songs and sloppy kisses, it’s dangerous. People die for it. People die from it. Wars are fought. Empires fall.”

“Uh, Min...”

“It can ruin your life,” Min said, shutting her eyes so she wouldn’t look for Cal. “Which is why I’m staying friends with Cal, nothing more. I’d have to be insane to think there could be anything permanent. Masochistic. Suicidal. Delusional.”

“Uh huh,” Liza said.

“So that’s my plan,” Min said. “And I’m sticking to it.”

“Right,” Liza said.

When the game was over, Harry came up and said, “Uncle Cal said we can go to lunch if you’ll come,” and Min said, “Well...” and thought Calvin, you nephew-exploiting bastard. Still, lunch wouldn’t kill her. It was okay to have lunch with a friend. And his nephew. Like a chaperone.

“Uh huh,” Liza said, even though Min hadn’t spoken.

She made him take them to a retro diner where she and Harry played Elvis all the way through lunch, a new experience for Harry, who’d been raised on Chopin. Cal didn’t seem to mind. When they dropped her off, Harry said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Min,” and she said, “Yes, you will. Dinner at Grandma’s.” Harry looked a little confused, and Cal said, “Harrison, I will pay you fifty bucks if you’ll call your grandmother that tomorrow.” “I don’t think so,” Harry said, and Min got out of the car feeling that tomorrow was going to explain a lot about Calvin Morrisey, assuming he lived through dinner that night with her parents.

“Keep the cap, Minnie,” Cal said when she tried to hand it back to him through the window. “You look good in it. I’ll pick you up at eight.” Then he drove off and left her feeling ridiculously happy, which couldn’t be good.

“You’re a mess,” she told herself, and went to get ready for dinner with her mother.

That evening, Cal picked up Min in his ancient Mercedes. She was sitting on the bottom step when he got there, dressed in a plain black dress that she’d pulled over her knees. She looked like a cranky nun.

“What are you doing down here?” he said when he got out of the car.

“You have to put up with my parents,” she said, standing up. “It didn’t seem fair to make you do those steps, too.”

“I don’t mind climbing as long as you’re at the top.” Cal looked down at her feet. She was wearing plain black flats, no toes showing at all. “Why the awful shoes?”

“They’re not awful,” Min said. “They’re classic. Like your car, which is very nice and yet somehow not what I’d pictured you in.”

“Graduation present.” Cal opened the door for her. “Never look a gift car in the mouth. Get in, Minnie, we do not want to be late.”

When he was in the driver’s seat, Min said, “For the MBA?”

“What?” Cal said as he started the car.

“The car. A graduation present for the MBA? I got a briefcase, so I’m trying to put things into perspective here.”

“High school,” Cal said and pulled out into the street. “High school,” Min said, nodding. “What did they get you for the MBA? A yacht?”

“A place in my dad’s firm.”

“But—”

“I declined the gift,” Cal said. “How’s Elvis?”

“Really healthy,” Min said, sounding mystified. “I took him to the vet and he says he’s in great condition. Just weird.”

“Like so much of my life lately,” Cal said. “Speaking of which, is there anything I should know about your family before I get there?”

“You don’t have to do this,” Min said.

“Minerva, I am going. Prep me for your parents, please.”

“There’s nothing, really,” Min said. “My mother is always polite, and my father is not talkative unless you hit a nerve. Don’t hit a nerve.”

“Right,” Cal said. “Could I have a list of nerves?”

“Insurance fraud, younger men who want his job, music after 1970, and sex with his daughters.”

“Sex with his daughters,” Cal said.

Min nodded. “My father will assume you’re trying to debauch me.”

“Your father is a keen judge of character,” Cal said. “How about your mother?”

“Well, normally, she’d be scoping you out for son-in-law potential. There would be a quiz by dessert.”

“Written or oral?”

“Oral.”

“Good. Oral I’m good at.” The silence stretched out until he said, “I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”

Min stared straight ahead. “Perfectly all right. There won’t be a quiz. My mother has other things on her mind at the moment.”

“Does she have any other issues I should know about?”

“Yes, but they’re all about me.”

Cal shook his head. “I don’t care. Give me that list, too.”

“Eating carbs, wearing white cotton underwear, not losing weight, failing to hold onto my ex-boyfriend whom she loved,” Min said. “I don’t think any of those are going to come up in your conversation with her.”

“My mother likes my ex, too,” Cal said. “I think it’s laziness. She just doesn’t want to learn a new name. Who else is going to be there?”

“My sister, Diana. You’re safe with her. She’s nuts right now because she’s getting married in a week, but she’s great just the same. If things get too awful, you can sit and look at Di. She’s beautiful.”

“Good to know,” Cal said. “Mom, Dad, Diana, you, me. Cozy group.”

