Something Magical (Witches of Hawthorne Grove Book 1) (8 page)

It was all part of
the Cupid Pact
, she knew, but neither she nor her sisters were getting any younger and she, for one, was ready to have a try at enjoying a life of her own. A love of her own. A chance to know how it felt to be fulfilled and happy and cared for by someone who was not in her immediate family.

Pushing the dish into place, she closed the cabinet doors and flipped the warded catch closed by rote, still deeply lost in thought. Just how long
had
it been since she, or Morty, or even Serephina had had their own little slice of romance to nibble on?

A
t a quarter past noon
, Kaylee glanced up from the book she had been reading while finishing off her lunch. She'd heard a loud bark in the distance and raised her head, staring out over the park toward the parking area beyond the trees.

It had to be Sarge; the bark sounded so familiar. But she still couldn't see either him or Jordan for the trees and the fence blocking her view of the lot. This late into winter, most of the trees were bare but the evergreens and the trunks of the old oaks lining the park were large and effectively obscured her view.

The sound came again and this time she knew it was Jordan bringing Sarge, whether she could see them or not. Sticking a bookmark into the paperback she'd been reading, she laid it on the bench beside her, stood up to pat her hands against her thighs and call out. “Sarge! Come on, Sarge!”

“Oh, wow. You're doing much better now, aren't you, boy?” she asked a moment later, briskly ruffling her fingers through the cream and sand colored fur on his sides when he ran into view and finally jumped up to give her a big, happy doggie kiss in greeting.

“I think it's the Woofy treats Sam keeps slipping him when I'm not looking,” Jordan explained, sauntering up more slowly than Sarge had. He thumbed the retractable leash into a locked position so Sarge could go no further than a few feet away and gestured toward the book and the fast food bag on the bench where she'd been sitting. “Have you been waiting long?”

Kaylee shook her head and reached over to slide her book and the remains of her lunch aside. “About fifteen minutes, but I used the time to get caught up on some reading, so it's all good.”

Jordan glanced at the cover of what was clearly a romance novel and his lips twisted wryly. “Real quality literature you're into there.”

“Yeah, well, unlike real life, things always seem to work in these,” she offered with a shrug. “Besides, she's a favorite author of mine. I found her online about a year ago and I was hooked. But what about you? You don't read?”

She didn't mention the concept, if he said no, was inconceivable to her. Since she'd first learned to read, way back in kindergarten, she'd been a great fan of books.

“I do, but my tastes run more toward Patterson and Cussler, and maybe an occasional Robb.” Sliding around a prancing Sarge who was still enjoying the attention Kaylee was giving him, he sat down on the opposite end of the bench.

“Robb, eh?” Tucking the book that had started their comparison of reading material away in her purse, Kaylee sat and scooted around to face him, tucking her hair behind her ear as she did so. “You know that's a pen name, right? A romance writer's alter ego.”

“Oh, the horror!” he joked, laughing. He was quick to follow up with, “I did know, actually. Loved her Key series, but you'll never catch me admitting it in public.”

Kaylee arched a brow. “Kind of hard to get any more public than this, Parker.”

“Ah, but I'm only sharing the truth with you in a
private
conversation, Dean.”

“So I can't tell anyone you read romance?” She shook her head and forced her expression into a look of mock disappointment. “What a shame. Cousin Mindy would have a field day with that information. Her latest boyfriend is one of those
women-belong-in-the-kitchen-and-men-only-do-manly-things
types. She would love to have the ammunition in the fight that your confession would provide.”

“Fine, fine.” He gave in with a put-upon sigh. “You may report your discovery to Cousin Mindy as long as you promise not to utter a peep about me knowing there's a surprise twist near the end of your current read that even I didn't expect.”

“What?” Kaylee's brow rose in very real surprise. “Wait. Now even I don't believe you.”

