Page 39 of De-Witched

“It’s a job.”

Three words.

Even she couldn’t do much with three words.

At least until he added, “I like to learn new things.”

Unsure how to respond, she took a gulp of coffee. And spat it back in the mug.

“It’s hot,” he told her, like you would a five-year-old.

As her mouth burned, she slid him a withering look.

He pressed his lips together and looked down, almost—almost—smiling. She hoped she was there when he finally did.

“You like learning new things?” she managed once she’d assured herself her tongue hadn’t boiled off. A swift once-over had her stating, “You should tell that to your face.”

“My face is not a billboard of emotion.”

“Slap that on a bumper sticker.” Leah bit down on her amusement. “But you’re saying you actually like learning to mop and take care of animals?”

“Knowledge is power.”

Now she laughed. “Well, that’s on brand.”

“On brand?”

Human term. “I just meant,” she said aloud, “of course you have an ulterior motive to learning. Don’t you ever just do anything for fun?”

“I enjoy documentaries,” he ventured after a moment’s thought.

“And here I didn’t think we had anything in common, Gabe.”

He ignored that. “You like documentaries?”

“Pretty much every type,” she confirmed, tucking hair behind her ear and cautiously sipping her coffee. “I’m a bit of a curious nerd. I’ll try anything once.” She felt the color rise to her cheeks in a wave of heat. “Ah, I meant, like true crime, history, industry.”

“You surprise me.”

“You surprise me. I figured you for alphabetizing your belongings for fun or practicing your sneer in the mirror.”

“The sneer comes naturally.”

It startled a laugh out of her. “Well, it’s good you’re enjoying it. We need you.”

“You do.”

“More honesty?”

He tipped his mug back without speaking.

She smoothed her thumb over the hot ceramic. “Sonny used to have a better handle on things.” Her easy humor faded as the worry pinched. “But life happens,” she continued. “He got older, more animals needed homes. Expenses go up, bills flood in. People need paid work, so they go elsewhere.”

“You haven’t.”

“I wouldn’t. They need me. I run the website, the social media.” She shot him a somewhat teasing look. “Almost as important as having someone on reception these days.”

He arched an eyebrow but didn’t comment. “Do people donate?”

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