The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 4) (5 page)

“I’m telling you, Mom, she’s a witch.” Pandora cradled the phone between her head and shoulder while she brought up the MLS (aka Multi List System) to update a few of her listings. “She can read auras pretty spot-on.”

“How old did you say she is?” Corette asked.

“Thirteen.”

“That’s the right age. Poor dear. Does she have a mentor?”

“No. And she’s going to need one.”

Corette sighed. “That’s for sure. And the father doesn’t believe?”

“Nope. Total normie.”

Corette tsked. “And him living in Gertrude’s house. She’s not going to like that.”

Pandora squinted. “You know she’s dead, right?”

“I know, dear, but there’s always a possibility that a witch with that much life in her might not be
entirely
gone.”

Pandora laughed. “Oh, that would serve him right.”

“Now, Pandy, we shouldn’t wish ill will on anyone. That’s not our way.”

“I know. But he was such a…butthead.”

“Very mature response, darling.”

“Hey, you want to have lunch today? I could call Marigold, have her meet us too.” Pandora’s youngest sister ran the flower shop in town.

“I can’t. I already have a lunch date.”

“Stanhill?”

“Yes.” The honeyed tone of Corette’s answer spoke volumes. For the last four years, Pandora’s mother had dated Hugh Ellingham’s rook, a position that was basically like Batman’s Alfred. Stanhill was universally adored by Pandora and her sisters. Didn’t hurt that he and Corette were well suited and deeply in love.

“All right. Well, keep your hands on the table.” Pandora giggled. “We don’t want people to talk.”

“
Pandora
.” Corette mock-scolded. In the background, Pandora could hear the chimes that sounded when her mother’s shop door opened. “One of my brides just came in for a fitting. I have to go.”

Corette’s shop, Ever After, was the go-to destination for all things bridal and formal in town. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.” Corette hung up.

Pandora set the phone down. The irony that her mother ran a bridal boutique and yet all three of her daughters were still single was not lost on Pandora. Someday, she might make good use of her mother’s shop.

And someday Pumpkin might lose weight.

Maybe she’d call Willa, see if she wanted to do lunch. Pandora could even pick it up and take it over to the jewelry store. They did that at least once a month. Willa’s back room had heard more Nocturne Falls gossip than Birdie Caruthers, the sheriff’s nosy aunt and receptionist. Okay, maybe not more than Birdie. But close.

The bells above Pandora’s office’s front door jangled, and she looked up. Right into the face of Mr. Doubter McDoubty Pants. She leaned back in her chair. “Thought of an insult you forgot to hurl at me?”

Cole frowned. Which sadly, did nothing to make him ugly. “I didn’t hurl insults at you.”

Pandora tipped her hand back and forth. “Let’s call that a draw.”

He stopped in front of her desk. “I came to apologize, actually. I’m sorry about breakfast. That’s not how I planned for it to go.”

“That’s good to hear. How
did
you plan for it to go?”

His mouth crumpled into an uneven line before he answered. “I don’t know. But not like that.”

“Do you plan everything?”

“Yes. Don’t you?”

“No. That’s not a very fun way to live your life.”

He shifted uncomfortably and pushed his glasses back. Goddess, he was pretty.

“Something else you wanted to say?” she asked.

He took a deep breath. “I could use some help with Kaley.”

Her brows popped up. “And you think I’m your best shot?”

“She likes you a lot. She got really mad at me this morning.”

“That makes two of us.” She nodded at the chairs across from her desk. “Sit down.”

“Thanks.” He took a seat and crossed his long legs, one ankle on one knee. “I really am sorry about this morning.”

“Only because Kaley got mad at you. Doesn’t change the way you feel, does it?”

His mouth did the crumpling thing again. “No.”

Pandora rolled her eyes.
Normies
. “What is it that you think I can do for Kaley?”

“She thinks she’s a witch.”

“Because she is.”

Cole opened his mouth, then closed it again. Maybe he was figuring out something new to say. “I was thinking maybe you could…play along with that.”

Pandora narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean, play along?”

“She thinks she’s a witch, you claim to be one, so help her figure out how to be one, too. At least until this phase passes, because it will. When she was six, she wanted to own a zoo until she realized she’d have to have more animals than just cats and dogs. When she was seven, she wanted to compete in the Olympics until she found out jump rope isn’t an Olympic sport. Something will happen to make her realize this witch thing isn’t for her.”

“I like Kaley.”

He smiled, which was some kind of dark magic, because for a moment she forgot she didn’t like him. “She’s a great kid.”

“But I don’t like you.” There. She’d said it.

He shrugged. “Fair enough. I’m prepared to sweeten the deal.”

She hadn’t been expecting that. She’d been ready to say she’d help for Kaley’s sake, but now she was curious. “How so?”

He paused like his next words were going to be painful. “If you help Kaley, I’ll give you the house listing.”

An electric charge zipped through her, but she maintained her composure even as her brain went crazy.
The Pilcher Manor.
Not only would it be a killer commission, but she could make sure it ended up with the right family. She picked up a pen and twirled it through her fingers. “So you’re basically paying me off.”

He sighed. “Yes.”

Something bold entered her bloodstream. “No.”

