Speaking of boys, Cooper said, quickly changing the subject. Someone tried to steal mine from me last night.

T.J.? Sasha said. Who put her hands on your man?

Just this girl at the club, Cooper replied. She was one of the singers. Afterward she was all over T.J. I think she was just mad that we beat her.

What was she like? Annie inquired.

Cooper shrugged. I dont know, she said. Pretty. Great voice.

Sounds like youd better be careful, commented Sasha.

Cooper laughed. Can you imagine T.J. cheating on me? she said. That would be like Tyler cheating.

Neither of them would do that. They just dont have it in them.

Ow! said Annie.

The others turned to look at her. She was at the sink, holding her finger under the running water.

What happened? Kate asked her.

Oh, I just cut myself a little, Annie said. I was slicing tomatoes and the knife slipped.

Kate wondered what had distracted Annie, ordinarily so adept in the kitchen. What had they been talking about? T.J. and Tyler. She must have been thinking about Brian, Kate told herself. She looked at Annie, who was drying her hand and looking at the cut. Kate felt sorry for her. Shed make such a great girlfriend, she thought. Brian had really lost out. It was too bad he had freaked out over the witch issue. But there was someone out there for Annie. Kate was sure of that. After all, Kate had found Tyler, and shed never thought she could find a guy who was almost perfect.

She smiled happily to herself as she helped Meg pour the cheesecake batter into a pan. Thats what Annie needs, she thought. She needs someone like Tyler.

CHAPTER 3.

Well, whats the news? Annie asked Becka excitedly.

It was Sunday morning. The phone had just rung, and Annie had picked it up thinking that it was her aunt calling. But it had been Becka. Annie was actually happier to hear Beckas voice on the other end of the line. That meant she could find out what her aunt was really up to.

Theyve spent the whole weekend together, Becka said breathlessly. They went to the symphony on Friday, a play last night, and they just went to brunch before Dad drives her to the airport. Im telling you, this is serious. Ive never seen him act like this with anyone. Oh, and she invited us there for Thanksgiving.

She did? Annie said, surprised. Thanksgiving was the most important family holiday they celebrated.

Christmas, with its memories of the deaths of Annies parents, had always been something of a sad time of year. But Thanksgiving was another story. Annie, Meg, and Aunt Sarah always made a big deal out of it, spending all day in the kitchen together cooking and watching the Macys parade on TV.

Occasionally, they invited people to join them for dinner, but only really special people. If her aunt had invited Becka and her father, that meant she really was serious about him.

It will be great to see you, Annie told Becka. You can meet Cooper and Kate and the rest of my friends. I think youll really like them.

Im looking forward to it, Becka said. Its so weird how all of this happened, isnt it?

It sure is, agreed Annie. Its almost like my parents ghosts were trying to bring us all together or something.

She paused for a moment, then asked Becka, You havent had anything happen in the house, have you?

Not since the ritual we did, Becka replied. In fact, Dads having a hard time writing the new book in the series, and he says its because the ghosts are gone.

Annie laughed. Grayson Dunning wrote a series called The Changeling, about a girl who was descended from faeries. It was one of Annies favorite series, and she still couldnt believe that the author was dating her aunt. Mr. Dunning had been attracted to Annies former home because of the stories about it being haunted, and he said having ghosts there inspired him to write.

Well have to find him some new ghosts, quipped Annie. You should have Dixie come over and see what he can do. Dixie was a witch, an outrageous figure who liked to dress up like Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. He had helped Annie perform a ritual in the Dunning house to help her parents cross over to the other side. It hadnt worked"at least not completely"but Dixie had been very helpful, and Annie was happy to have made another Wiccan friend.

Annie glanced at the clock. I have to go, she said. Im meeting a friend of mine. Meg is over at a friends birthday party, so I actually have the day to myself.

Is it a date? Becka asked curiously. You sound excited about it.

Oh, no, Annie said. Its not a date. Not really. No.

Okay, Becka said, sounding suspicious. Well, have fun. And call me when your aunt gets home. I want to hear what she tells you.

Will do, Annie said. Bye.

She hung up and ran upstairs to get dressed. She only had half an hour, so there wasnt much time.

What should she wear? She opened her closet and looked at the things hanging up. None of them seemed quite right. She gave up and went to her dresser, pulling open the drawers and pawing through piles of shirts. Finally, unable to come up with anything fabulous, she slipped into a pair of jeans and a black turtleneck. Then she looked at herself in the mirror.

Well, its not going to get you on the cover of Vogue , she said. But it will have to do.

She ran downstairs, grabbed her jacket, and left the house. With a little bit of luck, she would get the bus and be downtown just in time. As she walked briskly toward the corner and the bus stop, she tried not to think about what she was doing. If she did, it just made her even more nervous.

She was relieved to see that the bus was pulling in as she reached the stop. She got on and took a seat.

As she rode through town, the thoughts in her head went one way and then another. First she wondered where things between her aunt and Mr. Dunning were going to go. Then she thought about what Cooper had said the night before about T.J. and the girl who had shown an interest in him. She wondered how Cooper had really felt about knowing that the other girl was attracted to her boyfriend. Cooper had seemed okay about it, but Annie wondered if she really was worried that T.J. might leave her for someone else. How could Cooper be so sure that T.J. would never cheat on her?

She looked down and realized that she was rubbing the spot where shed cut herself the night before.

Shed put a bandage on it, and now she was running her finger across the thin plastic strip that circled her left index finger. Beneath it she could feel the sore spot where the skin was knitting back together. Yes, she thought. I wonder how Cooper would feel?

