“I’m spouting all this shit because you’re on the list.” Gabby poked the offending piece of paper. “I apparently don’t blend into the wallpaper enough. Who knew?”

She spread her arms and twirled around, making Senan smile even as the pit of lead in his stomach grew. But she was back at the pinned piece of paper soon enough. “I know you have a paranormal aversion, I don’t know why, and it’s not my business. You do you. But you’re listed to work the tables tonight with Aisha, Fern, Alex, and Wyatt.” She tapped the names on the list as she read them off.

“That has to be a mistake.” Senan reached into his pocket for his phone. “Jeffrey was clearly rushed when he’s done this and just put the wrong name down.” He tapped Jeffrey’s contact on his phone, hearing it ring.

“Jeffrey’s at that kink conference all weekend,” Gabby said quietly. “Not even his mother will be able to get hold of him until Monday.”

“It’s not a kink conference, it’s a beginner Shibari course. I forgot, darn it.” Senan sighed as he disconnected the call and put his phone away. “I just won’t go. I can’t. With any luck Jeffrey will have learned enough from the course to be in a good mood on Monday when he learns about me ducking out on an event.”

“You’re team leader, you can’t back out.” Gabby’s face was clearly designed to tug at Senan’s people-pleaser genes. Not that he had any, but she was difficult to ignore. “Think about it. Aisha is going to be shitting kittens around all that Alpha testosterone. I can’t think why Jeffrey included her in the first place. Fern and Alex will be okay, but Wyatt is another one who gets easily distracted. I’m guessing that’s why Jeffrey wants you there. You can’t just abandon them in their hour of need.”

“Isn’t that just a tad dramatic, even for you?” Senan rubbed his chin. Unfortunately, for all her flair, Gabby was right. If he was listed as team leader, then the others would be depending on him, and it wasn’t as though he could come up with a credible excuse so quickly. Although… “Who’s doing the prep and clean up?” Senan asked as he had another idea.

“Brennan.” Gabby frowned. “Do you think that’s where Jeffrey made the fuck up? Brennan can serve just as well as you can.”

“Exactly, my lovely friend.” Feeling immediately better, Senan rushed over, hugging her quickly before letting go, and reaching for his phone again. “I’ll let Brennan know he’s serving tonight, and I’ll run the team from the prep area which means I don’t have to interact with any paranormal at all.”

“Are you ever going to tell me how you got this?” Gabby’s bright red fingernail lightly touched Senan’s scar – the scar that ran from the corner of his eye right down to his mouth. His friend had no idea how bad it looked without the glamor. “That has to be a paranormal incident.”

“I’m not saying anything because that business is in the past and I’ve got to plan for tonight. But as always, my wonderful friend, you’ve reminded me of the excuse I’ll have ready for Jeffrey on Monday if he complains about what I’ve done. Paranormals find scars distracting as much as unnatural scents so I’m simply adhering to his rules, and considering he should never have rostered me on tonight for this event anyway, he can’t make a fuss.” Senan gave Gabby a truly wide smile. “I do love it when a plan comes together.”