Alan chuckled. “A little from column A and a little from column B.”
“And?” Bruno pried.
“No alarm bells. She seems really sweet, and has done a very capable job closing for me and Kendra.”
No alarm bells.That was always a good sign from a shifter, but was it enough?
“Why do you ask? Are you house hunting?” It was an innocuous question, but Bruno saw the mischievous twinkle in Alan’s eyes. “Or are you hunting for something else entirely?”
“I’m not sure,” Bruno said honestly. “Instinct said I should stop by the realty office today.”
“And?”
“I FOUND MY BOOTS!” Gil held them up to prove it.
“Great, will you put them on, please?”
“And?” Alan insisted.
Bruno shrugged. “I don’t know. She works for Veronica Chase. I just wondered if she was as…”
Alan nodded his understanding. “As self-centered? As cold-hearted?”
That was better than the words Bruno had been thinking of. “As dangerous.”
“It’s hard to think of Clarice in the same category as Veronica,” Alan said. One of the toddlers, Shane, was tugging on his pants and he bent to pick him up and bounce him easily in his arms. Bruno almost missed the days that Gil was so easy to lift and willing to be held. “She certainlyseemsnice enough.”
“Veronica can turn on the charm, too,” Bruno reminded him. But Clarice’s charm had felt much more genuine.
“I’m not sure what you’re looking for here,” Alan said frankly. “I like her. There are no red flags in her file. As far as we can tell, she’s just a junior realtor with an uncomplicated history and a problematic employer. Your own instincts will tell you more than I can about whether or not you’d suit each other. Take her out and see, if you want!”
Bruno wondered if he had been fishing too hard for the answer hewanted. “I might.”
Vivian, Tara and Shane’s mother, came in then, and Bruno nodded his thanks to Alan as Tara and Franzi came galloping (on two legs) to the gate.
“We painted Christmas ornaments!” Franzi announced. “Tara’s is nicer!”
“I only did one,” Tara said quietly.
“I did SIX!”
“I ATE SIX ORANGES!” Gil interjected.
“That’s great, Gil.Pleaseput your boots on.”
“We’ll see you at swimming tonight?” Vivian asked Bruno, as she zipped Tara’s coat. “I’ve been too afraid to take the kids to public lessons. If they got scared and shifted, I wouldn’t have any warning.”
“It’s a big risk, for sure,” Bruno said, carefully neutral. He liked Vivian and thought they might be friends, but he had counseled her after her husband died and he didn’t want to confuse professional and personal relationships, even if she was no longer having sessions with him. It had stopped him from offering to bring Tara to Tiny Paws after kindergarten and save her a trip, even though it would save her having to leave work in the middle of the day. “It was very nice of your friend to give us this opportunity.” Being careful made him sound like the most boring person in the world. Did Clarice think he was boring? Why could he not get her out of his head?
“I think she’s happy to have a little under-the-table cash before Christmas,” Vivian said candidly.
“MY BOOTS ARE ON THE WRONG FEET!” Gil announced cheerfully.
Vivian left with Shane and Tara while Bruno was still sorting Gil’s boots onto the correct feet and he felt a pang of guilt. It was easy to isolate himself in the name of professionalism, but how much of it was just to protect himself?
Would he ever be ready to unroll for someone?
8
