Page 4 of Shifting the Flame
"For most people, yes. For Danica Ulrich, who I'm sure created those six unicorn princess costumes overnight? No."
The compliment warmed her. Her adrenaline was already pumping—the same rush she got whenever presented with an impossible deadline.
"What's the budget?"
"Whatever you need. The town's founder—well, his family—is quite wealthy."
Danica's lips curved into a smile. "And this 'very special someone' you mentioned?"
"Let's just say Ectorius has some very interesting residents. Pack for a week, darling. I'll meet you there tomorrow and introduce you to everyone."
The rational part of Danica's brain screamed to decline—she needed rest, her apartment was a disaster zone, and her dry cleaning hadn't been picked up. But the larger part of her, the part that thrived on creating order from chaos, had already decided.
"Text me the address. I'll be there."
"Marvelous! Oh, and Danica?"
"Yes?"
"Pack something besides those work dresses. Something that shows off those curves you hide under professional attire. You never know who you might meet."
Danica rolled her eyes but felt a flicker of something she hadn't experienced in ages—anticipation.
"See you tomorrow, Gerri."
As she disconnected, Danica's mind was already assembling lists, concepts, and contingencies. A week in Ectorius. A festival to save. And apparently, according to the legendary Gerri Wilder, a special someone to meet.
"Whatever," Danica murmured, but couldn't stop the smile playing at her lips as she accelerated toward home, toward packing, and toward whatever adventure awaited in a town she'd never heard of.
Later that night, Danica tossed a sleek black dress onto the growing pile in her suitcase, pausing to imagine the mystery man Gerri had hinted at. She pictured tall, dark, and handsome—the usual fantasy—then snorted at herself.
"Yeah, because that's worked out so well for you."
Her fingers traced the silky fabric of a red dress she rarely wore, its neckline daring. The cut was designed to showcase every curve she typically concealed beneath tailored work attire.
"Pack something that shows off those curves," she mimicked Gerri's voice while adding the dress to her suitcase.
Her laptop lay open on her bed, several tabs displaying festival planning templates and emergency checklists. She knew she should focus on preparing for tomorrow's meeting, but her mind kept wandering to the "special someone" Gerri had mentioned.
"Probably another shifter," Danica muttered, having heard enough about Gerri's famous paranormal clientele. "What would that even be like? 'Sorry, can't come to dinner, too busy howling at the moon.'"
She laughed at her own joke, but something fluttered in her stomach. For all her skepticism, the idea sent a thrill through her—wild, dangerous, and exciting.
"Like I have time for wild and dangerous," she scolded herself, checking her email inbox. Three event consultation requests had come in within the past hour alone. Chad Thompson's Instagram post was definitely working.
Danica grabbed a pair of heels and stuffed them into the suitcase corner. "Even if this mystery man exists, he'd need to understand that my work comes first. No clingy, needy types."
She paused, acknowledging the walls she'd built. Her last relationship had crumbled under the weight of her ambition. Her ex's parting words still stung:"You'd rather plan someone else's perfect day than yours."
"Maybe that's safer," she whispered to her empty bedroom.
With her bag packed, Danica settled at her desk and typed "Ectorius, Louisiana" into the search bar. Nothing relevant appeared—just random results and map queries suggesting she'd misspelled something.
"That's... weird." She tried variations, added "town" and "festival," but came up empty.
She pulled up satellite maps, scanning the area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Nothing resembling a town called Ectorius.
"A town that doesn't exist on Google?" Danica's investigative instincts tingled. "What exactly are you getting me into, Gerri Wilder?"
