Page 91 of Magic and Muffins

I let out a relieved breath.

“Good. I’m still not sure how to tell my parents.”

“You have time. Don’t rush it.”

Cross blurred back into the living room, dressed in an identical suit and tie set as Shepard. They were adorable together, and it made my heart squeeze like it was being hugged by Cupid.

“Absolutely not,” Shepard said to Cross. “Either you change, or I do.”

I tugged on Shepard’s coat and stuck out my bottom lip a little. “But I like matching with both of you. I’m fair like that. How can I be the glue between you if we don’t all match?”

He groaned and darted in to suck my bottom lip into his mouth, which turned into a hot kiss that would have ended in disaster if not for Cross’ quick “Don’t touch her hair” warning.

I broke off the kiss and looked at Shepard’s hand, which was inches from my head.

“Do you know how much product is in my hair right now to get it to look like this?”

He grinned and kissed the tip of my nose. “I do. I can smell it.”

The door to Vena’s room opened, and Anchor crept out, closing it behind him.

“Looking good,” he said to all of us. “While you’re out, I’ll start dinner and keep the gremlin entertained. Put in a good word for the wolves, okay, Everly? I really need the Hunters to approve of me soon.”

I snorted. “They already do.” Then, my eyes went wide in understanding.

“Her arm will slow her down a few more days, but then I’m hers.”

Grinning, I hurried across the room to hug Anchor.

Shepard growled, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cross playfully clock him in the back of his head.

“I thought you said not the hair,” Shepard muttered.

“Hers, not yours.”

“Time to go,” Shepard said.

Cross held my hand on the way out, his thumb softly stroking my skin. My stomach was already a ball of nerves just thinking about having to be on TV. The last interview had gone horribly. And while I knew I would keep my cool better than Shepard had, I wasn’t sure I wanted Denise grilling me.

“It will be okay,” Cross said, sensing my nerves, as he opened the car door for me. “If not, you have a vampire and wolf with you. What could go wrong?”

“So many things.”

He chuckled and kissed my cheek before closing the door.

We arrived at the station to find out we’d have a different host this time. Craig Gloverson was a news anchor, not a talk show host like Denise. I hoped that meant their interview styles were different.

The news studio had the familiar long desk and the backdrop of the city along with several other dedicated spots for weather, sports, and even a kitchen area. Although I’d seen Craig on the news a few times, I rarely watched the entire five o’clock news program.

“How long is this segment going to be?” I asked the production assistant who had walked us in.

“It’s not a segment,” she said. “We’re using the whole five o’clock news for a special report.”

“The whole time?” I asked, the nerves getting the better of me.

She nodded with a smile. “Just be yourself, and it will be fine.”

I was pretty sure I heard something along those lines for Shepard and Cross’ interview as well, and it had not been fine.

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