The apartment looked a thousand times better. After gingerly opening the door in dread of seeing small fires and graffiti, a stray vacuum and a new yellow polka dot slip cover was just what I needed to see. The mess was completely gone, replaced only by terrible evidence that I was a lousy decorator and the subtle scent of the Tropical Breeze vacuum powder stuff I kept around. Thank you, Kendra and Michael!

I set my stuff down on the new slip cover (dang, but did Kendra have taste!) and headed to the fridge. I had the oddest craving for pickles. A pickle sounded very good. As I passed the newly established shelf, I noticed the message light blinking like a baby warning light. How cute.

Of course the first thought that had popped into my mind was Rowe.

Pickles could wait. It was more of a strong desire than a craving. I dove for the machine, brutally knocking over my Mary Higgins Clark collection and almost breaking a nail.

The first message was from Kenda, checking up on me. Totally sweet of her, but I deleted it after the first sentence-and-a-half.

The weird lady voice announced message number two, and thus came the voice. His voice.

"Hi, Tansy. This is… Rowe. I hope you figured that out, that I made that much of an impression on you. Listen, I know you saw me last night and then calling you so fast after everything is probably on the bad side of the stalker list, but I can promise you whole-heartedly that is not the situation."

Stalker situations were only creepy if you didn't like the guy. I needed that needle-pointed on a pillow. I giggled like a kindergarten girl and gently bit the edge of my nails. Boy, did I like this one. He had definite possibilities.

"So I would like to see you again. And I promise I won't rag on you about the beautician thing. Meet me for ice cream at 8:00? I'll take you to Farr's."

One could not beat Farr's Ice Cream. Ice cream was one of the most romantic foods on the whole planet. Next to strawberries and other suggestive items. Good thing I wasn't that kind of girl.

"So if you get this message in time, call me back." He rambled off his phone number.

I was in such a hurry to call him back that I didn't realize there was a third message until I was in the bathroom redoing make-up. And by then I didn't care.

We both got the Huckleberry. There was something about teeny-tiny berries yanked mercilessly from their bushes to be squeezed and pressed into vanilla ice cream. The shop was all but empty, just us and a couple of thoroughly unattractive teenage boys with too much acne running the ice cream. Rowe and I picked a table in the corner, next to a Normal Rockwell poster. I only realized then that it was difficult to eat ice cream sexily without being too sexy. Considering it was only a second date, or whatever, I went for less is more.

"I'm so glad you asked me out again," I said truthfully.

"That dinner was not a date." He said it with a laugh, though. He had the most adorable laugh.

"So then I'm glad you asked me out, because I am certainly considering this a date." I daintily plucked a chunk of huckleberry from the scoop and placed it on my tongue.

He paused to consider that. There was a drizzle of ice cream on his lip, and his tongue carefully scooped over it. "Yes, this is a date. I am not going to deny that."

"You bad boy. Dating your father's employees."

He laughed again, this time placing a sense of the melodramatic villain in there. "It's a lot worse than you think, Tansy."

"I don't care. I like you, and if your father has a problem with that, then he can fire me."

"You're too good to be fired."

I stopped eating and studied him. He didn't seem embarrassed by the remark, and I probably should have taken it as a nice compliment only his tone did not quite fit that. I could not understand his tone at all. I only knew it wasn't an insult. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, no effort to escape the conversation, just slight confusion it was till continuing. "I only mean you are good at this. I don't think you'd be fired for being good at your job. That sort of defeats the concept of work. You're needed there."

Good enough. I took another lick. The ice cream was delicious. "I've certainly got you chatting tonight. Asking me out and everything."

"Believe me, Tansy, this is not normal for you." He smiled sheepishly and scratched his nose. Finally something embarrassing. "I'm what you might call still in possession of a fear of girls."

"I'm not scary," I replied. "I'm too cute to be scary." I proved as much by making a cute face. I knew I was positively adorable.

"Clearly." He sighed. "I'm sorry about last night. That isn't something I do, either. I don't go stand outside of people's homes. I know it's creepy."

"As long as you didn't pull a gun or turn into a werewolf. Or a vampire."

He raised an eyebrow. "A vampire?"

"We were leaving the salon and we were talking about you and… never mind. You had to be there for it to be funny. But I sort of thought you were cute last night, whatever you were doing."

His face actually turned red. "I'm not a cute person most of the time."

"Just right now." I winked at him. "You truly do look adorable."

He smiled.

I had the sudden desire that he should kiss me, but just then thunder ripped across all sound and water immediately began to strike the window.

"Rain," Rowe said blandly.

