A Little Too Familiar

An Uncanny Romance Novel

Lish McBride

Copyright © 2022 by Lish McBride

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Cover design & illustration:Jenny Zemanek

Book design: Vladimir Verano

Published in the United States by

Devo-Lish

Contact email: [email protected]

lishmcbride.com

To everyone who kept the world spinning over the last few years—especially medical workers, teachers, scientists, delivery people, and food industry folks. You made it possible for me to stay safe and none of you got the respect or support you deserve. Thank you.

Contents

Chapter One

Lou

Chapter Two

Declan

Chapter Three

Lou

Chapter Four

Declan

Chapter Five

Lou

Chapter Six

Declan

Chapter Seven

Lou

Chapter Eight

Declan

Chapter Nine

Lou

Chapter Ten

Lou

Chapter Eleven

Lou

Chapter Twelve

Lou

Chapter Thirteen

Lou

Chapter Fourteen

Declan

Chapter Fifteen

Lou

Chapter Sixteen

Declan

Chapter Seventeen

Declan

Chapter Eighteen

Lou

Chapter Nineteen

Declan

Chapter Twenty

Lou

Chapter Twenty-One

Lou

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lou

Chapter Twenty-Three

Declan

Chapter Twenty-Four

Lou

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lou

Chapter Twenty-Six

Lou

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Declan

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Lou

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Declan

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Lou

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by Lish McBride

Chapter One

Lou

Mrs. Davis perched rigidly on one of the plastic chairs in the exam room, her large handbag taking up the other seat. The exam room walls were painted a soothing blue color, complemented by idyllic scenes of animals in nature. We’d brought a designer in specifically to make this room the visual equivalent of a cup of chamomile tea. And yet, the client appeared very unsoothed. She actually looked the opposite of soothed, like the faintest nudge would make her crack into several jagged pieces.

I nervously adjusted the little plastic badge that said apprentice on it as I tried to decide the best approach.

She held her hands, which were encased in high-heat-resistant gloves, out to me like an offering. I leaned over the exam table to get a better look at a puffball the color of flames nestled in her gloves. Oranges, reds, and a little tuft of yellow over bright obsidian eyes. The baby phoenix chirped at me, the note musical and clear, and my heart totally melted. How cute was he? Answer: so fucking cute.

Sometimes, I loved my job.

Other times, well…let’s just say I wear scrubs for a reason.

The phoenix shook his fledgling feathers and sparks cascaded down. I spritzed the floor with more water just in case. Birds weren’t always my favorite—pigeons, for example, could test anyone’s patience. For having brains the size of a walnut, they had an astounding repertoire of dirty jokes. And nosy—you couldn’t keep secrets from pigeons. But this little guy? I just wanted to squeeze all his cuteness into a cup and drink it.