Page 29 of Crazy Thing

Ziggy’s jaw ticks. “I’m on it.” She stands to leave my office. But then she stops, her gaze fixed on me. “You’re looking extra grumpy today. Even for you. Are you…are you okay?”

My brows lift in surprise that she’d notice. I’m even more surprised that she’d give a fuck.

But then I shrug. “It’s just a headache.”

“You probably need to eat.” She hesitates. “Would you like some of the sugar-free seaweed oatmeal cookies I made at home? They’ll help boost your mood.”

Seaweed cookies? Before I can say anything, Ziggy drifts off and then comes back to set a container down on my desk.

What in the little-mermaid-meal-plan is that? I eyeballthe cookies suspiciously, wondering how anything made out of green slime could be considered a treat.

Is she trying to kill me? Is that why she’s really here at work today? Because that would makeso muchsense.

“I’m not really a cookie guy,” I tell her. “Why don’t you go pick me up a bagel with cream cheese from the coffee shop down the street while you’re out gathering witnesses for the injunction hearing?”

“Aye, aye.” She holds her hand up near her forehead, giving me a little salute before floating out of the office to do as I asked.

That’s the thing with Ziggy. There’s just something about the way she carries herself. She doesn’t walk. She doesn’t run. She doesn’t skip. She floats. She glides over the air.

I stare off in a daze as she leaves.

I pick up the container of cookies she left on my desk and give them a sniff.

Huh. They actually don’t smell that bad.

Waiting another full minute to make sure she’s really gone, I sneak one cookie off the top of the pile and give it a little nibble.Not terrible.I finish that cookie and eat two more, my mind still on Ziggy.

I don’t want to get my hopes up but it seems as though the woman is actually doing a good job with this assistant gig so far. I’m pleasantly surprised, especially considering her lack of experience.

But I won’t be telling her this.Definitely not. I don’t want it getting to her head. I already have a hard enough time keeping her in line.

This woman just continues to surprise me. I try to get her off my mind so I can get some work done. Instead, I find myself wondering what she might have in store for me next.

14

ZIGGY

Even though I promised that I would handle it, I’m not exactly sure where to find locals who would take Darius Brighton’s corner in court.

My first instinct is to go to his brothers, but I don’t think a judge would look past the nepotistic bias there. Maybe the other Brighton siblings could at least point me in the right direction, though.

Surely there’s someone in this town Darius hasn’t already screwed over. Surely I can find just two or three individuals in all of Starlight Falls that he’s helped at least once in the past thirty years.

I offer a dollar bill and a smile to the timid-looking homeless man stationed outside of Jittery Joe’s. Then I enter the coffee shop, moving quickly through the line. I approach the counter to purchase Darius’s bagel. Even though I know he’d feel far better if he’d just eat a healthier option, like my seaweed cookies or a kale breakfast wrap.

But since I’ll have to pick my battles carefully with Darius, I decide that this isn’t one of them.So I order two bagels with extra cream cheese on the side.

Once I pay and collect my order, I turn around and nearly run head on into a familiar group of ladies.

“Aunt Rainbow!” I exclaim, leaning in to give my mother’s sister a tight hug.

“Hello, moonbeam,” she replies, kissing me on the cheek. “I didn’t realize you were in town.”

“Yeah, what are you doing back?” one of my aunt’s nosy friends butts in, stepping in between us like she has every right to be included in this conversation.

My stomach gives an uncomfortable twinge. “I, well, actually, I now work for Darius Brighton. As his assistant,” I admit awkwardly.

Disapproving glances are shared among Aunt Rainbow’s friend group.

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