Death and Relaxation (Ordinary Magic #1)(25)

Which just made Ben and Jame’s relationship that much more fraught with disaster. I’d heard there were bets on how long it would last, and who would end up being the first one killed. The two of them seemed to be taking their impending doom with cool indifference. There was a reason they were two of the best firefighters in town. They only got stronger under pressure.

Both Ben and Jame must have felt my eyes on them. They turned a look my way, Ben curious, Jame more wary. I lifted an eyebrow, asking without words if I needed to throw some weight around with their relatives, who were arguing over whose turn it was to break.

They both smiled and gave me a nod. They weren’t worried. The argument hadn’t escalated into trouble yet.

Ben glided over to Sven Rossi and shoved his shoulder. Sven shut his mouth and stepped away from Jame’s brother, Tonner Wolfe. Tonner’s lip pulled up in a snarl, but Jame, who stood so close to Ben their shoulders touched, stared down his brother.

Tonner finally looked away and Ben smirked, then took a drink of his beer. That alpha situation apparently settled, Tonner threw both hands in the air and took a step back from the table, giving Sven room. The vampire made the break and the game was on.

I scanned the rest of the faces in both halves of the room.

There were several deities in the place. Odin, who refused to go by any other name, sat at the back of the room. With his eye patch and wild gray hair, he looked every inch the eccentric chainsaw artist that he was. In the same booth, her back toward me, was the goddess Athena, or just Thena, as she chose to be called. Her hair curled long and sleek, dark as midnight against a white T-shirt that brought out the brown of her skin.

She ran the surf shop, giving lessons and renting out wetsuits, boards, and other gear year round. Surfing was just starting to pick up around here, even though the Pacific was brutally cold. To supplement that building business, she also owned a specialty tea and candle shop.

Raven, who thought it was hilarious to go by the name Crow, flirted outrageously with a pretty redhead back at the bar. He was medium built, a good-looking full-blood Siletz, with spiky, short hair and a wicked grin that got him all the women, or men, he wanted.

Lots of mortals in the room too. Many of them from around here, but a good half or so were tourists. Proof that Jump Off Jack’s was doing healthy business. Good.

I finally spotted Myra in the restaurant area, sitting sideways to me and looking my way. Jean sat across from her, giving me a huge grin, blue and red hair glowing in the light. A man sat at the table, his back to me.

This must be our hire.

I walked their way, studying what I could see of him. Tall. Probably six foot or more. Good shoulders. He shifted forward to lean elbows on the table, muscles straining the material of the Henley he wore. Change that: great shoulders. Dark, short hair, tanned neck, hands he liked to talk with.

I knew him.

No. They wouldn’t hire him. Even my sisters weren’t that cruel.

I shot a look at Myra, who simply blinked like a satisfied cat. Jean snorted a laugh, then covered her mouth.

And that was when the man turned.

Ryder. Ryder Bailey was sitting at that table. Ryder Bailey was our new hire.

My heart pounded double time. He watched me, his expression a heat that pulsed all the way down to my toes.

Something about him had changed in the time he had been gone. Or maybe it wasn’t a change. Maybe it was just that the years he had been away had concentrated him into something undeniably sexy. Something that made my mouth water and knees weak.

I took an involuntary breath as he raised his hand and slowly pinched his bottom lip between the side of his index finger and thumb, hiding a smile.

His eyes glittered with humor.

Great. Everyone was in on the new-hire joke. Fine. I was determined not to let it bother me.

“Evening,” I said as I strolled around the table to the empty chair and sat directly opposite Ryder. I kicked Myra in the shin as I scooted the chair forward. I said I wouldn’t let it bother me, I didn’t say I wouldn’t be petty.

She winced and tried to step on my foot, but I knew her tricks and quickly wrapped my boot out of the way around the lower rung of the chair.

“Evening, Laney,” Ryder said.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“Everything okay?” Myra asked.

I nodded and picked up my menu. “Terrific. Just terrific,” I said through a false smile.

She wasn’t buying it.

“So, Ryder,” I started, “I didn’t know you had an interest in law enforcement.”

“Food before business,” Jean said, cutting off his reply. “We were waiting on you to order. Except for beer. Got you a Haystack. Your favorite.”

“Thank you.” I glanced over the menu edge, with a look that said one beer would not make me forgive her for choosing Ryder as our new employee.

She opened her heavily outlined eyes even wider, feigning innocence.

“What’s good here now?” I went back to actually reading the menu offerings, surprised by how varied the selection was. Just a few months ago Jump Off Jack’s offered basic bar food: chips, bread appetizers, burgers, and sandwiches. Now there were some impressive options.

“Crab cakes with chili hollandaise, yellow curry rockfish over peanut rice, whiskey honey sauce sirloin, wild shrimp in smoked tomato glaze,” I recited. “Wow.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Ryder said. “The joint’s gone classy. Might have to up our game.”