Page 266 of His Flash Mate
“Would you like to inspect the pin?”the woman asked.
Miranda nodded and leaned in as the woman opened the small jewelry box.
A gold and diamond scarf pin rested on black velvet.
Miranda inhaled deeply and let out a contented sigh.
“It’s perfect,” she said.“Please wrap it up for me.I’ll carry it out.”
The woman nodded and accepted a bag from the clerk.
A brisk fall wind stole my breath when we left a few minutes later, but I didn’t mind.Colder temps meant longer nights and more snuggles with my dragon.
Harlow opened the door for us, and we quickly got in.
“I can’t believe I finally have it,” Miranda said, clutching the bag.
I thought she meant the jewelry until she added, “It’s subtle but there.I bet he wore gloves while working on it.”
“Huh?”
“Zellon’s enigmatic designer.It’s only a matter of time before I find him now that I have his scent.Then he’s mine.”
Harlow met my gaze in the mirror.
“Please tell me you’re not hunting him down,” he said.
She grinned at him.
“I’m not a slow-pursuit kind of person like you, Harlow.The thrill of a quick hunt is in my blood.How long are you going to make Abbye wait to make things official?”
Miranda loved asking him about his relationship with my mom every time she saw him.It never fazed him, though.Miranda said he was steady with his emotions, a rare trait.
Although he and Mom had gone out a few times, they were taking things slow, not even calling their outings dates.If Mom ever decided to marry again, I hoped it was with someone like Harlow.Steady.Reliable.Good looking too.I wouldn’t mind calling him “Dad” someday.
“I’m giving you an opportunity to show me how it’s done,” he said smoothly.
Miranda snorted.
“You could tell by the scent it’s a male?”I asked.
She made a face.“No.I’m optimistic.”
“What if it’s a woman or a gay man?”
“If it’s a straight woman, I have an opening in my friend circle.You did tell me I needed to find someone else to drink with.And if it’s a gay man, that’s easy.He can flip me over and pretend.”
Harlow made a choked sound, and I shook my head at her.
Miranda used the rest of the ride to plan her hunting strategy, breaking down Motan into searchable sectors.
“Downtown will be easy since I’m there every day,” she said.“If you get a place on the southside, that’d make searching there easier, too.You’re going to add somewhere to sleep when you work late, right?”
Harlow coughed another laugh as he eased the car to the curb.The neighborhood showed its age—boarded windows, rusted security bars, peeling paint.
“Here?”he asked, showing his doubt.
Where he saw urban decay, I saw promise.Older buildings with good bones, similar to the ones downtown.Brick façades, tall windows, and wide sidewalks.Elements I could work with.
