Page 23 of Crocodile Tears
Deacon’s cheeks dimpled. “Got it.”
I went to open the carrier door, but Cody said, “Wait.” He swirled his hands as he got his phone out and pointed the camera at us. “This way. Better lighting.”
I had a million petty retorts on my tongue but held them back. When we had shuffled to and fro to Cody's liking, he gave us a thumbs-up.
I was about to open the door again when Cody added, “Maybe, Deacon, say a couple things before you release the bird. You know, about the charity and what you’re doing.”
“Good idea,” Deacon said with a sage nod.
I wanted so badly to point out how laughable this was but buried it deep.Just get through the next ten minutes,Dove,andthen you can go have the leftover donuts that Frankie baked this morning,I promised myself. I deserved a treat after all this.
I opened the carrier and grabbed Eddie, holding his wings tucked into his little body.
“Careful,” I said as I passed him off to Deacon.
“I got him,” Deacon reassured me, and I tried very hard to ignore the way his warm fingers skimmed across the backs of my hands as he took control of the toucan. I tried even harder to not think about how giant his hands were compared to mine.
I swallowed thickly. “Good?”
Deacon nodded and held Eddie a little higher. “I thought toucans had orange beaks.”
“You’re thinking of a toco toucan. This is a keel-billed.”
“Of course, how could I forget?”
I rolled my eyes. There was a time when I would’ve peppered Deacon with fun facts about keel-billed toucans, but he didn’t deserve my fun facts anymore.
“I thought his beak would be heavier. It feels hollow,” he said, surprised as Eddie nibbled at Deacon's finger with his serrated beak.
“It is. Their beaks are made of keratin, same as fingernails.”Dammit, Dove! He doesn’t deserve your fun facts!“How would he fly if it were heavier?”
“Good point,” Deacon replied. “Huh, look at you teaching me new animal facts. We're practically pals.” He smiled at my frown. “Chums? Besties?”
“No.”
“We’ll get there,” he added with a wink that I was sure had dropped a million panties over the years.
“Can you please just focus?”
Deacon looked down at the toucan nibbling his fingers. “At least Eddie here likes me.”
“He's trying to attack you,” I pointed out. “He's just very weak and unable to peel your skin off the way he wants to. Although, I’m sure if we gave him enough time?—”
“Okay, Wednesday Addams,” Cody called, making a chopping motion through the air. “Move out of the shot now.”
I huffed. “Gladly.”
“No.” Deacon toed my leg with his shoe. “You should stay. She should stay,” he added to Cody. “We want people to see that the grumpy girl in the viral video and I are friendly now, right?”
“If someone can get that memo to her face, then sure,” Cody replied. My frown deepened and he waved me up and down. “My point exactly.”
“Dove's actually quite the actress,” Deacon countered. “She played one hell of a mischievous tiefling?—”
“When we were twelve,” I cut in. “But I think I can manage to hide the hatred in my eyes for this one video.”
“The role of a lifetime,” Deacon said with another panty-dropping wink.
“Alright, let's get this over with,” Cody called with a thumbs-up. “Deacon, you ready?”
