Sara worked hard to keep her expression neutral. "There were a few boys, Mom. But they were extremely well-behaved. In fact, you will be happy to hear it was Dan and Chad from the soccer team. Oh...and Bentley." She felt her cheeks turn pink. She knew her mother would be able to read her whether she wanted her to or not.

"Oh...I see..." Mrs. Smith said. She didn't look at Sara as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. But Sara could see the tiny smile on her face. "You know, you should reach out to Charles. Have him call Bentley about Yale. Bentley did say he would like to talk with him."

Sara groaned. "Mooooom...don't you think that looks desperate? Using my brother to get to Bentley? He'll see right through it! And Charles will for sure!" She sighed, fidgeting her hands on the table.

Mr. Smith put down his newspaper. "I didn't raise a daughter to be weak. You're strong, Sara. If you think this boy could like you, you should fight for him. Ella is a nice girl. Pretty, too. But that's about it."

Mrs. Smith frowned. "Now Walter, don't be so harsh."

"It's true," Sara's father shot back. "Men are more frank than women. So I'll say what's true. If Bentley is a smart boy -- which he likely is if he wants to attend Yale -- he'll know Ella isn't the right girl for him. Even I can guess that. Especially since your own brother didn't think that much of Ella when he dated her."

Sara smiled broadly at her parents. Sometimes adults could be fun. Like now.

Mr. Smith's phone buzzed. He glanced at it but didn't answer.

"Oh, uh, Dad?" Sara said. "My phone, uh, sort of broke last night."

Mr. Smith looked at her over his newspaper. His brow furrowed. "Well, you're in luck. It just so happens one of our clients is in the phone business. So I have about three extra cell phones." He told Sara where he'd stashed them in his office in the den. "Just get your sim card and you're good to go," he said. He went back to reading his paper.

"Oh, and before I forget," Mr. Smith said.

Sara was halfway across the kitchen, excited for her new phone.

Her father took a final sip of his water. "I'd recommend stopping by the tennis courts at the Country Club sometime tomorrow. Say, maybe around two o' clock? Your friend Bentley seems to have a recurring lesson at that time."

Sara put her hands on her hips. She playfully glared at her father. "What are you suggesting?" she teased.

Mr. Smith smiled at his wife. "Just passing along some helpful knowledge to our only daughter. Her happiness just happens to be our happiness, too. And who doesn't want a boy like Bentley Prince as a son-in-law?"

Sara laughed and hurried out of the room.

She found the three phones in her father's desk in the den. She chose the smallest phone, hoping it would fit nicely into her small purse. Finding her sim card in her overnight bag, she popped it into her new phone and waited for it to start up.

After a minute, the new phone loaded all of her contacts.

Sara was about to make a call, when the new stream of text messages suddenly flooded in.