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Larkin looked up. “Oh shit, yeah, he just had to go speak to maintenance about fixing some seats in the arena. Heidi punted Mads into them while they were rehearsing earlier. It was awesome.”
“Who’s Heidi?” I asked, remembering that Mads was Lady Victoria Venom—the steampunk gorgon.
“The G.O.A.T.”
I winced. I didn’t particularly want to imagine what that felt like, being punted across an arena by an extremely buff woman with powerful goat legs and hooves. Some people would probably love it.
Deciding to sit down while I waited for Holt to come back, I took off my suit jacket and got settled on the couch. As Larkin went back to playing on his phone, I tried to think of something that would spark up a conversation. Really, I just wanted to discreetly ask him about Seb, and whether he’d actually banged any of the wrestlers, but I knew Seb’s werewolf hearing was good, and he was right outside the door. If he did have feelings for Larkin, it seemed cruel to make him stand there and listen to that stuff.
So instead, I asked, “Is this your first job, Larkin?”
He looked up from his phone. “Huh? Oh, no. My mom runs one of those new age stores in town. I used to help out at the weekends.”
“New age… like tarot cards and crystals and stuff?” Sage was probably a customer.
“Yeah. Plus she’s a Seer, so she does that out the back.”
“A Seer?” I asked hesitantly.
“Visions of the future and shit,” Larkin said casually, back to playing on his phone while my vision went spotty at the revelation that there were actually people out there who could see the future.
“Oh,” I said faintly. “That’s… cool. How come you decided to stop working there?”
He shrugged. “Started coming here when I turned twenty-one to watch the wrestling. Heard Holt was looking for a new assistant. Spending my days surrounded by half-naked wrestlers sounded way better than trying to upsell dragon figurines and smelling like incense all the time.”
I didn’t disagree, but I also didn’t want to steer the conversation toward said half-naked wrestlers while poor Seb was having to listen just outside, so I changed the subject.
“My job is so boring.” I chuckled. Larkin glanced up and gave me a dry look.
“I figured, dude.”
“Today was a good day, though,” I added absently.
Work had flown by, and I’d been in a great mood the whole time, even when Tim from HR had loudly declared that he was going to be replacing his almond milk on his lunch break, now that “the perpetrator” had given him the money.
Larkin snorted and set down his phone. “Yeah, Holt’s been all chirpy and shit all day too. He actually said ‘good job’ to me today. He never says that, dude.”
“Well, have you considered”—I squirmed a little—“um, trying to do a good job, if you want him to say it more often?”
Larkin just shrugged. “Eh.”
I snorted just as the sound of Seb’s deep voice came muffled through the door. A second later it opened, and Holt stepped inside wearing his standard three-piece suit with a hot pink tie. I was only the teensiest bit sad that he wasn’t still in the delivery guy outfit.
His face lit up at the sight of me. “Hey.”
I quickly stood, banging my shin on the coffee table as I rounded it. “Hey.”
He made his way toward me, then paused and glanced over at Larkin’s desk. I looked that way too, my face going hot when I saw Larkin watching us avidly. He didn’t even blink.
Holt huffed and gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you came down. Did Larkin at least keep you company, or did he just sit in silence playing Moth Simulator?”
“We had a great talk,” Larkin protested. “We’re buds. Taylor’s dope.”
“Larkin was very welcoming,” I added with a tiny smile.
Holt didn’t look like he believed me, but he moved past it. With a grin, he asked, “Want to come meet some of the wrestlers before we order dinner?”
My breath caught. “Really? Would I need to pretend I’m your stripper? Because I’m not sure I’d be good at—”