“What?” He stared at her. “You don’t want it?”

“I do, but I have no idea what sort of…
work
you’re going to do to it. Or what kind of shape it’s going to be in when you expect me to get top dollar for it.” If he didn’t believe in her, she damn well wasn’t going to let him think she believed in him.

“I do excellent work.”

She lifted one shoulder. “I’m sure you
believe
that.”

His eyes tapered like he’d just figured out what she was up to. “What do you want?”

“I want the listing, but since I know what buyers look for in this town, I also want equal say in how you renovate the house.”

“Are you going to put up equal funds?”

“Are you going to cut me in for a share of the sale?”

He uncrossed his legs and recrossed them in the opposite direction. “You can help with decisions. I promise to run everything by you. But it’s my money, so I get final say.”

That was fair. “Deal.”

He smiled again. “Deal. Thank you.”

She wove the pen between her fingers. “So, Cole. What exactly do you believe in?”

“The infinite value of pi. Prime numbers. The strength of an engineered beam. Measuring twice but cutting once.”

She blinked. “Hoo boy, I can see why Kaley needs my help. Were you ever a kid? Did you ever believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy and that stepping on cracks could break your mother’s back?”

“Sure, but I was a kid. I’m an adult now. And a realist.”

“But Kaley’s not. She’s still a kid. And there are things out there beyond human comprehension, so before you go telling her not to believe in things, why don’t you let her enjoy being a kid?”

He held his hands up. “Point taken. I’ll try to be more open-minded.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to drag you to a coven meeting or anything like that.”

He laughed. “You won’t let it go, will you?”

“What?” But she knew.

“The witch thing.”

So help her, she wanted to zap him. Anger bubbled through her. “It’s not a
witch thing
. It’s who I am. It’s who Kaley is, and it’s who her mentor will be.”

He shook his head. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Show me.”

Her fingers twitched to do exactly that. Because even when her magic went wrong, he’d still have to admit she’d done something.

She snapped her fingers, and the boysenberry candle sitting next to her pen holder blazed to life. She hoped it didn’t explode and cover them both with hot wax, but the flame died down to a dull flicker and danced happily atop the wick like every other lit candle she’d ever seen. It was rare that even a small use of magic went right for her, but thank the goddess it had.

He nodded. “Good one.” He picked up the candle and looked underneath it. “Is there a magic shop that sells these in town? Because Kaley would love one.”

“No, you…
muggle
. I did that.”

He winked at her. “Right.”

She pointed at the door. “I think we’re done here.”

“We haven’t talked about how this is going to work.”

“I’m not sure it’s going to.”

“You said deal.”

Fiddlesticks. So she had. She tried to remember this was for Kaley, not Cole. And the commission on the Pilcher Manor. “Fine. I’ll see if I can get Kaley a mentor. Shouldn’t be a big deal. I just have to find someone with the time and inclination, but most witches are happy to do it.”

“Why not you?”

Because of her broken magic, but that wasn’t a discussion she wanted to have with him. “I’m too busy. But I know a lot of witches.”

“I bet you do.”

She scowled at him.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll work on that.” He stood. “Come to dinner tonight. You have my word it will go better than breakfast. In fact, we can go out. Neutral ground that way. Your choice so long as it doesn’t involve me wearing a tie.”

She took a breath and let that thought marinate. He might be less likely to get into an argument in public. Which would give her a chance to talk to Kaley. “Howler’s. Six forty-five.” That would be enough time to go home, change and feed Pumpkin.

“Howler’s. That’s down at the end of Main, right?”

“Right.” Because a werewolf bar was the perfect place to take a guy who didn’t believe in things that went bump in the night.

“Great. See you then. I have to get back to work.” He started for the door.

“What are you doing on the house today?”

He stopped and turned back to face her. “I’m ordering the new kitchen. Cabinets, counter tops, faucets.”

She canted her head to the side. “Shouldn’t I be helping you with that? Per our new deal?”

He closed his eyes and opened them back up very slowly, like he was trying to keep himself from reacting. “I guess so.”

She grabbed her purse, thankful she didn’t have any showings until this afternoon, and blew out the candle.

He held his hand toward the door. “On to the cabinet shop we go.”

Cole drove a pickup, which wasn’t unexpected, but Pandora had figured it would be dirty inside from whatever construction jobs he’d been working and okay, because he was a guy, littered with food wrappers and random pieces of two-by-fours and those odd flat pencils carpenters used. Instead, it was neat as a pin and smelled like the beach.

She tapped the palm tree air freshener dangling from the rearview mirror. “Kaley?”

“Yes.”

Pandora put her purse on the floor and strapped her seat belt on.

Cole gave her a funny look, then put on his own.

“What was that look for?”

His brows lifted as he shifted into drive and pulled the vehicle onto the road. “You’re pretty trusting to get in a truck with a stranger.”

She gave him a funny look right back. “Are you saying I shouldn’t be? What are you trying to tell me?”

His eyes lit with amusement. “Nothing. Just making an observation.”

“You’re not exactly a stranger. I know where you live. I know your first and last name and your daughter’s.” And she’d zap him with magic if he tried anything. Not that it would necessarily work, but hope sprang eternal.