Into the Garden (Wildflowers 5)

"What do you mean?" I asked instead. "What do I mean? He didn't leave until about an

hour ago," she said, and stopped as if she had drawn

dots on a page that I was supposed to connect in my

own mind. "I didn't exactly chain him to the sofa," she

added. "Understand?" She laughed. "I think I'll make

some toast," she said, rising. "So," she continued as

she worked, "how far did you two go?"

"How far?"

She turned and raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, how far? Did you take the advice of our

two leaders and make your kisses seem like gold?" "Oh. He kissed me good night," I revealed. She continued to stare at me, waiting. "What?" I asked.

"That's it? You two were dancing very closely

at one point, and you did spend a lot of time with him

in the kitchen, I noticed."

'We were preparing the food:'

"Uh-huh," she sang.

"That was it," I assured her. She still looked

skeptical. "He's calling me this morning. He wants to

take me to the beach and then to lunch."

"That's nice. I'm going with Chris to the Santa

Monica mall this morning. He wants me to help him

buy his mother a birthday present. I wonder where

Star and Larry ended up last night," she added after

the toast popped up.

"Larry was very nice," I said. "All the boys

were:'

"It's our new aura," Misty declared with

dramatic flair. "Jade was right. Our spiritual sessions

have wrapped a ring of charm about us that attracts

only handsome, nice guys. See how we're all