page38 (1/2)

Her sister tried valiantly to play down the transforer noticed the flush of pleasure on her cheeks as she surveyed her appearance

They stood in Ginger’s bedroo Willa dressed for proo She’d found the heather gray cocktail dress Willa noore at a vintage shop in Noble Square after hunting for half a day Sensing Willa would balk at anything too colorful, she’d didn’tthe simple, strapless dress that fit Willa’s small frame to perfection

Willa gave Ginger full creative control, and after reer had applied a tasteful alow, and pulled her hair away froer hadn’t shared a roonize her except for the nose ring

“What ti to pick you up?”

“Seven-thirty We’re going to dinner with some of his friends before the dance”

Ginger nodded, trying to appear as confident as Willa This is where they differed Ginger thrived in social situations where she didn’t have to interact with one single person She could jump froot too heavy or personal Willa, on the other hand, didn’t generally play ith others Not that Ginger didn’t have faith in her sister, especially this new, school-activity-participating Willa But she knew she’d worry until Willa walked through the door later

Ginger produced a black sequined clutch that she’d kept hidden in her closet and handed it to Willa As she’d predicted, it looked fabulous with the dress andblack heels

Their eyes met in the mirror “Please make sure you take your cell phone, Willa There is some money in the purse if you need it For dinner For a cab Anything”

Willa laughed at Ginger’s fierce expression, then sobered “Ginger, I’ deal because I never go out”

“Okay, just a few s and I’ll be finished” She took a deep breath “No drugs No getting into a car with so Don’t have sex on the first date, but if you do, there’s a condom in the purse Please, please don’t need to use it But I won’t ask if you did”

“Oh, my God”

“Shut up You look beautiful Have a great time”

Willa’s face broke into a dazzling s”

Ginger held back her tears “You’re welcome”

Her sister looked like she wanted to say so else but hesitated

“Spit it out, Wip”

“A Evan like this?”

Ginger thought for a ht have been posed in typical Willa fashion, but vulnerability lingered behind it “No, you’re not being a jackass Is it a risk? Yes But I don’t think you’d place your trust easily, Willa Now you just have to have faith in your own judgo was a risk, but we took it Maybe it’s time we take a few more”

Willa nodded, absorbing her words “Kind of like you with the lieutenant?”

At the er felt her insidesaround the clock since the raid, busy with paperwork and interrogations of the arrestedafter their h most of the day, she’d stretched her tenderher best not to panic over his having left a second tiood-bye

On the counter in Derek’s kitchen, she’d found a white sack of chocolate doughnuts and a carton of orange juice, sitting on top of a giant stack ofcautiously, she’d ripped off the note attached to the bag with her name written on it