“Thirty miles or so.” He makes another turn, this time onto a gravel road. There’s a hand-painted sign on the right stating, “Witches and Wanderers Welcome.”
“We’re here,” he says.
“Witches?” I ask.
He nods. “My mom is wiccan. You’ll see.”
My hand squeezes his. “Why did you wait until now to tell me?”
He lifts his brows in amusement before looking back to the road ahead of us. “It’s more fun this way. Besides, I didn’t want you to start searching stuff on the Internet and getting the wrong idea. This isn’t like TV or the movies.”
He parks in front of a decent-sized log cabin with a wide wrap around porch. He hasn’t even turned the engine off before a woman bursts from the front door.
She’s a multicolored swirl of fabrics that move with her as she hurries toward us. Her hand is on my door handle, opening it for me. I rush to unbuckle my seatbelt and climb out. My second foot barely hits earth before her arms are around me.
She smells like sage and oranges. Her hair is long and down, in a mass of dark brown curls liberally threaded with silver strands. Her embrace is unexpected but not unwelcome. Slowly, I hug her back, my arms wrapping around her.
She’s shorter than me but not by much. When she pulls back, giving me my first opportunity to truly see her, I’m greeted with a pair of familiar dimples.
Her eyes move over my face. “You two are going to make one gorgeous baby. It is so nice to meet you, Reilly. Please call me Meg.”
I laugh while Trip joins us. She releases me to hug him, pulling his face down to hers so she can kiss both of his cheeks first.
“I approve!” she shouts once she’s done hugging him.
“Mom,” he groans.
“What?” She snaps. “Her aura is sad but sweet. I can see why you crave taking care of her.” Her eyes roam over me again. “She’s perfect for you.”
Her compliment is lost on me when my attention is drawn to a naked senior citizen walking past us.
Trip’s mom jumps into action when she sees her. “Mrs. Valen, you forgot your robe again. Come with me dear. Let’s go find it.”
“Is this a nudist colony?” I whisper to Trip as his mom leads the naked woman away.
“No, but there is a naked yoga class people can sign up for.”
“Naked yoga?” I ask, my eyes following his mom.
“Amongst other things,” he mutters.
What does that mean?
He then gives me a squeeze before moving to grab our overnight bags.
Knowing he won’t let me carry mine, I grab my purse from the front seat.
“I have no signal,” I say, looking at my phone.
“It’s spotty up here. Did you need to call someone?” Trip replies.
“I promised Jake and Kacey I’d text them once we got here safe and sound.”
“There’s a phone you can use inside the house,” he replies, motioning with his head for me to follow him.
The door is still open from when his mom came out. “Should I close it?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “It’s fine open.”
He sets our bags down in the foyer and takes my hand. There are a set of stairs in front of us, the living room to the left, and an office to the right. The walls are the same dark wood of the exterior but from them are wall hangings and prints of every color imaginable.
This is nothing like the wellness clinic I reported on. The walls and every stick of furniture in that place were all neutral unobtrusive tones. It was relaxing and serene. This cabin is an absolute riot of color.
While in no way neutral, the blues and greens of every shade possible are refreshing and interesting.
He leads me into the office. Here deep reds and browns abound. While I call Jake, Trip takes our bags upstairs.
I don’t linger on the phone long and Trip is back by my side shortly after I finish it.
“Should we wait for my mom or would you like a tour?” Trip asks.
My eyes drink in the space around me. “I’d love a tour.”
He offers me his hand and I slip mine into it. “How long has your mom had this place?”
He directs me back to the front door and then through it. “About six years, give or take.”
We follow a pebble path around the cabin to the back. Behind the house there is a lovely garden and from it, paths leading this way and that. One leads to a small well-stocked greenhouse, another to a grouping of smaller cabins, and yet another to a silver above-ground pool.
“What’s that pool made out of?” I ask, my eyes not leaving the circular silver surround.
“It’s a stock tank,” Trip replies. When he sees my curious stare he adds, “they’re mainly used in farming to provide water to grazing animals.
“Why use that instead of the kind you can get from the store?” I ask.
“They hold up better out here and over time. Those stock tanks can take a lot of abuse.”
I tap his chest and smile up at him. “You should have told me to bring my suit.”
He shakes his head. “That pool is popular with skinny dippers. I’m all for skinny dipping with you but not with a crowd.”
“They do?” I ask, my eyes growing wide.
He nods.
“Even your mom?” I add.
He cringes and nods again.
I giggle. “Our baby’s grandma skinny dips. That’s pretty awesome.”
He wraps his arms around me and kisses me deep.
“There you two are,” his mom says, surprising us.
