Page 118 of Tamiko and the Two Janitors
“You okay?” Ash asked in an undertone.
Kip waved a hand. But Ash wasn’t sure if he was answering,because Kip’s crystals swung into orbit. This part of the plan was a littleembarrassing, but necessary. Black wings weren’t easy to see in the dark. AndAsh did want to be seen. When an involuntary quiver twanged through tensemuscles, he remembered to move. Flexing, stretching, and finally extending, hedisplayed like the courting male he was.
She gasped and gawked, but definitely in a good way.
Biddie slid from his lap and hurried to Tami, took her hand,and pulled her nearer. Also good.
Ash hurried to his feet, wings stirring up dust and straw,hands reaching until he remembered he wasn’t going to rush her. But she plowedright into him, hiding her face against his shirt like she didn’t want anyoneto realize she was losing it.
He shot Kip a bewildered look, but his best friend wasrubbing furiously at his cheeks with a red handkerchief that Joe must haveproduced.
Joe offered a little half-smile. “You look like an angel.”
“You think?” Ash wasn’t used to compliments. MostAmaranthine looked on him with pity. He was cobbled together, stranded betweenforms.
“Those wings are damned sexy,” Kip accused, not quite makingeye contact. “She never stood a chance.”
Arms wound around Ash’s waist, which also added up to good.So he nuzzled her hair and whispered, “You’re okay with the wings, then?”
A bubble of laughter. A hint of embarrassment. A long lookthat was really more of an ogle.
“Tamiko,” he coaxed.
She asked, “Are you for real?”
Ash’s ego was preening. “To quote Kip, ‘Fraid so.’”
“He’s right, you know. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful.”
He could have argued the point. There were plenty of aviansbetween here and the city, all of whom had glorious plumage—pheasants, doves,peacocks. Even the pigeon clans had more to strut about. But if Tamiko thoughthim beautiful, he wouldn’t compare or complain. “I love you.”
She shook her head, but not to refuse or rebuff him.Amaranthine instincts and senses assured him that his attentions were welcomeand any further advances would be favorably met.
A throat cleared.
He remembered their audience.
Joe said, “We’ll just walk Biddie back to the oak glen.”
Ash ducked his head guiltily and would have signaled to Kip,begging for more time. But only Joe was there, his feet already on the ladder.
“Kip will be with me.” Joe stepped down. “He needs to see thecorn maze. We’ll go to my room after. Hang out.”
That odd crosscurrent nagged at Ash, and he hesitated. “IsKip okay?”
Joe’s expression softened. “Yep. He’ll be with me.”
Kip might hide certain details behind impressions andillusions, but he’d always tried to be himself. Humans were always saying thatlooks weren’t everything. That the hidden person of the heart was what mattersmost. That a beautiful soul will always shine through.
Nice ideas. True stuff.
Over and again, he’d been accepted for himself, but alwaysby people who never saw past a careful barrier of misinformation. So Kipcouldn’t shake the nagging conviction that stripped of his illusions, he’d loseeveryone’s trust and respect and camaraderie.
Real possibilities. Worst nightmare.
Which might be why Kip had also harbored a perverse longing forexposure.
There was a reason Jiminy had called him in when it was timeto ward the Reaverson place. He was the best Woodacre for the job. Hissigilcraft was stellar. His illusions might have gained him acclaim … exceptthat nobody ever realized they’d been duped.
