The ringing phone woke Taylor from a particularly pleasant dream. He groped for the handset, finally grabbing it and pulling it to his ear. “What?”

“Pardon me, Mr. Taylor.” The cultured voice was smarmy and definitely not that of the librarian of whom he’d been dreaming. “Did I wake you?”

Taylor glanced at the clock. Almost noon. “No. Up for hours.”

“I have a job for you, if you have the time to take it on.”

Taylor sat up and swung his feet to the floor, trying to ignore the dull ache in his head. “Um, yeah, sure. What kind of case?”

“A stolen gemstone. A family heirloom. I’d like it located and returned. To me.” The polished voice paused. “I’m prepared to pay your hourly rate, plus ten thousand dollars for finding the item.”

Whoa! Fully awake, Taylor shot to his feet, then winced as his leg throbbed.

“Mr. Taylor? Is that acceptable?”

He looked around his apartment, noting the empty Chinese food take-out containers and the empty cans of beer. Since ditching Parker’s case, he’d been living on leftovers and avoiding his landlord. Except for a few skip traces—checking up on people who’d skipped out on bills—work had pretty much dried up. A neat little infusion of cash was exactly what he needed. “Uh, yeah. I think I can work you in.”

Ice-cold milk, Oreos, her quilt, and the remote control—pretty much all Zoe needed for a perfect Saturday at home.

Too bad this wasn’t a perfect Saturday. It was pretty dismal, actually.

Scowling, she eyed the phone she’d dragged to the coffee table—the same phone that had refused to ring all morning. No calls at all, and definitely no calls from Buster. Of course, he had no reason to call. Not anymore. Not since he thought she was involved with someone else. But even though she’d lied, even though she’d pushed him away, even though getting involved with a mortal was bad news—oh, sweet Hera—how she’d hoped he’d ignore her rejection.

She shifted on the couch and focused again on the phone, willing it to ring, but the darn thing remained stubbornly silent.

Well, heck.

And she still didn’t know Buster’s phone number, so she couldn’t even recant her lie.

But that was for the best. She needed to keep telling herself that. Getting involved with Buster Taylor would be a mistake. A big, huge, hairy mistake.

She clicked on the television, turned the volume way down, and started surfing, determined not to think about Buster Taylor.

She’d done the right thing. No question about it.

It just happened to suck that the right thing left her so damn miserable.

Absently, she picked up the odd green necklace the woman she’d saved had given her, twining the chain through her fingers as she tried to collect her thoughts. On top of her serious lack of phone calls, in just a few hours Deena was going to be rapping on her door. And since Zoe had made a promise, she couldn’t go back on her word. She’d tell Deena everything, even though by telling she’d be breaking yet another set of rules.

The doorbell rang, and Zoe jumped. She turned around, dropping the necklace as she knelt on the couch cushions, then shoved her glasses down her nose to look through the door.

“Zoe? Are you home? It’s your mother.”

So it was. Standing right outside Zoe’s door holding a shopping bag. Odd. Zoe shoved her glasses back into place. “Just a sec, Mom.”

She opened the door and Tessa brushed in, pushing the bag into Zoe’s arms. “I thought we were going shopping today. Did you forget about the Andersons’ party tomorrow?”

Yup. She’d completely forgotten. “No, of course not.”

“Zoe . . .”

“Maybe I sort of forgot.”

Tessa sighed, long and drawn out. “Sweetheart, you need to get out. Go on dates. Have fun.”

She moved to put her arm around Zoe’s shoulder, but Zoe eased sideways, not looking her mother in the eye.

“Yes. Well.” Tessa cleared her throat. “I just worry about you. Sometimes you remind me so much of—”

“Who, Mom?”

Tessa lifted one shoulder in a delicate shrug, then moved the rest of the way into the apartment. She dropped onto the couch and nodded at Zoe, still standing in the hallway clutching the bag. “I hit the sales racks. I thought you might like these.”

