Page 27 of You Can't Fight Lightning
“You can tell that after two, no three days?”
“There’s something about this place.” I nodded, more to myself than to her. Then I turned my smile onto her. I wanted her to know I was interested, even as she’d already shot me down. “It’s beautiful.”
Roxy didn’t flush, didn’t smile, didn’t look away, get shy, or anything else. “Beauty is all around.” Then she shifted in her seat.
I wondered if I’d offended her. The waitress came over and set a plate down in front of Roxy.
Oh.
This over analyzing was going to kill me. I’m immortal, and this was going to kill me. Because of romance novels, and conversation with a local witch. I would die, after all the years that nothing was able to kill me.
To make matters worse, as though called by merely thought, Delilah Knight walked by, a young girl at her side.
Good hell. Did she have spawn? The thought was terrifying.
“Z! Hey! How are you?” Delilah stepped between the tables. Then she stopped. “And it’s Roxy, right? From Big Pete’s?”
Roxy looked up. “Oh, hey, Delilah. The PI, right?”
“That’s me.” Delilah looked pleased as a cat with a mouse. She noted the book that sat on my table next to my plate, and she smiled even more broadly.
I feared I was the mouse in this scenario, her pleasure at my reading material aside.
How in the name of Hades had I, Zeus, ended up here?
“This is my friend, Kaila Callahan.” She indicated the younger girl with her.
“Nice to meet you.” I inclined my head.
I didn’t know what the girl was, but she wasn’t only human. The way her eyes narrowed at me, she sensed my otherness as well. She felt animalistic. What had Delilah said? Wolves? Was this girl a shifter? There was an air of wildness about her, like I’d sensed with Tuesday the vampire.
Who knew this little town had all sorts of magical beings running free? That hadn’t been in the guidebook.
“Well, I just wanted to say hello. Glad to see you’re taking the local recommendations, Z!” Her eyes moved toward the book and then back to my face. “Enjoy your day, you two!” Delilah was too cheerful as she and the girl Kaila moved back toward the sidewalk. Kaila gave me a last warning glare, and then they continued on down the street.
“You already met Delilah?”
“I was out for a walk last night and I saw her pull into her office, or home, or whatever on her bike. It’s a nice bike.” I hurried to explain. Something in Roxy’s tone made me want to explain.
Roxy gave a curt nod as she took a bite of her omelet. “Her Indian Chief is cherry. She says her cousin left it to her.”
“This is a small town.”
“Yes it is. Eyes are everywhere.” Roxy continued to eat. “So are you going to read all day?”
“Why? Are you offering something better?” I knew she’d already said no, but I couldn’t help it. Gods, I wanted this woman. Sitting next to her, breathing in her sunshine floral smell, just being near her—my desire grew stronger every time I saw her.
And I wanted to ask her why she was unavailable, but something told me that maybe now wasn’t the right time.
“Nope. I have plans.”
Did she have to sound pleased about it?
“Since you’re local, then maybe you can share with me a good place to go for a sunset ride?” I changed the subject since it was clear I wasn’t going to get her to agree to a date.
I should count myself lucky she was sitting at the table next to me.
I was lucky.
