My fingers ached from my hold. Or maybe from the harder grip I’d suddenly taken.
Lucky shouldered his way through the door and up the stairs. He barely needed my help. Damn battering ram that he was. “Is that a no?”
“You do what you want.”
He shook his long hair back. “I don’t poach if that’s the deal. I thought you guys were just friends.” Lucky grunted as I climbed the stairs faster. “Hey, ease up.”
“Gravity, Lucky.”
“Right.” He backed his way into Kinleigh’s shop.
The chimes above the door gave a friendly hello. She’d changed out the jangling bells she’d used for Christmas. She was always changing things.
“I’ll be right with you,” she called.
I jerked my chin to the semi-empty spot under the windows.
Lucky steered that way and set it down gently. I honestly hadn’t believed he had a gentle bone in his body. He collapsed into the bean bag chair and stretched his back. “I need this thing.”
I left him to his weird bowed situation. I didn’t want to know or watch.
“Kin?”
She popped her head out from the back room. “Hey.”
“I brought you something for the shop.”
“You did?” Her huge eyes danced even as her attention strayed back to her storeroom. “I’ll check in a second. There are ducks crossing Elm Street. Well, not exactly crossing. They’ve stopped traffic. They keep walking in drunken circles. It’s riveting.”
“Well, I guess that’s what a 10-54 is.”
“A what?”
“Did I hear ducks?” Lucky’s voice boomed from behind me.
Kinleigh squeaked out a yes and waved him over. “You gotta see this.”
Why didn’t she invite me back there?
I tried to shove down the little annoyance. “I’ll just be out here.”
“Okay. I’ll be out soon.” Her gorgeous fiery hair was piled up in a weird turquoise wrap that matched the embroidered jeans she was wearing. An oversized rust-colored sweater slipped off her shoulder, showing off creamy skin and a smattering of freckles.
Lucky’s interest matched mine and then some. He moved in behind her to look down at whatever she was watching on.
“Man, they look drunk.” Lucky laughed and loomed over her.
“Right? Tabby’s been chasing the brown one with the white tail up and down the street. She can’t get her delivery truck out.”
“How am I supposed to get my afternoon cupcakes?”
Kin
leigh’s magical laughter floated out to the store followed by Lucky’s lower chuckle.
My fists clenched at my sides. It wasn’t as if it was any of my business if she flirted with him. Except I was going to rip his hair out by the roots and strangle him with it.
No big deal.