Page 83 of The Minotaur's Valentine

“Milo! Hello, darling.”

“Mom, I want to make a spectacular dinner for Libby, something that tops the charts. Something that goes with French bread. What should I make her?”

My mother is instantly on high alert. “A special meal? Why Milo? Is there some...occasion?”

“No, there's no occasion, Mom. I just love Libby, and I want to appreciate her. Also, she says she loves me. I don't think she's lying. She doesn't say that to many people so...” I trail off. “Yeah. That seems like a good enough reason to have a nice dinner. Right?”

“Mhm.” My mother’s tone is pensive. “Do you think you will ask this girl to marry you, Milo?”

Leave it to my mother to be blunt.

“I... I want to. I’d ask her today, Mom, but I can’t pressure her and rush her just because I know. She has to know, too.”

There is a pause. “That is the right answer. You should make her spanakopita and baklava. If she likes that fancy French bread, then she will love phyllo. And I will bring over moussaka.”

“No, Mom, you can't bring over the main course. I thought you said you had a big order to finish.”

“Hush! I will bring over my portobello mushroom moussaka for my future daughter!”

Well, that's my mother. Blunt and confident. However, I'm fairly confident that Libby will be thrilled when the jewel box I present tonight just contains a homemade necklace and not a big, glittering diamond that means lifelong commitment. Although, I hope she sees the symbolism behind the necklace. It might not symbolize a lifelong commitment in the traditional sense, but it certainly means that I want to be permanent in her life. I want Pine Ridge to be her safe place, a place that she always calls home.

“I will be there in a few hours. Are you going to work?”

“I’ll probably go in after dinner.”

“I’M SO SORRY ABOUT that, Libby. I should have warned you that Towser is quite a handful, even for me.”

I let my boss pull me up and brush me off after a Great Dane hug attack. Towser, who is the size and weight of a Smart Car, also seemed to have three heads whenever I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. Well, if minotaurs are real, I guess it makes sense that cerberuses (cerberi?) are real, too.

As Towser hops into the back of a sleek black SUV, I brush myself off. “I’m fine, Doc. At least he’s friendly!” My scrubs tell a different tale than one of love, however. The knees are torn and there’s a hole where my bra cup is showing. I yelp and go grab my sweatshirt off the back of my chair. I didn’t mean to flash my boss-dad, I swear.

“Why don’t you wrap up for the day? It’s Friday and there’s only the last disinfecting run to do. Do you and Milo have any plans for the weekend?”

“Um. Nothing special. I’ll go with him to work tonight for a couple of hours. I—” I pause, looking at the emails on my computer screen. “Oh, hey. Ricky wants Sixpence’s records so he can give them to a new vet. He’s moving to Creek Valley, California.”

“It’s a supernatural community... but it’s not very friendly. I hope he changes his mind or at least falls in with the right people. A place like that can corrupt a young man.”

I keep quiet. I think Ricky is already well on his way to being corrupted. “Is there... is there someone in Creek Valley that could help him?” I ask softly. I don’t like the guy, but I don’t want him to become worse. Pine Ridge has made me broaden my horizons, to put it mildly.

“I’ll ask Minegold and see if he can make some calls. For today, my business is helping animals and a few select people.” He winks at me and whistles his way back to his office. “Give Milo my best!”

“I will!” I smirk as I step out into the damp, chilly February air. I also intend to give Milo my best. He’s not expecting me for a couple of hours. I have time to hit the mall and get something sexy to wear to bed. Something that isn't black. Maybe something... see-through.

And I’ll be passing the dorms at Pine Ridge NYU. I think I’ll pop in.

AT FIVE MINUTES TO four, the boys start pacing in front of the door, meowing. “Mommy’s not here yet, kiddos. It’s too early.”

I’m rummaging around in the bag my mother brought over. She included a heavy white tablecloth with white-on-white embroidery—why, when I almost always have soot somewhere on me—and matching linen napkins. I have the moussaka in the oven on low and now I can set the table before Libby—

“Hi, honey! I’m home!”

“Libby!” I toss the tablecloth on and smooth it out hastily. “I didn’t expect you for another hour.”

“Oh, I got mauled by a cerberus—in a fun way, and I got let out early to change. So I went shopping and went by the dorms. Did you know they’re included with in-state tuition for the NYU satellite campuses?”

“No. I didn’t know that.” My heart falls. She went to look at the dorms. They’re free. I mean, living with me would be free, too, but maybe Libby thought it was too fast? Or maybe she is trying to be extra thrifty? A dorm would save utilities.

“Milo? What’s wrong? Oh, wow! Milo, this looks so fancy!” Libby enters the dining room (that I tidied up so that it looks like a dining room and not a big junk drawer with a table) and puts her hands to her cheeks. It’s such a cute gesture and there’s such delight in her eyes. I can’t stay sad for long.

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