I’d pulled the llamamobile to the end of the alley, where we’d loaded the animal up easily with a single cookie.
“Nah. She knows she’ll get another cookie when she gets to her stall,” Ben said. “Thanks for your help finding her. I still can’t figure out what she wanted from Magnolia.”
“The secrets of llamas,” I said.
Esmerelda chuffed as if she didn’t approve of my comment.
“Good luck getting her home.” I stepped back from the driver’s window of the van.
“Have a good night,” Ben said as he put the old vehicle into gear.
He raised his window and pulled away. I watched him go, waiting till he was out of sight before moving. Because I wasn’t heading straight for my truck.
I walked back toward Magnolia’s apartment to take care of what I should’ve taken care of days ago.
I’d been stunned to find Ben’s llama with Magnolia, of all people. My dads’ group had been at Max’s to eat and play pool while watching game two of the World Series. As we’d been getting ready to leave, Ben got a call from Emerson that Esmerelda was MIA. As the guy without a wife to get home to, I’d been the obvious choice to help round up the beast. What were the chances we’d find Esmerelda was snuggled up with her?
Magnolia had looked pale and more than a little freaked out when we’d shown up. Understandably. She’d had a llama in her face, literally.
As I ascended the stairs to the apartment above The Lily Pad, I told myself I mainly wanted to be sure she was okay. More importantly, I owed her a follow-up from everything she’d confessed to me in her office last week.
Only when I got to the top of the steps did I question whether midnight was an appropriate time to be knocking on her door.
She’d been awake just twenty minutes ago. Surely she wasn’t already asleep. With a shrug, I decided to go for it. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to take time out during the day to pay her a visit, not with tree season about to start. She could tell me to leave if it wasn’t a good time.
I knocked and heard movement inside, then a heavy pause on the other side of the windowless door, which I guessed was her looking through the peephole.
The door creaked open just enough for her head to appear.
Magnolia narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, obviously puzzled.
“Either you didn’t bother to look who it was, or you did and you opened the door anyway,” I said lightly.
“What are you doing here, Luke?”
“I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“It was a llama, not a street gang,” she answered flippantly.
“Llamas are creepy,” I said, then shrugged. “Don’t tell Ben I said that.”
A quiet laugh escaped from her, and she opened the door wider. “They really are. Why are their heads so small?”
“And their eyes so big,” I added.
“And googly.”
Her hair was wet and hung down her back. Instead of the leggings and baggy sweatshirt from earlier, she wore lightweight pants that reminded me of a genie and a thin-strapped tank. I couldn’t help noticing her nipples through the fabric.
“You showered off the llama?” I asked.
“As soon as I got in the door, in case there was drool. Anyway, I’m fine and you can go,” she said. Her tone wasn’t unfriendly, just matter-of-fact.
“Can we talk?”
“Right now?”
“Are you going to bed?”