“And Greg,” Min said, trying to keep her voice from going flat. “My sister’s fiancé.”

“Right. Greg of the faulty memory. How’s that going?”

“Something’s wrong,” Min said. “I don’t know what it is but he’s not helping. The thing is, he’s not a bad guy, except for dumping Wet which he had every right to do, and he adores Diana, so I can’t figure it out.” She looked over at Cal. “See what you think of him.”

“Me?” Cal said, surprised.

“You’re a good judge of character,” Min said. “Intuitive. Intuit Greg for me.”

“The chances of me figuring out what’s wrong over dinner are slim,” Cal said as Min’s cell phone rang.

When she pulled it out of her purse, he said, “A plain black cell phone. You lied to me that first night, Minnie.”

“Which you knew,” Min said, and answered the phone. “Hello. What?” She listened for a minute and then said, “Oh, for crying out loud.” She listened again and said, “Di, it’s Saturday evening. I don’t know where... Wait a minute.” She turned to Cal. “Greg promised to get the wine for dinner.”

“Let me guess,” Cal said.

“You wouldn’t have a bottle or two at your apartment, would you?” Min said.

“Emilio’s,” Cal said, and made a U-turn.

Min turned back to the phone. “Cal’s going to fix it.” There was a note of pride in the way she said it, and Cal grinned. Then she turned off her phone and said, “You are a prince.”

“Thank you,” Cal said. “Say something bitchy to me, will you? You’re confusing me.”

He stopped and got the wine, and when he was back in the car, Min looked at the labels on the bottles. “These were expensive, weren’t they?”

“Not really,” Cal said. “About forty bucks each.”

Min started to laugh. “Serves Greg right, the dumbass.”

Ten minutes later, Cal had followed Min’s directions and parked in front of a fairly large, fairly new house. Min said, “You know, you can still get out of this. Drop me off and I’ll tell—”

“Nope.” Cal opened his car door. “Stay there.”

“Stay where?” Min said, reaching for her door handle.

Cal came around the car and caught the door for as she opened it. “You cannot leap out of cars without assistance.” He caught her hand and pulled her to her feet as she got out, and she ended up closer to him than he’d planned, which was fine by him. “It makes me look weak and powerless when you get out without me,” he said, watching the breeze ruffle her curls.

“Yeah, weak and powerless,” she said. “I bet you get that a lot.” She detoured around him as he shut the car door, and he caught sight of someone vanishing from a window. “Well, the good news is, you just made points with my mother. She was scoping you out from the window.”

“Great,” Cal said, taking her elbow. “Now all we have to do is survive dinner.”

Min’s father met them in the hall, a lumbering man with a shock of blond hair and heavy white eyebrows who should have been hearty and welcoming but instead had the vaguely paranoid look of a sheepdog whose sheep were plotting against him.

“Dad, this is Calvin Morrisey,” Min said. “Cal, this is my father, George Dobbs.”

“Pleased to meet you, Calvin.” George’s gruff voice was firm as if to belie any indication that he wasn’t pleased, but his eyes telegraphed, What are you up to?

“Pleased to be here, sir,” Cal lied, and Min patted him on the back, which was more comforting than he could have imagined.

“You’re late,” George said to Min. “We’ve already had cocktails.”

“Sorry, sir,” Cal said, and Min said, “No, you’re not. It was my fault, Dad, we had to go back for something.”

“Well, come in now,” George said, and Min sighed and went into the dining room, and Cal followed and met Min’s dragon of a mother.

The house was a showplace, clearly done by a decorator, and Min’s mother, standing in her perfect living room, matched it: Both were designer creations with no warmth whatsoever. The house at least had some color, but Min’s mother was small, thin, dark-haired, dressed in black, and groomed to within an inch of her life, the exact opposite of Min. “This is my mother, Nanette,” Min said, practically chirping. “Mother, this is Calvin Morrisey,” and Nanette Dobbs said, “Welcome, Calvin,” in a voice that could have flash-frozen fish.

“Did I do something?” Cal whispered when she’d turned to speak to George.

“You frenched me in the park on a picnic table,” Min whispered back.

“How do they know that?” Cal said.

“Greg ratted us out,” Min said. “He also mentioned your hit-and-run past.”

“And I got him wine,” Cal said.

“And here he is,” Min said. She lifted her voice and said, “Greg! This is Cal Morrisey.”

Greg was young and smooth, clearly polished by prep schools and buffed in the gym until his surface gleamed. He smiled at Cal and then realized who he was shaking hands with. “Oh,” Greg said.

Cal waited for something more, but that was it. “Yep,” he said and leaned forward. “The wine is in the front seat of my car.”

Greg exhaled in relief. “Thanks, man,” he said, clasping Cal on the arm. “Be right back,” he said in a voice that was a fraction too loud. “Left the wine in the car.”

