Page 41 of Reptile Dysfunction
How strange. I might actually be in love.
24
MASON
The last thing I wanted to do tonight was leave Charlotte’s side. It felt so natural when she took my arm like she was always meant to be there. But mayoral duties come first, and one of my most vital jobs is making sure the community stays functional and safe.
A water main break is a serious emergency. Any sort of running water has to be well documented with posted warnings for our undead residents.
“A family of wraiths was having a late-night picnic in the park,” Tony, the manager of utilities explains. “They’re trapped now, can’t cross the running water.”
We arrive shortly, and sure enough, there are three wraiths trapped in the park with running water around them. They look miserable, and my heart goes out to them. They must have been having such a wonderful time together before this.
“How long before it can be fixed?” I ask Tony.
“I’ve got my guys heading down there now. It’ll take some time to get things repaired. The pipes down there are old, and it’s gonna be delicate work to make sure we don’t cause any other problems.”
I make a mental note to address that issue in the morning, then turn my attention to the wraith family. They shouldn’t have to wait that long to get home. I consider our options for a moment.
“Hey, I’ve got some plywood in the yard. What if we made a sort of makeshift bridge for them?” Tony asks. He means well, but his knowledge of undead culture is sorely lacking.
I shake my head. “That still counts as crossing over running water. We need to stop the flow altogether.”
Tony sighs and wipes at his forehead with his sleeve. “Well, I can’t say how long it’s gonna be before we can cut the water.”
I search around the park and lay eyes on something useful – large bags of fertilizer. The gardener must have left them here to get started on the snapdragons tomorrow. I’ll apologize to him about what I’m going to do later.
“Tony, help me grab some of these,” I say. Tony looks confused for a moment but quickly catches on. We use the fertilizer like sandbags, blocking the water flow and creating a dam of sorts. What I wouldn’t give for a were-beaver to move into town one day.
It takes more bags than I assumed, but in time, Tony and I have the water flow diverted and a path to freedom for the wraiths. They glide past us, pausing to clasp their hands in front of their chests in a gesture of thanks. I return it and watch proudly as my citizens return to safety on the sidewalk.
“Well, glad we got that much sorted. I gotta say, Mason, it can’t be easy juggling the needs of this many different kinds of folk in town. But somehow, you always manage to do it.”
Tony shakes my hand and excuses himself to manage his team. I take a moment to catch my breath, then remember with a start that I just left a beautiful woman alone at a party. I check my watch and sigh. It’s far too late. The party will most likely be over by the time I make it back. Not to mention my clothing is now soaking wet and I reek of gardening supplies.
Not exactly appropriate for the occasion.
I resign myself to spending the rest of the evening home alone and make my way there instead. The streets are quiet this time of night. By no means are they empty, of course, but the bats, owls, and more nocturnal among us tend to keep to themselves. Somewhere in the distance, I can hear Chet howling at the moon. Otherwise, it is a perfect opportunity to reflect on tonight’s events.
Part of me wants to dwell on the water main break and how the pipes under the city will require a great deal of permitting, work, budget negotiations, and inspections. In fact, normally, I’d be up all night drafting forms for exactly that.
But not tonight. I can only think of Charlotte. How soft her hair felt when it brushed against my neck, how sweet her laughter sounded, how much her big brown eyes sparkled in the light.
I find myself itching to message her, to ask if she’d like to spend the evening with me. Just us. Alone. That most certainly must be a mix of adrenaline and espresso liquor speaking. I can’t text her at this hour without it seeming like the most insensitive type of booty-call, and that’s not the impression I want to leave her with.
Her, in particular, because it’s becoming transparent that I’m falling for her. I have to handle this right, and that doesn’t include half-brained messages in the middle of the night.
Still, I can’t dismiss the thought of her completely. I let myself into my house and get a hot shower going. I can’t stand smelling this way for much longer, even if it could be a badge of honor for helping citizens in need.
I step inside and let the hot water soothe my aching muscles. My snakes tremble in delight as they warm up in the rising mist. I lather up my chest, the smell of cedarwood and rosemary relaxing my mind.
Even here, Charlotte maintains her hold on my thoughts. I have no doubts now that my feelings for her have bloomed from adversarial to romance. I believe I love her, truly. I find myself wishing she was here with me now. Not just so I can run my hands over that gorgeous body but to simply bask in her company.
And what is love, if not precisely that want?
I want to trust that she feels the same. But I also am well aware she has had her heart trampled recently. Even if she doesn’t feel the same, I’m sure I can win her over in time, but I don’t want to rush her.
So that means waiting for Charlotte to make the first move. I can do my best to show her what a good partner I’ll be for her in the meantime, and I suppose that’s what I’ll have to focus on first. I finish rinsing off and step out onto the soft, green bath mat. I towel myself dry and give my snakes their own little towel to dry off in. They snuggle into the cotton and relax after their little spa treatment.