Why the hell had I put this on?

Stupid fire. Stupid brain. Stupid date.

Mercury had to be in retrograde. That was the only explanation for all these stupid decisions.

A knock rattled my bedroom door. “Reagan? It’s me.”

“Ava! Thank God! Get in here!”

She shoved the door open before freezing. “What the—”

“I’m stuck.” My voice was little more than a squeak. “Help.”

She brought her hand to her mouth before coming into the room and dumping an entire armful of dresses onto my bed. “Here. Where’s the zipper?”

“On a train to hell!” I moved my arm so that she could access it. “It won’t move.”

“I’ll try.” She crouched down and wiggled it about. “How are you breathing in this dress?”

“I’m not.”

“Why did you put it on?”

“Because I’m an idiot.”

“Not arguing there,” she muttered, wedging the zipper up a little. “I think it’s getting caught in the fabric. I need to get my hand in there to make sure it doesn’t catch.”

“Your hand? What do you think my armpit is? A petting zoo?”

“Do you want me to get you out of this dress or what?”

“Fine. Put your hand in there and finger my ribcage.”

Ava rolled her eyes as she wiggled her fingers under the fabric of the dress.

Was this how turkeys felt on Thanksgiving? It wasn’t pleasant. It did actually feel like I was being stuffed, except nobody was going to cook me to put me out of my misery when it was all said and done.

“Got it!” Ava pulled the zipper down with a triumphant whoosh and stepped back. “Burn that dress.”

“My dresses burning is why I’m in this situation!” I yanked the sleeves down and freed my arms from the fabric prison before I rolled it up and tugged it as hard as I could down my body until it fell to the floor. I stepped out and kicked it toward the wall.

“Yes, well, you’re welcome for saving you.” She pulled her black hair up into a messy twist. The hairband snapped against her hand as she finished up and moved for the clothes. “Right. We have forty-five minutes and you look like you just went five rounds with a heavyweight boxer.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s not a compliment.”

“I know, but it’s sarcasm or I hit you.”

“Mm.” She eyed me. “Let’s get to work.”

CHAPTER TWELVE – NOAH

Lady And The Firefighter

I put my truck into park and breathed out a huge sigh. I was running late thanks to some paperwork I had to do before I left work, and I’d barely had time to run home, change, and get back here as close to seven as I possibly could, and that didn’t even include sorting Poosh out.

It was why my hair was still wet.

I turned and looked at the house. I knew I had to be a gentleman and go to the front door to collect Reagan, but I wasn’t sure I could cope with another interrogation from her great-aunt.