“Mom. Who?” She took a step into the living room, wondering if now was the time to take care of that Affidavit of Mortal Disclosure requirement. She took a deep breath. “Do I remind you of Daddy?”

Tessa flashed a weak smile. “Yes.”

Zoe released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“I’m sorry you never knew him,” Tessa began, then stopped.

Now. She should tell her mother now that Donis had introduced himself when Zoe was only three. That he’d been a secret part of Zoe’s life for as long as she remembered, and that she loved him as much as she loved Tessa.

She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. “Why didn’t I ever meet him?” she asked instead.

Tessa nibbled on her lower lip, and her gaze didn’t quite meet her daughter’s. “I . . . I sent him away. I made him promise he would honor my wish—that he’d stay far away from me.” Her eyes met Zoe’s. “I didn’t understand . . . I didn’t realize.” She shook her head as if shaking off a mood. “Your father always took his promises very, very seriously.” She smiled, but the sadness never left her eyes. “It was for the best, though.”

“Why?”

“He was . . . different.”

“How?” Zoe pressed, hoping her mother would reveal the truth and open the door for Zoe’s own confession.

“He . . .” She trailed off, her eyes moist. “No, it doesn’t matter.” She lifted her hand to brush Zoe’s cheek, but Zoe moved backward, pressing herself against the soft cushions. It wouldn’t do for her senses to go haywire in front of her mother. How on earth would she explain that?

“He would have adored you,” Tessa added, pulling her hand back and holding it primly in her lap. “But I couldn’t live with his . . . with him.”

Which meant Tessa could hardly live with Zoe any more easily. She’d loved Donis—her father had always been sure of it—and yet she’d pushed him away. Tessa would push Zoe away, too, if she found out her daughter could see through walls, hear a whisper a mile away, put a karate black belt to shame, and do all the other odd little tricks her father and Hale had secretly taught her.

“At any rate,” Tessa said brightly, “why don’t I fix you up with a date for the party?”

Zoe rolled her eyes. “No, Mom,” she said, wishing she had the nerve to explain why dating was out of the question. “Between you and Deena, it’s a wonder I’m not engaged five times over. But I’m really, really, really not looking to date anyone right now.”

She picked up the remote control and started idly flipping channels, waiting for the “you need to get out and find a husband” speech to start.

“You need to at least get your feet wet.”

“Bad analogy, Mom. You make dating sound like drowning.”

“I just don’t understand why a pretty, bright woman doesn’t get out more.”

“Maybe I’m shy.”

Her mother cocked an eyebrow. “Maybe you’re not telling me something?”

That was an understatement. Not to mention an opening. But Zoe just couldn’t make the words come. This was a nightmare. Her own personal nightmare.

Sometimes she wished Donis had just bitten the bullet and told Tessa the truth himself. But all along, he’d said it was Zoe’s decision to make—join the council and tell her mother, or choose mortalization and Tessa would never need to know. Darn her father for being so righteous when he could have made everything so much easier for her. At least then she wouldn’t have to make her own decision.

Tessa leaned closer, her face intense. “Sweetheart, you used to tell me everything. Is something the matter?”

Zoe shrugged, feeling guilty. Never had she told Tessa everything. But lately she’d been sharing less and less. “I just don’t see what’s the big deal. I mean, you never dated after Daddy—I mean, my father—left.”

For just an instant, a cloud crossed Tessa’s face. Then it cleared, and she sighed. “True. But I retired from the game. That’s different from never playing.”

“So maybe I’m not into sports,” Zoe said, cringing at how glib she sounded when her mother only wanted to help.

Why did this have to be so hard? She wanted to tell her mother everything—about Buster, and how he made her tingle all over even without her wacky senses. But how could she explain why she was terrified of dating without telling her mother the whole story?

