"Cate?" Abby said, standing in the doorway to Cate's bedroom.

Cate sighed. "What?"

"Would you do my hair?" Abby asked hopefully.

Cate frowned. Abby had been being even brattier than usual this week and now she was asking for a favor. Cate shook her head in disbelief. Abby had a lot of nerve.

"I'm busy," Cate said, holding up the textbook she was reading.

Abby's face fell. "Please?" She begged.

Cate looked at her sister. Abby was wearing a dark blue dress and silver heels. Her expression softened slightly.

Cate remembered getting ready for the Winter Formal last year. She cringed as she remembered the hideous dress she'd worn. At the time, Cate thought it was stylish.

Alice and Cate had spent hours getting ready, doing her hair and make-up. When their dates showed up, they'd both felt like princesses. Needless to say, the feeling was short-lived for Cate.

Still, Cate wanted her sister to feel beautiful tonight. Even after how Abby had been acting.

"Sit down." Cate patted her bed.

Abby grinned and obeyed.

Cate retrieved a hairbrush and bobby pins. She carefully styled Abby's hair into an updo. Cate held up a handheld mirror so Abby could see the back.

"Thank you!" Abby's grin widened.

Cate nodded. She hesitated. "Have fun, but don't do anything stupid."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Like get knocked up?"

Cate gave Abby a hard look. "Yeah."

The doorbell rang.

Abby jumped up. "That must be Max." Max was Abby's date.

Abby's jaw dropped when she opened the door.

It wasn't Max. It was Baze.

Baze was standing on the doorstep. He always looked good, but tonight he looked really good. He was wearing a black suit. He cleaned up good. A pretty middle-aged woman stood beside him.

"Hi Abby. Is Cate here?" Baze said.

"Yeah, she's in her bedroom. Are you stopping by to see Lux on your way to the dance or something?" Abby frowned.

"Yeah," Baze mumbled. He started for the stairs, Ellen following.

Abby was on their heels. "I forget. Who are you going with?"

Baze ignored Abby as he approached Cate's room. He smiled when he saw her sitting on her bed reading. He leaned against the doorframe casually.

Cate looked up, surprised. She blushed slightly. She was wearing sweatpants and a tank top and staying in on a Saturday night.

Baze was obviously going to the dance. He was wearing a suit. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be picking up your date for Winter Formal?" Cate asked.

Baze grinned. "I am."

Cate's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Last year we ended up together. This year let's start the night together," Baze said.

Abby was lingering in the hall eavesdropping. She stomped off when she heard this.

Cate stared at Baze open-mouthed. She couldn't believe this was happening. Any girl in school would have cut off her right arm to go to the dance with Baze, but he was here.

"I can't. Lux," Cate reminded him.

Baze moved aside so Cate could see Ellen. "My mom will watch her. She can stay at my house tonight."

"The dance starts in an hour. There's no way I'll be ready in time," Cate said.

"I'll wait," Baze said softly.

Baze picked Lux up and took her downstairs to the living room so Cate could get ready.

"May I come in?" Ellen asked.

"Of course." Cate forced herself to smile, though she was freaking out. She didn't have a dress. She hadn't washed her hair that day.

Ellen glanced around, surprised that all the baby furniture they'd bought was crammed into Cate's bedroom. The house was small. Ellen realized that there must not be enough room for a nursery.

Cate's cheeks burned. "Sorry. It's a mess. I wasn't expecting anyone."

"That's quite all right," Ellen said. She sat down on Cate's bed. "Do you need any help getting ready?"

Ellen helped Cate choose a dress. Fortunately Cate had accumulated a good selection when she was working at Paula's. Cate held up two of her favorites: a cute pink dress and a sexy red dress. Ellen liked the pink dress.

Cate dressed in the bathroom. She admired her reflection in the mirror. She loved this dress.

She applied make-up carefully. She frowned, wishing she had time to take a shower.

Cate scrambled to put her hair up. She secured bobby pins and applied hairspray liberally, wanting it to hold through the night.

"You look beautiful," Ellen said when Cate emerged from the bathroom.

"Thanks." Cate smiled gratefully.

Baze's jaw nearly hit the floor when Cate descended the stairs. She looked absolutely beautiful. He smiled. "You look…there are no words."

Cate's smile widened. "You look pretty good yourself." Cate's tone was light, but she meant what she said. Baze looked sexy as hell. She wondered if she'd be able to refrain from ripping his suit off. She blushed slightly at the thought.

