“I could use your help,” he said.

“With what?”

“A little side project I’m working on,” he shrugged, “trying to help out this lady.”

“How chivalrous,” she seemed uncertain.

“It pays well,” he mumbled. “I’ll give you $20 for your help.” It did pay well.

“OK,” Sarah agreed. He gave her some details and they agreed to meet after school the next day.

As he walked away, she felt she had messed something up. If she hadn’t read invaded his mind, he would’ve thought of her as just a cute girl. Instead, she’d become a business colleague.

And you don’t mix business with pleasure.

$20 is $20, she told herself. But she knew – she wasn’t in it for the money. She was going for the adventure, of course (suburban Michigan not being a thriving excitement), but mostly, she just wanted to be near Simon.

And because she never entered his mind again, she never knew that the main reason he’d asked her along was because he wanted to be near her too.