Page 21

WREN

“I’m too old for delivery days,” Dina muttered as she sliced open the box of booze with a box cutter.

My lips twitched. “The hell you are. I saw you put that guy on his ass the other night.”

A grin spread across Dina’s face as she unloaded bottles of whiskey. “He was an asshole. Tried to cop a feel on a girl who very much did not welcome his attention.”

D had kicked the guy’s stool out from under him and sent him crashing to the floor before eighty-sixing his ass. It was beautiful.

And, gods, I loved that the dustup at Arcane was the most drama we’d had in the past two weeks. But the lack of movement on any front made me twitchy. Locke had at least found the identity of the fake fisherman.

Jackson Gilbert.

Man out of Denver. Worked at a car dealership. No wife or kids. And no known link to any of the Arcanes’ enemies or mine.

It was possible he’d simply been a hired gun of some sort, but there should’ve been a trail. We’d found nothing. No one was happy about that.

Still, we’d managed to settle into a routine of sorts. I never went anywhere alone, but I found I didn’t mind it as much as I thought I would. Having Locke, Puck, or Brix with me was comforting. King continued to keep his distance but left little gifts behind for me to find.

It was most often wildflowers, ones I could scent he’d picked himself.

There was a vase behind the bar with them right now.

Occasionally, it was other things: a new knife that was currently tucked into the pocket of my jeans, a caster’s spell book on wards, a cupcake from the local bakery—things that told me he was thinking about me.

The only thing he hadn’t given me were his words. An honest conversation about what he felt or didn’t.

Ender had avoided me like the plague unless he was tasked with my protection. He was on duty today and chose to spend that time patrolling the block Arcane was on instead of sitting at the bar like Locke, King, and Brix did, or behind it like Puck.

Dina let out a whistle. “Earth to Wren.”

I shook my head. “Sorry. Apparently, breaking down boxes takes me to la-la land.”

Dina chuckled. “I don’t blame you. But there are only two more.”

“There is a God in heaven.”

“I think we deserve a reward after this. Maybe I’ll send Gary to the bakery to get us cupcakes.”

The memory of the lemon blueberry one King had gotten me played on my tongue. “You know he lives for the chocolate peanut butter ones, so you likely won’t get any arguments from him.”

“It’s the triple chocolate for me all the way,” Dina said.

I broke down the final box as she put the last liquor bottle where it needed to be. “Done.”

“Let’s get these out to the recycling, and then it’s cupcake city.”

I wouldn’t argue with her. We loaded ourselves up with cardboard and made it down the hallway.

“I’ll get it,” Gary called, lumbering out of the kitchen where he was preparing for the lunch crowd.

“How do you feel about a mission, Gar?” Dina asked as she maneuvered outside.

“Depends,” he answered warily. “Is it burying a body or a trip to the store?”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “Why do I feel like you’d do better with the body?”

His lips twitched, the gray scruff around them dancing with the movement. “Hate crowds. Don’t mind blood.”

“Good to know,” Dina muttered. “What about a cupcake mission?”

Gary’s eyes lit up. “I’m in.”

“Grab some cash from the register and get a dozen,” Dina instructed.

But Gary was already moving back inside, faster than I’d seen him hustle in a while. I shook my head. “Good to know what motivates him.”

“Seriously.”

I hoisted open the massive recycling bin. The jumbo size was necessary with all the bottles and cans we went through. As I hoisted the cardboard into it, my shifter hearing picked up on something. Soft footsteps on the pavement.

I whirled, my hand going for my pocket, ready to pull my new knife, but I eased when I saw Cressida making her way down the back alley. Annoyance filled her green eyes. “I thought maybe you’d left. Haven’t seen you around much.”

There was no missing the disappointment in those words.

“Been here. Working.” I left out the fact that she hadn’t seen me because she was no longer allowed inside Arcane after purposely spilling her drink on me.

Cressida’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “Look. Will you just tell Puck to let me back in the bar? This is so stupid.”

I straightened to my full height and stared down at her. “Pretty sure that’s between you and Puck.”

Cressida’s jaw worked back and forth. “He won’t let me back in if you’re not happy about it.”

“Cress,” Dina said, exhaustion in her voice. “You know exactly what you have to do. So, stop playing dumb. Apologize and move on with your life. You were a bitch to the wrong person.”

The redhead’s cheeks bloomed a deeper red. “It was an accident. But whatever. I’m sorry I accidentally spilled a drink on you.”

I couldn’t help the laugh that broke free at the ridiculous non-apology.

Cressida’s eyes narrowed on me. “What? It’s not good enough for you?”

“I don’t give a damn about your apology. You’re welcome back in the bar as long as you don’t cause trouble or make Puck feel uncomfortable. I think he’s made it clear where you two stand.”

That redness crept down Cressida’s neck. “What’s between Puck and me is none of your business.”

“Actually,” Dina cut in, “it’s very much her business. Don’t play stupid. You’ve seen the way Puck looks at her. The way they all look at her.”

“All?” Cressida squeaked.

I rolled my lips over my teeth to keep from smiling. Gods, I loved Dina.

Cressida’s gaze ping-ponged back and forth between Dina and me. “Disgusting,” she spat and then stalked off back to wherever she’d come from.

“Ah, jealousy,” Dina muttered.

This time, I didn’t try to hold in my laugh or smile. “You’re the best.”

“And don’t I know it.”

We finished loading up the cardboard, downed some delicious cupcakes, and got back to work. The lunch rush was a little heavier today. With Puck having the day off, Dina and I switched back and forth between working the tables and the bar.

Amos and Ginger were back, splitting a cheeseburger and the club sandwich with added avocado. Juan was in with a couple of buddies from work. And there were some new faces I pegged as tourists.

“What’s the verdict?” I asked as I stopped by Amos and Ginger’s table. “Who won today?”

Ginger beamed up at me. “I smoked him. Extra avocado for the win.”

She held out a hand, and I gave her a high five.

Amos just shook his head, affection clear on his face. “We’re going for the brownie sundae for dessert. That’s the trump card.”

“That it is,” I said with a grin. “I’ll get that right in for you.”

I walked the order to the pass-through window and then moved to check in with Dina. “You good?”

“Let’s swap,” she suggested. “I’m getting twitchy.”

Dina hated standing still for any length of time.

I grinned at her. “Not enough midday booze hounds for you?”

“Apparently not.”

“I got it. I’ll refill condiments while you work tables.” It was something I could do while keeping an eye on the bar.

“Sounds good.” Dina was already off, making the rounds to check on people and chat about local spots with tourists.

I pulled out the jumbo bottles of ketchup and mustard and got to work. I didn’t mind the quiet tasks. I could let my mind wander and get lost in the meditative nature of it all. Which is exactly what I did, until the sound of a throat clearing jarred me from my thoughts.

I started to turn, catching the scent before I saw the person.

Wolf. And a wolf I knew. One I hated with every fiber of my being.

There he sat on the stool, easy, casual. His hair was grayer now, but the slope of his nose was so similar to mine.

“Hello, Little Flower. I’ve missed you.”