Free Life in the Lucky Zone (The Zone #2) by Patricia B. Tighe Page A

Why?”
    “My grandma just moved in, and someone has to be there all the time. She’s been wandering off.”
    An image of my granny smiling at me appeared unexpectedly, and I wrapped my arms around my stomach. “Oh. Wow. Sorry she does that. But I would so love to have my grandmother living with me.”
    “Where does she live now?”
    “She doesn’t. She’s dead.” I stopped near the stage. A few drama club peeps were still standing around talking. The auditorium door opened. Jeremy stepped inside and waited in front of the double doors. His large frame practically filled the whole door. A little thrill shot through me. Where would he sit?
    “Holy crap, Lindsey,” Berger said. “I’m sorry.”
    Huh? “About what?”
    “Your grandmother, what else?”
    I glanced at Berger. Right, we were having a conversation about our grandmothers. “Oh, it’s okay,” I said. “It was a long time ago.” Jeremy was looking around like he was trying to find me. Go sit down, go sit down.
    “What are we staring at?” Berger asked from behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder.
    If anybody else had done that, I might’ve thought he was making a play. But not Berger. I’d never met a guy who seemed so totally not interested in me. I shrugged my shoulder and laughed. “Get off, Dragon Boy.”
    He straightened. “It’s the football player, isn’t it?”
    “Yeah. We’re supposed to go have coffee.”
    “How very twenty-something of you.”
    “Ha, ha.” Jeremy started walking down the aisle. I held my breath.
    “Wait,” Berger said. “What do you mean ‘supposed to go’? Have you changed your mind?”
    Jeremy paused right near Adam’s row. Come on. “No, it’s just … ” He eyed the people talking down front, then backed up two steps. He dropped into a seat right on the aisle. Nowhere near Adam’s chair. Crap.
    “It’s just what?”
    I let out my breath through my teeth. Why couldn’t he have kept going? It would be so awesome to date someone who brought me the same kind of luck Adam had. Now I didn’t want to go out with him at all.
    Berger’s gaze heated the side of my face. “Wait a second,” he said, then moved in front of me. “He just failed some little test, didn’t he?”
    Uh-oh. How could he tell? I rubbed the back of my neck. “What’re you talking about?”
    “Don’t lie, Drama Queen. Dragon Boy can read you like the stats on his armor.”
    I turned to head down the stairs. “You’re not making sense, Dragon Boy.”
    “What was the test?”
    No way. There was no way I was telling him that. We jogged down the steps together. “So tomorrow, do you need a ride? You want me to pick you up outside like I did yesterday?”
    Berger laughed. “Sounds fine. And you’re gonna tell me. Maybe not now. But you will.”
    “Whatever.” Time to tell Jeremy that I forgot I had other plans. “See you.”
    “Bye,” he said, still laughing.

Fourteen
     
    Berger
     
     
    The next afternoon, I led Lindsey into my house. “Nana, Maggie,” I called out. “I’m here.”
    A muffled response came from the back of the house, but I couldn’t make out the words. We left our stuff on the couch and went to the kitchen. “What do you want to drink? Sorry, we don’t have any Bagel Bites left.”
    “Not a problem,” Lindsey said. “I’m not hungry. Could we make some hot tea? I haven’t felt warm all afternoon.”
    “Sure.” Was that why she’d been so quiet in the car? Who knew? I filled the teapot and turned on the burner.
    Maggie walked in with her coat on and her purse on her shoulder. After I made the introductions, she said, “Your grandmother is a bit grumpy today. I think it’s because of the colder weather.” She smiled. “When you’re old, you feel it in your bones.”
    “I know where she’s coming from,” Lindsey said.
    I glanced at Lindsey. She sounded almost sad. “What’s Nana doing now?” I asked Maggie.
    “Dozing in front of a game show. I imagine she’ll be up in