“It’s okay. You’re stressed. I feel like I have that effect on people.” Why, he had no clue, but he was as certain as the fluff on his butt that he—or the way he acted—caused stress in other people’s lives, Destiny’s included.
She lifted her head from the chair and turned to him. “Tell me what you know.”
Mate, his rabbit said again in his mind.I get it, buddy, and I believe you. I feel it too.His throat thickened, a lump forming just above his Adam’s apple, and he swallowed hard. Destiny wasn’t a shifter, so he had to do this with finesse. To make her see they were meant to be without pushing her away. “I know you’re not as much of a mess as you claim to be.”
She laughed, but he held up a hand.
“I know you feel the need to be perfect.”
“I have to. It’s in my job description.”
“Then maybe you don’t have the right job. Perfection sounds about as fun as cleaning sand from your butt cheeks, and this so-called Hot Mess Express…” He gestured to her. “I find her intriguing. I believe…IknowI’m here with you for a reason. I know Destiny isn’t just your name. It’s what you are to me. You, Destiny, are my destiny.”
“Well, I…” She clamped her mouth shut and tilted her head. “Don’t be silly. I promise you’ve only known me for a day.”
“Then a day is all I needed. You’re supposed to be in my life. Shifters always know when…” The look of unease on her face stopped him from finishing, and he shrugged, attempting to downplay his words. “Or maybe that’s the amnesia talking.”
So much for finesse. He’d gone too far. The soul-deep connection he felt with her wasn’t reciprocated yet, and he should have sensed that.
She held his gaze for a beat or two before rising to her feet. “We shouldn’t keep Crimson and Mike waiting. Let’s go eat.”
Mate, his rabbit insisted.You have to be patient, buddy. Winning her heart is going to take some time.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Holy hellhounds in heaven.The cake Pete ate must’ve short-circuited his sense of judgment when it wiped his memory. How else could you explain his crazy idea that she was his destiny? It might have been her name, but she was absolutely nothing of the sort. She’d made his already bad situation worse. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Him meeting her was the exact opposite of destiny. It was a curse.
She pulled her sweater tight against her chest as they trekked across the yard to Mike and Crimson’s house. The chilly March wind stung her cheeks, and her eyes watered as she knocked on the back door.
Sophie opened it. “Hey, y’all. Come on in. There was a famine demon on the verge of wiping out a grocery store, so Mike stayed at the HA meeting to talk him down. Crimson is finishing the food.”
“Should I send over more cakes?” Destiny spun and swung her arm to gesture at her bakery, but the back of her hand smacked Pete’s nose, making a painful cracking sound.
“Ow.” His eyes watered, and he pressed his hands to his face, popping his nose back into place.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” She rested a hand on his shoulder. See? The Hot Mess Express had to be a curse on the poor, unsuspecting Easter Bunny. She’d given him amnesia, made him a little cuckoo, and now she’d broken his nose. What was next?
He squeezed his eyes shut before opening them wide and gripping her hand, sandwiching it between both of his. “I’m fine. Shifters are fast healers. See?” He wiggled his nose in an adorable way that only a rabbit could.
She nodded and tugged from his grasp, scurrying inside to avoid feeling any more warm fuzzies for the man.
Like her bakery, Mike’s restaurant occupied the bottom floor of his building, so they took the staircase up to the living area where Crimson stood in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on their dinner.
“Do you prefer shrimp or crawfish with your eggplant?” she asked.
He scrunched his brow and rubbed his thumb on his chin. “Neither? I’m pretty sure I’m a vegetarian.”
Crimson set the plate of fried shellfish on the counter. “No problem. Destiny is too.”
“I’ll take both,” Sophie said. “I’m ravenous.”
Crimson laughed. “Ever since you got your wolf, you’ve chowed down like a gluttony demon at an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
“Gotta feed my beast.” She popped a shrimp into her mouth. “Mmm. My compliments to the chef.”
“Have a seat.” Crimson carried two glasses of sweet tea to the table, and Sophie followed with another two.