When she’d been a little kid, she’d kept a few secrets from her, but mostly her mom had been her best friend. The other children had picked up that she was different—it was hard to fool kids—and had cut a wide berth. Even Donis and Hale would disappear for weeks at a time. But Tessa had always been there.

Zoe couldn’t bear to lose her now. Even if she couldn’t share the details, she could still draw strength from knowing her mom cared.

But once she told her . . . then Tessa would be gone. And nothing in the world would be able to bring her back.

“Zoe, sweetheart, you know you can tell me anything.” Tessa scooted closer on the couch. This time, when she took Zoe’s hand, Zoe didn’t jerk away. Instead she mustered all her concentration to keep her sense of touch from going nuts.

“I do read Cosmo, you know,” Tessa said. “And . . . well . . . I watch Maury Povich all the time. So if there’s anything you want to discuss . . .”

Zoe squinted, clueless. “I’m not following you, Mom.”

Tessa’s forehead crinkled. “It’s just that I want you to know that it’s okay if. . . well. . . I’ll understand perfectly if. . .” She took a deep breath while Zoe watched, her mouth hanging open and absolutely no idea where the conversation was going. “Sweetheart, you do like men, right?”

“Mother!” Zoe leaped to her feet. “Of course I do!” This keeping secrets thing was getting way out of control. “Men are great. Men are way up there on my top-ten list.” Especially certain adorable dark-haired men. “In fact, I even have a date for tomorrow.”

Tessa blinked. “A real date?”

Zoe frowned. In Mom-speak, there was a big difference between platonic buddy for her possibly lesbian daughter and potential son-in-law material.

“Of course.” She mentally crossed her fingers. “Definitely real.”

“Have I met him? What does he do? How long have you been seeing him? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you.” Zoe swept her hand, indicating the room now filled with her mother’s excitement. “You’re gonna terrify the poor guy. Not to mention making me incredibly nervous.”

“Sorry,” Tessa said, but she didn’t look it. Instead she looked like the cat who’d just swallowed the canary. “You just date so rarely.” She grinned. “Are you nervous?”

Zoe pictured Buster. “A little.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Yes. “No. Thanks, Mom, but I’m fine. And Deena’s on her way over, so I should—”

“I get the message.” Tessa stood up, tucking her purse under her arm. “I’ll meet him tomorrow, then. Six sharp. Don’t forget.”

“We won’t,” Zoe said, then coughed. “He’s looking forward to it.”

Hoo-boy. She followed her mother to the door, then held her breath through a quick peck on the cheek. She shut the door, flipped the lock, then sank to the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. She hated lying to Tessa, but lately it was getting harder and harder not to. The council, boyfriends, the whole shebang.

The affidavit might be major problem number one, but she didn’t have to turn it in until Tuesday night. Compared to the few hours she now had to find a date for tomorrow, that was an eternity. Which meant that—at least for the evening—her serious lack of male companionship had been bumped to the number one trouble slot.

Sighing, she rested her chin on her knees and eyed the phone again, hoping Buster Taylor was the telepathic sort. She’d been an idiot last night for not getting his number. Now she knew better. When confronted with the object of your lust, forget the cool and distant approach. Always take down the vital stats.

Now, unless Buster picked up the phone and dialed, he wasn’t in the running for potential date material. Which raised a whole new problem. Where on earth was she going to find a date in time for the Andersons’ party?

“Come on. Give.” Deena slammed through the door, then slapped her hand over her mouth when she saw that Zoe was on the phone. “Sorry.”

Zoe held up a finger, silently promising she’d be off in a minute, and listened as vice principal Tandon explained, in excruciating detail, why he couldn’t take her to the Andersons’ party. “It’s okay, Billy. Thanks anyway.” Finally she hung up and leaned back against the wall, shaking her head. “Billy Tandon talks more than anyone I know.”

“Is he helping with the library?”

“No. I need a date.”