“It's true.” He raised one hand and stared at his nails with interest. “The guy the heroine's best friend is in love with? She thinks he's a pirate or something equally scandalous, which is why she can never love him.
But
… ”

He leaned close, his eyes sparkling with mischief to conspiratorially whisper, “He's actually a duke!”

Kaylee gasped and her eyes narrowed. “Which is what
she
wants anyway! So why doesn't he tell her?”

Jordan shrugged without bothering to offer more of an explanation, but there was still a brilliant gleam in his eye. Kaylee smacked her palms against her thighs again, but this time in annoyance.

“Blast it! I hate it when the author does stuff like that. There's so much lost time between the sub-characters that can never be made up for.” She shook her head in mild disgust with the whole idea, but then a grin slid over her lips. “But wait! That just means there's going to be another book, and now I can hardly wait for more!”

Jordan laughed at her renewed interest and then his expression grew serious. “Never would have pegged you for the romance fiction type, Miss Dean.”

“Especially after last night, huh?” Her grin wilted into a wryly twisted smile of self deprecation and she shrugged.

“I wouldn't have believed
you
to be an antiques kind of guy either, Mr. Parker, but we did collide outside of Seville's.” Casting him a questioning glance, she said, “You never mentioned what you were looking for that day, or if you managed to find it.”

Jordan sat forward on the bench and snapped the lock free on the leash he was holding to allow Sarge a little more freedom before answering. Watching while the retriever bounded off toward the treeline, he shrugged. “A box. Or,
another
box, I suppose I should say. I've quite a growing collection of antique letter boxes, all of them sitting empty throughout the house. Taking up space.”

Leaning back again, he shrugged and let his gaze wander across the rather barren winter scenery over her head. “I've been thinking about getting rid of them.”

“But—you just bought a new one, right?” Her brow furrowed in confusion. Why he would add a new purchase to a collection he wasn't even going to keep?

Jordan got to his feet. “So I did. Hey, it's daylight. Now would be a great time for you to give me the Hawthorne Grove grand tour. Unless you have to get back to work soon?”

Kaylee wasn't sure why, but she sensed that he was uncomfortable with the subject. Maybe he didn't want anyone questioning his particular interest in antiques? Glancing at her watch, she stood and gathered up her purse and the remnants of her lunch. “I don't have to be at the shelter until three.”

“Great!” He whistled for Sarge and started walking and Kaylee fell into step beside him as Sarge ambled up to join them. “That means we have time for some window shopping on the square after the park tour, right?”

“If you want. On the way back, we can stop in at the soda fountain on the corner. Well, it's actually a drug store, but they pull drinks in the back. I'm partial to the Lemon Sour, but I think you'll love their Annihilator.”

Jordan winced. “Strange name for a drink.”

Shouldering her purse, Kaylee drew the edges of her coat closer to fasten the buttons and laughed. “I agree, but the flavor is to die for, so it's kind of appropriate. You'll see.”

He looked doubtful, but by the time they left the shop and headed back to the park, he was in full agreement with her. “This afternoon has been great, Kaylee. Thanks to you, I now know more about Hawthorne Grove's commercial sector than probably three quarters of its residents. Do you even remember how many places we peeked into today? Besides the drug store slash soda shop whose finest attribute is a drink of death.”

Gesturing toward her with his now empty cup, he said, “I don't think I'll ever forget that one.”

“We stopped by the Tea Table, which is actually a bed and breakfast that serves high tea, the alternative health store—” Kaylee recounted, counting off each location by holding up a finger.

“Which was aptly dubbed The Herb Garden,” Jordan added. “And even though we didn't go there, you did point out the availability of a nightclub, should I acquire an interest in visiting such a rowdy, noisome place—Bonkers, wasn't it?”

“Bollivers,” Kaylee corrected with a laugh, ticking off another location on her fingers, “which never opens until after the sun goes down. The owners are a bit eccentric, but their strict after-dark hours still manage to pull in quite a crowd. Then there was Paige's—the bookstore...”

