What's a Witch to Do?: A Midnight Magic Mystery (31 page)

I sit up and look at him square in the eye. “Before we do this, and there’s no going back, I need to set a few things straight. I’m not a teenager. I have massive baggage. I have a house and a shop that is always a hair’s breadth from going into the red.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to pass the state licensing board and be a contractor here. Shouldn’t be too hard. Two incomes are better than one.”

“I only have a few years before middle age hits. I’m just gonna get fatter and grayer. My granny had facial hair too.”

“Baby, I almost threw you to the floor when you had green gunk and hair dye on. I don’t think me wanting you is ever going to be a problem.”

My scowl deepens. “Okay, how about this? My sister is bound to crawl out from under her rock and try to get those girls back, and there is no way in hell I am giving them to her. It will get ugly.”

His smile drops like a ton of bricks. “I will fight to my dying breath for them. Anyone who wants them is going to have to get through me. I promise you that.”

“Well, what about—”

He takes my hands in his. “Listen, just stop, okay? I know all of this. I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. I know what loving you will cost me. It’s been drilled in my head for eighteen years, and I have fought against this very situation every one of those days. But after one week with you, with those girls, seeing how strong and smart and caring you are with everyone, I just know … no matter what life tosses at us, I want you by my side. And I can’t promise it’s all going to be easy for either of us. I can be damn stubborn, and territorial, not to mention the whole werewolf factor, which is going to be a bigger problem than you realize. I just … I can’t not wake up next to you, and dance with you, and … and … you make me smile just by being in the same room. You make me
happy
. Happier than I ever thought I could be. And I can’t promise we won’t fight, and we won’t drive each other crazy, but I can promise I will always be there when you need me. Through thick, through thin, through sickness and health, through crazy relatives, and burst pipes, and whatever else life throws at us. Because I love you. Always have. Always will.”

I’m speechless as tears stream down my face. I close my eyes and shake my head. This is it. He’s it. I take a deep breath, open them again, and grin. Here we go. “In that case, Adam Blue, I would like to extend you membership into the McGregor pack of Goodnight, Virginia. We can offer you residence in a creaky old house, nosy and sometimes homicidal neighbors, and the deep, unwavering love of the town spinster until your dying day. What do you say?” I extend my hand. “You in?”

He glances at my hand, then slyly smiles. He shakes my hand with a nod. “All the way, baby.” He draws me into him, kissing me with all his considerable worth before I lead him inside and up to our bedroom to seal the deal all night.

The fireworks outside ain’t got nothing on the ones we have in here.

Saturday To Do:

• Wake up in Adam’s arms
  
• Try not to think about Jason coming
  
• Agendas for meetings (type/print)
  
• Put together packet for coven meeting
  
• Send Auntie Sara to printers with documents
  
• Coven meeting
  
• Co-op meeting
  
• Decide on outfit for wedding tomorrow
  
• Check on Collins
  

Goddess is he sexy.
I don’t think there’s a thing about him that doesn’t do something for me. I love his lips, how the lower one is plumper than the top, his curling eyelashes, even his ears. I’ve never seen such perfect ears before. I kind of wish Cheyenne was still alive so I could thank her for trying to kill me. If she hadn’t I would have just let him pass me by, a need that never got filled because I didn’t even know I needed it so bad.

We lay in bed, naked limbs entangled. I could definitely get used to this, waking up with the man I love. Though I have to pee. Real bad. I know, I’ll get up and make him breakfast in bed. I quietly toss the covers to the side when his hand clamps on my wrist and he yanks me back on top of him. “Can’t get away from me that easily,” he says before planting a kiss on my lips.

We flip over so he’s pinning me. “I was going to make you breakfast.”

He kisses down my neck, sending pleasant shivers all over. “There’s only one thing I feel like eating right now,” he whispers as the kisses go lower.

I giggle as his lips move south of the equator. I can
definitely
get used to this.

