Page 34 of Death and Divination
“Yes.” The tomato thing was a total lie, but in all honesty, I probablyshoulddo a weather divination. No doubt people would be asking me for it soon anyway. It might be June, but people liked to plan, and everyone always wanted to know how much snow to expect this winter and when to put their bulbs in the ground. I liked to do a big Farmer’s Almanac kind of thing once a year. Might as well get started on that in the next few weeks.
I fiddled with my coffee cup. “Something came up, and I’ve got a quick errand I need to run. I know you were going to apply for a few more jobs, but maybe we can do that later?”
Nash gave me a long, searching look. “I take it I’m not going with you on the errand?”
I was torn. I liked having Nash around. Something in me felt warm and settled when he was nearby. And reaper or not, having backup at the werewolf compound wouldn’t be a bad thing. But it was important for this visit to appear casual and routine, and Shelby’s reaction to Nash gave me pause. Dallas most definitely did not like Lucien or Hadur. I got the feeling showing up at his door with Nash would set his hackles up just as much as if I’d arrived with a demon in tow. It was kind of like visiting with half a dozen loaded guns strapped to my sides. Not a good way to start off what I hoped would be a friendly, non-confrontational conversation.
Besides, what was the risk? I might be an oracle and lacking in both offensive and defensive spells, but I was still a Perkins and that commanded respect. It would be a quick visit. Meet with Dallas. Confirm that Tink was not being chained in a dungeon somewhere and that her wishes were being respected. Leave.
Easy peasy.
“Do you mind?” I asked Nash. “It’s kind of an oracle witch thing. I shouldn’t be too long. I’ll be back sometime in the afternoon.”
“Should I wait at your house?” He stabbed a few more pieces of French toast and I realized if I didn’t get my fork in there, there soon wouldn’t be any left.
“Yes…no, wait.” Drat. If I drove Nash back to my house in the complete opposite direction of the mountain the werewolves called home, it would waste hours of my time. And a lot of gas. “How about you stay in town? Shopping? I can give you some money and you can explore. And you can go ahead and apply for those other jobs now that you know how to fill out the applications.”
He nodded, scooping the last piece of French toast up on his fork. “Sure. I might go over to the fire department to visit with your co-workers afterward and wait there for when you get back. They were nice.”
I smiled, thrilled that Nash and my co-workers had gotten along so well.
A reaper among rescue workers. It was an odd image, but Nash really did need to have friends in town. Maybe he’d enjoy training to become an EMT. Or open a bakery. Or grow the most amazing tomato garden ever.
I thought about my dead plants and realized we should probably nix that option. At least with the kitchen assistant job at the diner or the other openings we’d circled, he wouldn’t have to worry about accidently reaping something or someone.
“Here.” Nash held his fork out with the last bit of French toast on it. “You have the last piece.”
I leaned forward and let him feed it to me, enjoying the sweetness of syrup, the crunch of cornflakes, the eggy flavor of the bread. My eyes met his and he smiled.
His expression was warm, kind, and there was such affection in his eyes that my heart lurched.
