“Melody, I think it’s time your grandmother showed you how to use a bow,” Katharine said.
And she didn’t mean for hunting squirrel, either.
April reached for Reno’s hand and held it tight. The sense of family was overpowering, like a charge in the air before a storm.
Austin moved toward the hall and nodded. “Reno, I need to speak with you privately in my office.”
When they left the room, everyone let out a breath and looked between one another. My mom gave me a tight hug before heading to work.
Izzy blocked my view, concern brimming in her green eyes. She didn’t have a speck of makeup on, and her freckles seemed paler than they usually were in the summertime. “What are we supposed to do?”
“Live,” I said. “That’s all you can do when the inevitable is coming.”
Chapter 7
“Here you are, Mr. Rain.” I handed the customer a paper bag with the Sweet Treats logo on the side. “Two peanut butters, one coconut macaroon, and a slice of pumpkin cake. The usual.”
My regular flashed a charismatic smile, his black eyes glittering as I met his gaze. Not something most people commonly did with Vampires, but I didn’t believe in discrimination. What was he going to do, charm me for my fudge?
“I told you before to call me Atticus. Mr. Rain seems too formal for a debonair man such as myself.”
I didn’t know whether to take him seriously or not, so I just smiled and placed one of our new menus in his bag.
Atticus had a look about him I couldn’t describe, like an aristocrat. His short hair was a bright, unnatural shade of blond that suited him. He was every bit as regal as he was affable, so it led me to believe he was old.
“Is there anything else I can help you with, Atticus?”
His fangs slightly descended, and he quickly closed his mouth. He studied the display of new menu items, pretending to consider trying something new. That was his usual routine, but Atticus never bought anything extra. Vampires didn’t need to eat, but many still enjoyed the taste of good cuisine. It was quite the compliment to have a Vampire as a regular customer.
“See you Friday,” he said.
I leaned on the counter and watched him move briskly around a display, his long black coat flapping as he went out the door.
“Vampires don’t have to eat,” Trevor remarked, moving around me and tossing paper into the trash. “He just comes in here to stare at you.”
“So? He still pays.”
“Yeah? Well it’s creeptastic.”
“Don’t be so prejudiced. He seems a little lonely, but he’s a nice guy.”
Trevor snorted and wiped down the counter. “A nice guy who wants to drain you like a bathtub.”
I pinched his side. “Don’t be so cynical. You underestimate the power of my macaroons.”
Izzy had taken the day off since she’d worked extra hard while I was away on vacation. It was difficult finding part-time work in a Breed shop. Most wanted long hours or a high-paying job. I couldn’t hire humans because most of our customers were anything but, and eventually even the most clueless person would catch on.
I loaded up a box with leftovers to take home. Not everything would keep until the next day, and I preferred to serve my customers fresh food. Once I’d gotten a handle on how much inventory moved on a given day and which items sold, I limited how many of the less popular treats I made. Customers who loved those goodies knew to swing by early if they wanted any. We baked bread throughout the day, but I mostly stuck to desserts. A significant chunk of our income came from local businesses who ordered my cookies in bulk to sell at their bar or restaurant. I also catered parties and other events, but I preferred working in the store and seeing customers’ eyes widen at the display, their nostrils flaring as they drew in a deep breath.
I nibbled on a ginger cookie while Trevor cleaned the crumbs from inside the display case.
Trevor had soft features for a man, but the kind of face that gave him the allure of a rock star. Especially the way he styled his hair to half shield his eyes, lending to his mysterious persona.
“Do we have enough dough prepped for tomorrow?”
“All good. I took care of that,” he said. “Did you eat dinner?”
“I had some garlic bread.”
“That’s not enough.”
I smiled. “I’ll pig out when we get home. How’s that?”
He pulled up a stool and straddled it. “Did you see any action in Colorado?”
I shoved the rest of the cookie into my mouth, chewing slowly. “You guys need to lay off. It’s not like we went on a honeymoon.”
“No, I don’t mean sex. Everyone knows you saw more action than Reno in a combat zone. I meant with the pack-war stuff.”
“Oh, that. Just a local rogue who wanted to start shit with Austin.”
“Guess he wins the dumbass award of the year.”