Page 58 of Minnie: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

A few seconds pass in silence. “Just until I get back on my feet.”

“Way to romance the girl,” Vigga hisses in the background. “Promise to cook, clean, and give her lots of orgasms. Then you might stand a shot.”

“I’ll help around the house,” he says. No mention of orgasms. “And I’d like to be near Natty until I get custody back.”

It feels like the floor falls out from under my feet. Custody. He’s going to regain custody. And then, he’ll leave me behind.

“I wouldn’t ask if I had anyone else,” Zachariah adds. “It won’t be for long. And I swear if you get uncomfortable with me there, even for a second, I’ll leave.”

“Okay,” I whisper before I can think better of it. It’s the desperation in his voice that does it. He doesn’t have anyone else. He needs me.

“Did she say yes?” Vigga demands. Zachariah must nod, because she says, “See? Told you it would work out.”

A door slams in the background, and Marty with a D shouts, “What the hell, Vigga? This isn’t a payphone at a diner! Rules are here for a reason!”

“What the fuck’s a payphone?” Vigga demands. I can’t tell if she’s serious or just messing with him, though.

“Sorry, I have to go,” Zachariah says quickly.

“Tell her the time,” Vigga shouts.

“Right. Hearing’s Monday at eleven. I’d love it if you and Natty could come. Don’t tell him I might get released, just… bring him? Please?”

The line goes dead before I can reply, and for a long moment, all I can do is stare at the phone, the weight of Zachariah’s news pressing down on me.

I don’t know how long I stay on the floor before Amber comes in. “Minnie? You okay?”

I nod. There’s awe in my voice when I finally say, “Zachariah’s getting paroled.”

“Oh,” Amber breathes. “Natty.”

I nod.

She sits down across from me and we just talk. I tell her that even though Zachariah won’t get custody back right away, I may lose Natty much sooner than I’d planned. Hopefully, I’ll still be in his life, even if I won’t be his guardian anymore. And how much better things will be if Natty can have his dad for more than two hours a week.

“You can borrow the magic dampener,” Amber adds. “That way, you can really talk.”

I nod. And if Formula M was my only problem, it might be enough. But I can’t tell Amber I’m living at the bakery… and I’m not ready to tell her that Zachariah’s my fated mate. She’ll just get excited, and I don’t think I can handle that right now. I can’t get my hopes up when it might not work.

Amber yawns. “Sorry. Being pregnant makes me tired. But I’m here for you.” She places a comforting hand on mine.

I force a smile. “Thanks, Amber. It means a lot.”

And it almost, almost, feels like we’re friends.

I jump to my feet. “I think what you need is a nap.”

“Now that you mention it, I wouldn’t mind resting a bit before Zoe gets here. She called while you were out, and we decided to all walk down to the library together.” Amber slowly rises from the floor, and I hold out my hand and help her the rest of the way. “But I need to take over downstairs. Juli offered to pick up a nightlight for Latte, but Chase is probably still writing—when he gets in the zone he can be at it for hours—and Wes needs to stay upstairs to keep an eye on dinner.”

“I don’t mind covering. I don’t have any other plans… As long as Julian leaves before I come downstairs.”

Amber grins and pulls out her phone. “That can be arranged.”

The moment she gives me the all-clear, I head downstairs. The benefit of working is I don’t get much of a chance to think. Or worry. And because Amber removes the magic dampener before I go, I feel calm enough to handle anything.

The cafe’s busy, which is a great distraction. Wes and Natty come down briefly to watch the counter while I go upstairs and help myself to cream of broccoli soup and pasta—in small dainty bites—and then I head back down so they can go play.

And try my best not to think about the impending confrontation with the crazed vampire doctor and hater of fuzzies.