7. Ava

”Okay, kiddo, all buckled up?”I asked as Sammie climbed into the backseat, his blue eyes wide. Olivia and I had shopped until it was time to get him from camp.

”Yep, Aunt Ava. We made birdhouses today.” He showed me his paint-stained hands.

”I bet that was a lot of fun.” I smiled at him through the rearview mirror. Olivia slid into the passenger seat, her phone buzzing incessantly in her hand.

”Melody again.” She frowned at the screen. ”Another incident.”

”Can”t we have one normal afternoon?” I sighed, already knowing the answer.

”Apparently not. It”s at the hair salon downtown. Let”s go.”

The drive was a blur as Olivia attempted to keep Sammie entertained with I-spy games. When we pulled up, the scene outside the salon was pure chaos—people standing on tiptoes, pointing, gasping.

”Stay close, Sammie,” Olivia instructed as we approached the crowd. The salon windows revealed an improbable sight. Monkeys swinging from the hairdryers. A peacock strutted atop the reception desk with its tail feathers cascading like a bizarre fountain.

”Is that a llama getting a perm?” Olivia muttered, her lips twitching.

”Looks like it didn”t ask for extra volume,” I said, barely containing my laughter.

”Mommy, can we take one home?” Sammie pleaded, tugging at Olivia”s hand.

”Definitely not,” Olivia chuckled. ”Let”s leave the hair styling to the professionals, buddy.”

”All right, Operation Zoo Rescue is a go,” I announced, rolling up my sleeves. ”You ready?”

”Always,” Olivia replied, a gleam in her eye.

”Check the news,” I said to Olivia as we watched a lemur run past.

She nodded and pulled out her phone, fingers flying over the screen. ”Here it is. Several animals reported missing from the local zoo.”

”Great,” I muttered. ”Just what we needed.”

I turned to one of the onlookers, an older lady with a hand clutched over her heart. I recognized her from when I worked at the bookstore. She was one of Cliff’s regular customers. ”Ma”am, could you please keep an eye on Sammie for us? We need to handle this.”

”Of course, dear,” she said, bending down to Sammie”s level. ”We”ll watch the excitement together, won”t we?”

”Thanks,” I said as Sammie gave us a small wave, already distracted by the peacock again.

”Let”s go,” Olivia whispered, and we edged our way through the crowd until we reached the salon door. Taking a deep breath, I pushed it open, and we slipped inside.

”Stay low,” Olivia advised, and we crouched, moving stealthily past a gaggle of flamingos congregating near the entrance.

”Watch out!” I hissed as a tortoise the size of a coffee table ambled towards us, its beady eyes fixed in our direction.

”Left side, three o”clock,” Olivia whispered back, directing me away from a lemur that had taken a liking to my hair. I ducked just in time, its tiny fingers grazing the top of my head.

”Are they following us?” I asked, glancing behind me at an inquisitive wallaby that seemed to have taken an interest in our presence.

”Seems like it,” Olivia replied, side-stepping a curious porcupine that waddled alarmingly close to her feet.

”Okay, let”s move,” I urged, and we darted forward, narrowly avoiding a parrot swooping down like it was trying to tell us off for intruding.

Reaching a space finally clear of the animal commotion, Olivia didn”t waste a moment. She focused, her hand drawing a shimmering outline in the air, and with a flick, it expanded into a glowing portal.

”Quickly, quickly,” she said, making sure the coast was clear.

”Got it,” I replied, grabbing the bathroom door as we stepped through the portal, emerging into the familiar tiled space of the zoo”s restroom. The sudden quiet was jarring.

”Come on, you guys,” Olivia coaxed, turning back towards the salon. ”This way to home.”

One by one, animals began to cautiously wander through the portal. A pair of otters slid across the floor, their whiskers twitching with curiosity. I couldn”t help but smile despite the urgency. They were so darn cute.

”Keep going,” she urged, gently guiding a confused capybara that hesitated at the threshold.

I held the door steady as a procession of penguins waddled past, their flippers brushing against my legs.

”Watch the door.” Olivia called out as a llama made its way through, nearly knocking me out of the way as it ducked through the doorway.

