Wesley responded with a shout of laughter. "Oh, man, I have got to hear this! Where did you meet this guy and how on Earth did you end up kissing him before your first date?"

Lori told Wes the entire story, leaving out Eric's theory about a giant lizard in the steam tunnels. Instead, she attributed to him the idea that identifying the reptile would help lead to the name of a pet owner.

Wes nodded judiciously. "Sounds reasonable," she murmured. "You said you have some ...