“I knew that. We had this conversation yesterday.” She drummed her fingers on the countertop. “Yesterday. Remember? Explanation? Full disclosure? I want to know everything. Can you fly without that?” She nodded toward the cloak on Zoe’s kitchen table. “Can you fly with me? Do you have laser vision? Superhearing? Can you leap tall buildings? Are you from another planet?”

Zoe laughed. “You’ve been watching too much television.”

“Well? Are you?”

“No.”

“What about the laser vision?”

“Not that I know of.” Her mouth twitched.

“What?” Deena asked, but Zoe just shook her head.

“X-ray vision, then?”

Zoe smiled. “Only if I don’t wear the glasses.”

A wide grin spread across Deena’s face. “Oh, wow. That is unbelievable. Superhearing?”

Zoe nodded, just slightly, and Deena whooped.

“I knew it,” Deena said. “So tell me everything.”

“You’ll get your explanation. I promise. But I’ve got Mom issues right now. I need a date for tomorrow.”

“Mom issues, huh? Well, that takes precedence over explaining how you managed to jump off a thirty-story building . . . and survive.”

Zoe frowned, in no mood for sarcasm, but Deena held up her hands.

“I’m serious,” she said. “Mom issues come first. It’s like a cardinal friendship rule. Right up there with ‘Thou shalt return all borrowed clothing’ and ‘Thou shalt not flirt with thy best friend’s boyfriend.’ There’s also ‘Thou shalt not keep secrets about jumping off tall buildings,’ but we’ve already been over that. Anyway, your explanation can wait.”

Zoe grinned, realizing she was truly glad she’d decided to let Deena in on her secret.

Her friend picked up the cloak and ran it through her fingers. “I’m not gonna wait long, though. And I gotta say, you’re making lousy progress on the date front. For one thing, Billy’s gay, so you’re fishing in the wrong pond.”

“I know he is,” Zoe said. ‘That’s why I asked him.” She needed someone temporary and attractive. No strings, no commitments, no attraction. Someone safe. As much as part of her wished Buster was her date, the rest of her knew that would be a bad thing.

“Sweetie,” Deena said, crossing to the coffeepot. “I don’t think you completely grasp my full meaning when I say you need sex.” She poured herself a cup, then turned around, leaning against the counter and eyeing Zoe.

“Sex is totally out of the question,” Zoe responded. Sad, but true. At least until she could manage better control.

Deena’s eyebrows raised. “You are an alien. And this is just a disguise. You’re really just a glowing mass of energy, and for you, sex is sort of like cell division.”

“What?” Zoe shook her head, blinking. “No. Ick. Where do you come up with this stuff?”

Deena shrugged. “Seems perfectly reasonable. I mean, why else would you avoid sex?”

Zoe felt her cheeks blush, and she stared at the ceiling. “What?”

“My senses,” she said, mumbling. “I can only control them when I concentrate.”

“Your senses? I’m not following you.”

Zoe sighed and looked at Deena, feeling a little foolish. “My hearing, my vision. Remember? Well, all the rest of my senses are like that, too. Hearing, sight, smell, taste.” She caught Deena’s eye. “Chocolate pretty much sends me on a trip wilder than what I expect was going on at Woodstock.”

“Wow,” said Deena. “But what does that have to do with—”

Zoe knew the moment realization struck. “Oh. Touch.”

Deena nibbled on her lower lip. All her life she’d known she was a magnet for odd things. She’d talked with fairies, made wishes on stars, and had a sister-in-law who had a truly amazing secret of her own—so Zoe’s little demonstration of superpowers hadn’t rocked her world. But Deena was dying to hear the details. The concept of supersex blew her away. Flying through the air was one thing, but superhero sex sounded pretty damn cool.

“But, Zo,” she said, “that’s great. I mean, everyone wants to feel the earth move during sex. You really can.”

Zoe frowned. “Trust me. This is not a good thing.”

Not a good thing? Deena would be willing to debate that point. She was no stranger to sex, and hyperaware sex sounded, well. . . super. “Are you sure you’ve thought this through?”

