She blinked. “You’re not jealous of her are you?”
“No!” Too quick. Too loud.
Lorde barked once so I reached over and shushed her, petting her soft ears. “I’m not. It’s just you’ve spent a lot of time with her over the years. And I’ve wanted to be the one you’ve spent that time with.”
I was an idiot to admit it, and as soon as it was out of my mouth I felt small and petty.
Lu shifted in her seat, pulling one knee up so she could span the distance and reach me over the top of our furry dog. She tugged on my collar, pulling me close.
“I love you, Brogan Gauge. Forever.”
I swallowed, and my heart stopped thumping so hard. I needed those words from her. Even after all these years.
“I love you too, Lula Gauge. Forever.”
Lorde woofed, softer now, and I leaned toward Lu, accepting the kiss she offered.
“Good,” Lu said. “Because you are stuck with me.”
She released me and started the engine.
“Cupid rides a motorcycle?” Val said from the small space behind the seat. “Why would a god even need real transportation?”
I sighed. “Do we look like experts on gods to you?”
Lu glanced at me. “Val?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Ask him where the rabbit is.”
“I have no idea,” he said. “But apparently I’ll know it when I see it. You’re welcome.”
“He’s useless,” I said.
“Hey!”
“So far,” Lu said.
“Better. She’s a lot nicer than you.”
Lorde shifted around and started sniffing the back of the seat. The ghost’s wolf lifted its head, instantly interested. The two of them sniffed each other, ears twitching. Then Lorde sneezed and turned back around, tail wagging. She rested her big furry head on my thigh.
The wolf just tipped its head, then settled so close to Val, it was nearly inside him. I’d never seen a ghost with a wolf and would have asked him about it, but I really didn’t want to get friendly with the guy.
The last thing we needed was a repeat haunting following us around.
“He thinks you’re the nice one,” I told Lu.
She just chuckled and headed back to the road. “Just wait until he gets to know me.”
Chapter Five
The gas needle was sliding toward E, but Lu hadn’t found a place she wanted to stop yet. Seeing Cupid had triggered something in her, and she was driving nice and slow, like she was trying to blend in with the rest of the world.
Or like she was looking for some safe place to hide for a while until the attention of the god was good and gone.
I knew the feeling. I wanted to take Lu somewhere safe and deal with this rabbit stuff on my own. Deal with this book stuff on my own, too, so I wouldn’t have to worry about her getting hurt.
