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Nothing, though, could convince e my Chucks

That was how I filled the ti to convincedown thelike mad he’d come see me before I had to fabricate some lame excuse to call him first, because I totally would have So when his car pulled up in front of his house--not that I atching froiddiness Maybe this day was salvageable after all

I’d expected hio inside first--check in with histo eat--all the things Austin used to do after school So when he started toward ain I wipednervous all of a sudden It was just Tyler, after all What did I expect was going to happen?

After consulting theI was as ready as I was ever going to be, I gripped the knob and warned myself to "be cool" as I stood in front of the door and forced myself to take a couple of deep breaths I didn’t want to scare hierness

But Tyler didn’t co, I heard hi on my bedroom

I raced across the house toatto telldeal that he was here, I opened it and shot hiet outta here," he announced without any preaht ether I forgot all about playing it cool, and suddenly I wasn’t sure I even understood what that phraseover the sill and dropping onto the soft ground below

As if he orried I ht me by the waist because he didn’t know I’d done this a thousand times before But I let hiers close around my hips and pretended I needed him to keep me balanced because I liked the way they felt His hands On ht, but eventually I had no other choice I couldn’t let him think the leap--or his touch--had somehow crippled me

I’d been so focused on Tyler, and when he’d be hoent Tru business card But now that I was standing outside, in the open, I found n that he was out here Followinghis car door open for ain, and I realized it really was just the two of us, that there was no one else I sighed and suddenly ere the last two people on Earth--all thoughts of ex–best friends and superspies were obliterated fro his incredible s rinned slyly "It was this or the holiday-sparkle gown It’s pretty fancy I think you’da liked it"

Laughing, he pulled his car away froht call Not sure you’d fit in wearing a ball gown" Tyler grinned "But I like the new you"

I wanted to laugh, too, but instead I s I was the saoing?" I asked Surreptitiously, so he wouldn’t notice, I pulled ured I’d get you out of the house before the neighbors start to think you’re so" He tapped his thu wheel while he drove, and I wasn’t sure if it was a habit or if I , because I’d hate to think it only went one way

"Shut-in? I’ve only been home for five days, and I’ve barely been there Pretty sure I don’t qualify as a shut-in"

He shrugged "Then I guess I thought youhis head, he shot me a look "Did they even have coffee in your day? ’Cause we could go so"

I shoved hihed and wondered if he’d watched the clock half as much as I had today

The coffee shop he took me to was cute, not a Starbucks or Seattle’s Best Coffee--the kinds of corporate places Cat and I had sworn off because Cat had convinced one along with our boycott because he liked etting our coffee froas station, after all

After ordering, Tyler dragged me to a spot in the back where we found a table away from all the noise It was quieter and less crowded than near the counter, where people were co, and the espressoas the baristas replaced old grounds with fresh ones Tyler leaned forward, over the top of his double-shot mocha, and studied me pensively

"I’m sorry about the other day," he blurted out "About how I acted when Austin came by"