Just as he’s reached his destination, there’s a knock on the door. “Aunt Mona? It’s past ten,” Cora says on the other side. She tries to open the door, but it’s locked.

“Crap,” I mutter. “Be out in a minute.” I gaze down at Adam and pout. “Welcome to your new life.”

He smiles that smile of his and moves up to kiss me. “Rain check.”

The girls are in the kitchen with bowls of cereal watching TV when I come in. I glare and shut it off. “Care to make it
two
months?”

Adam follows a second later with a spring in his step. He kisses my neck as I pour coffee. “And how are we all this gorgeous Saturday morning?”

“You just kissed her!” a wide-eyed Cora says.

“That I did,” Adam says. “You want one too?” She grins and nods. He walks over and smooches the top of her head as she giggles. He moves over to Sophie with a quick peck to her head too. “Figured I’d complete the whole set.”

“Cereal okay?” I get two bowls and Raisin Bran before sitting. “You girls sleep well?”

“Your music woke me up, but I fell back asleep,” Cora says.

I turned on a CD to mask our adult noises. Adam and I exchange a guilty glance. “Sorry, sweetie.”

“Why were you listening to music so late? Could you not sleep?” Cora asks.

“They were having sex and didn’t want us to hear,” Sophie informs her.

“Sophie!” I say in shock.

“What? You were.”

“We—I—you—” I stammer.

“It’s not polite to talk about things like that,” Adam instructs her.

She shrugs. “Oh sorry.”

“Are you going to be our new Daddy? Are you two getting married? Can I be your flower girl too? Am I getting a baby cousin? Do we have to move?” Cora rapidly fires.

“Hold your horses,” I say. “No one is getting married or pregnant. Yet.”

“But eventually yes,” Adam says to me.

“Let’s be a couple for more than twenty-four hours before we have this conversation, okay?” I ask with a chuckle. “But the answer to your last question is no. We’re not moving.”

“You’re living with us?” Sophie asks.

His smile wavers at this thought for a second, but then he says, “Looks that way. That is, if it’s okay with you two. We want your blessing. Think you can stand to have me around?”

Cora leaps out of her seat and runs to Adam, throwing her arms around him. “I love you.”

He hugs and kisses her, closing his eyes for a second to relish this. “Love you too, kiddo.” He looks at Sophie. “Sophie?”

She studies his face, looking for subterfuge, but when she doesn’t find it, she shrugs. “I don’t care.”

Knowing that’s the equivalent of Cora’s reaction, he smiles. “Thank you.”

“Okay, then. That’s settled,” I say, though I feel like breaking into song. I take a bite of cereal. “So I don’t have to do anything until two. What should we do until then?”

We all glance at each other. “I have an idea,” Adam finally says. “You gals ever go fishing?”

• Teach the girls to fish
  

I know the perfect spot, the same place Mommy and Daddy took us when Ivy and I learned to fish. Being girls never stopped Daddy from teaching us guy things like how to throw a punch or play baseball, or, heck, even shoot. Fishing was my least favorite of these pastimes because I never caught a thing. Ivy did every time. She so cheated.

The girls officially inherit our old poles that have been stashed in the attic for years. As Adam shows them the proper way to cast off on the riverbank, I clean up our lunch under the same tree from my childhood and field my seventh phone call in the last hour. “Didn’t anyone get the damn e-mail? It’s at the playhouse like always. Just bring questions, okay? I gotta go.” I hang up on Julie-Ann and lay on the blanket with a sigh. So much for relaxing. I barely have time to sigh before it rings again. “Mona here.”

“Mona, it’s Debbie,” she says, voice panicky.

“What is it? Is Collins okay?”

“She’s fine. She still wants to be in the wedding, can you believe it? No, it’s everything else! I know all you’ve been through, but I am freaking out! The bow ties for the groomsmen are white, not ivory, so they clash with the boutonnieres. Seven of Greg’s relatives just today RSVP’d so I have to re-do the seating charts. Both Becca and Kaylee hooked up with the best man and now they won’t be in the same room! The DJ just cancelled because his father had a heart attack, and I just realized I don’t have anything blue! What am I going to do? I’m hyperventilating.”