”Is that all of them?” I asked once the last animal, a sleepy sloth, had been encouraged through with gentle prods.

”Looks like it,” Olivia confirmed, surveying the now empty salon through the portal. ”Let”s close this up.”

With a wave of her hand, the portal sealed shut, leaving us in the fresh quiet of the salon. We both let out a breath.

”Zookeepers” problem now,” I muttered. The real work of corralling all those animals back into their habitats awaited someone else.

”Let”s get out of here,” Olivia said, and we slipped out the front door.

Stepping out into the late afternoon sun, Olivia and I caught our breaths. The salon was a mess, but it didn”t seem like too much was broken. It was over, the animals were back where they belonged.

”Okay, that tourist,” Olivia said, pointing subtly to a man with a camera dangling from his neck. ”He”s the only one who doesn”t know about magic. Got to do a quick memory tweak.”

”Can you handle it? After all that?” I asked, eyeing her with concern.

”Lucifer”s lessons are pretty ingrained,” she replied with a half-smile, brushing a strand of blond hair from her face. ”But yeah, it takes a toll. Let”s make this quick.”

She approached the man, her movements calm and measured. A soft murmur escaped her lips, her hand gesturing in a small but intricate pattern. The tourist blinked, his expression slackening for a moment before clearing.

”Excuse me, sir,” Olivia said gently, ”you were saying you saw a parade pass by, remember?”

”Uh, yeah,” he scratched his head, looking around confused. ”A parade, right.” Satisfied, she gave me a nod.

Turning back into the salon, I waved my hand, creating one of my favorite ways to clean: a tornado. In about three minutes, the salon was 90% back to normal.

Mrs. Henderson, the owner, pulled me into a hug. ”Thank you. I dreaded cleaning all that up.”

”No problem. I”ll take a free eyebrow wax for my trouble.”

She snorted. ”Deal.”

Olivia collected Sammie and we made our way through the dispersing crowd.

”Let”s get home,” she replied.

The drive back was silent, the day pressing down on us. When we finally pulled into the driveway, the relief was palpable. The babies were at Michelle”s parents” house for the night. Quiet awaited me.

”Go relax,” Olivia said as we got out of the car. ”You”ve earned it.”

”Thanks. You too,” I responded. ”Night, Sammie.”

”Good night, Aunt Ava.” He ran for their house with Olivia trudging behind.

Inside, Winston was still and quiet. ”Hey, Winston,” I said. He banged a kitchen cabinet in response. I tossed my keys on the counter and headed straight for the bathroom. This house hadn”t been this empty since before I moved back. As I twisted the faucet, steam began to rise from the water”s surface. Pouring in a generous amount of bubble bath, the scent of lavender filled the air, inviting me to unwind.

I sank into the tub, letting the hot water envelop me, muscles unwinding from the tension of the day. The book I had grabbed sat on the edge of the tub, but my eyes were too heavy to read. For now, the soothing warmth was all I needed.

”Finally,” I whispered to myself. ”Some peace.”

After staying in the tub until the water cooled, I stepped out of the bathroom, skin all pruny. The house was still quiet, the only sound was my feet padding softly on the cool hardwood floor. I wrapped the towel tighter around myself, water droplets trailing behind me.

The sound of the front door opening and closing was followed by Drews magic spiking through our bond. Oh, good, his shift was over.

”Hello?” he called out.

”Up here,” I replied, leaning against the bedroom door frame. My hair was damp, clinging to my shoulders, and I was acutely aware of how little the towel actually covered.

Drew appeared in the hallway, his sheriff’s uniform slightly askew, signs of another long day. He paused, teal-blue eyes scanning over me. There was a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

”Long day?” I asked, keeping my tone light.

”You could say that,” he said, stepping closer. His hands found my waist, fingers gently brushing the edge of the towel. ”But it looks like yours is ending on a high note.”

”Definitely improving,” I admitted, the tension melting away under his touch.

”Good.” Drew leaned down, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that started soft but grew more insistent. The towel slipped an inch, and I pressed closer to him, not caring.

”Let me take care of you,” Drew murmured against my lips, the promise in his voice sending shivers down my spine.

”Sounds perfect,” I whispered back.

Heck, yes it did.