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Perfect.
I knew exactly where that was, so I grabbed my keys and headed for the door just as Baptiste was coming in to relieve me of my shift.
He arched a brow, saying, “You seem awfully eager to get out of here today.”
I paused, knowing there was no use denying it. He was a warlock, after all, and could probably sense my emotions better than I could. “I’m going to find Zoe,” I said matter-of-factly.
Baptiste grinned and clapped me on the shoulder. “Atta boy. Go get her.”
“I just want to apologize,” I clarified. “She probably thinks I was acting like a weirdo.”
Baptiste shrugged, saying, “Well, you were.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed past him out the door. “As always, I appreciate your unending honesty.”
He laughed and called after me, “Good luck!”
I waved over my shoulder and headed for my truck, still not all too sure if I was making a mistake.
Chapter 4
Zoe
I managed to graba good spot, right near Lafayette Square. It was the perfect place to be, with lots of foot traffic and a steady stream of people coming by for lunch.
I’d even managed to set up a collaboration with a nearby bakery to sell their freshly baked rolls with every bowl of gumbo. Both complemented each other nicely, and seemed to be a hit with the customers.
But despite managing another win for my business, my head was in the clouds.
Or rather, in the gutter.
I couldn’t stop thinking of that hot fire captain, and those amber eyes of his that burned right through me.
Perhaps his eyes burned through everybody, though, and there wasn’t anything particularly special about our interaction. I admittedly didn’t know much about hellhounds, and couldn’t find many resources online either.
Eventually evening rolled around and business died down, which was fine since I was just about out of fresh ingredients, anyway.
I texted Annabelle to see if she was in the area, and as expected of a dog sitter who lived by the park, she was, and she had half a dozen furry friends with her.
I smiled when I saw her coming down the sidewalk, her long blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail, and her bright green eyes sparkling in the sunlight. She wore overalls on top of a white t-shirt and a pair of sneakers that were covered in dog hair.
“Why, hey there, honey,” she said in her cute drawl.
Annabelle was one of the few friends I made when I was new to the city, and though I was shy and socially awkward, she waspersistent until she finally broke through my walls. She was like a sister to me now, and I loved her to death.
I stepped out of the truck and gave her a quick hug before turning to the dogs she was walking. “And how are you guys doing today?” I asked them, crouching down to scratch each one behind the ears.
“They’re all pretty good,” Annabelle said. “Except for this little guy.” She pointed to a small Golden Retriever pup who had a cone around his neck. “The owner says he got into a fight with a squirrel. Evidently, the squirrel won.”
I commented, “Squirrels are no joke around here, damn.”
Annabelle nodded in agreement. “Yeah, they’re feisty little buggers.” She glanced at the dog in question. “But I’m sure this one will be back to his old tricks in no time.”
She then narrowed her eyes at me suddenly. “Wait a minute… Something’s different about you!”
“No,” I replied too quickly, crossing my arms behind my back. “I mean, what? No, there’s not.”
She tilted her head and studied me for a moment longer before saying, “You met someone.”