“And this is my sister, Diana,” Min said, her voice softening, and Cal looked up to see a younger, sweeter version of the dragon. Diana was slender, dark, and lovely, and clearly the princess in the family. She beamed when she saw Min, and welcomed Cal with more warmth than everyone else in the room put together, and asked about his baseball team.

“Nice kid,” he told Min when Diana had gone to find the amnesiac she was marrying.

“Kid?” Min said.

“Cute,” Cal said. “But she’s not you.”

“You’re not the first to have noticed,” Min said. “Listen, don’t let the ’rents get you down. They’re just...” Her voice faded away as she tried to think of something to call them.

“Fine,” Cal said, and then Nanette called Min away as Greg showed up with the wine.

When Min came back a few minutes later, all her curls were pulled back in combs, and they went in to dinner.

“What’s with the hair?” Cal said in her ear when they were seated.

“It’s not flattering to my round face when it’s left loose,” Min said. “I knew better.”

“I liked it,” Cal said, and Min said, “I did, too,” and then dinner started.

“So what is it you do for a living, Calvin?” George asked when the soup had been dispatched with small talk and the prime rib had been served.

“Training seminars,” Cal said, keeping a wary eye on Nanette, who had been staring at him throughout the soup course. He couldn’t call it a frown since her forehead wasn’t furrowed, but it was not warm.

“So you’re a teacher,” George said. “There much money in that?”

“Dad,” Min said.

“There’s enough,” Cal said, distracted because Min had discreetly begun to pat his back again. He was grateful to her for the support, but it felt way too good to be something he should be enjoying in front of her father.

“What firm are you with?” George said.

“Morrisey, Packard, Capa.” Cal smiled at Min’s mother. “This beef is excellent, Mrs. Dobbs.”

“Thank you.” Nanette Dobbs did not look appeased.

“Morrissey,” George said. “So you work for the old man. Not too hard getting that job, huh?”

“Uh, no,” Cal said. “I’m the old man. It’s my company.”

Min stopped patting and glared at George. “I wonder what the statistics are on the number of daughters who return home to visit after their guests are harassed by their fathers.”

“You inherited it?” George said.

“I started it,” Cal said.

“I’m guessing they’re pretty low,” Min said.

“But your old man bankrolled you,” George said.

“No, he didn’t,” Cal said. “He wanted me to go into his business, so I went outside the family for capital.”

“For crying out loud, Dad, that’s enough,” Min said, taking her hand away from Cal’s back. “Let’s talk about something else. I got a cat.”

“So it’s a start-up,” George said. “Thirty-three percent of start-ups fail in the first four years.”

“It’s sort of a mutant cat,” Min said.

“It was a start-up ten years ago,” Cal said to George. “It’s up.”

“It annoys all my friends,” Min said. “I’m thinking of calling it George.”

“Minerva,” Nanette said. “Not your loud voice.”

“Bread?” Min said, shoving the basket under Cal’s nose.

“Yes, thank you.” Cal took a roll and handed her the basket back. She took one, too, and her mother spoke again.

“Min.”

“Right,” Min said and put the roll back.

“So you own your own business,” George said, skepticism heavy in his voice.

“Yes.” Cal frowned down at Min. “Why can’t you have a roll?”

“I told you, I have this dress I have to fit into,” Min said. “It’s all right. I can eat bread again in July.”

“Min is Diana’s maid of honor next weekend,” Nanette said. “We don’t want her to get too big for the dress.”

“I’m already too big for the dress,” Min said.

“You should come,” Diana said to Cal, leaning across the table. She hadn’t touched the bread, the butter, or her beef, Cal noticed. Her water glass was getting quite a workout, though. “To the wedding. And the rehearsal dinner. Min needs a date.”

Before Cal could answer, George said, “Who are some of your clients?,” and Nanette said, “How long have you and Min been dating?,” and Min tugged on his sleeve. When he looked down at her, she said, “Do you have family?”

“Yes,” Cal said, trying to sound noncommittal about it.

“Are they this awful?” Min said.

“Minerva,” Nanette said, warning in her voice.

“Well, they do let me eat bread,” Cal said, keeping an eye on Nanette. “Other than that, pretty much.”

“I beg your pardon?” George said.

“Look, I don’t mind you grilling me about what I do for a living,” Cal said. “Your daughter’s brought me home and that has some significance. And I don’t mind your wife asking about my personal life for the same reason. But Min is an amazing woman, and so far during this meal, you’ve either ignored her or hassled her about some dumb dress. For the record, she is not too big for the dress. The dress is too small for her. She’s perfect.” Cal buttered a roll and passed it over to Min. “Eat.”

Min blinked at him and took the roll.

Cal looked past her to her mother. “I’ve never been married. I’ve never been engaged. My last relationship ended about two months ago. I met your daughter three weeks ago.” He turned back to Min’s father. “The business is in the black and has been for some time. I can give you references if you’d like to check. Should things between Min and me ever grow serious, I can support her.”

