Strong sunlight and ridiculous humidity combined to make a truly nasty day. Pacey's T-shirt no longer clung to his back. It slid as he walked here. Probably would squish if he squeezed it. Ankle-high grass tickled him and he fought the urge to scratch as he stared up at Joey, waiting for her response.

"Nice to see you too, Pacey." Joey continued sweeping her front porch. "Andno, I haven't been avoiding you."

Pacey rubbed his forehead. He'd been trying to get in contact with her for the past three days. More casually, after the first night, but he had made an ef fort. But if this was how she wanted to play it, fine.

"I guess you've just been busy with work."

"You know me."

"Something like that."

"You know my schedule."

"Did I, for a moment, suggest anything other than the fact that you are an openbook to me Josephine Potter?"

She stopped for a moment, glared at him, then continued. "So, what have youbeen up to?"

"Hanging with Dawson, mostly."

"Oh." She dumped her dustpan onto the lawn. "Really. Cool."

"You know Joey," he touched her arm. She froze. He lowered his hand. "Wenever finished--"

"I've gotta finish sweeping the other porch."

"We never finished talking about Dawson."

She stopped and looked back. He got an idea.

"Because, you know, when Deputy Doug busted in on us--"

She suddenly got very interested in her fingernails.

"When he busted in on us we were in the middle of a conversation about Dawson. Remember?" He grinned. Go with this Joey. It seems to be what you want, so I'm game.

Slowly, she paid attention to him again. A grin might have been fighting itsway onto her face, but he wasn't sure. "Kinda."

"So with him at screenwriting camp for a month..."

"Where? What?"

"LA" She didn't look happy. "He didn't tell you?"

"That prick."

"It was sort of last minute."

"How last minute?"

"Last Tuesday he found out." Pacey sat on the steps and picked at the peeling paint. Joey just shook her head. "So like I said, the prodigal son won't be returning for four weeks. Feel like painting the town crimson?"

"I can't believe him."

"Fuschia?"

"He's such an asshole."

"Hot pink?"

"He truly blows my mind sometimes."

"Aubergine?"

Joey snorted. "You said Aubergine."

"Heh-heh heh Aubergine." His Beavis impression was improving.

"Where did you learn a word like Aubergine?"

"Martha Stuart Living."

She snorted again.

"Doug has a subscription."

"Does not."

"Okay, I do."

She snorted again.

"You sound like a horse."

"Bite me."

He stared to nip at her shoulder, but thought better of it. "Tonight. You, me, Deputy Doug's gay porn collection."

"Got anything with Rocco Sifredi?"

"You know he doesn't do gay porn." He did a double take. "How do you know whoRocco Sifredi is?"

"How do you?" she answered sweetly. "Bet you don't have any porn anyway."

"Do too. We'll watch it tonight."

"You're on." She smiled awkwardly at him and he decided to make his gracefulexit.

He was half way across the lawn when he shouted over his shoulder, "You do know this means we're freaks, don't you?"

"Pacey, I never had a doubt."