“Deena . . .” Zoe raised an eyebrow. “Think about it.”

Deena did . . . and came to exactly the same conclusion. “I wouldn’t mind borrowing those supersenses of yours for a night with Hoop. It sounds a lot more erotic than body paint or feather massages. And why not lose control if you’re with the right guy?”

Zoe shrugged and started inspecting her fingernails. “I haven’t found a Mr. Right, remember?”

The kid had a point. “And I guess the odds of finding him in time to solve your Mom problem are pretty slim.”

“Of finding him again, anyway,” Zoe mumbled.

“What?” Again? What was the girl talking about?

“Nothing.”

Deena couldn’t help but grin, and it was all she could do to keep from putting down her coffee and rubbing her palms together. “Okay. Come on. Give. Who is he?”

“No one. Really.”

“Zoe, I heard you. Tell me about the guy.”

Zoe’s face turned red, and Deena tried not to laugh. She’d read her share of comic books growing up, and never once had she pictured a blushing, Oreo-eating, library-tending superhero.

“I don’t know how to get in touch with him, so it doesn’t matter anyway.”

“For crying out loud, Zo, do I have to beg? Just tell me.”

“Okay, okay.” She leaned over the table, and Deena leaned closer as well. “He’s gorgeous. Dark hair and a light beard. And his eyes are brown—almost gold.”

“So he’s a hunk. That doesn’t really help a lot. How do you know him?”

With a sigh, Zoe sat back. “That’s the problem. I don’t. He came to the school a few days ago. We actually flirted a little.” The blush deepened and Zoe looked down at the table. “But then he started asking about Emily and I kicked him out.”

Deena’s head was swimming. “Why would you kick him out? Were you jealous? You didn’t even know the guy.”

Zoe rolled her eyes. “No. He was some insurance investigator, and he thought Emily was sleeping around.” She shrugged. “He was poking around in her desk, so I kicked him out.”

“And you haven’t seen him since.” Deena sighed. “It’s so sad, but so romantic.”

Zoe started inspecting her fingernails again. “Actually, I saw him last night.”

“Oh, really?” Deena bit back a grin. “The plot thickens.”

“He came by to ask me out for a date.”

“Well? What did you say?”

“I said no, of course.”

“The man of your dreams asks you out and you say no? Are you insane?”

“I told you. The touch thing.”

“Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think.”

Zoe shook her head, her eyes wide. “He held my hand.”

“And?”

“And I pretty much felt like the power of the universe was ripping me apart from the inside.” She smiled, shrugging a little. “But in a good way.”

“Hoo-boy.” If this wasn’t one of the weirder situations Deena’d ever run across . . .

She regrouped, studying Zoe. “Was that the first time he’d touched you?”

“Like that, anyway. I shook his hand in the library, but it wasn’t like this.”

“Well, there you go,” Deena said, throwing her hands out to her sides and sloshing coffee on the floor.

“What?”

“You were a touch virgin.”

Zoe’s eyebrow shot up over her glasses. “Excuse me?”

“You know. Your first time and all. I bet the next time will be calmer, less intimidating.” She smiled wickedly. “But still fabulous.”

Zoe nibbled on her lower lip, obviously considering the possibility. “I’m not sure. You really think so?”

“Absolutely. It’s like the superhero, supersense equivalent of being sixteen and groping in the backseat of a Pontiac.”

Zoe grimaced. “I’m not sure about that, but I get your point.”

“Then go for it.”

“Even if I wanted to”—she held up a hand—“and I’m not saying I do, there’s still another problem.”

Deena quit bouncing and flopped back in her chair. “Hit me. I’m on a roll.” Hell, at the rate they were going, she’d have Zoe ruling the dating world by the time spring break ended.

“He’s a mortal.”

“Can’t do anything about that,” Deena admitted. “Why does it matter?”

“I can’t get involved with a mortal.”

