“Do you think he has bad ideas?”
Her eyes widened. “Not at all. His ideas are quite clever. I greatly respect him.”
She’d given me an opening. A tiny opening, but I would take it. “Do you have feelings for Grant?”
“In what sense?”
“Do you think he’s hot?”
“Naturally, I can see his physical appeal. Beings are allowed to choose our appearances, and we’re careful to select features that humans will find approachable.”
“I’m thinking Grant went overboard on the approachability thing.” Would she get that I was trying to lighten the mood?
Her lips curved. “I cannot argue with you.”
Good. I returned her smile, relieved to find the tension between us easing. I bent over to lift some of the tools. “Let’s clean this place up and then join the guys. I’ll bet they could use our supervision.”
Her laugh was low and happy. “I know they can.”
28
Welcoming and Away
With my parents at the beach for the rest of the weekend, I had to run the shop. Scott needed the Beings, though, to help him finish the rain garden they’d started yesterday. I volunteered to drop Camarin and Grant off before going to work.
When I entered the garage, Grant was there, which was good. I had something to ask him.
“Why did you let Camarin take charge?”
His face remained bland. “She wouldn’t have asked unless her reasons were compelling.”
“Could you have refused without getting in trouble?”
“Certainly.”
“Why didn’t you? You were here first.”
“Camarin excels at leading humans through complex situations, a trait that I need to nurture in myself.” His lips twitched with secretive amusement. “I also entertain the hope that I have skills from which Camarin will profit.”
His comment surprised a laugh out of me. “You know, Grant, if you were human, you would be perfect.”
He grinned. “I shall assume you meant that as a compliment.”
“Correct assumption.”
Behind us, the garage door opened. Camarin’s heels clicked on the concrete floor. “Are we ready?”
“We are.” I was already getting into the car.
It was so quiet at the shop that I closed early. I checked my phone as I was leaving. There was a text from Scott, from twenty minutes ago.
Can you meet me at Lennie’s after your shift?
I textedon my wayand walked the two blocks to the diner. He was sitting at a booth, with a cup of coffee for me and a milkshake for himself.
“Thanks,” I said as I slid onto the bench. “How’s everything at the Miltons’?”
“The crew finished the wall this morning. They said the prep work was the best they’d ever seen. Have Grant and Camarin ever thought about turning professional?”
