I got into Jean’s truck and slid on the seatbelt. She hopped up into the driver’s seat, but immediately turned to me. “You two were standing in the middle of the sidewalk mooning over each other.”
“We weren’t mooning.”
“You were mooning.” She glanced at the rearview mirror, watching Ryder as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Tell me you kissed him.”
“I did not kiss him.”
She groaned. “Why won’t you justdosomething? Can’t you see that you two were meant to be together? Seriously, Delaney, glaciers move faster than you.”
“We have a date.”
She whooped. “About time!” She held up her palm. “High five, sister! C’mon. Don’t leave me hanging.”
I shook my head. “It’s just a date. You and I still have work to do.”
She grabbed my wrist and smacked my palm into hers. “You can’t have fun for two seconds in a row.”
“You can’t stay serious for one.”
“That’s because my two older sisters are serious enough for the entire town. Did Dan pan out?”
“I don’t know yet. I think we need to go find us a gill-man.”
Chapter 14
THE VAMPIRE was waiting for us outside the bar. Ben Rossi wore a canvas jacket, dark red beanie, tight jeans, and boots. He looked more like a dockworker just out of college than a hundred-year-old firefighter. The shadow from the roof overhang kept him out of the spotty sunlight as he leaned against the warehouse and tipped two fingers to his forehead in greeting.
“Good day, officers.”
“Ben,” I said. “What’s down?”
He pushed off the wall, hands still in his pockets. “Old Rossi heard you hired Ryder Bailey on to the force. That right?”
Was there anyone in town who hadn’t heard that news? And why was everyone making such a big deal out of it?
“That’s right.”
Ben bit at his bottom lip and raised his eyebrows. “You might want to rethink that.”
“I don’t think I do.”
“All right. Old Rossi would like you to rethink that.”
“Why?”
Ben shrugged. “He was cleansing his chakras or fluffing his aura or some such bull. Didn’t go into details. Just told me to tell you: fire Ryder.”
“I don’t allow vampires to dictate my human resource decisions.”
Ben flashed a bit of fang in his smile. “I figured you’d say that. You know I’m just the messenger.”
“I know. Do me a favor? Tell Old Rossi that if he has a problem with Ryder, he can come talk to me himself.”
“I’ll let him know, chief. Say…come on by our place next Saturday. Jame and I are having a housewarming party.”
“Do you want me there as a friend or in an official capacity?”
“Yes. I figure we’re gonna have a lot of family stop in.” He grinned again, then pushed off the wall. “See you around, chief. Jean.”
