The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 4) (15 page)

“I see that. Just maybe not over the food.” Pandora put the wine on the counter and took a seat at the island. “You’re getting love germs in the sauce.” She stuck her finger in the pot and licked it clean. “Oh, that’s good. Germs and all.”

“It’s very good. It’s pork roast with spaghetti marinara.” Corette eased out of Stanhill’s arms. “Where are your guests?”

“Having a little conversation outside. Kaley and Cole just found out that witches aren’t the only supernaturals in Nocturne Falls, and Kaley’s also getting the explanation about what her father and grandfather really are. And, yes, Cole’s dad is also a familiar.” She took a deep breath. “And I should probably tell you that Cole’s dad thinks I’m out to use his son for all the benefits of his familiar status. Including the hot sex.”

Corette narrowed her eyes. “Get him in here. I’ll talk to him. The nerve of that man assuming my daughter is—”

“No, Mom, don’t. We need to kill him with kindness. Not get up in his face. He already doesn’t trust witches. Cole had a bad first marriage, so…” She shrugged. “Just be nice to him, okay?”

“Whatever you think is best, darling. But I’m not going to let him disparage you in my house.” Corette tapped her finger on the counter. “I draw the line there. A sharp one.”

“I understand.”

The front door opened. “Hello?” Cole’s voice rang out.

Pandora hopped off the seat and headed for the foyer. “In here.”

She met him halfway. Kaley looked like she’d taken the news about her father’s and grandfather’s true identities pretty well. Pandora nodded toward the kitchen. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

Cole pushed his glasses up. “Lead the way.”

She took them back into the kitchen, and after Cole had handed his bottle of wine to her mother, Pandora made the introductions. Everyone shook hands, including Kaley, who then retreated a few steps and stared at Corette and Stanhill like she expected them to do something magical at any moment.

Thankfully, before the silence got awkward, Pandora’s sisters arrived. Marigold came in with an enormous salad bowl, a large bouquet for the table and her eight-year-old daughter, Saffron, in tow. Charisma was right behind them with her own contribution of freshly baked Italian bread in crisp paper sleeves.

More introductions were made, and as everyone headed to the table, Pandora found a moment to fill her sisters in on the situation with Cole’s dad. They nodded as she spoke.

“We’ve got your back.” Marigold glanced toward the dining room. “I get the protective-parent thing, but Cole’s a grown man. He can make up his mind about you on his own.”

Charisma nodded. “The father’s projecting his own fears onto his son. Classic emotional transfer.”

Pandora cut her eyes at her life coach sibling. “Can you not psychoanalyze him at the table?”

“I’m just stating the obvious. And if he thinks he’s getting away with dumping all that on you, he’s got another think coming.”

Pandora rubbed her forehead. She appreciated her sisters’ protectiveness, but she was already getting visions of just how badly the night could go. “I didn’t bring enough wine for this.”

Cole wasn’t surprised by how pretty Pandora’s mother or sisters were. After all, Pandora was a knockout. He’d expected the gene pool to be strong. What he wasn’t prepared for was the amount of noise the clan made. There were nine of them seated around a dining room table meant for eight. For someone who’d been raised an only child, it was somewhat overwhelming. It also filled him with a curious longing to be a bigger part of something this loud and raucous. There was an abundance of love and joy in this room, and despite the craziness of it, the feeling was infectious.

Kaley and Saffron, Pandora’s youngest sister’s girl, were seated next to each other and, despite the five-year age difference, seemed to be becoming fast friends. At least, they were talking up a storm and laughing, so it looked like they were having a good time.

In that moment, an ache filled him at the thought that Kaley was growing up an only child too.

Pandora, seated on his left, bent closer to him. “You okay? Or just overwhelmed by all this?”

He smiled, thankful for the easy out. “A little overwhelmed. But good. I like it. Just not used to it.”

“I totally understand.” She lifted her gaze toward his father. “Your dad and Stanhill seem to be getting on.”

Cole nodded. Stanhill was at the head of the table with Jack directly across from Cole. The two men had been engaged in conversation since dinner started. “It helps that they have cars in common. Especially British cars. My father’s been in love with British machines since as far back as I can remember. He has an old Jag in the garage that he’s been working on for the last couple of years, but he loves Aston Martins and Bentleys, too.”

“My mother excels at hostessing. She knows how to pair people up at the table.”

“I’d say.” He tipped his head toward his daughter. “Look at Kaley and Saffron. I’m not even sure they know the rest of us exist.”

Pandora smiled. “I’m happy about that. I think they could be good for each other.”

“I agree.” Just like he thought Pandora could be good for him.

She blinked at him. “You’re staring.”

He held her gaze. “It’s hard not to.” He wanted to kiss her with the kind of intensity that almost made him lean in, but this was her mother’s house and her mother’s table. He was not about to cross that line.

As if sensing his thoughts, Pandora retreated a few inches.

Corette, who was at the opposite end of the table, must have picked up on something, because he heard his name a second later. “Cole, what is it you do for a living?”

“And so it begins,” Pandora muttered.

He smiled. He’d been waiting for the inquisition. “I teach math. Most recently at East State University.”

“But not anymore?”

“I took a sabbatical. Getting this house remodeled is my job now. I’ve worked construction almost every summer since I was sixteen. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.” He nodded at his dad. “A job worth doing is a job worth doing well.”

