Page 39 of Just One Little Bargain

“You’re really committed to this bit.”

I push a thread of influence outward, and it takes more effort than it should because I haven’t done this in fifteen years and the mechanism has gone rusty. The thread brushes against Maddie’s mind, and I flinch internally at the contact. I always forget how invasive it is from this end, how close you have to get to someone’s actual thoughts to nudge them in any direction. I resist wiping my palms on my jeans. I find the skepticism already sitting comfortably there and lean into it, feeding it until doubt solidifies into certainty.

“Halloween is next month, man.” She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, still chuckling. “What’s the costume? Horns? Pitchfork? One of those red bodysuits?”

I withdraw the thread and my fingers twitch. I feel grimy.

“No pitchfork,” I say. “They’re more of a middle-management thing. I’m entry-level.”

She laughs again, tilting her head. “Entry-level demon. That’s adorable. Evie, where did you find this guy?”

Evie makes a small, choked sound next to me.

I turn to her briefly, then back to Maddie. “This is funny. I get it. But regardless of whether you believe me, you need to know I’m not dangerous. At all. My biggest accomplishment today was successfully operating a crosswalk signal on the third attempt. The only thing I’m a threat to is my dignity.”

The laughter tapers. “Alright, demon boy.” Maddie points at me with her index finger. “You’re strange, but not giving me dangerous vibes. You’ve got the energy of a golden retriever who’s been left at a bus station.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“It is one.” She turns to Evie. “He’s fine. Weird, but fine. You can unclench.”

I watch Evie’s confusion give way to relief. Her shoulders loosen, death grip on the cup easing.

Maddie glances at her, then at me, and something sparks in her hazel eyes.

“So, are you single?”

Evie chokes on her latte. It’s not a delicate, ladylike cough. Her hand flies to her mouth as a strangled wheeze escapes, face turning red all the way to the tips of her ears.

“Maddie.” She barely gets the name out through her fingers. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing. I’m being thorough.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Everything’s my business. You know this about me.” Maddie sets her cup down. “It’s a simple question. Yes or no.”

Evie groans, and for the first time I notice the freckles scattered across her nose. Not many, just a light scatter across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. The blush makes them stand out like constellations appearing at dusk.

I am losing my mind.

“I’m single,” I offer, hoping to ease the tension. “Yes.”

“Good to know.” Maddie looks thrilled. “That’s all I wanted.”

“That’s never all you want,” Evie mutters.

Maddie ignores this, then looks at me with sudden alarm. “Wait! You don’t have a drink. How do you not have one? I’ve been talking to you this whole time.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“That’s polite and also insane.” She’s standing now, shaking her head. “What do you want?”

“I genuinely don’t know.”

She heads toward the counter, waving her hand. “I’ll figure it out. You seem like a caramel macchiato guy. Actually, no. Nora’s been working on some new fall thing. Consider yourself the trial run.”

And then it’s just us.