Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,20

undecided.”

“We’re talking about my right hand here. I can’t hire the wrong person.” I rub my chin.

“Surely there’s a probation period…you can replace her if need be.”

“You’re right.” I’m overthinking this. If she accepts, I’ll see how it goes, and if she declines, I’ll look for someone else and forget about her. More importantly, if I’m tempted to fuck her, I’ll let her go. I’m not going down that road.

My phone buzzes in my hand. “Is it her?” Night asks.

I nod when I see her name. I open the email.

Job Offer: Personal Assistant to the CEO

From: A. Shaw

I lied on my resume. I can’t type even close to a hundred words a minute and I’m not much of a people person. I’m too shy. Thank you, but I have to say no. You would regret hiring me.

I can’t help it when a laugh is pulled from me. From somewhere deep inside. My voice is thick and corded, the sound foreign.

It must be infectious because Night laughs too. “Holy shit!” he says. “I can’t believe it. That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh since…in a long time. Too long. Is whatever you just read from her…your prospective employee?”

I nod, turning sober. “Yes. Her answer was…it was unexpected…that’s all.”

“I think you’d better hire her,” Night says. “Looks like she might be good for you.”

Good for me? No fucking way! It’s been three and a half months since a harpy injected me with poison. It muddled my brain. Tainted my soul. I know I’m being dramatic here, but it’s the truth. She made me fall in love with her. Made me crave her, even though I didn’t know anything about her. What I am feeling isn’t real. I’m a rational man. I know that what I feel is a lie, and yet I can’t will myself to stop feeling what I do.

The harpy is dead, which means I’m in love with a ghost. I crave something I can never have. Someone I can never have. At least I thought so, until Miss Shaw walked into my life. Now I’m confused as fuck. It’s a strange thing to feel, since I’m never confused. I’ve always known what I wanted. I’ve always been good at making decisions, and they’re usually the right ones. Right now, I’m torn. I want closure where the harpy is concerned but using Miss Shaw to get it would be wrong. It would be messed up in every way.

I read her email a second time and make a decision. I send back a short reply.

“What?” Night asks.

“Nothing,” I say. “I’m here to visit you and—”

“Did you two miss me?” Shannon asks.

Night’s face lights up. My best friend is completely and totally in love. So deep it’s scary. I’m happy for him. I was worried about us having half-blood offspring. We’re half god and half dragon shifter. We were never fully accepted by the shifters. I’ve never met my father. He clearly couldn’t give a shit about me. Even though we live amongst the humans, we’re not even close to being one of them. It’s hard not fitting in anywhere. We were worried about the same happening with our young, but after meeting Harley…seeing this family, I know everything will work out. It’s the same for Forge. I think we’re going to be okay. Make that, my brothers will be okay. I fear that the same is not in the cards for me…which is fine. I never imagined myself with a family. In fact, the thought is absurd. It’s even more absurd since the harpy fucked with my head.

“Of course we missed you.” Night winks at his wife, drawing me back from my thoughts.

“Let’s go have dinner before it gets cold.” Shannon looks from Night to me and back.

“Shall I open some wine?” Night asks me.

I nod. “Sounds good.” I already feel better. I’m doing the right thing. I have a plan.

8

Ashley

I check the choux pastries, and they’ve cooled enough to start filling. Using a teaspoon, I taste the vanilla pastry cream I just made, and it’s delicious. I put the teaspoon in the sink and start filling a piping bag.

“How’s your wife?” I ask Simon, who’s making up biscuit dough for our famous sugar cookies.

His face lights up. I hope someone gets that look when they’re thinking about me one day. I also feel bad because this man is going to lose his job if I can’t find something else. “Helen is as well as can be expected.” He makes