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on down. I won’t hurt you.”
    “I’m not afraid.” I roll my eyes, crossing my arms, trying to appear nonchalant.
    “Then come down here.” He crooks his finger and then pats the surface of the desk in front of him, leaning back in his chair to look over his shoulder at me.
    Cautiously, I let myself settle gently onto the desk in front of him. It’s so strange, to have human eyes looking right at me. To have his eyes looking right at me. They’re dark gray, like storm clouds. And like watching clouds rolling in, I feel both excited and trepidatious.
    “Who are you here for today?” He glances around to make sure no one is watching him. If someone was, it would look, of course, like he was talking to himself, but no one appears to be paying attention as they hang up coats and change from boots to sneakers.
    “It’s not human business.” I sniff, turning my back to him, looking at the doorway again. I can almost feel his eyes on me. His interest is intoxicating.
    “I told you…” He chuckles, and I feel his finger poking me gently in the back. “I’m not like most… humans.”
    Glancing back at him, I frown. He sure seems to know a lot about fairies and what we do. It’s disconcerting. I want to ask him how he knows what he knows but just being next to him again makes me feel a little dizzy and unable to concentrate. I’m not even sure I’m going to be able to do my job, considering.
    “You’ll see,” I tell him over my shoulder, noting that flash of a smile, the arch of a dark brow. His hair is dark too, so black it’s almost blue under the fluorescents.
    Ah, there she is! The woman helps her daughter out of her coat, hanging it on a hook and shooing her into the crowd of kids. She’s making her way toward Zeph’s desk, thanks to me.
    “Oh, Mr. Sullivan!” She waves her diamond-covered fingers at Zeph as she approaches. “I wondered…” She leans in now, hand on the desk—I have to sidestep it—her voice dropping conspiratorially. “I have a Christmas dinner to donate… turkey and a ham, all the fixings… do you happen to know a family?”
    “I have a feeling I’m going to.” Zeph looks right at me, giving me that sly, secret, knowing smile. It turns me to liquid. I feel like I’m going to melt into a puddle on the surface of the desk. What in the world is wrong with me?
    “Is that a yes?” She cocks her head at him, puzzled.
    “Yes. I’m sure of it.” He nods, standing, his finger brushing my wings lightly. It looks casual, but I have a feeling it isn’t. His touch sends a shivery wave through me, something bright and hot. I don’t understand it, but I like it.
    “Wonderful!” she exclaims. “It’s in the car. I was going to donate it to the church, but I just… had a feeling you might know someone.”
    “Thank you.” He gives her a wink. The same wink he gave me, which makes me bristle and frown. He seems to hand out those beguiling smiles and winks without a second thought. “You’ll make some family very happy this holiday.”
    “I’ll have my driver bring it in!” She beams, giving him a waggling finger wave as she heads toward the door.
    “So, who is it?” Zeph sits again and looks at me, that knowing smirk on his face.
    “Go ask him. ” I nod toward David, realizing fate seems to be running itself, and I don’t even have to do a thing.
    “David?” He raises his eyebrows at me, but steps around the desk and squats down beside the little brown-eyed boy, who is still drawing his fairy dream-vision. “Hey guy… that’s a great picture.”
    “Thanks,” David says, only it comes out, ‘sanks.’ “Chloe likes it. I’m going to give it to her when I’m done.”
    Zeph smiles at him and then at me. I’m sitting on the edge of his desk, knees up, chin in hand, watching it all play out, like dominos falling in a line. And I’m looking at the way Zeph’s suit fits him, which is quite nicely. He has exquisite taste in ties. His is blood red and striking