“Oh. Why not?”

“My brother, the council, this whole big thing.” She waved a hand in the air and let out a breath. “Too complicated. Just trust me. Relationships. Me. Mortals. Won’t work.”

“Well, there you go,” Deena said, not sure what Zoe was talking about, or why she wasn’t picking up on the obvious answer to her little problem.

“What?”

“Relationships. Who said anything about relationships?”

“But. . . this guy . . . and his touch . . . it makes me all crazy.”

“Virgin touching, remember? Hell, this guy could be your Lenny Potts.”

“Who?”

“Lenny Potts.” She slid into a chair and propped her elbows up on the tiny kitchen table. “My first backseat fondle. Sweet guy. Went out for a whole year. When he kissed me, I thought he hung the moon. I mean, I saw fireworks.” True, it’d been the Fourth of July, and Deena had been only thirteen, but she didn’t see the point in mentioning that. “Now I wouldn’t go out with him if you paid me.”

“Oh.” Zoe’s forehead creased, a little vee appearing on the bridge of her nose above her glasses. “So you’re saying—”

“A fling. A date. I mean, it’s not like you have to marry the guy”

For a moment Zoe looked doubtful. Then her face cleared. “Doesn’t matter anyway, because there’s still another problem.”

“Well, you’re just boiling over with good news, aren’t you?”

Zoe scowled, ignoring her. “I don’t know how to find him.”

“Did the guy tell you his name?”

“Deenie, it doesn’t matter. I’ve looked everywhere for him. Trust me. I’ve got resources. If I can’t find him, neither can you.”

“I just want to know his name, Zo. It’s not like I’m gonna hire Hoop to track him down.”

“He gave me his card at the school. His name’s Buster Taylor.”

“Taylor?” A wave of suspicion smacked Deena upside the head. Surely Hoop’s officemate wasn’t Zoe’s Mr. Right—was he? She frowned, taking inventory—an investigator with dark hair, a light beard, and brown eyes. It had to be. She barked out a laugh, then slapped her hand over her mouth. “S-sorry.” She swallowed, gathering control. “Silly name.”

Zoe’s brow furrowed. “Yeah. About as silly as Hoop.”

Deena shrugged. “True. I’m not dissing your man’s name. It just surprised me.”

“He’s not my man.”

“I know. And I can—”

“And even if I could find him, I wouldn’t.”

Deena closed her mouth with a snap. “What? Why?”

“I told you.” She held up a hand before Deena could get a word in. “And everything you said about Lenny Potts makes sense, but I’m just not sure. I just don’t think . . . . She trailed off, then shook her head.

“I like him, but . . . no.”

She looked up at Deena with misty eyes. “Besides, I just can’t take the risk. I mean, he was, well, nice.”

Yes, he was. And Deena was more than willing to play matchmaker between Hoop’s officemate and Zoe. But if the girl was relationship-shy, then Deena seriously doubted that Zoe would take the bait if Deena confessed to knowing good ol’ Buster.

Which meant that she had to go the creative—otherwise known as devious—route.

“None of this matters right now, anyway,” Deena said. “We need to find you a date for tomorrow.”

Zoe deflated. “I know. Any ideas?”

“Basically, you want some incredibly attractive guy to be your escort for the night. No strings. No need for niceties. A purely business arrangement.”

“Right.”

“So you’d be willing to pay him.”

Zoe frowned. “Yeah . . . I guess.”

“So you’re looking for a good-looking guy so desperate he’ll drop everything when you offer to pay him to go out with you.” Deena nibbled on her lip. Taylor might not appreciate it, but he did need the money. And Zoe needed an escort.

“Never mind,” Zoe said. “I’ll just tell Mom—”

“Not so fast,” Deena said, unable to help the huge grin that spread across her face. “I know this guy named George Bailey.” She leaned back in her chair, thoroughly pleased with herself. “And I have a feeling he’s just what you’re looking for.”