Page 13

Tyler came back looking a little the worse for wear, but he had taken the time to wash his hands and face. He plopped down next to me and picked up the omelet box. “That’s dealt with.”

“Anything bad?”

“No, just the first calamity of the day. Bob’s faucet malfunctioned. I turned the water off under the sink and will order a replacement online right now.” He tapped at his phone screen then set it down. “Can I have that omelet again?”

“All right.” I passed him his breakfast and leaned back on my elbows while he ate. Between us we managed to eat most of what I’d made. “I could have asked for the cooks to give me food they’d made, but I wanted to cook for you myself.”

I collected the to-go boxes the chefs at Animals had provided me and stuffed them in the trash. “So, what’s next?”

“The plan?” He tilted his head, adorably puzzled. “Well, I don’t know what you’re going to do but I have a sewer line to clear and some electrical work to do. Among other things.”

“Are you qualified, I mean, no offense or implication that you don’t have skills, but those things sound dangerous.”

“I do have some skills, and I watch a lot of YouTube videos.”

“Omega…”

“It’s my job, but I’m careful.”

“All right, then. Lead on, omega. I also have some skills. Sort of.” The primary skill I planned to use was making sure he didn’t do anything likely to electrocute him. “What do we do first?”

He pulled out his phone, a new but cheap model, and brought up a list. “Plugged toilet in number seven.”

I followed him behind the check-in desk where he retrieved a tool box and a ballcap. Donning the hat, he headed outside and down the row of rooms until we reached the one with the broken faucet. He rapped on the door and called, “Mr. Anders? It’s Tyler here to fix your faucet.” and when nobody answered, he unlocked it. “This is one of our resident tenants, but he’s not usually home during the day. Still, we always knock. No telling what we might walk in on if we didn’t.”

“Doesn’t sound appealing at all.”

My mate seemed to know what he was doing, but I hovered outside the bathroom, insisting he tell me if I could help with anything.

“I’ve got this.” He used a closet auger to unclog the toilet and held up the end when it came back. “Can you believe this?”

“A towel? How was there a towel in the toilet?”

“It happens at least once a week around here. I don’t know how or why, but I just have to deal with it. Part of the job.”

Not much of a job, if anyone asked me, but nobody had. “Well, let me get rid of it for you at least.” I carried the towel out and came back in to find Tyler working on an electrical outlet. He had me go out and turn off the breaker then used a tester before unscrewing the switch. While he was calm and seemed like he knew just what he was doing. But my fingers twitched, wanting to provide unwanted and probably unneeded help.

We went from task to another, me helping out as much as possible and wishing I could do more. I didn’t want to push the Animals idea, but he was working twenty-four/seven from what I was seeing. For very little money.

As dinnertime approached I decided to go back to Animals and make some dinner to share with my mate. I wasn’t able to cook it myself, this time, because the kitchen was too busy to have an amateur underfoot. But my mate was going to be in for a treat with the selections they sent with me, so I was sure he wouldn’t mind. Plus, he’d been telling me all day that I should relax because it was his job; I should just sit and be company for him.

Before I left the club I considered seeking out Karma. I’d only been here a couple of days and had begun to understand why everyone sought her out for just about everything. She couldn’t cross the main floor without being stopped two or three times for advice on topics work related or otherwise. And when she ate in the kitchen, she was the center of attention. Theemployees and their families flocked to her like butterflies to a colorful flower.

And they always left her side looking happy and relaxed.

I could use a little of that, but I didn’t want to use her.

“I thought you were with your mate.” While I’d been deciding whether to approach her, she’d found me instead. “Everything all right? Are you taking him all that food?” She gestured to the four big containers I held.”

“Yes, I probably should pay for it.”

“Didn’t we tell you the kitchen was open for our people and their families? You should probably go back and get more.”

I laughed, her generosity and kindness lifting my mood instantly. She was supposedly a human, in fact the reason humans were allowed to come here was because she and a friend or two had snuck in years ago. Warren had taken one look at her and Fate and his bear told him he’d found his mate. “This is plenty. There’s even dessert.”

“Oh good. I think we had those giant cookies that Robert makes. Did you get some of those?”

“And pie and cobbler. I really did take a lot.”