For a guy who made such beautiful music, he was bitter, and a little scary. Claire put the money hesitantly on the table in front of him. He stared at it, jaw tense.

“The rent’s a hundred a month,” he said. “You buy groceries once a month, too. First month in advance. But you’re not staying past that, so keep the rest.”

She swallowed and picked up two hundred of the three hundred she’d counted out. “Thanks,” she said.

“Don’t thank me,” he said. “Just don’t get us into trouble. I mean it.”

She got up, went into the kitchen, and spooned chili into two bowls, added the bowls to trays along with spoons and Cokes, and brought it all back to set it on the coffee table. Michael stared at it, then her. She sat down on the floor—painfully—and began eating. After a pause, Michael took his bowl and tasted it.

“Shane made it,” Claire said. “It’s pretty good.”

“Yeah. Chili and spaghetti, that’s pretty much all Shane can cook. You know how to make anything?”

“Sure.”

“Like?”

“Lasagna,” she said. “And, um, sort of a hamburger hash thing, with noodles. And tacos.”

Michael looked thoughtful. “Could you make tacos tomorrow?”

“Sure,” she said. “I have classes from eleven to five, but I’ll stop and pick up the stuff.”

He nodded, eating steadily, glancing up at her once in a while. “I’m sorry,” he finally said.

“About what?”

“Being an asshole. Look, it’s just that I can’t—I have to be careful. Really careful.”

“You weren’t being an asshole,” she said. “You’re trying to protect yourself and your friends. That’s okay. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”

Michael smiled, and it transformed his face, made it suddenly angelic and wonderful. Dude, she thought in amazement. He’s totally gorgeous. No wonder he’d been worried about her being underage. A smile like that, he’d be peeling girls off of him right and left.

“If you’re in this house, you’re my friend,” he said. “What’s your name, by the way?”

“Claire. Claire Danvers.”

“Welcome to the Glass House, Claire Danvers.”

“But only temporarily.”

“Yeah, temporarily.”

They shared a smile, uneasily, and Michael cleared up the plates this time, and Claire went back up to her room, to spread out her books on the built-in desk and start the day’s studying.

She listened to him playing downstairs, the soft and heartfelt accompaniment to the night, as she fell into the world she loved.

4