“Well, er… sir,” Beth said. “Most of the co-counselors are hanging out together. But I can’t help noticing that you and counselor Honey don’t seem to be… talking.”
“You’re avoiding each other,” Estelle translated helpfully.
“We’re not avoiding each other,” Buck lied. “Look, we’re in the same room right now, aren’t we?”
Estelle shrugged. “Yeah, but she’s overthereand you’re lurking overhere.”
“I am not lurking. I’m standing in a perfectly normal and dignified fashion.”
“Well, you look like you’re lurking,” Estelle informed him. “You’re hiding in this corner all by yourself, when everyone else is chatting and having a good time. And you keep staring at Honey, but she hasn’t even glanced at you. Are yousureyou guys didn’t have a fight?”
“We’re not fighting,” Buck said. “Use your eyes, kids. Does she seem upset to you?”
They all contemplated Exhibit A. Even at this distance, Honey’s smile shone like the beacon of a lighthouse. She practically sparkled.
Buck knew shifters. He’d had a whole damn team of them on his fire crew, after all. Over the years, every last one of them had somehow defied all laws of probability and met their so-called true mates. He’d seen it firsthand, over and over; the angst, the drama, the pining (for the love of dog,thepining).
From the moment a shifter’s eyes locked onto the object of their desire, every brain cell fell out of their tiny skulls. They followed their mate around like a lost puppy, dazzled with wonder. They talked about nothing else. They moped. They yearned. They becameunbelievablystupid.
They did not hand out pens with a beaming smile, as if they hadn’t a care in the world.
Which didn’t make any sense, becausehecertainly had all the symptoms of a bad case of idiotitis. She had him on a string like a motherloving balloon. Earlier, he’d taken a brief trip back to his trailer to pack his bags, and just being a few short miles away from her had made him feel like a piece of elastic stretched to snapping point. It had been all he could do to throw a few essentials in a rucksack before high-tailing it back to camp.
Not that being this close to her was any better. Those spectacular curves were giving his own body distinct ideas. This was a serious problem, given that there were kids present.
And she hadn’t even looked his way.
“Counselor Honey looks happy,” Beth admitted. “But with respect, sir, you don’t.”
“I never look happy. You kids should know that. Been glaring at you your whole motherloving lives.” With an effort, he dragged his rebellious eyeballs away from Honey. “You girls met her yet?”
“Not personally,” Beth said. “But Finley has. He said she’s nice.”
“Rufus likes her,” said Estelle, as though this was on a level with an endorsement from the Pope. “He says she’s different.”
“Different? In what way?”
“I don’t know. Just… different. He wouldn’t really explain more than that.” Estelle shrugged. “You know Rufus. He sees things the rest of us don’t.”
“Hm.” Buck made a mental note to track down Rufus and ask him about that later. “Don’t suppose either of the boys asked Honey what kind of shifter she is, by any chance?”
From the girls’ expressions, he might as well have asked if they’d inquired about Honey’s underwear. Even Estelle looked shocked.
“You don’t ask about someone’sanimal,” she said. “That’s rude.”
Coming from the girl who eavesdropped on private conversations without a lick of shame, this was quite something. Buck had known it was impolite to question a shifter about their alter ego, but he hadn’t appreciated it was that taboo.
Which was a massive pain in the ass, because he really needed to know. Normally he wouldn’t have cared two hoots whatever critter she turned into, but maybe she was some weird kind of shifter that didn’t come with the insta-insanity switch. Maybe she genuinelyhadn’thad that moment of overpowering connection.
Either that, or he was losing his motherloving mind.
His gaze drifted back to Honey again, still smiling away as if he didn’t exist. Therehadto be a way he could find out.
“Beth,” he said, watching Honey. “You do the pegasus thing, right? Like your dad?”
“You mean my talent?” Beth said, sounding a little perplexed. “Yes, of course. Did you need me to find someone for you?”
“Not exactly. You can sense people, right?” At her confirming nod, he jerked his head in Honey’s direction. “What can you tell me about Honey?”
