Chapter 6 #2
At least Dante wasn’t in trouble because of her.
Mallory would have to forget about her skirt.
Right now, she was lucky Dante was there for her.
Lord knows what the guards would have done otherwise.
Shot her? Called animal control? She shuddered.
I have to get control over this shifting thing! If only she knew why it was happening.
When Dante arrived at his car, he opened the passenger-side door, and Mallory hopped in, then crawled over the center console into the backseat. He slammed the door shut and jogged around to the other side.
He had to be furious. She would explain how extreme anxiety affected her, and maybe he’d understand that this didn’t happen on purpose. But would he want to hang around until it happened again? She wouldn’t blame him if he dumped her in her driveway and never came back.
She took a couple of deep breaths and relaxed until her body grew, and she found herself sitting bare-assed on the back seat.
Dante opened the door, jumped in, slammed it shut, and glanced in the rearview mirror. “You’re back.”
“Um, yeah.” Her voice sounded like an embarrassed little girl’s.
After a brief, uncomfortable silence, he asked, “Are you okay?”
“Yes… No. Are you?”
He scratched his head. “I guess so.”
A lump was forming in her throat. She spoke before it became too large to talk around. “I wouldn’t blame you if you never want to see me again after this.”
He sighed. “That’s not gonna happen.”
“But I’m nothing but trouble. Don’t you see that?”
He turned around and faced her. “You know what I see? I see that I was living half a life before I met you. I didn’t even realize how tedious and boring everything was becoming. I’m never bored with you. But I wouldn’t mind worrying a little less.”
She gazed up at his eyes. They shone with sincerity. She didn’t know how she got so lucky. Any other guy would’ve run for the hills by now.
“Maybe we should go. You can drop me at home and get back to the game.”
“I’ll take you home, but only so you can put on some more clothes and come back with me.”
She smiled shyly. “I wasn’t wearing anything else besides the skirt, you know.”
His brows shot up. “No panties?”
She shook her head and grinned.
“Screw the game. I’m inviting myself to your place.” The engine turned over, and they peeled out of the parking lot.
* * *
The game ended with the firefighters winning by a few points. Kizzy had to wait for Noah to take a quick shower and change, so she stayed in the stands while the crowd exited the arena.
She was surprised to see an older couple coming toward her.
They were smiling and holding hands, so nothing set off warning bells.
She didn’t recognize them, but maybe she had treated one of them in the ER.
She couldn’t possibly remember every face, but sometimes grateful patients remembered her for the help she gave—especially the ones who would have been goners without her one magic save per day.
When they reached her, the gentleman stuck out his hand. “We just wanted to introduce ourselves. We’re Noah’s parents, Antonio and Gabriella Fierro.”
“Oh! I—” She was so surprised, she almost forgot her own name. “Uh, I’m Kizzy Samuels. Noah’s friend.”
Mrs. Fierro’s expression looked a little crestfallen, then she quickly put on a happier face. “We’re delighted to meet you. It’s not often my sixth son speaks so highly of a young lady.”
“He’s your sixth?”
Antonio grinned. “Yup. Six out of seven. Five are firefighters.”
“Wow! That’s impressive.”
“Not as impressive as what you’ve accomplished,” Gabriella said. “My goodness. A doctor! So how did you meet our Noah?”
Kizzy thought about their argument in the ER, but decided to forgo that story and tell his parents about the much more pleasant re-meet. “He just sort of fell into my lap. Literally.”
The Fierros cracked up. Antonio’s laugh was big and hearty, like the man standing before her. Gabriella’s had a musical ring to it. They seemed like wonderful people. No wonder their son turned out so well—as far as she knew.
“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” Kizzy asked.
Antonio and Gabriella glanced at each other, and then Noah’s father answered. “Sure. You can ask…”
In other words, she might not get an answer, but they were still smiling, so what the heck? She’d ask.
“I’ve treated many firefighters in the ER. Usually they come in for smoke inhalation or heat exhaustion, but occasionally severe burns. With so many firefighters in the family, how do you do it? How do you keep from worrying about them constantly?”
“I think that’s a question for Gabriella,” Antonio said.
If Kizzy were a more psychic witch, she might be able to read her mind. The mother of seven gave her a look of sympathetic understanding. Mind reading was unnecessary.
