Coffee Heaven looked just about the same as it always did. We’d waited around long enough that the morning crowd had already passed through the place, leaving nearly all the tables empty and surprisingly clean. I wondered who was working that morning.
I got my answer moments later when Eric walked out from the back. If two people had been working, one would have been at the counter. “Are you actually running the place yourself?”
“What’s a manager supposed to do when his employees up and disappear?” There was a different sort of teasing in his voice that I preferred to the creepy one he usually used with me. I wasn’t sure exactly what had changed, but I liked it.
“Yeah, well, next time I’ll tell my kidnappers to wait for me to call in first.”
He wrapped his arms around me in a nearly bone crunching hug.
I stood there startled for a moment until Toby cleared his throat.
“Sorry.” Eric stepped back. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Me too.” I smiled. It was still a little bit awkward with Eric. Finding out he was a bear was one thing, but knowing that he’d been hiding my true identity from me since I met him made it worse. I reminded myself that he really was only trying to help me. That seemed to be a pattern lately. People were holding things back from me in order to protect me.
“I assume this isn’t a social call, so what’s up?” He pointed up at the ceiling.
Toby nodded and put a finger in front of his lips. I assumed all the charades meant that the place might be bugged.
“We’re just stopping in for some coffee. Casey says I can’t brew it for anything.”
I smiled. I was definitely not a coffee snob. Hopefully whoever was listening in didn’t know that.
Eric banged down a display on the counter. I assumed he was trying to make it sound like he was working. “We’re actually all out of the kind she likes.”
“That’s too bad. Any suggestions of where else we can get it? I promised Casey a good cup of coffee this morning.” Toby was laying it on too thick. Or maybe it was all a code I didn’t quite understand.
The jingling of the door announced a customer. Eric and I looked at each other, and I nodded. I’d help the person while he set up a meeting with Toby. They quickly walked into the back room.
“Hi. Can I help you?” I hurried back behind the counter. I didn’t bother with an apron.
“Hey, I haven’t seen you in here in a while.”
I looked harder at the girl. Did I know her from somewhere?
“No. I’ve been away.” That was putting it mildly.
“I get that. It’s been a busy summer for everyone. I’m taking a bunch of business classes myself.”
Business classes. Then I remembered. “You dyed your hair. It looks great.” I hadn’t recognized the girl with her black locks. They’d been blond the last time she’d been in.
“Thanks!”
“Do you want your usual latte?” I smiled to myself. I prided myself on remembering faces and drinks.
“Yes, that would be great.”
I prepared the girl her drink—a low fat latte with whipped cream. I’d decided on day one not to mention how pointless it was to use low-fat milk if you’re just going to smother it in heavy whipped cream. It wasn’t my place. Sometimes we all need to be a little delusional—or give ourselves the smallest of treats.
As soon as the customer left and turned the corner I flipped the open sign to closed. Toby and Eric walked back out.
I wiped down the counter out of habit and turned to the guys. “Where else can we go for that kind of coffee?”
“I’ll show you.” Toby smiled, and I followed him out the door. Eric trailed out behind us.
Toby glanced over his shoulder. “In the mood for a boat trip?”
“A boat trip?” That was the last thing I was in the mood for, but I assumed there was a good reason Toby was suggesting it.
“Yes. Well that’s only after we take a flight first.”
A flight sounded much better. “A flight?” I turned to Eric. “How are you getting there?”
He ran a hand through his blond hair. “I’m not coming.”
“Oh, I assumed that’s why you’re walking with us.” I knew he wasn’t coming to enjoy our company. He wasn’t exactly best friends with Toby, although they did seem to end up having more meetings than you’d think.
“I’m going to find your sister.” He said it resolutely, like there was nothing else he could possibly be doing.
I tried to reel in my skepticism. “Do you know her?”
He shook his head. “No, but she’s of my kind.”
“Got it.” I was new to the whole paranormal thing, but I was beginning to understand the loyalty between members of the same kind of creature. It made sense, but it also frustrated me. Why did everything have to be so divisive? Besides, where did that leave me? What was I anyway? I shifted into a Pteron, but I knew I was part bear. Would I ever truly fit in anywhere?
“I’ll bring her to you as soon as I find her.” Eric misread the expression on my face. I didn’t doubt his dedication. It was more the principle of the thing.
“Where are we going exactly?” I asked Toby.
“It’s up north, on a small island.”
“So why aren’t we flying directly there? Why this talk of a boat trip?”
“We have to meet our tour guide first.”
“Tour guide?”
Toby shrugged. “Ask Eric.”
I turned back to him. “Who is it?”
“It’s actually two guides. If you tried to fly to the island yourself, they’d view it as an attack.”
“Two?”
“They’re twins, and I assure you they’re trust worthy. They’re actually your cousins.” He looked away. “They had contacted me already.”
“My cousins?” Did I have more cousins than just Rhett? “And why would they contact you about me?”
“Your mom has something to do with them calling. I didn’t get a chance to talk to them long, but these are cousins you’ll take a liking too. Like you they’re a mix, but a mix of a different sort.” He smiled, which made me nervous.
A mix? Was there more inter paranormal mating going on than everyone thought?
“Don’t worry about it, Bates. You’ll be fine.” He patted my shoulder. “You have Toby here for protection, don’t you?”
“Don’t you mean he has me for protection?” I grinned.
“That’s about right.” Toby took my hand. “Let’s swing by both of our places and pack. It sounds like this is going to be awhile.”
“What do we tell Georgina? She’s expecting us in New Orleans.”
“We’ll just have to go straight to New Orleans afterward. She’s the one who told you to look for answers.”
“That’s true.” I turned to Eric. “Thanks, I think.”
He smiled. “Anytime.”
“And be careful.” I knew Eric was putting himself at risk to look for Vera. I hoped he was successful. It’s crazy how I went from hating the guy to trusting him with my life and the lives of others I loved.
“I can’t promise careful, but I’ll try not to die.”
I laughed. “Good enough.” I waved goodbye before Toby led me back toward my new apartment. “Do you know anything else about these twins?”
He shrugged. “Nope, but considering everything we’ve faced lately, I think we’ll be okay.”
“Just don’t ditch me, and we’ll be fine.”
“I knew you wanted me around,” he teased.
I leaned into his side. “I’m sure I’ll find a use for you eventually.”
“You mean more than the stress relief and focus you found this morning?”
“Yeah, good point. That’s a very good use.”
He laughed. “I’m glad you think so.” He put an arm around me, and we continued walking. I tried to savor the moment, to soak up the pretense of normalcy. I knew I couldn’t pretend for long, but I was going to hold on to it for as long as I could. “You okay?” he asked worriedly.
“Yeah I’m fine.”
“No you’re not, but that’s okay.”
“It is okay.” I slowed down pace as my building came into view. I wanted to savor every moment.