“How did you get to the field with Stiles anyway?”
“Stiles ended up changing his mind about going to the race, so he came to the rink. He said he couldn’t concentrate on the book he planned to read and sleep was evading him. Then he got a call from someone who said they saw you in that field with Tana and Ruthie. By that time, I’d already given my skates back and put my shoes on because I was going to go look for you anyway. So I asked if I could ride along.”
Smiling, I didn’t say anything, but I was so grateful for Atti tonight. So grateful he’d called Stiles.
Hobbs tipped my chin up with a finger. “Don’t ever do that to me again. Ever. I’m becomin’ a little attached to you.”
“Are you then?” I whispered softly.
A chuckle rumbled in his chest. “I am. Maybe more than a little. I hope you see this going somewhere, Hal. I know I do.”
“I do, too,” I murmured, my heart clenching in my chest.
“So no more scaring a guy half to death, okay?”
Chuckling, I leaned back to look at his strong profile in the glow of the Christmas tree lights. “I’m sorry. It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to tell you or text you or anything. I got the picture from Teresa Kline and it sort of clicked.”
“And you ran all the way to that field—in ice skates—just to follow Tana West? How the heck did you do that?”
Wincing, I knew how implausible that sounded. He’d last seen me in a pair of skates, but found me in the boots I’d given to Jory for safekeeping.
I knew it was time to explain. I mean, I could always erase his memory if he freaked out, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to trust Hobbs. I wanted him to want me—magic, visions, and all—and I wanted him to want me without fear of my magic.
“We’ll talk about that in a minute. For now, just trust that I got there and things went haywire.”
He shook his dark head in disbelief. “I can’t believe Tana killed Yule, but you know what? After what you told me, I don’t blame her. Not one bit. I don’t like to say a man deserved to die, but if dyin’ is somethin’ we all have to do anyway, scum like him can go first as far as I’m concerned.”
“Are you sure Tana was okay? Because she didn’t look okay when they were putting her in that ambulance, Hobbs.”
She’d looked broken and bloodied, and as much as I was angry that she would have killed me, I hurt for what she’d endured at the hands of Yule Wolfram.
He rubbed my arm, dropping a kiss on my nose. “She was hurting from the impact, but I heard the paramedics tell her she was gonna be okay and Ruthie, too. Though she was still a little groggy from the klunk over the head Tana gave her to get her into the car.”
A deep sadness crept over me when I thought about how Tana had so fiercely protected her daughter. “Poor Jolie. She’s going to have a baby, you know. All Tana wanted to do was be with them, and now…”
Hobbs gave a half smile. “Jolie told me when I was looking for you that she’s due in July. I hate that this has happened to them—to their family.”
Stroking Barbra’s back as she purred contentedly on my lap, I smiled sadly. “I do, too. But I’m glad this means little Babs is in the clear.”
Hobbs sat up a little, stirring on the couch. “Shoot. I forgot to tell you. I saw Bitty, too. You know, when I was hunting the ends of the Earth for you?”
I rolled my eyes. “I apologized already. Geez. I’m sorry I made you worry.”
Tucking the blanket around my feet, he said, “Yeah, yeah, Cowpoke. Forget it. Like I said, I ran into Bitty, who told me a nice family came to her to confess they thought their daughter had found a feral kitten the day Wolfram was murdered and put it in her backpack, but she set the backpack down and couldn’t remember where she’d left it. She was afraid to tell her parents she had the kitten, because her younger brother is horribly allergic and can’t have a cat.”
I sighed in relief. “I know this is going to sound petty, but phew. I thought she was going to want Barbra.”
Hobbs grinned. “Nope. Babs is safe. According to Bitty, the family and the little girl looked everywhere for the backpack. Somebody told them they saw a pretty lady with dark hair carrying it around. So they figured even if the backpack was gone, at least the kitten was safe and they could sleep at night. But the little girl—whose name is Alison—told her mother she wanted to apologize to Bitty and make things right.”
I smiled. “Everybody loves Bitty.”
We sat silently for a moment; me, sad for Tana and her family. Hobbs, from the look on his face, the wheels turning in his mind.
When he finally spoke, he said, “So explain to me again how you ran at least a quarter of a mile in ice skates but were wearing the boots you gave to Jory when I found you soaking wet after an explosion?”
Hobbs was smart. Really smart. I had to trust he’d be smart enough to know I wasn’t evil incarnate—because I had a feeling, he might be The One.
Sighing, I repositioned myself on the couch to face him head on. “I don’t know if you’re ready, Hobbs.”
