I spun around, nearly knocking over a stack of returns in my haste. Brenda stood in the doorway of the break room, coffee mug in hand, eyebrows raised in amused curiosity.
“Morning,” I chirped, wincing internally at how transparent I must seem.
“Uh-huh.” She took a slow sip of her coffee, studying me over the rim of her mug. “You want to tell me why you’re practically levitating, or should I guess?”
I glanced around the empty break room, then at my watch. We still had twenty minutes before the library opened.
“Is anyone else here yet?”
Brenda shook her head. “Just us chickens. Anna called in sick, and Paul doesn’t start until ten.” Her eyes narrowed with interest. “Why? Do you have a secret?” She drew out the last word teasingly.
“I do, actually.” I bit my lip, suddenly nervous despite my certainty that Brenda was the one person I could trust with this. “A big one.”
Brenda’s expression shifted from playful to concerned. She set her coffee down and pulled out a chair at the small break room table. “Sit. Talk. Is everything okay?”
“We kissed,” I blurted out, unable to contain the giddy smile that spread across my face at the admission. “Last night. And it was… Brenda, it was amazing.”
For a long moment, Brenda just stared at me. Then, to my immense relief, her face broke into a wide grin.
“Holy shit, Clara!” She leaned forward, lowering her voice even though we were alone. “You and an actual minotaur? That’s… that’s incredible! I mean, I’ve heard of people dating werewolves, even the occasional vampire, but a minotaur? They’re super rare!”
I blinked, taken aback by her immediate acceptance. “You’re not… freaked out?”
“Freaked out? Are you kidding?” She looked genuinely thrilled. “This is the most exciting thing that’s happened in this town since Mrs. Henderson’s cat got stuck in the Christmas tree during the holiday festival!” Her expression softened. “But more importantly, you look happier than I’ve seen you in… well, maybe ever.”
The knot of tension in my chest dissolved. I hadn’t realized how worried I’d been about Brenda’s reaction until I felt the relief wash over me.
“I am happy,” I admitted. “But also terrified and confused and… I don’t know, Brenda. Is this crazy? Dating a minotaur?”
“Honey, dating anyone is crazy,” Brenda said pragmatically. “At least with a minotaur, you know what you’re getting into right from the start.”
I laughed, grateful for her practical perspective. “I guess that’s true.”
“So tell me everything,” she insisted, settling back in her chair with her coffee. “And I mean everything. What’s it like kissing someone with horns? Do they get in the way?”
The laughter bubbled up from deep in my chest, releasing the last of my nervousness. “Well, the horns are actually really…nice.” I felt my cheeks heat at the admission. “They’re smooth and warm, and they curve up so perfectly that they don’t interfere at all.”
“Fascinating,” Brenda murmured, clearly filing this information away. “And the rest? I mean, is he… you know… proportional?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Brenda!” I squeaked, my face now burning. “We just kissed! I haven’t… we haven’t…”
She held up her hands in surrender, though her eyes still danced with mischief. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. For now.” She took another sip of coffee. “And you’re taking things slow?”
“I think he needs time. He’s used to people being afraid of him.”
Understanding flickered across Brenda’s face. “That must be hard for him.”
“It is,” I said softly. “He’s spent most of his life in isolation because of it. That’s why he built his home the way he did—it’s like this incredible labyrinth, designed to keep the world out as much as to express his creativity.”
“A labyrinth?” Brenda’s eyes widened. “Like in the myth?”
I nodded. “Although his is beautiful and welcoming, not a prison. It’s the most amazing place I’ve ever seen.”
“And he let you in,” Brenda observed, her voice gentle. “That’s significant, Clara.”
“I know,” I whispered, feeling the weight of that trust settle over me like a warm blanket. “I think that’s what makes this all so intense. It’s not just that he’s different physically. It’s that he’s trusting me with something he rarely shares with anyone.”
Brenda reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re handling this remarkably well. Most people would be a lot more freaked out.”
