Rena blinked. “What?” The music stopped. The small adult crowd—thank goodness the child had already left—clapped and hooted. Then the duck handed her a card. “Yiffie party Wednesday night. Your invite is on the back. Later, chickie.”
They left, and Rena still didn’t know what had just happened.
On the other side of the room, Tommie was laughing so hard she was crying. “That’s his best one yet!”
“What is going on?” Rena asked, dragging her away.
“The Yiffing crowd are part of the furries—but these guys don’t just wear animal costumes. They like to dress up in furry costumes and have sex.” Tommie started laughing again. “Oh my God. That was awesome. I have it all on video. You look so confused.” She started snorting and had to bend over to breathe.
Rena stomped back to her temporary station, not sure whether Axel actually meant such an invitation or if he’d had no idea he’d invited her to dress up like a rabbit and have sex.
But she planned to ask him soon enough.
Her day ended, and she grabbed a ride with Tommie to Axel’s shop. He rarely closed before five, and she’d texted him earlier to hang around so she could stop by to say hello.
Tommie parked, insisting on coming in with her. “Please. I have so little in my life. Let me show him the video.”
Rena bit back a grin. “Oh fine. But stop singing ‘I love you furry long time.’ It’s creepy.”
Tommie laughed and laughed.
They entered the shop to see the guys cleaning up.
Smitty waved. “He’s with Mateo in the paint bay.”
Before she could ask which one that would be, Axel exited one of the rooms and unzipped a yellow suit down to his hips, pushing his arms out to expose one glorious chest covered in a white T-shirt.
“It’s like peeling a banana and finding a Yiffie inside,” Tommie murmured.
“Stop it,” Rena insisted, and Tommie snickered some more.
“You have truly outdone yourself, Heller.” Tommie grinned. “Seriously.”
The guys looked interested.
“Would you like to see my present today?” Rena asked, trying to be kind.
Axel lit up. “Ja, bitte.”
Tommie whipped out her phone and waited to be surrounded before hitting play.
Everyone watched in stunned silence.
When it was over, they all looked at him.
“What was that?” He looked adorably confused.
Rena socked him in the stomach, which only bruised her hand. “You sent sex animals to my workplace. I was serenaded by Yiffies inviting me to a party on Wednesday. Was that something you set up or what?”
“Party?” He frowned. “And why were they thrusting so much and talking about fucking?”
Smitty had to turn away. Mateo gaped at the phone and asked to see it again. Kelly joined him and watched along with Tommie.
Rylan didn’t even try to hide his gales of laughter.
It took Rena two more tries to explain what the costumed dancers really meant, and when he finally understood, Axel started laughing. Great booming laughs that left him breathless.
Rena’s lips twitched, and she coughed to cover her mirth. “I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