“Calm down for one,” I say with an eye roll. I have been dealing with wedding crap for six months. Everything is a crisis. “It’ll work itself out. Jocasta can handle it.” Adam strolls up, face scrunched in confusion. I roll my eyes again. “You just—”

Adam swipes the phone from me. “Debbie? It’s Adam. How are you? Look, I am holding your sister hostage right now. You will get her back at two o’clock. Do not call unless someone is bleeding, okay? Bye.” He hangs up. “I’m turning this thing off. The world will not end if you fall off the grid for a few hours.” He tosses the phone on the grass and lowers that gorgeous bod beside mine. “Come here.” We lie down, and I rest my head on his chest. We just remain like this amid the swaying grass, watching Sophie and Cora casting off for a few minutes. My tension dissipates with each beat of his heart, and soon I have never felt so serene in my life. My eyes start leaking. “Baby, why are you crying?”

“Because this is really happening,” I say with a chuckle. “I’m happy. Really happy.”

“Well, get used to it.”

I smile and wipe my tears before gazing up at him. “I love you.”

“God, I love you too,” he says intensely. His lips press against mine in a hungry kiss.

We make out with abandon for a few seconds until I hear, “Eww, they’re kissing,” from the riverbank. “Impressionable children here!”

“So don’t look!” Adam shouts back. “Keep fishing!” He kisses me again.

“Gross,” Sophie says. “I think that’s against the law.”

Adam and I chuckle and shake our heads. “Sure we can’t give them away?” he asks.

“This is boring, Adam! Do we have to do this?” Cora shouts.

“I could be convinced,” I chuckle. He rolls off me, still smiling. I sit up. “Consider this part of your punishment!” I call over.

“You are
evil,”
Adam says.

I kiss him. “Diabolical.” And we’re off again, traumatizing the youth of Virginia with our PDA.

The buzzing on
his
belt breaks the lust spell. Shit. He pulls the phone off and looks at the display. Double shit. I thought we had a few more hours. His face falls. “It’s Jason.”

My heart seizes. “Are you going to answer it?” His brow furrows, and I read the indecision in his eyes. No.
No.
Not now. I can’t face this now. “Don’t.”

Years of obedience overshadow my protest. He accepts the call. “Jason, hey. What’s up?” He listens. “Have a good drive down? Who’s with you?” He laughs. “Really? That’s great!”

I remove myself from our oasis. I really don’t want to hear this. I look to the girls and start walking as he continues talking. For some reason my hands are trembling. I ball them into fists, though I smile at the girls. “Catch anything yet?”

“Do we have to do this? It’s so boring!” Cora whines.

“Who’s Adam talking to?” Sophie asks.

“His pack leader.”

“He looks happy,” she says.

I turn around. Adam is pacing and nodding as he laughs. My stomach clenches again, but I keep my smile. “Yes, he does.”

He hangs up a few seconds later. The smile he has wavers a little when he notices us staring. That waver scares me more than being held at gunpoint. “Sorry about that,” he says as he saunters toward us. “Catch anything yet?”

“No,” Cora says. “This is stupid.”

Yes, our fairy tale lunch is more than over. “I’m ready to go too.”

“Yeah,” Adam says. “Okay, fishing lesson over. Let’s head back.” The girls hand him the poles and race to the car, leaving us to pick up after them. As I’m folding the blanket he says, “Aren’t you going to ask?”

“Okay. What did Jason want?”

“He’s swinging by the house at one.”

“Oh. That should be interesting.” I pause. “You’ve missed them, haven’t you?”

He studies my poker face. “Hey.” He wraps his arm around me and brings me in close before giving me one of those soulful kisses I’m now addicted to. “I love you.”

