“So, what's the plan for today?" If he asked for the whole day's plan he couldn't get in Slayde's way, right?"It's Wednesday. Wednesday is library day and I promised we could eat lunch at the park. Then someone told me they wanted macaroni and cheese for supper."He looked at the kids. "It wasn't me." He gave Christian a wink."No. Me," answered Christian. "With hot dogs in it."Oh, gag."Isn't that nice." Maybe Slayde would let him order them something for the grown-ups.Christian nodded, grinned. "Macamaronis and hot dogs! Yay!"The girls cheered. "Yay!”

“The crusts, or at least what he assumed was crusts, were already rolled out flat rounds."How many do we need?" Because he could eat one of these all on his own."One for Uncle Slayde and Jenny. One for me and Maggie. One for…Who do you share with?""I think I can probably eat the whole thing by myself." He patted his belly. "What do you think?"Christian looked at him. "You could prob'ly eat a whole elephant.”

“Actually," Clary said, "I think he stayed because of me."Jace's glaze flicked up to hers with a flash of gold. "Because of you? Hoping for another hot date, was he?"Clary felt herself flush. "No. And our date wasn't hot. In fact, it wasn't even a date. Anyway, that's not the point. When he came into the Hall, he kept trying to get me to go outside with him so we could talk. He wanted something from me. I just don't know what.""Or maybe he just wanted you," Jace said. Seeing Clary's expression, he added, "Not that way. I mean maybe he wanted to bring you to Valentine.”

“And girls tell me he’s hot.” He grinned and finished, “I wouldn’t know, seein’ as I’m a guy but I look like him and I’m smokin’ hot so he’s gotta be hot.”

“He let out a groan and I stopped tugging at the material, thinking I had hurt him."Are you okay?", I asked, leaning over him."Could you kiss me or something so I don't feel so perverted?" he asked.I couldn't help my laugh of relief. Still, I had to admit, the way he was looking at me was pretty hot."Really? Even with an exposed fracture you're thinking of something like that?" I chastised."It's not like everything's broke," he said, sounding mortified.”

“We tried so hard. We were always trying to help each other. But not because we were helpless. He needed to get things for me, just as I needed to get things for him. It gave us purpose. Sometimes I would ask him for something that I did not even want, just to let him get it for me. We spent our days trying to help each other help each other. I would get his slippers. He would make my tea. I would turn up the heat so he could turn up the air conditioner so I could turn up the heat.”