“I figured it out.”
“And you didn’t want to let me in on it?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Jean frowned. “Why didn’t he tell you?”
“Maybe he was going to get around to it,” I said with confidence I didn’t feel.
Myra stopped. “Are you okay? Are the two of you okay?”
“We’re good. It’s just, you know. Relationship stuff.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And now I’m changing the subject. Is everything in place for the High Tea Tide? Is Bertie bossing everyone around?”
“When isn’t she?” Jean groused.
I grinned. “Let’s not make the Valkyrie angry, ladies. This High Tea Tide isn’t going to happen without us.”
“I just remembered. Hogan said he needs my help at the bakery,” Jean said.
“Nope.” Myra pushed her ahead of us. “Don’t make me frog walk you to your volunteer duties.”
“No, really.” Jean twisted so she could see us over her shoulder. “He super needs help, and since you two are available for traffic flow I should just—”
I stumbled as sharp pain knifed through my chest. I caught myself before falling to my knees, and just stood there, palm flat on my breast bone, breathing hard.
“Delaney?” Myra grabbed my elbow.
“What?” Jean’s blue, blue eyes were suddenly too wide. “What’s wrong?”
My heart drummed. Hard. I knew that hook-in-the-bone, that tug. There was a god in Ordinary. Not on vacation. A god here to do business.
Chapter Twenty-One
“God,”I said. “Here. Full power.”
“Where?” Jean scanned the forest.
“Station, I think.” I had my breath back now, the initial pain fading. I waved that way. “Yeah, station.”
We jogged to the cruiser, where Spud and the dragon pig were snorting and sniffing their way around a bush.
Myra opened the doors. I called for Spud and the dragon pig and was the last one to jump into the cruiser.
“Who?” Myra said, flooring it, throwing me back in the seat.
“Mithra.”
“Well, shit,” she said.
We made the station in seconds. Before she’d even put the car into park, I was out and striding toward the front door.
I strong-armed it. “What are you doing here?” I demanded.
Ryder stood to the right, arms crossed, squared off against the god. He looked gorgeously furious, hard muscles locked across his shoulders, bulging along his forearms, his jaw clenched.
I could feel the heat of his anger, the force of his strength.
