Page 17 of I Dated a Holiday Hero
“I didn’t notice it. Except for my pinkie toe.”
Another wave of delivery was placed on the table, and she had to explain the constant break in her foot, which made the defenders in the family describe small issues they had ignored that had nearly cost them a mission.
Hever looked at her mom’s hand on her own and squeezed it. This is what Veradil had always wanted for both of them: to be accepted as family. It just took getting kidnapped to accomplish that end.
When Keera was let through security, she drove up with her truck and the presents. Hever went outside and hugged her friend. “Wow. Was there any trouble?”
“No. I got the door back on and some plywood from your garage, sealing it. I also have a list of contractors if you want them. They work on weekends.”
“How bad was it?”
“You need to reframe some of the needlepoints in the entryway, but it looks like you caught most of the blast. I got some of the blood out of the entryway and scorched the rest in case they came back for samples.”
Hever blinked. “Thanks. How did you know to do that?”
Keera looked at her with a knowing expression. “This isn’t my first time hiding traces of you.”
Hever stared and grinned. “You look better without a tail.”
“Aw, I thought it had a certain aquatic charm.”
They hugged.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wasn’t positive until I caught your scent and smelled your blood. Until then, you were just a coworker. Now, you are my cell-buddy.”
They hugged and laughed.
Her mother arrived. “Is this your friend, Hever?”
“Yes, Mom. You met her once. She was pushing me in a boat.”
Keera waved. “Hello, ma’am. I had a mermaid tail.”
“I thought you were Hyreno.”
“They don’t have tails, ma’am.” Keera grinned.
“You were raised in Aksalla?”
“Yes, ma’am. They fostered to adopt, and then I got a new brother, so they were even happier I was there.” She smiled. “I even got Aksallan citizenship due to scholastic excellence.”
The prefect came out and looked at Keera. “Keera Oranson?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You are working for Z-Corp?”
“Yes, ma’am. In analytics.”
“What do you do?”
“Find out how much it will cost to make Hever’s designs as prototypes and as mass production.” Keera smiled. “We work out both and then head to marketing.”
Hever laughed. “And then Hera tells us that they are unsuitable for the company path but very cute. She likes the cars, the weapons, and the body armour, but for that, we have to get Litha in textiles to cooperate, and she’s working from home a lot.”
“But I get the numbers, and then we head back to marketing again.” Keera grinned. “It’s fun.” She waved her hand. “I also do work for biomechanics and other departments that want to make something commercial.”
