“Great. We can pick out our colors.""What?""For the wedding. I'm thinking melon and mint. Supposed to be really hot next spring."Cal laughed out loud, the first time I'd ever heard him do that. "It's a plan. See ya, Sophie.”

“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. The rain of Doritos, the bed thing,this...Maybe it's just that you create too big, you know?"When I could find my voice, I said, "Cal, that might be the nicest thing anyone's said to me since we got here."He twirled one of the naked roots between his fingers, and didn't meet my eyes. "It's true." Then he glanced up and gave one of those half smiles I was really starting to like. "And it's also true that I need to find another pot for this guy.I,uh, guess I'll see you at dinner.""Great.We can pick out our colors.""What?""For the wedding. I'm thinking melon and mint. Supposed to be really hot next spring."Cal laughed out loud,the first time I'd ever heard him do that. "It's a plan. See ya, Sophie.”

“Please, do you see the apocalypse? Because I'd give up on that happening until you do. And even then, it's negotiable.""I'm holding out for a hot zombie.""Yeah, or, like, the hot scientist who finds the cure.""Or the hot government agent who's assigned to protect you from the international terrorist who plans to wipe out the nation with the world's first zombie virus weapon of mass destruction.""Because you carry the zombie virus antidote in your blood.""Exactly.""It's a recessive trait.”

“And if that weren't bad enough, the next sound he heard was a loud click.The damned woman had locked him out. She'd taken all the food and locked him out."You'll pay for this!" he yelled at the door."Do be quiet," came the muffled reply. "I'm eating.”

“We need to avoid the caretaker," I said."Good thinking. Overalls and the smell of bleach don't really do it for me.""Remind me to douse some overalls in bleach and wear them the next time I see you.""Planning out next date already? Steady. I want to take this slowly.”

“Here's what I know: I eat mass quantities of red meat, curse religiously, sing out of tune but with conviction. I cry when it suits me, laugh when it's inopportune, read The New York Times obituaries and wedding announcements, out loud and in that order.”