“I know. I love you too,” I say with a half smile before walking away.

That bitch faith better not let me down this time.

• Coven and co-op meetings
  

I have a trillion things to do with the coven and co-op meetings tonight, but I can’t get in the right mindset. I try to type the agendas at the dining room table as the girls staple packets together, but can’t stop looking at the clock. It’s five past one, and he still hasn’t arrived. Auntie Sara glances at me. I’ve bitten my lip for so long it’s raw. “Mona Leigh, are you okay? Are you having the PTSD?”

“The what? No, I’m fine.” The knock on the door proves otherwise. I jerk and leap up. Oh hell. “Excuse me.”

Get a hold of yourself. Show no fear because you should have none. He loves me. He wants to be here with me. He’s not going anywhere. I have … faith. I square my shoulders before opening the door. Jason and the same two wolves that showed up Sunday to cart Adam away stand there with the same scowls. “Mona,” Jason says.

“Nice to see you,” I say icily.

“You as well,” he says, voice like stone. “I’m glad your troubles have ended. You must be relieved.”

“I am, thank you.” We stand in silence, more or less glaring at each other. I know this is a challenge and his wolf wants to go for my jugular, but I don’t look away.

We both turn when Adam walks down the steps. “Hey, guys!” I step aside to let the men in. The underlings, one in his mid-twenties with thick brown hair and the other thin as a rail and pale, do that whole bro-hug thing as the girls watch.

“You ready to go?” Jason asks gruffly.

“Where’s he going?” Cora asks.

“I’m just going to visit with my friends,” Adam says. “I’ll be back.” Jason scowls at this response but when Adam gives me a peck it deepens. “See you tonight.”

He steps toward the men again but I grab him by the collar, kissing him with my all. He returns my passion with abandon. Neither of us can breathe when we break apart. “See you tonight.”

Now all the men are scowling. Adam walks out with them, but Jason turns around and says, “See you at the meeting.”

“Can’t wait,” I say with a smirk. I shut the door in his face. “Jerk.”

“He’s coming back, right?” Sophie asks.

“He said he was,” I say. I compose myself and turn around. “Come on. Lots to do.”

I field more phone calls from witches and people in the co-op, but my mind isn’t on the task. Every five seconds I think, “What are they doing?” or “What if he decides to leave?” This is one of the reasons I hate relationships, they make me nuts and an ineffective leader. At least I get through to Debbie, who has since calmed down. I’m being a crappy mother of the bride. I should be by her side putting out fires. I’m useless today.

Keeping busy is key, and in that regard I’m lucky. Pressing supernatural matters abound. I have to appear strong, capable, focused or I’ll lose all their respect. If they knew my hands were trembling as I fold Adam’s clothes before putting them in my bedroom, they’d never take me seriously again. Faith, Mona. Faith. When we finally arrive at the playhouse with
The Crucible
set still up, it’s as if a switch is flicked, and I’m all business. This is my domain. They need me, and I will not let them down.

At four thirty, my witches start arriving. Auntie Sara and Billie hand out the agenda and packets as they walk in. I wait backstage with the girls as the cacophony of voices grows louder by the minute. I’m a tad nervous but when five rolls around faster than I wish it to, I push the nerves down and walk onto that stage with my head up. I scan the audience. Erica is in the third row, typing on her iPhone. Bethany talks with Dickie a few rows back. No Collins or Debbie.

“Good evening and thank you all for coming,” I begin. “Before I start, I feel I must address yesterday’s events. Since it is still an open case, I cannot say much except it appears that Cheyenne Bell was the one who summoned the demon. When confronted, she grew violent and … died. I also understand there is a rumor going around that she summoned it to cause me harm. To save her family further grief, I will not comment on this. I will simply say … we all have our demons, pun intended. Some are simply stronger than others. What happened was a tragedy, and I can only pray we learn from it and grow stronger as a community. As a family. Because that is what we are.”