Page 15 of Load Bearing
“No judgement,” Dylan chuckled. “You run a tight ship and play fair. You didn’t ask him to go up a ladder any more than anyone else.” He stripped off his gloves and took a drink from his bottle. “It’s been great working for you, but you’re allowed to have fun, too. I’m just ribbing you a little.”
“Thanks, Dylan,” Trixie said frankly. “I’m glad you have my back.”
“You bet, boss-lady.”
At closing time, they’d finished sheathing half the second floor and all the walls were up.
“Damned if we aren’t actually going to make it,” Sam said as they split up at the parking lot, tired but triumphant. “I was beginning to have my doubts.”
“Well, I never thought we couldn’t do it,” Dylan said. Trixie wasn’t sure if he was trying to be loyal or contrary. Sam stomped off.
Hunter lingered, cleaning up after the others had left.
“You don’t have to take the grunt work just because you’re the newest,” Trixie told him with a laugh, feeling suddenly off balance now that they were alone again. She had been able to stay busy enough that she wasn’t dwelling on dreamy memories of Hunter kissing her hand, but she couldn’t have missed how he strode around the worksite, looking stronger and sexier than any of the others.
“It’s Keith or Kyle,” Hunter said confidently, not offering to stop sweeping. “Maybe both, working together.”
Trixie hated the idea. “They’re good kids,” she said uncertainly. “Why would they want to sabotage their own work?” It was only a little easier to think about that than the idea of Hunter laying her down in the pile of sawdust to do dirty things to her.
Hunter shrugged.
“Well, why do you think it was them?”
Hunter opened his mouth and shut it again, looking at her very intensely, like he was uncomfortable about what he wanted to say.
“Look, I’m not doubting your detective skills, but do you have any evidence?”
“They’re shifters,” Hunter growled.
Trixie didn’t understand. “They’re working ten hour shifts. Just like you and the rest of the crew.”
“No, they’reshifters.”
Trixie was positive now that she was missing some nuance in what he was saying, and her confusion must have been clear on her face.
“Shapeshifters,” Hunter clarified, even more growly than before.
Well, Trixie told herself, there was always a catch. Hunter was handsome, capable, into her, andcompletelycrazy.
13
HUNTER
Hunter had never really thought about how to tell someone that there was an entire culture of magical people living seamlessly side-by-side with the ordinary. He had always been quite happy not to speak of it at all, and since he could always tell if someone was a shifter or not, it was easy enough to curb his tongue around humans.
So he figured he was doing pretty well when Trixie didn’t turn and throw something at him. She had plenty of tools to choose from if she did decide to defend herself.
“Shapeshifters,” she said tolerantly. “Okay.”
Hunter frowned. “I should show you.”
“It’s been a long day,” Trixie said patiently. “Everything will probably make a lot more sense after a solid meal and a good night of sleep. Sourdough Campground has good meals and if you’re there at 7:30, they have a pancake toss that is a lot of fun. It’s kind of a tourist thing around here.”
Sighing, Hunter leaned forward onto four legs andTrixie went immediately from patronizing to panic as she backpedaled frantically out of his way.
“Bearohshitohshitohshit!” she said. This time, she did reach for a tool, and she got to a hammer on the floor before Hunter shifted back and stood up.
Trixie trembled, crouched low with her hammer clenched in both hands. She stared at him with wide brown eyes and blinked several times in succession. “You. Were. A. Bear.” She said each word like it was an effort.