Tipping his head in acknowledgment, Jordan said, “Another brilliantly named establishment, whose owner happens to be
Patrick
, not Paige, as one would assume.”

“Oh, and let's not forget—” she started, but he interrupted.

“We even managed to peer discreetly through the darkened windows of the only after hours florist I've ever seen—possibly the only one of its kind in existence, actually—with the also highly appropriate name of Nightshade,” Jordan finished for her.

“They have the best flowers, though. My sister, Jo, got me a bouquet from there for my birthday last year and the arrangement lasted for weeks!”

His grin swiftly faded into a serious expression. “I had a really good time today, Kaylee. I'd like to do this again. Well, not
this
precisely, since we've already window shopped all the shops Hawthorne Grove has to offer, but I'm sure we can think of something to do.”

Uneasy with the idea of seeing him again—on a regular basis, even, if he meant what she thought he did—she looked away, lowering her eyes. “Jordan, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't flattered because I am, but … you already know I have no interest in dating again. I'm not on the market for a fling. At all. I had a good time seeing the town with you today, yes, but I don't think I'm up for—”

“For spending an enjoyable day browsing through store windows? Come on, who doesn't love window shopping? And I'm retired, remember? And
bored
, Kaylee. Do you have any idea what it's like for a man who's used to being at the beck and call of an hundred people all day to suddenly find himself with nothing to do?”

He leaned his head back and sighed. “At home, I ramble through my big old empty house all day, wishing I knew someone charming, and fascinating, and yes, someone
fun
to wile away the lonely hours with. Someone who makes me laugh, who loves to surprise me with interesting trivia and tidbits of history, and maybe a little gossip, about this rather eccentric town I've chosen to settle in.”

His description made her feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside, but she narrowed her eyes at him and pointed out, “I could name ten people like that, Jordan, right off the top of my head, starting with Cousin Mindy.”

Ignoring her sharp look, he lifted his head and asked, “Is she peppy? And quirky? And does she have a cute little dimple at the corner of her mouth that shows up like yours does when she smiles?”

“No, to the dimple, yes to quirky, but I'm not sure about your third requirement.” She drew up beside her car and turned to look up at him. “Can you expound upon that one?”

He slid his hands into the deep pockets of his coat and shook his head no. “That's just your coy way of informing me Cousin Mindy doesn't have your cute dimples. I'm sorry, Kaylee, but without dimples, Mindy doesn't fit the bill. It has to be you. No one else possesses the required requisites.”

“More like peculiarities,” Kaylee pointed out drolly. She tugged her purse around to dig inside for her keys. “We've already seen everything there is to see.”

“From the
outside
,” he pointed out. “There are worlds awaiting us on the other side of those windows, Kaylee, and I think you know it, too.”

His teasing grin was infectious. Kaylee felt her own lips curling in response.

“I can pick a new place each day and spend the afternoon exploring on the inside, but only if you promise you'll come with me.”

She continued to give him such a dubious look, he stretched out his hands—which were still snuggled inside the pockets of his coat—making him resemble a giant, swooping bat. “What if I'm shy? I'll never meet anyone without you there to introduce us.”

Fighting back a laugh at the comic image of him standing there with his arms outspread like a vampire poised to bite, Kaylee snorted at the absurd notion of him being shy. At the same time, she knew she would enjoy every minute of exploring Hawthorne Grove's quaint little commercial district with him. It would be a rare treat she would honestly hate to miss. But there was that far-too-intimate-for-friends
personal
feel to the whole idea that made her wary.

She peered cautiously up at him. “No strings?”

Leaning close, he lowered his hands and whispered. “No strings.”

Then, he leaned forward even more and his lips slid lightly against hers.

She raised her hand to hold him back, to resist, but instead rested her slightly fisted hand against his chest, allowing his warm mouth to linger for a moment before she pushed away, glancing up with a mock accusatory glare to point out that he'd already broken the rules. “You just promised no strings, Jordan, and yet you're ki—”

He kissed her again, more firmly this time, cutting off her admonition.

