16. Cookie dough solves all problems #2
I can tell that Riordan wants to refuse to let me, but if he does, it’ll just be a self-fulfilling prophecy after all. He’ll push me even further away, and since that’s the last thing he wants to do, when he says, “I’ll drive you,” and I shake my head, he accepts that.
At least, I think he does. I don’t know.
I dash out of the woods, and though I don’t look behind me, one thing is clear: he doesn’t follow after me.
And I wish that didn’t make my heart ache any more than it already does.
With my rental car parked on the street outside of Dough You Believe in Magic, I have to walk the couple of miles across town to get home.
It’s not too bad. Once you get off of the wooded territory that is pack land, it’s a straight shot down mostly cross streets and a few blocks.
I keep my head down, trying not to attract the attention of the passersby out for an evening stroll, hoping like hell that Riordan doesn’t suddenly appear and decide to continue our conversation.
If he does, I might have no choice but to cause a scene. Since I really don’t want to do that, I just keep walking until, more than halfway back to my apartment, I find a raccoon shifter’s ass sticking out of a dumpster.
There are probably towns where that would be strange. I’ve learned that Moonburrow isn’t one of them.
“Roxy?”
A muffled curse comes from inside the dumpster before Roxy Kane pops up, clutching what appears to be an antique lamp without a shade.
Blowing a lock of hair out of her face, she peers down at me.
“Penelope?” She takes one look at my face. “Oh, shit. What’s wrong?”
Is it that obvious? “Nothing. I’m fine.”
She purses her lips. “Okay. Gonna fill you in on something, yeah? Maybe it’s the alphas that have that weird truth-telling ability, but I’ve been around. Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. Something happened.”
“What? No. Honest.”
“You’re walking. You don’t ever walk home.
You’re either in that silver car that belongs to the rental service or in Riordan’s cruiser.
Not to mention, if you’re here, the Beta is never far behind.
Now, I see you, and I scent him, but the scent is faint.
Unless he rolled around in wolfsbane or grabbed a scent reducer charm, he’s not here.
You look like you’re about to cry. If he’s not here and you’re about to leak… Yeah. I get it.”
“You do?”
In answer, Roxy tosses the lamp onto the pavement with such practiced ease it somehow doesn’t break, climbs out of the dumpster, and pulls her phone out of the back pocket of her black jeans.
Though I probably shouldn’t, I ask, “What are you doing?”
“Calling my mate.”
“Oh. You don’t have to do that. He’s not involved. In fact, I’ve been slacking. I haven’t been to the library in, like, three days—”
Ash must answer because Roxy holds up her hand to cut off my rambling as she says, “Hey, babe. I’m going to be late.
Something came up.” She pauses. “No, I’m not stuck in the dumpster.
I got out by myself this time. And that reminds me.
I still want to drop off a present for that witch who tried to snare her dumpster.
” She listens for a moment. “Yeah. I’ll light it on fire, you ring the doorbell, and we’ll both run.
” She glances at me. “Later, lover. Wait up for me.”
While I wonder what any of that means, she hangs up the phone and quickly makes another call.
“Honey? Meet us at the bakery.” A pause.
“No. Don’t bring Max. It’s going to be a girls’ night.
You, me, and Penelope.” Another pause. “Okay. You can bring the rat.” Roxy winces, pulling the phone away from her ear.
“Damn it, Honey. Speakerphone? Sorry, Gus. I mean, you should be apologizing because your screech nearly blew out my ear drum, but yeah. I forgot. You’re Deputy Gus. Okay. See you in a few.”
Once she’s ended that call, she snorts under her breath. “Deputy Gus the emotional support rat.”
Seeing my confused look, she grins. “Never mind. Come on.” Bending low, Roxy picks up the lamp. “I’ll walk with you to the bakery.”
Something tells me that, when it comes to Roxy Kane, I don’t have a choice but to obey—and she doesn’t even have the excuse of the curse when it comes to telling people what to do and expecting them to listen.
Welp, I listened, and, about an hour later, I’m sitting on the kitchen floor of Dough You Believe in Magic, my skirt sprawled out beneath me, resting back on one hand while the other accepts a hunk of chocolate chip cookie dough from Honey while Gus curls up against my hip.
“I can’t believe we went through all of the sugar cookie dough.” Honey taps the enormous bowl on the floor that’s in the middle of the triangle we somehow made. “And this could’ve been chocolate chip cookies to replace that batch.”
I’m the point. Honey is to my left. Roxy, spoon in hand, is already digging into the bowl of cookie dough Honey whipped up after we polished off the log of defrosted sugar cookie dough she pulled out of the refrigerator after taking one look at me and declaring it a sugar crush emergency.
Roxy brings her spoonful to her mouth. “Plans change, Hon. And when one of your girlfriends finds out that her mate is Deputy Lick-My-Balls himself… woof. Might as well gorge yourself on cookie dough. Might make that reality go down a bit easier.” Once Roxy finishes swallowing her scoop, she turns to me. “Do witches get salmonella?”
I choke on my bite.
“Roxy!”
“What? I was just thinking… a shifter’s healing property means that I can lick the shell of an egg and not have to worry. You just made fresh cookie dough and served it. Didn’t you think of Penelope and what that could do to her? Her being a witch and all.”
I never thought about the risk of salmonella before. “I don’t know. But if a witch does get sick, we have healers.”
Roxy smirks. “You had a healer. She’s dead now.
Poor thing. Speaking of which, you still got wormwood in here to keep Olivia Frost out?
Because I saw that big tub of salt Honey used when she was making the cookie dough.
Maybe you should start sprinkling it outside the doorways.
Might keep wayward witches away. Too bad I can’t say the same about mooning wolf shifters. ”
“Roxy!” Honey squeals again.
There you have it. I figured that Honey knew that Riordan was sneaking into the bakery at night. Looks like Roxy did, too.
I sigh. “Did everyone in Moonburrow know that I’m Riordan’s mate except for me?”