“What are you doing here?” Bennett asked, looking up from his ledger.
“Real friendly.” I plopped the heavy box on the desk in front of him. “Considering how far I went out of my way for you.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.” He chuckled. “But I thought we got everything the other day. What is this? Bleach?”
“Seems like it.” I held out my tablet—a new and modern addition to our service. Bobby only bought into the system because the big companies who hired us required it. “Sign here.”
“We got the bleach in the last order…”
“I told the dispatcher that. But he said bring it on.”
“Bet you suggested he call and check?”
I nodded. “New guy. He’ll learn in time.”
“Well, it’s not like it’s going to go bad or anything.” He signed the tablet with his finger. “We can always use extra. Maybe the universe is telling us that we need to be cleaner.”
“I’ve never heard anyone say a negative word about your cleanliness.”
“No.” He slid the box off the counter and carried it through the door behind the desk then returned. “All the other places keep trying to steal our housekeeper, but he’s loyal. Anyway, can I get you some coffee or maybe a muffin?”
“I’m good. Gonna stop at Fred’s Fried Chicken in a few.”
“He is open this early?” He shook his head. “Good to know.”
With the bleach in the other room, my nose started to clear the smell, and I inhaled deeply in relief. If I hadn’t had it so close to my seat, it would have been better, but I for sure didn’t want it buried in the deliveries for the other side of the county. Although bleach was never a shifter favorite, Bennett insisted on absolute hygiene. It was his thing, and if you couldn’t stand the bleach, you could stay somewhere else.
Considering how disgusting other motels could be, it seemed worth the annoyance. But there was something more…an enticing scent that made the hairs rise on my nape and woke my fox inside me.
Releasing the breath, I inhaled again. “Bennett, did you have someone new here? A one-nighter or someone who stopped in for directions even?”
“No, no one checked out. We do have a new guy kinda long term. You heard about that house fire? The guy lost everything and is staying here while he rebuilds.”
“Oh yeah. I remember hearing something about it. Was he just here in the office?” Because the scent that had my fox cryingmatewas fresh in my nostrils.
“A little while ago. We don’t get many humans here, but he really wanted the room, and he seems like a good enough guy.”
I reeled. My mate was human? My fox should not be all in on this. He knew the story of our family. My dad’s true mate was human and had rejected him. Sure it worked out because he and my father had found one another and, even if not fated, had a great life. But he’d never forgiven the human race. All of them.
He was not going to take it well if I showed up with a human. If the human even wanted me. My dad settled. I’d sworn it would never be enough for me. All or nothing.
Chapter Five
Rain
I woke up to complete silence. A change from the city where I came from, but welcome. When I checked into the Mates Motel, I expected noise ranging from everyday slamming of doors to the sounds of the night, and that was putting it diplomatically. But there was no such ruckus here. I slept as well, if not better than, in my former-new house.
My charred house. Nothing but charcoal, really.
My phone alarm chimed softly on the bedside table. I usually kept the volume down, but this time, I’d slept right through it and apparently three sets of snoozes.
I was unsure when Bennett gave me the keys to my room, thinking this would be a mistake, but now, I was sure I made the right choice.
The one thing the Mates Motel was missing? A steady internet signal. I had to have that, not only to communicate with the insurance people and the new contractor for my house, but I was still building my consulting business at the same time and I knew from glancing at the emails on my phone that they were already piling up. A good thing for my business, but I needed a better signal.
Once dressed, I popped into the office, and Bennett grumbled something about the Good Times Diner having better internet. Something about Layla trying to outdo him. I felt like there was a bit of a rivalry there, but a diner and a motel weren’t really competing businesses.
Maybe a life feud.
