“Nik. All you need to do is wear this tonight, and we'll sell out."I glanced down at the shirt and then back up at Cole."Yeah, I'm sure this is the look you were going for.""You can make anything look good," he said softly.”

“Besides,we need help selling our T-shirts." He picked out one of the smallest ones that had been drying on the counter and held it up to me, playfully assessing the look. "Nik. All you need to do is wear this tonight, and we'll sell out."I glanced down at the shirt and then back up at Cole. "Yeah,I'm sure this is the look you were going for.""You can make anything look good," he said softly.”

“Hey,Nik."I turned around to see Cole, dressed head to toe in black. Black suit, black shirt,black tie hanging loose around his neck.He looked me up and down. His gaze paused briefly on my legs, and his mouth opened slightly. I folded my arms."Um...you...look beautiful," he said."You look black," I replied."Thank you.That's the look I was going for." He held a hand out. "C'mon. Let's dance."I didn't move. "What were you going to show me?""Dance with me first."I shook my head."Look,Nik, I know you don't like public scrutiny lately. If you stand off to the side,all mopey and such, without a date,you'll stick out like a nun at a strip club." He leaned in. "Trust me, I've seen one. A nun at a strip club, that is.Everyone was staring at her.”

“I think we can do it.""But you don't know for sure," he said."No.""Geez, Anita.""Don't get rattled on me. We can do this.""But you aren't sure.""I'm not sure we'll survive the plane ride home, but I'm still getting on the plane.""Was that supposed to be comforting?" he asked."Yeah.""It wasn't," he said."Sorry, but this is as good as it gets. You want certainty, be an accountant.""I'm not good at math.""Me either.”

“Cole, do you feel anything for me?" I don't know what made me ask this, except that Jack had asked him the night of the Tunnels. It obviously surprised him.He backed up. "What?"I inched forward, not quite sure I was going with this. "Do you feel...something for me?"He was quiet, still as a statue, so I moved even closer. "Don't, Nik." His gaze dropped to the ground."If you feel anything, please leave me alone. I don't know why I survived. I don't have your answer. Shadowing me will get you nothing."Then he did something unexpected. He backed down, and as he turned around to his motorcycle, he shook his head and mumbled, "What have you done to me?""I don't know," I said. "But you have ninety-nine years to figure it out."He kicked it on and revved the engine, and at the sound, he found his cocky smirk again. "That's a long time, Nik. Jack is gone, and I'm here. Let's see who gives up first.”

“Yeah sure,why not?"i said,making a mental note to get a good look at his wings. For all I knew, they were remote-controlled and duct taped to his back.”-max”