Her fingers unfolded against his chest and her hand crept upward to the base of his neck; her fingers twisting in the hair at his nape before he broke the kiss and stepped back a half step, a brilliant twinkle in his eyes.

“I said no
strings
, Kaylee Dean, but I never said no kisses.”

T
he only way
Kaylee could describe the next few weeks of her life was with the word
fun
, but then, a whole host of brilliant, colorful adjectives would swiftly clamor to the fore in her thoughts, and surprisingly, all of them seemed to fit. She hadn't enjoyed herself this much in years—maybe ever—and it was all due to Jordan Parker.

After their day of window shopping on the square, meeting Jordan at lunch to spend a few hours with him before she had to go to the shelter became a regular activity. Some days they merely browsed through the stores on the square, and others they went a little further afield to the malls and boutiques on the more populated side of town, but always, Kaylee enjoyed herself.

Friendly teasing and lots of laughter quickly became the norm, and Kaylee had to admit, even to her friends and family, that yes, she really liked Jordan Parker, even though they weren't actually dating in the traditional sense of the word. They were
friends
.

“Hmm,” Jo mused from across a table at Sammy's (which was what Kaylee now called Sam Huntingdon's coffee shop) as she sipped at her steaming brew. “
Friends
don't usually kiss away stray dollops of ice cream from other friends lips, Kaylee, but whatever you say. I won't push it, but only because you seem so different now.”

“What do you mean different?”

“Vibrant. Alive.
Happy
.” Jo shifted in her chair to glance toward the back were Jordan was helping Sam put away stock. “He walks into the room and you glow, Kaylee. It's disgusting.”

Kaylee couldn't help it. She laughed.

“I glow? Oh, wait. Jordan and I
did
engage in a bit of glow stick tasting recently,” she teased. “Must be remnants of the halo green I had.”

Jo giggled at that and shook her head. “You see? This is what I mean. Before Jordan came, you never would have joked around about drinking poisonous substances. You'd have been deadly serious if you said anything at all. But now...”

She paused for a moment as if searching for the perfect, non-debatable way to describe the change she saw in Kaylee. “I know both of you have better sense than to actually drink the nasty goop inside a glow stick, Kaylee. I get that you were teasing, and well, that's sort of what I mean.”

Leaning forward, she peered at Kaylee, still searching for the words to clarify her thoughts. “Before he showed up it was like you had died inside, you know? You were here and you did your job, you visited with us, with family, when we finally became stern and would no longer accept your thinly disguised excuses, but—you've heard the saying the lights were on but no one was home? Well, in your case, there was a house, but no tenant. You existed, Kaylee, but you were empty inside. You weren't truly living.”

“And now I am?”

Settling back in her chair, Jo nodded decisively. “Now you are.”

Kaylee shrugged, her fingers busily picking at the corner of the napkin under her cup, and looked away from the seriousness in her sister's eyes. “I didn't think I was so horrible before, Jo, but thank you for letting me know
you
did.”

Jo's eyes narrowed. “Not like that, Kaylee. What you're saying isn't what I meant, and you know it. I understood what was going on with you before. We all did. Daniel really hurt you, and it was bad, and I knew the pain of his betrayal would take some time for you to get over. All I am saying now is that—finally, after four long and very dreary years of seeing you hide away and button up the wonderful, loving girl I knew you were inside—I believe you have.”

“And you think Jordan is responsible?”

Draining the last swallow of coffee from her mug, Jo stood. “Considering how you were before and how you are now, yes. But if you tell me it's something else, Kaylee, that there's another reason, a better explanation for the sparkle of anticipation in your eyes every time you see him, the glow of happiness that surrounds you when the two of you are together, and the almost youthful bounce in your steps when you hurry to meet him every time he shows up, I promise to try my best to believe you.”

