The tall, dark handsome guy smiled widely and headed in her direction.

By the time he reached her, Liz had finally found her voice.

"Doug," she said in amazement. "Doug Shellow?"

"Live and in person."

Liz smiled hesitantly.

"What are you doing here? Donıt you still go to UNM?"

"Yeah, but my summer class is doing a specially funded dig near here, so I thought I'd drop by. Mind if I sit with you," Doug gestured to the booth.

"Oh, uh.. no, not... not at all," Liz smiled and stared at him as he took a seat. "Did my Mom call you, by any chance?"

He smiled as he stretched out his long legs under the table.

"No, I did run into her yesterday at the grocery store, though. I was picking up a few things for the week."

Liz nodded in understanding.

"And she begged you to come save me from myself, right?"

"Well, I don't know about that. I just wanted another chance to finish our date."

Liz's hand automatically went to her chest, feeling the lump underneath her sweater that she knew was Max's ring, Max's engagement ring.

She took a deep breath and smiled back at Doug.

******

Engaged.

Max's mouth automatically turned up at the thought.

Liz Parker was going to be his wife... in every sense of the word.

And the surge of passion threatened to overwhelm him.

He took a deep breath.

They had better plan a quick wedding or he wasn't going to make it to the honeymoon.

Which, he quickly reminded himself, would not get easier by thinking about it.

Not at all...

A smile crossed his face again, but he forced himself to look back down at the book in front of him.

He was so tempted to carry her off and elope... just pick her up and drive somewhere like Las Vegas and have an instant wedding. And, even better, an instant honeymoon! Another deep breath.

Liz deserved better than that. She deserved whatever kind of wedding she wanted. But he should probably give her the Las Vegas option... just in case it was what she wanted, too.

Max smiled gently and bent his head to his task once more.

******

Kyle sat in the last booth with a look of absolute disbelief on his face, watching Liz Parker converse easily with Doug Shellow.

No way.

Max is gone for one week, and sheıs meeting dog-boy for dinner?

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but Liz had gotten off early and changed clothes.

She looked great.

Yeah, yeah, so what else is new.

Kyle shook his head at his train of thought.

What was she doing messing around on Max?

Something was fishy.

Make that doggy, Kyle thought dryly as he stood. Tall, dark and doggy.

Liz sure knows how to pick 'em.

******

"Hi, Liz," a familiar voice greeted her cheerfully.

Liz had completely forgotten Kyle's presence at the diner, and was surprised to see him standing over them.

"Kyle, hi. Uh... you remember Doug, right?"

Doug looked Kyle up and down.

"Kyle... yeah, one of the exes, right? So, you still hanging around watching her date other guys?"

Liz watched in amazement as Kyle slid in the booth next to her.

"Hi Shallow, you still using Radio Stations to get your dates," he smiled back.

Liz rolled her eyes.

Like two hyenas fighting over fresh meat.

And she had an engagement ring hanging on a chain around her neck!

"Kyle, this is totally unnecessary."

Kyle glared at her.

"I don't know about that. I hate to see anyone with separation-anxiety-induced amnesia get taken advantage of."

"Doug," Liz huffed as she pushed Kyle out of the booth. "would you excuse us for a minute?"

"Sure," Doug watched them with an amused look.

Liz held Kyle's arm and steered him to the back.

"Kyle," she started as soon as the door shut behind them. "I don't need-"

"Look, Liz, you don't have to explain anything to me," Kyle interupted her with a wave of his hand. "But I'm not going to sit around and watch you cheat on Evans with Mr. Shallow. That's just asking too much."

Liz shook her head in exasperation.

"I'm not asking you for anything, Kyle. This is not cheating. My mother is making me do this."

Kyle stared at her for a moment.

"That's the best excuse you can come up with? Your mother made you do it? Who are you, Norman Bates?"

Liz took a deep breath and stared directly into Kyle's eyes.

"Okay, Kyle, stay with me, please. My mother won't let me marry Max UNLESS I date other guys first. It's sick; it's twisted, but that's my mom for you."

Kyle's eyes darted around as he absorbed the news.

"So this is, like, a gunshot date?"

Liz nodded.

"Yeah. Mom even invited him over."

Kyle shook his head with a smile.

"You know, I knew I didn't trust Evans, but she must have some serious doubts to go this far to keep you two apart. Gotta admire that."

Liz smiled wearily.

"Thanks, Kyle. I know in some strange way, this is you trying to be nice."

"Don't let it go to your head," his eyes twinkled at her. "See ya'."

******

Alex watched Doug calmly from across the room.

Nothing out of the ordinary, just a guy hitting on Liz.

At that thought, one eyebrow twitched up.

Okay, maybe this wasn't something he was exactly used to seeing, but Kyle was pretty much all over the situation.

Alex grinned.

Nothing to worry about here.

He sipped his latte and remembered his promise to Isabel.

At exactly 9:00, he closed his eyes and thought of her, sending her his love.

******

Isabel looked down at her watch.

9:10.

"Crap," she exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot."

She ignored Max's questioning glance and closed her eyes quickly, thinking of Alex.

She was absolutely positive that exactly ten minutes ago, Alex stopped and thought about her.

He was just like that.

Never looked at another girl.

Never put his own needs first.

And never, ever broke his promises.

She sighed, opening her eyes to the papers in front of her. But her mind kept returning to Alex.

There was a time, not very long ago, when Isabel was sure that no one other than Max and Michael would ever love her.

She had been invulnerable and independent for so long that she didn't know how to begin letting someone in.

But Alex had been patient.

His openness and unconditional love had gently lulled her into a sense of security.

And now, she was in love with him.

A smile played around her lips.

What had she called Liz and Max's relationship so many times back in their sophomore year?

Creepy?

Yeah, she and Alex were definitely creepy.

She closed her eyes again and brought Alex's class ring to her mouth, lightly kissing the cold metal.

No substitute for warm lips, but it was the closest thing she had at the moment.

******

Liz bit her lip to keep from yawning in Doug's face.

He had the most annoying way of talking about himself too much.

Waaaaay too much.

Yes, he was smart, and handsome in a creepy kind of way, but... he thought more of himself than anyone!

Liz bit her lip again to keep from smiling.

Of course, Doug didn't even notice because he was too busy explaining exactly how one digs up valuable fossils without disturbing the karma of the site.

Maria is going to love that one, Liz thought idly as she tucked one leg up under her. She had been entertaining herself in her mind by trying to describe the night's events to Maria, imagining her giggles over Doug's new age fossil-talk.

"So, Doug," she interrupted him suddenly. "How long is your summer dig?"

He looked nonplussed at her question, "I'll be here for about six weeks. Until the second week of August. Just enough time for us to get re-acquainted. And I can't imagine anything I'd rather be doing than getting to know you."

His smile struck a strange chord in Lizıs heart.

What are the chances that he would be digging near Roswell during the exact time Max was gone?

Liz forced herself to smile back at Doug, lecturing herself on the stupidity of being overly paranoid.

But, then again, when your fiance is an alien, his intended mate was a dead psychopath who tried to possess you and their guardian is a rock who occasionally wants you dead... well, it just sort of has a way of making you suspicious.

I guess I'm just funny that way, Liz thought wryly.