Page 85 of Those Who Are Bound

“You need to take me to every future job interview in case it works in reverse, too,” she said.

“Deal.” He added, “If ever I lose the shop.”

“And you still need to name your first kid after me.”

Jonah shook his head. “And you’re still way ahead of yourself on that one.”

Lucy swiveled the chair back and forth. “How long are you going to stay mad at me for knowing what I know?”

“I’m not mad, I’m disappointed.”

“God, you’re going to be one of those parents.” She groaned.

“It’s a hurtful, private matter, Lucy.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. But, Jonah… he broke my heart, what he said.”

Jonah nodded, letting her words sit in the air between them, acknowledging her sincerity. He pointed out, “If your heart was broken and you never met him, imagine what it’s done to her.”

Lucy looked down and sighed. “I wish I’d met him.”

Jonah watched her as she contemplated her blue shoes. “Don’t become lost in this. Keep your head in the game that matters.”

“No, I know,” she said. “But I feel bad. And he was freaking hot. I mean, what a waste.”

Jonah let out a half laugh.

“But…” She nodded as though encouraging herself. “I’m going to see how it goes with Greg.” She drew out his name, making a face.

“Probably better than you’ll admit; you like your bad boys,” Jonah pointed out.

Greg was a typical motorcycle club guy. He looked scary enough in his leather biker vest, but he was one of the kindest guys that Jonah had met, so he was just the right amount of bad boy for his friend—looked the part, could act it, but deep down had a heart of gold. And, of course, Lucy was drawn to teddy bear-type men, thus her attraction to the deceased Gage Rork. She’d have been all over that man.

She was all over him anyway, even though the man had departed the Earth two years ago. She needed someone else to capture her attention and imagination. Someone real.

Lucy shrugged. “Maybe.”

“On that note, I asked Elliott to go with us to Niangua.”

Lucy gave him a confused look. “Why?”

Jonah returned her expression with a slightly annoyed one. “You’ve deserted me, remember?”

“Well, what if I can’t stand Greg after two minutes?”

He laughed in exasperation. “What? I’m supposed to hold your spot open in the event you decide on a whim that you don’t like him?”

Lucy pouted again. “Yes?”

He shook his head. “No. You made your decision; deal with it. My girlfriend is going with me.”

Lucy gave him a mock glare, and then her expression slowly dissolved into a smile. “You like saying that, don’t you?”

Jonah nodded. “I do. When it’s her, I do.”

“I’m telling you, bro, that baby better have my name.”

He laughed. “Then it should be a boy, because to really name it for you, we’ll have to call him Lucifer.”

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