He cocked his head. “I don’t know if I am either, but I’d sure like to try and be ready for whatever I’m supposed to be ready for. I’m pretty tough, Hal. So whatever it is, just say it and we’ll go from there.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “I can’t just say it. I have to show you.”
He frowned, but he took my hand. “I’m not pickin’ up what you’re layin’ down, but I’m ready anyway.”
With one last sigh, and a small prayer to the universe I was doing the right thing, I looked him in the eye. “Just watch.”
Splaying my fingers, I allowed my magic to flow through my hand until I created a purple sparkly ball, much like the one I’d used to send a message to Atti.
Rolling it slowly in the air, I moved it toward him so he could feel the energy pulsing through it—so he could feel my magic.
Hobbs’s mouth fell open, and he blinked as the glow lit up his face. “You’re a magician…?”
“I’m a witch.”
I watched as he swallowed hard—and then Hobbs smiled, a look of pure wonder in his eyes, before he did something I totally didn’t expect.
Hobbs Dainty leaned forward, cupped my face in his strong hands and kissed me—soundly, thoroughly—until my eyes crossed and my ball of magic burned hot.
When he pulled back, my magic still swirling brightly, he looked at me for what felt like forever before he grinned.
And then he kissed me again…
THE END
Thank you for joining me for another adventure in Marshmallow Hollow with Hal and Hobbs and gang, and happy “Hallidays” to you and yours!
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
I do hope you enjoyed this book, I’d so appreciate it if you’d help others enjoy it too.
Recommend it. Please help other readers find this book by recommending it.
Review it. Please tell other readers why you liked this book by reviewing it at online retailers or your blog. Reader reviews help my books continue to be valued by distributors/resellers. I adore each and every reader who takes the time to write one!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dakota Cassidy is a USA Today bestselling author with over eighty books. She writes laugh-out-loud cozy mysteries, romantic comedy, grab-some-ice erotic romance, hot and sexy alpha males, paranormal shifters, contemporary kick-butt women, and more.
She received a starred review from Publishers Weekly for Talk Dirty to Me, won a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Kiss and Hell, along with many review site recommended reads and reviewer top pick awards.
Dakota lives in the gorgeous state of Oregon with her real-life hero and her dogs, and she loves hearing from readers!
OTHER BOOKS BY DAKOTA CASSIDY
Visit Dakota’s website at http://www.dakotacassidy.com for more information.
A Lemon Layne Mystery, a Contemporary Cozy Mystery Series
1. Prawn of the Dead
2. P
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Witchless In Seattle Mysteries, a Paranormal Cozy Mystery series
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2. Quit Your Witchin'
3. Dewitched
4. The Old Witcheroo
5. How the Witch Stole Christmas
6. Ain’t Love a Witch
7. Good Witch Hunting
8. Witch Way Did He Go?
9. Witches Get Stitches
10. Witch it Real Good
11. Witch Perfect
12. Gettin’ Witched
Marshmallow Hollow Mysteries, a Paranormal Cozy Mystery series
1. Jingle all the Slay
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Witness
3. One Corpse Open Slay
Nun of Your Business Mysteries, a Paranormal Cozy Mystery series
1. Then There Were Nun
2. Hit and Nun
3. House of the Rising Nun
4. The Smoking Nun
5. What a Nunderful World
Wolf Mates, a Paranormal Romantic Comedy series
1. An American Werewolf In Hoboken
2. What’s New, Pussycat?
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Non-Series
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Accidentally Paranormal, a Paranormal Romantic Comedy series
Interview With an Accidental—a free introductory guide to the girls of the Accidentals!
1. The Accidental Werewolf
2. Accidentally Dead
3. The Accidental Human
4. Accidentally Demonic
5. Accidentally Catty
6. Accidentally Dead, Again
7. The Accidental Genie
8. The Accidental Werewolf 2: Something About Harry
9. The Accidental Dragon
10. Accidentally Aphrodite
11. Accidentally Ever After
12. Bearly Accidental
13. How Nina Got Her Fang Back
14. The Accidental Familiar
15. Then Came Wanda
16. The Accidental Mermaid
17. Marty’s Horrible, Terrible Very Bad Day
18. The Accidental Unicorn
19. The Accidental Troll
The Plum Orchard, a Contemporary Romantic Comedy series
1. Talk This Way
2. Talk Dirty to Me
3. Something to Talk About
4. Talking After Midnight
The Ex-Trophy Wives, a Contemporary Romantic Comedy series
1. You Dropped a Blonde On Me
2. Burning Down the Spouse
3. Waltz This Way
Fangs of Anarchy, a Paranormal Urban Fantasy series
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Author’s Note
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
The End
Note From The Author
About The Author
Other Books By Dakota Cassidy
One Corpse Open Slay Page 16