Trina walked into the Standish Grille with Ezra. Drew was supposed to be back from the park any time now, and Ezra had wanted to surprise his sister with dinner. However, she didn't see any sign of her friend.

"What can I get you to drink while we wait, Trina?" Ezra asked her.

"Iced tea, please."

Ezra nodded and walked off to the bar area to order their drinks. Trina went over to the jukebox. She saw a lot of songs by Aerosmith and Van Halen there. Plus a few by bands she had not heard of. Trina decided to play something and put fifty cents in the machine before making her selections.

When she turned around, Ezra was standing there. She jumped a bit, startled by his appearance. He just indicated a table with his head and she nodded, following him as he walked off. Trina saw Karol over by the pool table and waved to her as she sat down.

"What do you think my sister would like for dinner?"

"Knowing Drew, something covered in cheese. Probably chili cheese fries."

"What about you?"

"I-well, I'd like some beef stew or roast beef and potatoes, if the truth were known. But I doubt they serve that here."

Ezra smiled to her and winked. "I'll see what I can coerce Dewayne into making for you."

"Would you?" Trina asked, smiling brightly at him.

Ezra looked a bit sheepish and then smiled. "Actually, the Standish Grille serves almost everything from pizza to prime rib. Not everything, but there is a great deal of variety available."

They sat in companionable silence for a moment before "Walk like an Egyptian" came on. Ezra looked to Trina. "You like the Bangles?"

"Aye. Well, I like this song. I really like Elton John though." Trina smiled. "And Madonna."

Ezra almost choked on his beer. "You like Madonna?"

"Aye," Trina said with a grin. "Don't you?"

Ezra leaned over towards her and whispered. "Yes I do. But that is just our secret."

Trina laughed.

Twenty minutes passed, and Drew had still not arrived. Trina was beginning to worry. Finally, Alley walked into the Grille and up to the bar.

"There's Alley. Wasn't she supposed to bring Drew?"

"Indeed," Ezra said before he stood up. "I will be right back."

Ezra walked over to the park ranger. "Excuse me, Miss Steele, but where is my sister?"

Alley smiled. "Your sis? You mean Drew. Heck, Ezra. Buck met us at the truck just as we were about to head on back and said he wanted to take Drew off to get some real hamburgers and fries. Said you'd be fine with it, and from the smile on her face when she said 'McDonalds?' and he nodded, I didn 't see no harm in letting the two of them head on out."

For a moment, Ezra just stood there, utterly shocked. Then he nodded his head. "Thank you," Ezra said before turning and going back to the table.

"Well?" Trina asked.

"Apparently, Mr. Wilmington picked her up and took her to Ajo," Ezra commented neutrally.

"That's wonderful!" Trina exclaimed.

"Wonderful? How on earth can this possibly be wonderful?"

"Buck is a nice man who likes Drew, and she really likes him. That's how."

"Mr. Wilmington is a womanizer who is only interested in one thing."

"Aye. Drew," Trina said, naively misunderstanding Ezra's comment.

"Indeed. And when he has her, he will throw her off to the side, just like every other woman who has ever been involved with him." Ezra tapped his fingers on the table.

"He won't. This is different."

"Trina, you've been in this town, what? A little over a week? How do you know this is different? You don't know the man like I do."

Trina just looked to him. "And that is how I know. You see only his past, but I can see his present. And that is what Drew sees too. She sees who he is now. Ezra, I can see his eyes when he looks at her. It isn't lust; it is love. And if I had someone looking at me like that, I would be a very happy woman, especially if I loved him back."

Ezra quickly looked down. "I don't want her to be hurt."

"Then trust her, Ezra."

Ezra nodded. "Well, I suppose we shall be dining alone. Allow me to go order our dinners." He stood quickly and walked over to the bar. When he got there, he looked back and saw Trina watching something out the window.

/Get a grip, Standish, she's Drew's friend./ Ezra sighed and nodded. Yes, Trina was Drew's friend, but he had quickly found she was important to him too. He loved the sound of her laugh, that spunk he could see underlying her quiet manner. Ezra wanted to get to know her better. /Drew's only known her a week longer than I have./ He also acknowledged that. But it was also a fast bonded friendship. If he dated Trina, Drew would not see the difference between her dating Buck and him dating Trina.

Ezra frowned. What was the difference? Why didn't he want Buck with Drew? /For her protection,/ he told himself again. Buck had a history of loving and leaving, and he didn't want Drew hurt by him. /That, and Buck Wilmington is almost old enough to be her father./ He shook his head. /I am going to ask her out./

"Mr. Standish, you gonna order?" Dwayne asked with a smile.

Ezra started and realized he'd been standing here staring at Trina. He looked over to her again, to see if she had noticed. By the nervous manner she was sitting, he surmised that she had.

"Yes," Ezra said as he turned to Dwayne. "I'd like this to go. Two orders of shepherd's pie and what's today's desert?"

"Pistachio pudding."

Ezra wrinkled his nose. "Just the shepherd's pie."

Dwayne nodded and placed the order. "Should be about 10 minutes. I'll have Joe carry it to your table."

"Thank you," Ezra said, then he walked back to the table.

Trina looked up at his approach. Ezra sat down.

"I ordered it to go."

"All right."

"Trina, I--" Ezra looked to her.

She cocked her head. "Aye?"

"I would like to ask you out on a date."

She smiled and blushed. "Ye don't think you get to see me enough while I'm livin' under your roof?"

Ezra grinned. "I can never see enough of you."

Trina laughed and smiled. "Now, that sounds like something Mr. Wilmington would say to Drew."

Ezra smiled. "It got you to laugh. What would you like to do?"

"I want to see this area, everything."

"Then that will be an all day affair. I have to go to Los Angeles and get Drew's things. Why don't we see a movie in Ajo before then, and after I return we'll spend a Saturday together and I will show you everything."

Joe walked up to their table and set the bag down with a smile.

Trina nodded to Ezra.

"Here is our dinner. Why don't we watch a movie after we finish?"

"I'd like that."

Ezra stood up and offered Trina his arm. Then they went home.

Trina smiled as she was cleaning up the kitchen. Ezra was making a batch of daiquiris and they were going to watch Braveheart. Trina hadn't seen it before, and Ezra insisted they watch it.

"All finished," she said with a grin.

Ezra nodded and smiled. He poured them each a daiquiri, then stuck the rest of the back in the freezer. Ezra offered her his arm and then led her out to the living room.

They sipped their drinks and watched the movie. She looked up to him and smiled. Trina did not think she could have enjoyed the movie without Ezra' s presence, not because of the story but because of the scenery-her beloved homeland. As it was, he draped an arm around her shoulder and Trina leaned against him.

By the time the movie was over, Trina was asleep on Ezra's shoulder, and Drew still hadn't come home. Ezra looked at his watch. Midnight. He nudged Trina very gently, waking her up. When she looked up to him, he smiled at her.

"Did you enjoy the movie?"

Trina blushed. "Aye. Is Drew home?"

"No, not yet." Ezra frowned.

"I'm sure she's all right. But you could always call her on her cell phone."

Ezra nodded. He reached for the phone just as the front door opened.

.