The bus came to her stop and she got off. The November afternoon was sunny but cool, and she put her hands in her pockets to keep them warm as she walked the two blocks from the bus stop to the coffee shop that was her final destination. She paused outside the door, taking a deep breath, and then went inside. She scanned the room until she found who she was looking for, then walked over and sat down.

Hi, she said.

Hi, Tyler replied. I just got here, so your timing is perfect.

Annie smiled. She looked at Tyler. He was also wearing jeans and a black turtleneck. We match, she said.

Tyler looked down, then looked at her. So we do, he said.

Annie looked around the coffee shop. It had just opened a few weeks ago, and she had never been there. Instead of the usual boring tables and booths, it was filled with sofas, big armchairs, and lots of small tables. It was more like sitting in a living room than in a restaurant. There was even a big fireplace with a crackling fire in it. If she hadnt been so nervous, she would have felt like curling up in the big couch she was sitting on and reading a favorite book.

A waitress walked over and handed each of them a small menu. Annie looked it over and said, Ill just have the hot cider.

Ill have the chai with cinnamon, Tyler told the woman.

She left to get their drinks. Neither Annie nor Tyler said anything for a minute. Then Annie cleared her throat and said, Thanks for coming.

Tyler nodded but didnt say anything.

I know its a little weird, continued Annie. I havent really known what to say to you about"well"you know. About what happened.

You dont have to say anything, Tyler said.

Yeah, I do, Annie told him. I shouldnt have kissed you like that.

Really, its okay, said Tyler again. He sounded nervous, and Annie wondered if the situation was as difficult for him as it was for her. She didnt know how it could be. After all, she had been the one who had kissed him. He hadnt done anything at all.

It was just that wed been spending so much time together, Annie explained. I was having a great time.

So was I, Tyler told her, smiling so that his chin dimpled.

Annie tried not to think about the way Tylers black hair curled over his forehead, or about how beautiful his golden eyes were. She looked down at the bandage on her finger as she spoke.

I dont know, she said. Maybe it was because of what happened with Brian. Maybe its just that youre the only really great guy left on Earth.

Tyler laughed. Thats certainly not true, he said.

Of course it is, Annie contradicted him. Youre really great.

I didnt mean that part, said Tyler, grinning at her. I meant about me being the only great guy. Im sure there are at least two of us.

Annie smiled. She knew that Tyler was trying to make her feel better about the stupid thing shed done.

She appreciated that. Of course, it only reminded her of how nice he really was, and that made her feel depressed all over again. She sighed.

I feel so dumb, she said.

Tyler reached across and took her hands in his. Annie found herself wanting to pull away from him, but she didnt. She felt his fingers rubbing against hers, and all she could think about was how nice it felt.

Even the cut on her finger stopped hurting as he stroked her skin.

Youre not dumb, Tyler said gently. Youre a wonderful person.

How wonderful is it to kiss your best friends boyfriend? Annie asked him.

Tyler gave her a look. Stop beating yourself up, he told her. Like you said, wed been spending a lot of time together. And its not as if Kate and I have been doing that lately.

Thats still no excuse, Annie replied. Let me let you in on girl rule number one"you dont kiss someone elses guy. Not unless youre trying to cause trouble or have a starring role as the girl everyone loves to hate on a weekly drama.

Tyler laughed. I dont think anyone could ever hate you, he said.

There he goes again, Annie thought. Once again she thought about the conversation she and Tyler had once had about how people were surprised that he and Kate were an item. Tyler had remarked that Annie was more like the kind of girl hed always pictured himself being with. As much as she wanted to forget that hed ever said that, she couldnt. More than anything, she wished that Tyler had never said it.

As weird as it was to admit it, things would be a lot easier if she knew that Tyler would never think about being with someone like her. But she knew that he would, and that thought haunted her like the voices of her parents once had.

Tyler let go of her hands as the waitress came and set their drinks down. Annie quickly picked up her mug of cider, just in case Tyler had been thinking about taking her hands again. She couldnt bear to have him do that, not when she knew that he could never be hers.

Lets make a deal, Tyler said, sipping his chai. You stop beating yourself up over this and Ill try to stop being so darn appealing.

Annie rolled her eyes. That comment just knocked you down a notch already, she said. Keep it up and I wont even want to talk to you.

Good, Tyler said. Now that thats out of the way, lets move on to a new topic. Whats going on with the crew?

Annie brought him up to speed on the latest news. And thats about it, she said when she was done.

Youre like a walking CNN news brief, Tyler remarked. I can tune in once a week and find out everything I need to know. He paused. I feel sorry for Cooper, he said. I know what its like having your parents separate.

She seems to think theyll work it out, Annie said.

I hope so, replied Tyler. And it sounds as if your aunt and this new guy might turn into something interesting.

I dont know, Annie said, drinking the last of her cider. But speaking of her, I should get going.

Megs party will be over soon, and I want to clean the house up a little before Aunt Sarah comes home.

Ill walk you to the bus, Tyler said.

Annie started to put some money on the table but Tyler held up his hand. Ill get it, he said. You can buy the popcorn the next time we go to a movie.

They put their coats on and left. Walking to the bus stop didnt take very long, and soon they were standing on the corner. Annie turned to Tyler. You should probably go, she said. This is how I got in trouble the last time, remember?

Good point, Tyler said. So were cool, right?

Right, Annie said.

Good, said Tyler. Then, is it safe for me to hug you good-bye?

I think I can handle that, Annie told him.

He reached out and pulled her to him, hugging her tightly for a moment and then letting go. Ill talk to you later, he said, and walked away.