It was the middle of the week, end of the day. Ever was wiping down one of the tables, not even aware that he was humming to himself. It was nearly six o’clock in the evening, but it was already quite dark outside.

  “You seem happy,” Taylor said.

  “I guess I am.” He paused for a moment before bouncing into the melody anew. Taylor glared as hard as possible at him through his back, as if trying to burn a hole into him. It was no use. He only felt her gaze if she was actually mad with him, which she was not.

  She hopped off the bar stool. “Hey, I wanted–”

  “I went into reaper mode in front of Zoe.”

  Taylor blinked. “What? Really?

  “Well, no.” Ever wrung out the cloth into the bucket and draped it on the side. “She saw video footage of me going into reaper mode.”

  “Where?”

  “At her vet clinic.” As Ever explained how he’d gone back to her Vets R Us a few times to reap the ghosts of animals, Taylor nodded slowly. She was trying to keep herself focused while he was talking; he was just so damn passionate about his reaping gig. She caught her mind drifting a few times; there was something she had to ask him, something that she'd been pondering for a long time. Now knowing who he was, she had to grab this chance before it was too late.

  “...she’s had to postpone a few times, but we’ve set a date in two week’s time.”

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  Damn it, zoned out. “A date for what?” Taylor asked.

  Ever grinned. “A date for… a date.”

  “For real?” Taylor said, smiling widely. “About time!”

  He nodded, putting his hands on his hips. His gaze fell on the pot plant by the window. A green shoot had finally started sprouting this week.

  “Can you help me?” Ever asked.

  “Me?” Taylor responded, leaning back slightly. “With what?”

  “With getting ready for the date. I’ve never been on one.”

  “Hey I’m no expert,” she said, putting her hands up in front of her. “I haven’t had a boyfriend in years.” And that's how I like it.

  “But you’ve gone on a date before?”

  “I mean, yeah, but--”

  “I’ve never been on one.” He walked up the empty ice cream display, put his forearms flat on top, then rested his chin on his hands. He had been pretty much smiling non-stop the whole afternoon, if not the whole day and now he was directly smiling at her and giving her puppy dog eyes.

  “Please?--”

  “Oh my god, stop!” She said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Fine, I’ll do it. When was your last haircut?”

  “Umm…”

  “Yeah, we’ll start with that, make you look less like a shaggy dog. Though being a vet maybe that’s what she likes about you.”

  “Thank you!”

  She rolled her eyes and turned away. The chance to ask the question had gone for now; she would ask it before she left. She had to.