Page 97 of As The Shifter World Turns

“I can’t wait until you have the baby. I’ll babysit,” Neil added.

“But if you’re not living in the building, when will we see you?” Ivor whined.

I’d mentioned us possibly buying the house in the next street but now the elderly owner was having second thoughts about selling. Both Ivor and Neil had been upset at the news that we might leave Sunshine Manor. Happy for me and Micah but sad we wouldn’t be one or two floors away from each other.

“Look, if it happens, we’ll be here every Friday night, you can walk Patch and babysit our little one, and we’ll have movie night once a week. If we buythat house, you can stand on the roof and wave. And we can alternate. Some Friday nights you can all come to our place.”

Both my friends shook their heads. Friday nights on the roof were a ritual and after those weeks I’d been working elsewhere, when they didn’t meet up there once a week, everyone agreed never to let that happen again.

“We can come to your place,” Ivor agreed. “But not on a Friday night.”

My fellow wolf shifter had been going through a lot with the whole Kellan issue and I hated seeing him taking furtive glances at the stag shifter when we were all together. “I hate to bring it up but has anything changed with Ryder?”

He shrugged. “Things are going okay. I mean we’re not sleeping together or really dating. He’s trying so hard to be a better man, and I don’t know. Maybe it won’t work out and I’ll have to find another job.”

“Don’t hate me for saying this but there’s a chance that Kellan will always come between you,” Neil told him. “Not even the real Kellan, just his ghost. You might never be able to look at Ryder and not think of that asshat.”

Wow! Neil was really hitting Ivor with some home truths. Time to lighten things up a little. “Ivor, I’ve been thinking about my replacement when I take paternity leave.”

He furrowed his brow. “I can’t think of anyone.”

Neil didn’t wait for me to reply. “You, Ivor.”

‘“Me? What do I know about being a personal assistant?”

“A lot. And it’s not rocket science but there’s plenty of juggling,” I explained.

“But I’m not dropping out of college,” Ivor insisted.

I patted his hand. He didn’t have much experience with babies and pregnancy. “It’s not for a few months, right after you graduate.”

“Oh.” I gave him a ball-park salary as I had no control over what my boss would offer. “But I’d have to attend an interview or interviews and I’m crap at those. I always say the wrong thing.”

Neil gave him a hug. “We can help you. We’ll do mock interviews.”

“And I can put a good word in with my boss.”

Ivor tugged his ear. “Maybe.”

While I wasn’t going to be as up front as Neil, taking over my job would get Ivor out of Ryder’s office. That had to be a positive, whether they worked out or they didn’t.

“Maybe you could get your own place,” I suggested.

But that was met by a resounding, “No,” from Neil. “I c-can’t lose b-both of you,” he stammered. And that resulted in more tears.

Now it was Ivor’s turn to comfort our human friend. “Even if I have a well-paying job, I’m happy living with Daire. I’m not going anywhere.”

Actually, I’d been thinking of Micah’s place if we moved but kept my mouth shut not wanting to upset Neil further. “Who wants cheesecake?” I asked.

Neil grinned through his tears. “I wonder who?”

I raised my hand. “Me. Me. Me.”

Ivor got the dessert and gave me the first slice. I dug in, not waiting for the other two. “What movie are we watching tonight?”

“Zombies,” Neil told us.

“But we haven’t asked you about soccer dad,” Ivor protested. That was how we often thought of Martin though we never called him that to his face.

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