I was in possession of two moods, only one operating at a time. Sometimes I wanted to keep away from the rain, other times I wanted to dance in it. Tonight I was wearing waterproof mascara and I was in the latter mood. I took another huge bite of ice cream, fought the brain freeze, swallowed, and jumped to my feet. "Come on! Let's go dance in the rain."

Rowe frowned. He made him look a lot like Mr. Maser, only better looking. "You have got to be kidding me."

"No!" I squealed. "It's a warm night and it will be fun. We can get hot chocolate afterwards or something."

"Tansy, I do not dance in the rain."

I laughed and tugged his arm. "You will tonight! You will get soaking wet and you will be happy for it." Shy boy. Shy shy shy.

He shook his head. "I am going to sit here and finished eating my ice cream. Because it is good."

"You are coming outside!" He was bigger than me, so I honestly have no idea how I dragged him to the door. The night was indeed warm, and the rain was falling at the perfect rain-dancing way. I twirled out into it, arms over my rolled-back head.

Rowe just stood there, looking wet and miserable. "Lots of fun, this is."

"You have to dance!" I called. "You're not dancing!"

"No, because I don't want every solitary soul driving past to stare at me!"

"They will only be jealous! That's why they're staring." I hopped over a newly formed puddle. I felt ridiculous, but giddy at the same time. The fact that Rowe refused to join me was only all the more entertaining. "Don't I look pretty?" I stopped twirling, breathless, to wait for his response.

He only smiled. "You do look pretty. But I'm going back inside."

I chased after him, taunting all the way.

"I am so not nursing you back to health when you catch pneumonia," he said as he sat back down at the table.

The acne boys were watching be, amused. I didn't care. "At least I had fun!"

"I envy you that!" Rowe said. "Do you want your hot chocolate now?"

I slid into my chair. I was beginning to shiver. At least the shop was warm. "Or we could make a rain check and have breakfast."

Rowe was finishing up is now very melty ice cream. "Sorry, but I don't do breakfast."

"You can watch me eat."

He bit his lip thoughtfully. "What I mean to say is that I'm not available to have breakfast tomorrow."

Okay, so he was busy. "What about lunch? Pop by for lunch."

"Can't do that, either."

Darn. "Wow, Mary was right."

He blinked. "Mary? Right about what?"

"The vampire thing I mentioned earlier. She says she has never seen you during the day and therefore you must be a vampire."

He laughed. Good. I was almost afraid he now hated me. "I'm not a vampire. Don't worry there."

"Then how come—"

"Tansy? Tansy Bryner?"

I followed the very familiar voice up, then screamed and tore to my feet. "Monica!"

My old beauty school teacher hugged me back. She smelled the same as always, her signature scent of roses and oranges. "How great to see you, dear! I wanted to hear about your job! When Kendra called me and said you had something very chic, I knew I had to hear all about it."

"It's…" I wasn't supposed to talk about the job. "It's all right, it's a job."

"And they are very lucky to have you!" Monica pulled back. "Let me look at you. Playing in the rain, I see."

Monica looked the same as ever. An older woman, in her forties, though no one could tell as much. She had let it slip once. Only a few lines around the eyes, just enough for character, and pale, flawless skin of which I couldn't help but be envious. Her face was round, sweet, but with sharp features. Her black hair hung to her shoulders, thick straight, with a single strand of blue. It was an incredible combination. Monica had always called herself striking rather than gorgeous, but of course that is where the whole beauty thing came in. It was all about making people beautiful.

"I like the rain," I admitted.

"Waterproof mascara. Get the good kind, and you are set for life. What brand is that?"

"Yours."

She laughed richly. "Of course it is. Now, introduce me to your friend."

"Huh?" I giggled. "Oh, yes. I almost forgot he was there. I mean, I didn't even see you come in, Monica! This is Rowe Maser."

But Rowe did not seem pleased at the sight of Monica. He didn't say a single word.

"A pleasure," Monica said. She knew enough about people not to bother with a hand shake. At least she was polite and friendly and all that jazz.

It was very awkward.

"Well," she continued. "I suppose I shall just have to let you get back to your date. I will talk to you later, dear."

I sat back down, rather furious. "What was that about?"

He stared at me, wide-eyed. "That's Monica?" he hissed. "That's Monica?"

Had I mentioned Monica's to him? No. "Yes, that's Monica. How did you know about her?"

He muttered something under his breath and rubbed with a napkin at the ice cream spill he had caused on the table. "I'm taking you home, Tansy. I'm sorry, but I have to do something now."

"With Monica?" I was extremely confused. "Hey, she is the coolest person ever!"

He snorted. "Whatever. Come on."

I stayed put. "Tell me what's going on."

He hovered over his seat, face going through a range of emotions. "She's a fairy, Tansy. A real fairy."