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across the fire. Sean was sitting next to Samantha and looking happy enough, but a shadow fell on his expression as the firelight flickered. I knew how it felt when someone you cared about was hiding something from you. I just hoped Ryan wouldn't keep his best friend in the dark for much longer.

CHAPTER FIVE
    On Monday night, I was surprised to get a call from Natalie. "Daisy, I have a big favor to ask you," she said. "Could you teach me to cook?"
    "You want to learn to cook from me?"
    "Yes," she said. "I want to surprise Slim by cooking him a special meal, and I've never cooked anything more complicated than Top Ramen."
    I laughed. "Sure, do you have something in mind?"
    "Beef Wellington," she replied. "It's Slim's favorite dish."
    It was a little ambitious for a beginning cook, but I'd try to walk her through it. We made plans to meet at her grandmother's the next evening. I'd never been inside Mrs. Mason's house, although I'd seen the enormous garden and greenhouse in her backyard plenty of times.
    Natalie met me at the door. "I went shopping in San Carlos at that gourmet food store and got everything we need," she said. "And while I was there, I saw this." She waved a piece of paper in my face.
    "What is it?"
    She handed it to me. "It's a cooking contest," she said. "You enter your favorite family recipe. I thought of you right away."
    "Oh," I said. "I've never cooked for anybody besides family and friends before."
    "And the best part is that the grand prize is a trip to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris."
    Paris? That was a great prize.
    "Thanks, Natalie," I said. "Maybe I will enter." I slipped the flyer into my purse. I'd fill it out as soon as I got home. Otherwise, I'd never get it done.
    Natalie and I were in the kitchen preparing the tenderloin when I noticed a large tabby cat observing us silently from the top of the cabinets. Its watchful green eyes were intimidating.
    "I didn't know you had a cat," I said.
    "That's my familiar," Natalie said. "I wish he could go everywhere with me, but unfortunately they don't allow animals in the diner. Not even magical ones."
    Natalie reached up and gave the cat a bit of meat, and he purred gratefully. It made me miss my old cat, Midnight. But it turned out that she was a shifter and therefore not an ideal pet.
    We heard Mrs. Mason arrive home.
    "There's Grandma now," Natalie said. "C'mon. I'll formally introduce you."
    We walked into the living room, where Mrs. Mason stood. She was talking on her cell phone. "But you have to come help me with this," she said into the phone. "I have clothes for the—" She paused as she caught sight of us. "I'll call you back."
    "Grandma, this is Daisy Giordano. I think you know her mother."
    Mrs. Mason frowned. "I didn't realize you had company." There was a huge bag at her feet. She wore a purple tracksuit with a row of fake flowers hot-glued to the collar. I wondered where she kept her wand stashed in those sweats.
    "Daisy's teaching me to cook," Natalie said.
    "I don't see why you won't just whip something up the easy way," her grandmother said, making a motion with her hand.
    Apparently I had been staring curiously, because Mrs. Mason frowned at me. "Donation items," she said, "for my charitable work."
    It was her outfit I'd been focused on, but now I realized that the bag at her feet was filled with men's clothing. "Oh," I said lamely. "That's nice."
    "I'll leave you two girls alone," Mrs. Mason said, picking up the bag. "I'll be in the greenhouse, Natalie, and I'm not to be disturbed."
    "Yes, Grandma," she replied obediently.
    After Mrs. Mason left, Natalie explained, "Grandma is extremely touchy about the greenhouse. Even I'm not allowed inside."
    I briefly wondered why she was taking the clothes with her to do her gardening, but soon got caught up in teaching the basics to Natalie. She hadn't been kidding when she said she'd never cooked before.
    As the pastry for the beef Wellington baked, we chatted about her life back home. Natalie revealed