He looked down at me, his eyes full of cocky confidence, sure that my quiet manner meant weakness.

Without asking, and without waiting for whoever the seat belonged to, Evan reached down, flipped up the armrest, and dropped into the empty chair right beside mine.

He leaned in close to my right shoulder, his face inches from mine, wearing a wide, smug grin.

“Where’d you buy that ribbon rack?” Evan asked, jabbing a blunt index finger at my left breast pocket.

“Surplus store down on Lee Street, or did it come with the costume?”