Page 51 of Horn in My Side
“The schedule is flexible, especially if you’re a business owner.We really only get a few calls a week, mostly ‘little old ladies whose cats get stuck up a tree’ type of thing or accidents, which is why we don’t have a full-time fire department.If we do get abig fire, Bayview and the other major cities around will send their trucks.”
“Uh ...”
“Listen, before you say no, why don’t you give it a think?Sleep on it?”He slid a card across the counter.“Here’s my number.Call me if you have any questions.You know, Vrig loved volunteering at the fire station.He said it kept him young.”
“I ...Okay.”He picked up the card, if only to appease the insistent satyr.
“Great!”
“Hey, Mal—oh, Nick?”Jasmine exclaimed as she came up to them.“It’s been a while.”She opened her arms toward him.
“It’s my favorite pet-shop manager.”He bent down to accept her hug.While the embrace only lasted three seconds, it was enough for jealousy to once again rear up in Mal.
“Sorry I haven’t been by since the funeral.How are things here?”
“All good.”Her gaze flicked over to Mal.“Have you two met?”
“Yup, stopped in to introduce myself,” Nick said.
“I’m surprised to see you here, since you’re usually so busy with all the festival activities.Nick’s part of the Founding Families,” Jasmine explained.“Your float looked amazing during the parade, by the way.I loved the golden-vines theme.”
“Yeah, that’s my cousin Flora’s work.She’s super talented when it comes to art stuff, plus she’s still sore about losing to the MacGregors last year.”He glanced around, his long ears twitching.“Wow, it’s really busy in here, huh?Good for you.”
“Thanks.”
He checked his watch.“I need to get going.But, Mal, I’ll see you soon, eh?”
Jasmine’s nose wrinkled.“See you soon?”
He winked at Mal.“He’s going to join us at the fire station.”
“I haven’t—”
“Really?That’s awesome, Mal.Vrig loved being a volunteer firefighter.He always said it kept him young.”
Nick sent him a grin.“I should get going.See you at eight p.m.on Thursday at the fire station on Garland Avenue.”
“See you, Nick.”Jasmine waved at him as he ambled out the shop.“So, Nick convinced you to sign up for the volunteer fire department, eh?”she said with a wry smile.
“I ...guess?”He slapped a palm on his forehead.
Jasmine chuckled.“Satyrs are known for their silver tongues, though I think Nick upgraded to the gold one.He could sell water to a kraken.”
Had she ever been convinced by Nick’s sweet talk?Not that it was any of his business if she had.The satyr was charming and handsome, and more important, he lived here.Him and Jasmine would make the perfect Dewberry Falls power couple.
He wondered if satyrs were fireproof.
“So how were things in here?Everything okay?You seemed pretty busy.”
“Yeah, but I handled it fine.”
“Thanks for calming down the animals.”Her fingers brushed away the stray locks of hair that stuck to her neck and chest.She looked gorgeous in her linen sundress and Mal groaned inwardly each time a beam of sunlight lit her up from behind, showing off the shadows of her curves.
Jasmine let out an unhappy huff.“All those people in here at the same time must have been frightening for them.I feel so stupid and selfish now, just thinking about business and forgetting their comfort.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it.”Mal resisted the urge to reach out and console her.“It happens.You can’t please everyone all the time.You have to find a balance and give yourself grace if you make mistakes every once in a while.But you have to know, you’re doing a great job, Jasmine.”
Her face lifted up, brown eyes softening as their gazes locked, sending his hearts galloping.Her luscious lips parted as a short gasp escaped her mouth.Awareness sparked between them, ready to burn up the room.
