“After the woman left, I set my coffee down and opened the bag. Two muffins-double-chocolate andblueberry bran.I texted Adam a thank-you. I’d just started eating the chocolate muffin when he texted backPut that onedown and eat the bran. It’s better foryou.”

“I've got a dad thanks. Your just the jerk who knocked up my mum and left her to figure out what to do with a son who likes setting things on fire." - Adam Vasic”

“Got your text,” he said when I climbed out. “How much did it hurt?”“Not at all,” I said. “Apparently, I can’t get a tattoo because I’m a witch.”“I could have told them-” He stopped. “Oh, you said witch.”“Ha-ha.”

“I just... I understand you might want to start dating more seriously, and that means dating someone from town. But if you're going to do that..." This time he took a long drink of coffee, and the mug was still at his lips when he said, "I like Daniel. He takes care of you."I blinked. "Oh my God. Did you really just say that? He takes care of me?"Dad flushed. "I didn't mean it like-""Takes care of me? Did I go to sleep and wake up in the nineteenth century?" I looked down at my jeans and T-shirt. "Ack! I can't go to school like this. Where's my corset? My bonnet?”

“He rolled his eyes. "First, my Dad's Korean and my mom was Swedish. Second, I totally suck at math. I don't like cuckoo clocks or skiing or fancy chocolate either."I sputtered a laugh. "I think that's Swiss.”

“Then he reached up and tore my shirtfront open. "Not much to see, is there?" I said, struggling to talk with a crushed windpipe. "I know, I know, they can fix things like that these days. Call me a feminist, but I think a woman's worth should be defined not by the size of her bust, but - " I rammed my fist up into his Adam's apple. He grunted and stumbled back. "- by the strength of her right hook.”

“Closed door means knock," Elena said to Clay, shooing him out.You've been in here for two hours," he said. "She can't need that much work." He frowned as he examined my outfit. "What the hell is she? A tree?""A dryad," Elena said, cuffing him in the arm."Oh, my god," Jamie said, surveying my outfit. "We forgot the bag!""Bag?" Clay said. "What does a dryad need with-""An evening bag," Cassandra said. "A purse.""She's got a purse. It's right there on the bed.""That's a day purse," Cassandra snapped."What, do they expire when the sun goes down?”