“Of course there's a youthful bounce in my steps, Jo. I'm hardly ancient, after all,” Kaylee grouched, glaring up at her. “But I'm not so sure Jordan has anything to do with the rest of it.”

“You're not certain he's
not
, either, are you?” Jo asked. She tossed some bills and change on the table and tucked her purse under her elbow. “Maybe you should think about it. Think about those meaningless kisses you two share so often and almost indiscriminately these past few days and try to lie to yourself about how much they make you tingle to your toes.”

Kaylee gasped at the direction into which their conversation had veered, but Jo only chuckled. “Think about how natural it feels when you melt into his embrace, Kaylee. How comfortable you are when he stands with his arms around you, and how easy it is for you to simply
be
with him.”

“Oh, stop it, Jo. Next you'll be telling me I'm curious about the softness of the sheets on his bed.”

“Are you?” A wicked smile curved her lips, and she laughed. “You don't need to take it that far, Kaylee. Unless you want to, of course. But I've seen the two of you together, and I've seen you apart, and I have to say you both practically vibrate with awareness when either of you are near the other.”

Kaylee shook her head and started to speak, but Jo waved away her protests. “I've seen it, Kaylee, so don't bother with the denial I know is hovering on your lips. The longer you two are separated, the more whatever this thing is between you intensifies. It's like barely leashed anxiety, just waiting for the moment when you're close again to relax.”

Kaylee ignored the blush burning her cheeks. She would not admit she'd thought about Jordan's sheets, or his bed, or his home, or anything other than the enjoyable time they'd spent together during the past few weeks. “You always were the romantic in the family.”

“I've always been the
smart
one, too, and if you'll think about it, you'll know I'm right,” she teased, heading for the door.

“I'm leaving,” she called over her shoulder, and Kaylee looked up to see Jordan standing with his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the back wall behind the counter, watching them. Was he really waiting for Jo to leave?

“You can have her back now, Jordan,” she finished as she pushed open the door and stepped out. Glancing back through the glass, she saw Jordan start immediately toward Kaylee's table, and a knowing grin curled her lips. At Kaylee, she arched a brow and mouthed a single word. “See?”

Kaylee made a face and waved goodbye to her sister through the window before turning to greet Jordan with a smile. “All finished in the back?”

“Yep.” He leaned down for a quick kiss, which she offered naturally, without thought or hesitation. “Sam can safely offer coffee for another week without worrying his wares will run dry. Are you ready to head out?”

“Let me get my coat.” She finished off her mocha latte with a single sip. “Where are we going today? And where's Sarge? I know you had him in the truck earlier.”

“Shopping. Dinner. Theater,” he said with a shrug. Busy sliding into her coat and slipping on her gloves, she barely noticed he hadn't elaborated. “Not until later, though. It'll be a while before we get there. Sarge is in the back. Sammy promised to keep an eye on him for me until we get home.”

“Shopping, dinner, yes, but where? We've been through every place I know in town, Jordan. Some of them more than twice. You can't possibly want to do it all again.”

“Hey, you've spoiled me to those Annihilators and Lemon Sours, Kaylee Dean,” he said. She felt the warmth of his palm settle near the base of her spine as he ushered her toward the door. “So it's all your fault if I want to keep going back.”

“See you Monday, Sammy!” he called out as she pushed open the door.

Monday
. Kaylee knew there was something significant about his answer, but she was too curious about where he planned to take her to give her mind time to catch up and figure out what it was. Five minutes later, they were cruising down the highway, the radio humming with the sound of one of the latest pop tunes in the background while they chatted about her morning. Twenty five minutes after that, Kaylee realized they were stopping, that they'd reached their destination, and it was a place she'd never been before.

Jordan parked in front of a large metal building then got out and came around the front of the truck to open the passenger side door. Reaching up, he offered a hand to help her down. Loud, rumbling noises accompanied by a whining whir buffeted her ears and she winced. “Where are we?”