“Hey, I can support me,” Min said, still holding her roll.

“I know,” Cal said. “Your dad wants to know that I can. Eat.” Min bit into the roll, and he looked around the table. “Anything else anybody wants to know?”

Diana held up her hand.

“Yes?” Cal said.

“Are you Min’s date for the wedding?”

Min tried to swallow the bite she’d just taken.

“She hasn’t asked me.” Cal looked down at Min. “Want to go to your sister’s wedding with me?”

Min choked on her roll and he pounded her on the back.

“Of course she wants to go with you,” Nanette said, smiling for the first time. “We’d be delighted to have you. The rehearsal dinner, too.”

“Good,” Cal said, feeling progress had been made as Min gasped for air.

“This wine is excellent,” George said to him.

“Thank—uh, thanks to Greg,” Cal said. “Knows his wine.”

“Uh huh,” George said, looking at Greg, who smiled back at him feebly.

“You have a cat?” Nanette said to Min, and the evening rolled on while she harangued Min about cat diseases, and George asked questions about the seminar business, and Greg glowered, and Diana smiled, and Cal’s head pounded. He’d had worse evenings, but not many.

Then Min smiled up at him and said, “I’m sorry” so softly he almost missed it. He said, “For what? I’m having a great time,” and felt better about everything.

After dessert, which only the men ate, Min dragged Diana into the hall. “Are you out of your mind?” she whispered. “Why in the name of God did you ask that man to the wedding?”

“Why not?” Diana said. “You needed a date. He’s darling. I don’t see a problem.”

“That’s because you don’t know our history,” Min said.

“Well, at least you have a date now,” Diana said. “I think it was a pretty good idea.”

Min stabbed her finger at her. “Don’t do anything like that again. Ever. Ever.”

“Okay,” Diana said. “But you’ve still got a really hot date.”

Her really hot date came out in the hall, said a pleasant good-bye to her parents, walked her down the front steps, handed her into his car, got in the driver’s side, reached over and pulled the combs out of her hair.

“These are ugly, Minnie,” he said, and threw them out his car window into the street.

“I know,” she said, trying not to feel rescued. “Thank you.”

The next day, Min dressed very carefully for her dinner with the Morriseys, pulling out her plain black dress again, polishing her black flats, and trying to make her hair lie down. Things didn’t get better when Nanette called.

“Darling, your Calvin is lovely,” Nanette said.

“Thank you, Mother,” Min said, bracing herself for whatever was coming next.

“And Daddy checked his financials and he’s very solvent,” Nanette went on.

“He checked on a Saturday night?” Min said. “How?”

“You know your father,” Nanette said in a tone that said she wished she didn’t. “And your Calvin seems very taken with you. That was very sweet, the thing with the bread and butter. You won’t eat it again, of course, but still...”

“A man who will feed you is a good thing,” Min agreed.

“So don’t ruin this one,” Nanette said. “I was upset about you losing David, but that’s all right now. Just don’t lose Calvin, too.”

“Mother, I don’t want him,” Min lied.

“Of course you want him,” Nanette said. “You’ll have beautiful children.”

“I don’t want those, either,” Min said. “New subject. I’m thinking about quitting my job to become a cook.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, dear,” Nanette said. “You around food? You’d blow up like a balloon.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Min said. “I’m going to go now.”

“Go where?”

“I’m having dinner with Cal’s parents.”

“That’s nice. Who are they?”

“Jefferson and Lynne Morrisey. I don’t know—”

“You’re having dinner with Lynne Morrisey?”

“Yes,” Min said. “Because she gave birth to my date, otherwise, I wouldn’t be.”

“Min,” her mother said, her voice dropping in respect. “Lynne Morrisey is huge in the Urban League.”

“I’m so sorry,” Min said, thinking that was the first time she’d ever heard Nanette say “huge” with approval.

“No carbs, darling,” Nanette said. “And tell me everything when you get home.”

“Oh, dear Lord,” Min said and hung up to go back to her hair problem.

When Cal knocked on her door, she and Elvis were contemplating a headband without much confidence.

“Do you think a headband?” she said to Cal when she opened the door.

“Christ, no,” he said, reaching down to pet the cat, who had come to purr at his feet. “Look at you, you’re in mourning again.”

“Don’t even try to talk me out of this dress,” she said.

He looked down. “At least give me your feet. How about the shoes with the black bows, the ones you wore the first night?”

“Cal,” Min said.

“It’s not a lot to ask,” he said, leaning in the doorway grinning at her. “Go change your shoes, Minnie, and then we’ll face the dragons together.”

She smiled back in spite of herself. “That charm stuff doesn’t work on me,” she told him and went to change her shoes.