Baze fumbled in his pocket and retrieved a corsage. He put it on Cate's wrist, his fingers brushing lightly against her skin.

Ellen snapped a picture of them together and then a picture of them with Lux.

"Now I have everything Lux will need at home, but does she have a favorite stuffed animal or blanket that I should take?" Ellen asked.

"There's a bunny in her crib," Cate murmured. "I'll go get it."

"I can get it. Don't worry about anything. Have fun!" Ellen said, ushering Baze and Cate toward the door.

Baze opened the passenger door to his sports car for Cate.

"Thanks," Cate said as she slid in, smoothing her dress."

They drove to Westmonte in comfortable silence. Baze opened Cate's door again and helped her from the car.

They entered the gym hand in hand. Cate noticed a few people stare or whisper.

She couldn't blame them. Who would have thought the most popular guy in school would take Cate Cassidy to the dance? Not her. That was for sure.

She frowned, wondering why Baze was doing this. He hadn't acted one bit interested in dating her. He certainly made it clear he didn't want to date her after last year's dance.

Baze was probably only taking her because he felt bad about how things went down last year, Cate knew. He was doing it out of pity.

Things would return to normal after the dance, just as they had after last year's dance. Her prince would turn back into a frog, so to speak.

Cate promised herself she would not sleep with Baze again. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. She wasn't going to get her hopes up that he really liked her only to be disappointed in the morning. No matter how good he looked in that suit.

Baze was staring at Cate intently. "What are you thinking?" He asked.

Cate met Baze's gaze. "I'm wondering why you wanted to go with me."

Baze made a face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, did the head cheerleader turn you down?" Cate asked.

Baze frowned. "I didn't ask anyone else, Cate. I wanted to go with you."

"Because why?" Cate demanded. "Because you feel bad about what happened last year?"

Baze looked away. "Of course I feel bad."

Tears stung Cate's eyes. She didn't know why. It was the answer she'd expected. Somehow hearing it still hurt. But she was not going to cry in front of Baze.

Baze could tell Cate was hurting. She might not be crying, but her expression was pained. He swallowed. "I'm sorry. I can't take back what happened. I'm trying to make it up to you."

Cate nodded. She knew he was trying to make it up to her. That's why he took her to the dance. Not because he actually wanted to go with her.

"Cate?" Baze said nervously.

"Thanks. For trying," Cate said shortly.

Baze looked confused. He shifted uncomfortably. "Do you wanna dance?" He mumbled.

"Yeah," Cate said dully.

When a slow song came on, Baze put his arms around Cate and pulled her close. His touch felt so good, so right. But Cate knew her feelings were one-sided. She looked away.

Baze tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Cate replied.

Baze looked unconvinced.

"I'm just tired," Cate lied.

"Yeah," Baze muttered.

He knew her well enough by now to know she was lying. He just didn't know why. After everything they had been through together, what could she possibly have to hide form him?

Baze parked in front of Cate's house. He leaned in to kiss her. His lips barely grazed hers and she pushed him away.

"What are you doing?" Cate asked.

Baze made a face. "I thought that was pretty obvious."

"No, I mean, why are you doing it?" Cate asked.

Baze stared at Cate speechlessly.

"It's one thing to take me to the dance because you're sorry, but you don't kiss people because you feel bad," Cate said angrily.

Baze narrowed his eyes. "That's not what I'm doing." He sounded completely exasperated.

"Kissing me, it doesn't mean anything to you," Cate said, tears in her eyes.

Baze shook his head. "Says who? Says you?"

"Sleeping together obviously didn't mean anything to you. Why would kissing me be any different? At least last year you didn't sleep with me because you felt bad," Cate retorted.

"Last year I didn't know you!" Baze cried out in frustration.

"And now you do?" Cate asked skeptically, her arms crossed in front of her chest protectively.

Baze's expression softened as he looked at Cate. "Yeah, I do. And now…I like you. Even though you make it really difficult sometimes."

Cate smiled slightly. "You do?"

Baze nodded.

"You can kiss me now," Cate said.

"Who says I want to?" Baze teased.

"Baze!" Cate said. "I want you to kiss me now."

Baze grinned. He kissed her softly. This time Cate didn't push him away.

When Baze ended the kiss, Cate sat back in her seat. The intense chemistry she'd felt a year ago was still there. In fact, if anything, it had increased.

"Good night," Baze said softly.

"Yeah, it was," Cate said, smiling. "Thanks."