“It's a surprise.”

He said the words casually if a little louder than normal, but Kaylee could sense a new tension about him in the way he avoided her eyes every time she asked a question about where they were or where they were going. She frowned. “Jordan … ”

Slipping his hand into hers, he curled their fingers together and tugged her playfully toward the front of the building. “You'll see. Come on, Kaylee. There are at least an hundred things I want you to see today, but if you insist on stalling, we'll be late.”

As soon as they walked through the door, Kaylee understood. She pulled back. “An airplane hangar?”

“Private landing strip.” Jordan pointed toward another, smaller set of double doors at the back of the building. “Our ride awaits us right through there.”

Sensing her hesitation, he paused to peer down at her, doubt and excitement warring for place in his gaze before he forced the plea in them to become earnest. “I want to share something with you, Kaylee. Something I—I can't explain. But I can show you. I
want
to show you and I promise you will enjoy it, but I don't want to go if you're going to feel uncomfortable about it. Will you come with me?”

Brakes
, Kaylee thought. She really needed to step on the brakes for this one.
Hard
.

“Jordan, I—there's an airplane out there! I—I can't get on a plane!”

“Are you afraid of flying?” he teased, but when she shook her head and tried to pull her hands out of his, his expression changed to one of genuine concern.

“No, it's not that. It's …”

Kaylee felt her brow tug downward in a serious frown. How could she explain this to him? Were there even words to describe the mixed tangle of emotions she was suddenly feeling? She'd been okay with spending time with him here in Hawthorne Grove. Hawthorne Grove was home. It was familiar. But now he wanted to take her somewhere new, somewhere that required an airplane trip to see, and she didn't think she was ready for—for
this
. Whatever
this
was.

“How long will we be away?”

“I was hoping for the weekend, but if you want to come back before then, we can.”

The weekend? She needed to call her mother. She should call Jo, too, and Mindy. And Marc, just in case they didn't make it back before her shop opened on Monday morning. He could call her appointments and reschedule, and... She shook her head. “I didn't even pack a bag!”

“You won't need it. I did mention shopping, remember?” He squeezed her fingers lightly. “There is nothing to be afraid of, Kaylee. I'll be right beside you the entire time, just as you've been at mine these past few weeks. Well, except for when you're sleeping, but even then I'll be right across the hall. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise. Will you come?”

His words were innocent enough, but she knew there was really another unspoken question being asked, one only his eyes revealed; one she was terrified to answer. It was a question of trust, and the last time she had given it, she'd been burned. Badly. But what really stunned and frightened her right now, however, was recognition of her intense desire to say yes, to give in. To tentatively hand over her permission and the keeping of her heart to him…

Jo's conversation in the coffee shop came rushing back and she almost staggered under the blow of realization when it came. Some time during the past weeks, while they were jaunting around town under the guise of friendship, sharing unexpected moments of warmth and laughter and just plain fun, she had begun to enjoy his company. She had relaxed with him, grown comfortable with being by his side and having him at hers, but worse, she realized now, had been getting through the hours while he was away.

Jo was right.

She
already had
let Jordan in and she was suddenly afraid if she agreed to go with him now, she would be getting way over her head into something she could not easily define. She and Jordan were friends, and yet at the same time, she could not deny they were becoming so much more and she needed to decide just how much more she was prepared to allow, and quickly.

Looking up at him, seeing the eager but subdued anticipation and expectancy in his eyes while the thoughts in her head screamed at her to run away, to go home and lock herself in, to hide from the possibility of being forced to drown in a fresh new sea of pain she was scarce prepared to deal with so soon after Daniel, she opened her mouth to refuse. To say no. To ask him to take her home again, where she would be safe.

At the same time, her heart chided her for her fear, pointing out in a way she could not deny that she had never felt more comfortable, more relaxed and secure in her life than she did when she was with Jordan.

“I'll go.”