Page 17 of The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down
I didn’t even have time to put my phone away before he texted back, making me smile.
Miles: That’s great. Did it go okay?
Hmm. How to answer that truthfully without getting into it too much? I wanted to tell him in person so I could gauge whether he felt guilty and asked me to start sooner than planned because of that guilt. I had no doubt he’d offer.
Me: About as expected. I’ll tell you about it tonight.
Miles: Sounds good! I’m going to the station to help out this afternoon, so I’ll text you when I’m finished and we can figure out a time.
My eyebrows rose. He was going to the station? As in, Higgins had gotten his way and Miles was helping interview that person?
Me: Okay. Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything.
I debated for half a beat before sending a second text.
Me: If you need someone with you, I’ll be home this afternoon. I can tag along.
No text came through for a solid minute. Shit. Did I go too far with that offer?
Miles: Thank you. I think I’ll be okay, but I’ll let you know.
I wasn’t sure why I felt so disappointed by that response, but I did. But at least my offer was out there. If Miles wanted to take me up on it, hopefully, he would.
Me: Alright. I’m here if you need me.
Miles: Thank you, Win. I appreciate it.
I sent him three heart emojis back and couldn’t help but smile when one came back after only a few beats of hesitation.
Taking a breath, I put the car indriveand headed for home.
Chapter Five
Miles
Higgins offered to pick me up from my last job and drive me over to the station, but I refused and drove my Carry A Faerie truck there myself. I didn’t want to be trapped there, so having my own vehicle so I could escape if I needed to seemed like a good idea.
Sola trilled in the passenger seat, and I said, “Hold on a sec. I’ll come around and get you from that side.”
I got out of the truck, shut the door, and glanced down at my coveralls.Shit. I probably shouldn’t wear them in there, huh?
I opened my door again and asked Sola, “Actually, you want to come out on this side? I have to change my clothes, and I don’t want you stuck in there while I do it.”
She did a little hopping dance across the seat that made me smile—even though I was nervous as hell, her cuteness still affected me—and when she was within reach, I held out my arm for her. She climbed up, balancing on my arm as I shut the door.
With a sigh, I walked to the back of my truck, opened the hatch, kissed the top of Sola’s head, set her on the truck’s tailgate, then glanced around the parking lot. There were a few people far down the aisle, but no one close by, so I quickly pulled my coveralls off, rolled them up, and tossed them into the back.
Then I glanced down at myself again and let my chin fall to my chest with a groan. I really should’ve gone home to change before coming here. I wasn’t sure my ripped-up jeans—from use, not stylishly ripped because why the hell would I ever have something stylish—and t-shirt that was probably a decade old were much better than the coveralls, but I didn’t have any nice clothes in my truck. Why would I?
I was a faerie exterminator, not a detective anymore. I waded around in attics, basements, and crawl spaces, and got covered in disgusting gunk every day. Having nice clothes in my work truck was unnecessary.
It wasn’t like I went out after work, and even if I did, I’d likely go home to shower first, depending on whether I’d been covered in goo or not that day.
Butuuuggghhhhh.I hated walking into that building looking like this.
Since there was nothing I could do about it now—I was almost late as it was—I shrugged off my discomfort, ensured my gloves were on tight, put Sola on my shoulder, locked up my truck, and headed inside.
I hadn’t been back here since the day I cleared my desk out, but the smell, sights, and sounds were as familiar to me as my own home. When I’d worked here, I’d spent more time in the office than I did at home, pretty much every week.
