Page 24 of Jacob Michaels Is Not Jacob Michaels

“Stress creates Crow’s Feet.” Carlos quipped as he blew out vapor. “I can’t afford that shit.”

“Well, you’re handling it remarkably well.”

“I didn’t lose my drag show, anyway.” Carlos took a final puff and stuffed the e-cig back into his bag. “That’s in here.”

He jabbed a manicured nail into his chest.

“I just lost the place to perform it.” He reiterated. “Clubs are a dime a dozen. Just, a lot of them don’t have the stage space for a good drag show. I’ll make the rounds, though. Talk to owners, see what I can do. This ain’t the first time I’ve had to hustle. And there are other bars in town. They care more about ensembles, though. I’ll figure something out.”

“Let me know.” I winked. “I’ll come see the first show. Promise.”

Carlos put a hand to his chest. “I would be honored, baby.”

Standing up from my seat, I pushed the folding chair back in under the table as I smiled down at Carlos.

“Tell the warden I had to leave, would you?”

“Absolutely.” Carlos winked. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t.” I agreed. “See ya’ next time, Carlos.”

“Bye, baby.”

Exiting onto the street in front of the center, it became apparent that the day was going to warm up—maybe even be tolerable by lunchtime. Since the wind wasn’t too strong and it wasn’t too cold, and Andrew’s office building wasn’t too far away from the center, I opted to walk over to see if I could locate him. I gave the lock button on my key fob a quick click and my car honked at me as I made my way down the sidewalk. Being in downtown Toledo reminded me of being back in Hollywood—of course, it wasn’t nearly as cosmopolitan or busy or, well, big, but it was a taste of being in a place more significant than the postage stamp that was Point Worth.

When I had come back to Point Worth, I knew that I wanted to get away from living such a busy lifestyle, constantly around tons of people, running from paparazzi, listening to a constant dull roar of noise. However, after what had happened over the last several days, I wasn’t so sure if Point Worth was going to be the ideal place to settle down in, either. Apparently, the supernatural community—the were-community—were all over the place, so I couldn’t entirely escape whatever it was that went on in the shadows. However, I certainly couldn’t hide in a small town like Point Worth. It was everywhere at all times because there wasn’t enough space to contain it.

In my heart of hearts, as I made my way down the sidewalk, hands in my pocket, eyes down so that no one could get a straightforward look at my face, I knew that Point Worth was home. If something like the date with Andrew and then the attack from the werewolves, Kobolds—any of it—had happened in Hollywood or anywhere else, I would have lost my mind. I wouldn’t have known what to do. Something about being home in Point Worth, where I was born and raised, living in Oma’s house, it all made me feel stronger. Braver. Saner. Powerful. Maybe Point Worth and even Oma’s house wasn’t perfect, but it just felt natural to be there. Hollywood and anywhere else in the world felt wrong.

Andrew’s office building was large enough that I knew I would have to ask around quite a bit to find him. Hopefully, I wouldn’t get recognized by anyone in the process, either. As luck would have it, I didn’t have to enter the building, ask a receptionist where to go, talk to another receptionist, talk to other employees, so on and so forth until I had spoken to a hundred different people. Andrew was outside of his building, sitting on one of the benches, eating a sandwich and drinking something in a to-go coffee cup. Probably coffee, if I were to place a bet.

The setting was so peaceful and calm, and Andrew looked so happy to be enjoying his lunch that I almost backed out of talking to him. He obviously had not been in Oma’s backyard the night of the attack, and maybe he didn’t really have any pertinent information that could help me. Interrupting his lunch and causing him stress definitely wouldn’t make me feel good about myself. However, my mind flashed back to the night we had gone on our date, and he had tried to get handsy with me in his car before turning into a wolf and tried to gobble me up. Ruining Andrew’s lunch didn’t seem so awful after I remembered that.

“What’s on the sandwich?” I asked as I sat down on the bench next to him, making sure to leave adequate room between us.

Andrew smiled and looked over.

The smile quickly disappeared when he saw me.

He didn’t change from smiling to angry or annoyed; he just looked concerned. Of course, in dealing with me, he had been practically run over by Lucas’ truck, punched in the face—by me—and cussed out numerous times by myself and Oma. His track record when I was around was not great.

“Rob.” He exhaled.

I smiled and shrugged, though it wasn’t as light-hearted as I would have liked. Andrew wasn’t someone I could ever trust, so I couldn’t put my heart into trying to be jovial with him. Something about a guy trying to eat you really makes you wary of him, ya’ know?

“How’ve ya’ been?” I asked simply.

“Um, okay.” His brow furrowed. “I guess?”

I gave an upward nod.

“Any fleas or ticks we need to worry about?” It was a low blow, but he still had insults coming as far as I was concerned.

Andrew’s dark cheeks flushed as he gently started wrapping up his sandwich again.

“Don’t stop on account of me.” I gestured vaguely at the sandwich. “I’m not here to cause you trouble. I probably won’t be super nice—but what’s new?”

“I told you that I’m sorry.”