Page 3 of Fibre and Ink

“Good,” I said, my mouth on automatic.

Not only was Mickey cute as hell with that strong nose, bright dreamy eyes and a full beard, but he was a kind-hearted man who had brought me sushi on the day of the Pride festival. He'd looked after Harlow after their parents had died suddenly. He'd taken over the family alpaca farm and expanded it into a Christmas tree business? He was so, damn, competant. My brain tended to short out when I spoke to him.

“Get lots of writing done?” Harlow sat on the other side of the booth.

I groaned and rubbed my hands over my face. “No. It’s hopeless. I have no ideas, and I keep eating.”

Andrew came back to take Harlow and Mickey’s lunch orders. I dropped my hand to the table and Harlow rubbed it gently.

“You’ll be fine. I read the articles you wrote for the student paper you sent, you’re good at this.”

I swallowed. “I hope so. I just...I don’t know. I couldn’t write at home and now I think the diner might not be the solution either. Back in Sacramento I could go to the student library and find a quiet corner and... go for it.”

Harlow made a soft sympathetic noise.

“If it’s quiet you want, why don’t you come out to the farm?” Mickey asked. “It’s only me there most of the time, since Harlow’s working a dozen jobs and has an apartment in town.”

Harlow’s eyes widened. She clutched my hand. “It’s perfect! It’s so quiet out there, and Mickey needs company or he gets a bit weird and starts talking to the alpacas.”

Mickey’s cheeks glowed red over the line of his beard. “Everyone talks to the alpacas.”Harlow gave him a bombastic side eye. “More than normal.”

I bit my lip. It ounded ideal, although Dillon and I shared a car. I didn’t want to waste a whole lot of gas driving back and forth all the time.

“Maybe? I don’t...”

“You could use one of the guest rooms?” Mickey suggested. “That apartment you share with Tane and Dillon must be feel pretty small.”

“You’re not wrong.” I swallowed, looking between them. “Are you sure? I mean, my folks are making their way back for the wedding, I think they said they’d be back by Halloween, and I definitely need my own place by then. It’d obviously be temporary, until I find my feet.” “I’m sure.” Mickey met my eyee.

That should have been an uncomfortable amount of eye contact but with him, it was just right.

I licked my lips. “Thanks, um. I think that would actually be perfect? I don’t have much stuff, so I could probably come out tomorrow. Get Tane to drop me off — I don’t have my own car.”

“I’ll drive you,” Harlow said. “I’m flexitime tomorrow. And I can help you settle in.”

“Not a problem.” Mickey grinned. “This could be really fun. I’ve never lived with a drag king before.”

I chuckled, slowly relaxing into the idea. “Well, it’s not like I’m running a show every week.”

“Now I can see both of you when I come around for dinner.” Harlow beamed, sitting back as if she’d planned this all along.

Maybe she had?

Harlow loved a scheme.

Andrew delivered our food and I smiled at both of them.

Could I keep my raging crush on Mickey under control and not ruin the friendship I’d recently rekindled with Harlow?

What was I doing?

I should change my mind, cut it off now before something terrible happened. I almost did but then Mickey cracked a joke about alpacas and all my determination withered. I couldn’t resist his smile.

I was absolutely doomed.

The best I could hope for was maybe I could get some writing done before it all blew up.

Chapter Two