I am a stupid fucking snowman.
I catch my reflection in the black glass of the monitor and realize my face has revealed all. I look utterly dejected.
I need help, and I know who I’m going to have to ask.
I catch her as she’s tucking in the corners on the flat sheet on a bed in one of the empty rooms. Lerana is in her own little world, headphones tucked into her ear. She’s so incredibly focused as she wrangles the white cotton. I clear my throat right on the other side of the doorway, not wanting to scare her.
She doesn’t register my presence, so I duck into the room and tap her on the shoulder. The faun, as if in some kung fu movie, jumps and chops me in the torso.
“Lerana, what the fuck?” I laugh, catching her by the wrist.
“Andri, for the love of Pan, why in the hell are you sneaking up on me while I’m listening to my murder podcasts?” Her brown hand clutches her furry chest over her housekeeping apron.
“Murder podcasts?” I arch a brow, dropping her wrist.
“They relax me,” she tells me without any further explanation. “What’s up?”
I chew on the inside of my cheek.
“Don’t tell me there’s a code brown in Room Two again. It was literal nightmare fuel last time.” Her face looks grave.
“God, no, we’re good on the bathroom front. It’s something a lot more important than that.”
The faun’s demeanor changes instantly. She sits on the edge of the bed and pats the empty space next to her. I follow her instructions and seat my body beside hers.
“Do fauns have mates?” I ask quietly.
“I wish.” She looks at me. “I think things would have turned out differently for me with Jack’s father if that was the case.”
“I don’t know if snowmen do, but I feel like they might.”
Lerana knows about me and my past. She understands I don’t know much about how my life is supposed to go.
“Do you have feelings for someone?” she asks, all while I’m pretty sure she’s got a hunch on who it might be.
“Yeah, and it’s not just feelings, it’s bordering on obsession. I’m a fool around her, I can’t be normal… She’s got me wrapped around her finger and she doesn’t even understand how bad I’ve got it. I’m turning into a total creep, I just want to be near her all the damn time. I don’t know if my kind even has mates, or maybe there’s so few of us that kind of bond isn’t as important as it once was? I just know that this is different, that she’s special.”
The faun stares at me thoughtfully.
“So, have you told Daphne how you feel?” She knows.
“I’ve managed to make a fool of myself, but I’m not sure it’s clicked. And humans don’t have mates, anyway. How do I explain it to her that I barely know her but I’d do anything to make her happy?” I’m getting itchy with agitation, and I scratch at my thigh.
“Well, for starters, slow your damn roll. She’s a nice girl who just got out of a bad situation. Don’t get me wrong, you’re a hell of an upgrade from that jerk at the diner—don’t tell Ted, but I totally dropped his bacon on the floor once or twice—but let’s give her a minute to adjust to the idea.”
“Okay, and then what?” I know my preferred timeline would be one of superspeed, but I know that I’ll need patience in this situation.
“Maybe get her a gift, ask her out on a date that’snotthe diner. Let her know that it’s an actual date too, don’t just offer to ‘go with.’ Get dressed up, get a haircut, you know the regular stuff you’d do for someone who isn’t your fated mate. Work her up to the idea of your undying levels of devotion.” She slaps a hand on my back.
“You’re right, if I want forever with her, what’s a little waiting?” It’s like a little common sense from my favorite faun has somehow given me clarity.
“I’m always here to tell you what you already know, deep down,” she sighs. “Now get your yeti ass off the bed, I’ve got four more rooms to do before my shift at the diner.” She swats at me playfully.
“Will do… and hey let’s keep the kung fu to a minimum around the guests?”
She rolls her eyes and shoos me out of the room.
As I leave, I catch sight of myself in the bathroom mirror. My shaggy white locks skirt the tops of my eyelashes. Lerana’s right, I do need a trim.