Gabriella smiled softly. “My Antonio was a firefighter too. When we first met, I worried much more than I do now. That may sound callous, but it’s only because I know how well-trained all firefighters are.
There are also plenty of policies in place to prevent unnecessary risks.
The officers are greatly concerned about their men and women’s safety as well as the safety of the public.
There’s no room for glory or grandstanding. ”
Kizzy understood. Sometimes she wondered how anyone could do a job like that, but then she remembered how rarely she saw firefighters as patients.
Far more frequently, she saw patients they had saved.
“It’s a noble calling. I imagine families like yours must be committed to the community they serve. ”
Antonio smiled. “At first, it pays the bills. Then after a few successes, it becomes more. Don’t get me wrong.
There are situations that can be scary as hell, and then we remind ourselves it’s not just our job, it’s a calling.
Not everyone can do it.” Then he chuckled. “And it still pays the bills.”
Kizzy couldn’t help admiring the many brave men and women who worked for the fire department. If it were her, she’d probably have to be a secretary. No way would she run into an uncontrolled fire! Witches were not fans of burning alive!
“You should come to one of our Sunday dinners,” Gabriella said. “I’ll ask Noah to invite you.”
“Oh! That’s very kind, but I couldn’t impose…”
“It’s not an imposition at all. I love to cook for our family gatherings. I enjoy meeting the boys’ friends, so my motto is ‘the more the merrier.’”
Antonio laughed. “She’s not kidding about that. We just had to knock down a wall to expand the dining room table.”
Just then, Noah emerged from the locker room. He had a duffel bag of equipment over his shoulder, and his hair was damp, but he still looked good enough to eat. His brows tented as if surprised to see his parents talking with her, but then he grinned. Kizzy loved that wide, pearly-white smile.
When he reached them, he shook his dad’s hand and bent down to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. Then he draped an arm around Kizzy’s shoulder.
“Great game, Son,” Antonio said proudly.
“But that monkey!” Gabriella said. “I wish Dante were here to explain what he had to do with it and where it came from. Do you know, darling?”
Noah shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”
Kizzy smiled and tried to think of something intelligent to say. Anything to change the subject. She was pretty sure the monkey was wearing Mallory’s blouse and crossbody purse, but she wouldn’t swear to it.
“The game looked like a close one,” she said.
Noah chuckled. “Yeah, the cops weren’t as tough this year. Last year was the first year I played them, and we got beat.”
“Wait till next year when Luca is playing against you,” Gabriella said.
Antonio groaned. “Did you have to remind me we’re going to have a cop in the family?”
Noah smirked. “Every family needs a blue sheep.”
“Stop it, you two,” Gabriella said and swatted her husband. “I was just telling Kizzy you should invite her to Sunday dinner some time, Noah.”
He glanced down at her with raised eyebrows as if to ask what she thought of that.
“We can talk about it later. I’m sure Noah must be starving after all the energy he expended.”
Gabriella reached for her hand. “You’re right. Thank you for looking out for my son.” The women squeezed hands, and Gabriella looked up at her much taller husband. “We should be going.”
“You mean we should let them get going.” Antonio winked at her.
Kizzy didn’t quite understand what he meant by that, but she was relieved to be getting out of the spotlight. She barely caught it, but she thought Noah rolled his eyes. Something was going on with this family.
* * *
By the time they got back to Mallory’s place, Dante had decided not to pressure Mallory, even if she’d planned to seduce him. That was before “the incident.”
There was plenty of time to play with Mallory, even though she had seemed willing earlier.
He had a war going on inside his head—both heads.
Was this really going to happen eventually?
Was he finally going to go all the way with his high school crush?
Should he grab the opportunity in case he didn’t get another one?
Things were different now. He understood her as a person.
Despite her challenges, she hadn’t lost her sense of humor—or hope.
Plus, he knew things about her he never would have guessed.
Like her poor self-esteem. How the hell did she wind up like that when most of the boys in school wanted her and she had friends galore?
He pulled into her driveway and shut off the engine. “I’ll get you the blanket I keep in my trunk. Hang on a sec.”
He hopped out of the car and opened Joanna’s trunk, then moved the first aid kit to grab his blanket. The one he kept for emergency purposes, and that included impromptu picnic seductions. He hadn’t considered needing it to cover a shape-shifter who had lost half her clothing.