Vanessa sat across from me at our table, both of us drinking coffee. I was trying not to watch Declan outside the window as he did something to our planter boxes. Trying and failing. The way his muscles moved when he worked… I sighed, once again dragging my attention back to the roommate I was having coffee with.

Van stared at me with the hardened eye of a detective trying to crack a difficult case. “Spill.”

I sipped my coffee. “You can’t take me, copper. I’m innocent, see?”

She slammed both hands on the table dramatically. “Liar!”

I mock-glared at her over my cup. “What do you know?”

She crossed her arms. “I don’t reveal my sources.”

I set my coffee down. “It was the ferrets, wasn’t it?”

Van pursed her lips. “Okay, yes, you woke the ferrets. They told me this morning, first thing. I’m sure you know this, but ferrets have absolutely filthy minds.”

“I do know this,” I said, getting up to refill my cup. “Why do you think I suggested them for you?”

Van pointed at me. “Sit. I have ways of making you talk.”

Will came in to the kitchen then, scratching his stomach, his sweats riding low on his hips. He occasionally crashed at our house if he’d stayed too late—sometimes on our couch, but usually in Vanessa’s room—so it wasn’t too big of a surprise to see him. He was one of Van’s oldest friends, after all.

He grabbed a mug with a large cartoon sun on it that said “Don’t talk to me” in a bubbly font. “Am I just in time for sexy interrogation role play?”

I put my forehead on the table. “You heard, too?”

“No,” he said, doctoring his coffee. “I was referring to Van’s method of interrogation, not the topic.” He dropped into the seat next to her, eyes bright. “But now I’m intrigued. Did you finally bang our newest employee?” He leaned forward. “As his friend and obvious mentor, I have to ask what your intentions are.”

“What?” I blinked at him.

He placed a hand on his chest, affronted. “You have debauched him. Taken his innocence. Ruined him. How will he land a duke? No, he’ll have to settle for an industrial upstart, at best. He’s lucky he has a dowry.” Will shook his head regretfully, sipping his coffee. “Tsk tsk, Louise.”

Van put her chin on her fist and leaned so she could look at him. “Are you reading romance novels with your nana again?”

“Never stopped,” Will said. “I would have you know that I’m an important part of her book club. I bring the cookies and the saucy commentary.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “I can give you a list of Nana’s favorite sexy werewolf books. She has excellent taste. You and Declan could read them together.” He grinned over the edge of his mug.

“Don’t mock,” I said.

“He is one hundred percent serious,” Van said, eyeing me over her cup. “His nana keeps her reading organized on a spreadsheet. He helps her update it.”