Spiral (Spiral Series) by Maddy Edwards Page B

kitchen, and Pierce started raiding the fridge. I had learned from my short stint of living with Andrew that guys were always hungry, so I sat on the counter, propped my chin in my hand, and watched Pierce throw a dizzying array of veggies, condiments, and meats onto two overworked slices of bread, turning down his offer to make me something too.
    “The more I thought about it the more I wondered why you got in my way,” I commented as he finished his sandwich masterpiece.
    “I don’t know what you mean,” he said. “Are you sure it was me?”
    I glared at him. I could tell he was messing with me, so I said, “It was you. You remember.”
    “Talking to you is memorable.” He said it in a way that sounded like he didn’t always believe it was a good thing.
    “I just want to know why you didn’t want me to help her,” I said.
    Pierce set his plate in front of the seat next to me and slid into it. I shifted so that I could keep looking at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just wanted to say hi to a friend. You’re the one who got all hostile.”
    “We were in a dark room with hundreds of people panicking,” I said. “Calm wasn’t exactly on the menu.”
    Pierce nodded, slowly. “I guess I should apologize, since you’re upset,” he said.
    I could see very well that he wasn’t remotely sorry, but he went right on: “How about I make it up to you? Want to hang out? Let’s say Saturday. I have a friend who needs our help.”
    Confused, I looked down. “What friend? You want to hang out?”
     Maxie would have said something cute at that, but I wasn’t that smooth.
    “Mrs. Tiger needs some work done around the yard,” he said. “So don’t dress up.”
    For a second I was so surprised I couldn’t find anything to say. He and Mrs. Tiger hadn’t seemed like strangers at the romance slam, but this sounded as though he knew her really well. But how could he, when he had just arrived in town?
    “Sure, okay,” I said. “I love Mrs. Tiger and I’d be glad to help her. But how do you know her, anyhow?”
    “I just do,” he said. “She was kind enough to welcome me to the romance slam, and I’d like to do her a favor in return.”
    So, once again he deflected a direct question. I wondered if I’d ever get a straight answer out of him about anything.
    And if it was yard work for Mrs. Tiger, did that mean it wasn’t a date? Or it was? Had the new hottie in school really just asked me to spend some time with him outside school? It didn’t sound like a date, but he wanted to hang out and he hadn’t said anything about Jill or Maxie coming too.
    “Oh, and Natalie?” He always used my full name. He was the only one.
    “Yeah?”
    “Let’s leave Maxie and Jill at home.”
    “You act like I take them everywhere, like my own personal stuffed bears.”
    He grinned. “They’re like your bodyguards. Can’t get you alone for anything.”
    “Have you been trying to get me alone?” I felt like butterflies were taking flight in my stomach, and at any moment they were going to start pouring out of my mouth and I would look like more of an idiot than I already did.
    “I haven’t, but now I am.” He smiled.

Chapter Twelve - Natalie
     
     “So, here’s the thing. We have to make a decis i on. We have a MAJOR problem,” said Maxie. It was later on Friday evening, and s he was sprawled on my floor because her usual spot on my bed was covered with clothes. You could barely see my blue blanket through all the shirts.
    “Decision about what?” I asked. I was sitting crossed-legged under the window, my legs stretched out on my carpet. Jill lounged in my desk chair.
    “College majors? World peace? Just how we’re going to pay for all that school?” Jill asked.
    “Um, no, what you ’ re going to wear tomorrow,” Maxie said, eyeing me. Tomorrow was of course Saturday , t he day Pierce had asked me to help him. I was nervous about it, but Maxie was determined to make sure I was