“I try not to, anymore," he said.

“Religion is like the middle rail on the El, Sarah. You touch it, you get hurt."

The meal was over, and they were all sitting around the table, comfortably full. The Last light of the sun was fading, the western sky slowly turning from orange to a dark, cobalt blue. The conversation had been good, the food fantastic, the weather delightful. During the meal,

Sarah had felt Jeremy's presence like a warm touch on her skin. Even when he was talking to her father or Alex or Maria, she knew his attention was on her.

And hers was on him. She ached to take him in her arms, to ravage his lovely mouth with a kiss, to peel his clothes off, regardless of who might be watching.

She jumped as her mother stood and tapped her fork against her wineglass, making it chime sweetly.

“Family, friends," she said.

“W have happy news." She looked around the table with a smile. "The past few years have not been easy for us," she continued, looking at her children.

“For any of us, but especially you.

You have had to grow up more quickly than we would have Liked, because your parents couldn't be trusted to act like adults." Her voice held more than a tinge of self-mockery.

“Sarah, Alex, your father and I are getting back together. Permanently.

I asked him to marry me. Again. And he said yes. Again."

Sarah and Maria broke into shrieks of joy, and leaped up to embrace

Rachel. Alex, for his part, grinned from ear to ear and shook his father's hand. At Rachel's nod, Josh poured out a round of wine for everyone at the table.

“No, I have no idea when the ceremony is going to be," Rachel said, answering Maria's excited questions.

“Not too long, though." Her eyes were hot as they rested on her husband.

“We can't go on living in sin like this. It sets a terrible example for the youngsters.”

Jeremy laughed, though it seemed more than a little forced to Sarah.

“Congratulations, Rachel. Sir," he said, nodding to each of them. Sarah narrowed her gaze, Looking him over. His smile seemed genuine, but she caught a hint of hurt in his eyes.

He had sex with Mom. She couldn't explain how she knew, but she was instantly certain. There was no other explanation for his reaction, the

Slightly proprietary air. And the way he was so cautious around her father, as if he was afraid to offend him.

Hah. Well, good. Now that Mom is getting remarried, he'll know that she is off limits, and he'll pay more attention to me.

~Really, Sarah? Have you stopped looking at your father, just because he and your mother will be remarrying?~ The voice in her head was quietly sarcastic, and Sarah flushed guiltily. In fact, while the lion's share of her attention had been on Jeremy, she had not been able to entirely keep her eyes off her handsome father, even as he and her mother had made their renewed affection for each other transparently obvious.

She stood abruptly, reaching for the plates.

“Let me start cleaning up here," she said. "We should get this food in the fridge before the bugs come out.”