Raising the Dead Read Free Page A

required reading,” he said as he examined my small assortment of books.
    “Not all of them.” I was immediately defensive. I’d had no idea he would be drawn to my bookshelf, of all things. My desk was much more impressive, with a powder-blue laptop, a ceramic mug filled with pens in every color imaginable, and a framed picture of all of my friends—including him—at homecoming.
    Noah held up a paperback copy of A Tale of Two Cities . “You bought this for recreational purposes?”
    “It’s a classic.” It was also an assignment at one of the many high schools I had attended. We’d moved before I had finished the semester—or the book.
    “Hmm.” Noah looked unconvinced. He ran his fingers over the spines of my collection, stopping when he came to a red paperback. “I like this one.” He held up a well-worn copy of Fahrenheit 451 .
    “That’s my dad’s,” I told him. “But it’s one of my favorites.”
    “Mine too.”
    This minor revelation made me majorly happy. Sharing the same taste in books, despite the fact that those books had been part of a school assignment, was a positive sign.
    I wasn’t sure what to do after Noah finished examining my pathetic bookshelf. Invite him to sit with me on the bed? Offer him a peek into my dresser? Fortunately, he made the decision for me.
    “I was thinking about the coffins,” he said as he sat down on the floor. “What happens after the rain stops? Whose job is it to go out and collect them all?”
    “The police? Or the county coroner, maybe?”
    “Yeah, but they’re going to be crazy busy with everything else going on. Retrieving old caskets might not make the list.”
    “Maybe not.”
    “Think your parents will get involved?”
    I sighed. “Probably.” Mom would definitely volunteer. She would want to examine not only the coffins but their contents, as well. Both my parents had assisted in similar projects, but it had been a while—not since I was a toddler, at least.
    “So Shane would help, right? I mean, he goes where they go.”
    “Wait.” I narrowed my gaze at him. “You’re hoping Shane becomes totally occupied with work for a while so he won’t have time for your mom.”
    Noah gave me a wide-eyed, innocent look. “I didn’t say that.”
    “Right. Nice try, but a few hours away at work isn’t going to stop those two from being a couple.”
    He groaned. “Did you see them at breakfast? Can’t they at least tone it down when I’m around?”
    “It was a little much,” I agreed.
    He leaned his head against my bed. “And I’m so tired. Shane snores like a wild boar.”
    “Wild boars snore?”
    “You know what I mean.” He closed his eyes. “I need a nap.”
    I got up. “Take my bed for a few hours.”
    “Really?”
    “Sure.” I had changed the sheets the night before, so I was pretty sure there were no drool spots on my pillow.
    “Well, yeah, if you’re okay with me sleeping in your bed.” Noah pulled himself off the floor. We stood facing each other for a moment. He was so close I could smell the cinnamon onhis breath and I wondered if I should just step forward and kiss him. I couldn’t, though. I wasn’t that brave.
    “Sweet dreams,” I said, hoping he couldn’t hear the pounding of my heart.
    I closed the door behind me and went downstairs. Noah was in my room, in my bed. It made me giddy, and I tried not to smile too widely.
    Downstairs, Mom was taking the pizza out of the oven. “Where’s Noah?”
    I sat down at the table. “He wanted to take a nap. I guess he’s had a hard time sleeping because of Shane’s snoring.”
    “Tell me about it,” Trisha muttered.
    Mom and I shared an amused glance. “Well, dinner’s ready. We’ll save him some for later.”
    After dinner, I stayed in the kitchen and called Avery. “Guess who’s sleeping in my bed right now?”
    “Seriously?”
    I curled a strand of hair around my finger. “He’s up there right now. That’s a good sign, right?”
    “No.”
    “What?”