Jack smiled. “That’s right.”

“I agree,” Corette said. “Pandora told us you inherited the Pilcher Manor. Your skills will come in very handy. I’m glad someone who cares about it will be in charge of fixing it up. It’s going to be a big job, though.”

He smiled. “It is. Huge. But the money that came with the inheritance will help. That’s what made it possible for us to move here while I fix the house up. Once it’s sold, Kaley and I will be set.”

“I’m sure Pandora will get you a fabulous deal.” She picked up her wine. “I know you haven’t been in town long, but do you know what neighborhood you want to be in then?”

He hesitated. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Corette finished her sip and set the glass down. “Well, most of the neighborhoods here have their own sort of flavor. Pandora can tell you better than I can, but her section tends to have large ranch-style homes, while the houses on the streets in this part are almost all two-story cottages.”

Marigold chimed in. “I live one street over. It’s a small house, but this is a great neighborhood. They all are, really. This is a well-planned town.”

“You could always get a condo,” Charisma said. “I live in the Excelsior. It’s a fabulous building. We have an indoor pool and a gym, not that I get to use them that much. I travel a lot, so having a house to take care of isn’t really feasible.”

Pandora, her mother and her sisters all looked at him, waiting on his answer.

He put his fork down. “That sounds great, but we’re not staying.”

Beside him, Pandora frowned. “What do you mean you’re not staying?”

He blinked in confusion. “We have a house in North Carolina, where I work. We’re only here as long as it takes to fix up my uncle’s house and sell it.”

The table went silent. Even Kaley and Saffron. Kaley looked at him. “But we could stay, right?”

“No, Kaley, we can’t. I have a job to go back to.”

Kaley frowned and crossed her arms. “But my mentor will be here.” She looked around the table. “Right?”

Pandora shook her head. “You and your mentor need to live in the same town. Or at least the same state.”

“
Dad
.” Kaley glared at him.

He gave her the look that said they’d talk about it later. Then he glanced at Pandora.

Her mouth was open, and it seemed like she’d started to say something. Instead, she snapped her jaw shut, pushed her chair back, put her napkin alongside her plate and stood. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” Then she walked into the kitchen.

Corette’s brows lifted gently. “I guess this is news to all of us.”

He sat there, feeling about as awkward as could be. “I thought she knew…”

Marigold snorted softly. “Nope.”

He looked at his father.

Jack shrugged as if to indicate this was one more reason not to get involved with Pandora.

“Excuse me.” Cole got up and went after her.

She stood in front of the sink, staring out the window.

“Hey, I thought you knew this whole thing was temporary.”

She frowned and kept her gaze straight ahead. “Clearly not, but you don’t owe me an explanation.”

“I feel like I do.”

She finally turned toward him and smiled, but it was too bright and didn’t reach her eyes. “You don’t. And, really, this just makes things easier, doesn’t it?”

“Pandora, it doesn’t mean—”

She put her hand on his chest. “Yes, it does. I’ll help you with the house, and I’ll help you with Kaley as much as I can, but it would be silly to pursue anything between us. You’re a math professor. You understand being practical. And you and me? We’re not practical.” Her smile wavered. “And I don’t do casual.”

He took a step back, his gut coiling like he’d been punched. “You’re right.” His voice sounded flat. It matched how he felt. But then, what had he thought? Well, he’d thought she’d grasped he wasn’t here for good. And he’d thought she was okay with that.

The fact that she wasn’t…sucked.

She turned back toward the window. “I’d like a moment alone now, thanks.”

He knew when he’d been dismissed. “Okay.”

He went back to the table. The joyous energy that had been in the room earlier was gone, replaced by whispers and long looks and tension. All of it caused by him. He made himself smile as he took his seat. “It’s all good.”

Corette and her daughters smiled back like they knew that was a lie but they understood.

Jack reached for the bread. “Excellent meal, Mrs. Williams. Haven’t had home cooking like this since my wife passed.”

Another lie, Cole thought, but one that smoothed things out and restarted the conversation. He stared at his plate, not quite able to join in. He’d hurt Pandora. He hadn’t meant to, but he still felt terrible about it. Maybe she was right, though. Getting involved was risky for both of them.

He’d spent this long not being anyone’s familiar. He could certainly live the rest of his life the very same way.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Marigold pick up the wine carafe and mention something about refilling it. She got up and headed for the kitchen. He hoped she was going to talk to Pandora. Comfort her. Commiserate with her. All that stuff that sisters did.

That gave him some peace. If he couldn’t be the one to fix things, at least she had her family to lean on.

The truth was, he didn’t feel that great about leaving now. It
was
the plan he’d made and it was the path that made the most sense. Leaving his job wouldn’t be a practical or smart decision. He was working on tenure after all. And his dad was in North Carolina too. The only other family Kaley had.

But he also saw how much Kaley liked it here. He didn’t exactly hate the place. Sure, it was hands down the oddest town he’d ever been to with the strangest inhabitants, but he was one of those strange inhabitants now.

The other thing that bothered him was leaving meant disappointing both Pandora and Kaley. That made him sad. Neither one deserved to be hurt like this. And he didn’t like being the cause of that hurt. But what were his choices? Practical things were practical for a reason. They made the most sense.