He lifts his head. “You could have waited until I was done kissing her.”
“Fiddlesticks. I only have you two for the night so I’m taking my fill.”
“You have a lovely property here,” I murmur, glancing from side to side.
“Thank you. It’s my calling. What have you shown her so far, Trip?”
“Inside, only the living room and the office. Outside, this is as far as we’ve gotten.”
“The wall hangings inside your cabin are fantastic. The blue and green ones in the living room were stunning.”
His mom tilts her head to the side. “What’s your birthday?”
“February twenty-sixth,” I reply.
“No wonder you’re drawn to the blues since you’re a Pisces, and this will come as no surprise that you’re compatible with Taurus. Now, why don’t you both take off your shoes so you can walk in the green grass as you were meant to.”
“When is your birthday?” I ask Trip as he guides me to a stone bench.
“May third,” he replies.
We slip off our socks and shoes and leave them by the bench. Avoiding the pebbles on the path, we return to Meg through the grass.
“How do you keep your grass so lush?” I ask.
Southern California has been experiencing one hell of a drought. The threat of wildfires is constant and the little rain we have gotten this year came all at once causing the mudslide Sydney was in.
That was almost two months ago and we haven’t had rain since.
“We make a point of not wasting the water we use for baths and cooking. Instead of letting it go down the drain we collect it and use it for watering in our greenhouse and this bit of grass,” Meg proudly boasts.
The patch of grass we’re on is not overly large and is bordered by the pebbled pathways.
“That’s genius,” I reply then add, “but it seems like a lot of work for grass.”
Meg wiggles her toes and replies, “Did you know walking barefoot in grass is the easiest way to clean your aura?”
I shake my head.
She nods. “Walking barefoot on this grass is the first thing I have each of my visitors do. Any grass will do, but this is charged grass.”
I can’t hide my curiosity. “Charged?”
She offers me her arm. “I believe there is power in intention. Because of that, I am thoughtful and aware of the ways my actions have reactions. This grass for exampl
e exists through desire and conservation. The water that we save for this yard is prayed over and set up to absorb the energy of a full moon before it’s used.”
My eyes drift skyward. “A full moon?”
“Trip calls it my witchey water.” She flashes her dimples back at Trip. “I’ve been setting water out to absorb the energy of the moon for years.”
My mouth falls open and I drop her arm, spinning to face him. “You put water out too.”
Meg grins. “Have you been carrying your amethyst?”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small smooth purple stone.
I move closer to him. “I never knew you were into crystals. You don’t have any around your house.”
He slips the amethyst back into his pocket. “That you’ve seen.”
“I had no idea,” I breathe.
“Do you think it’s weird?” he asks, his eyes focused on mine.
I shake my head. “Not at all.”
“Fabulous, because I have some for you and the baby,” his mom replies.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I murmur.
She shrugs and opens her arms wide. “It’s kind of my thing.”
We walk barefoot in the grass for another thirty minutes before we put our shoes back on to go check out the other buildings on the property.
It’s obvious that Meg puts a lot of love into every part of her property. There’s a yoga instructor who lives on site. She was thankfully dressed by the time we met her.
“Ah, here’s Sadie.” Meg steps away from us and toward an older woman with a blonde pixie cut.
“Sadie is mom’s wife. I thought she was out of town,” Trip quietly says.
My brows rise. I quickly wipe the surprise from my face. Meg pulls her into a hug and kisses her cheek. Then together the two of them walk hand in hand back to us.
“Trip, it’s so good to see you,” she greets once she’s near.
“I thought you were in Santa Fe,” Trip replies before giving her a warm hug.
“Meg told me you were bringing Reilly up so I cut my visit short.”
Once he releases her, she turns to me and opens her arms. “We’re huggers. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course,” I murmur, stepping into her embrace.
“Lavender, symbolizes love, devotion, and purity. I like this,” she says as she holds me.
Is she smelling me?
“Sadie is our green thumb,” Meg explains.
Sadie releases me and looks at Trip. “I like her.”
He drapes his arm around my shoulders and tucks me into his side. “So do I.”
“Want to see my greenhouse?” Sadie asks.
I grin. “Sure.”
The two women walk ahead of us, and Sadie holds the door until Trip reaches it and takes over for her.
“This is beautiful,” I note, moving through the rows of plants.
“Thank you,” Sadie beams. “This greenhouse is my baby.
“Sadie here is the reason the grounds look as good as they do,” Meg says.
Sadie glows under Meg’s praise and then shows us her favorite plants.
“I have a friend back home named Sydney who can’t keep a plant alive. It drives her crazy. Are there any plants you would recommend, something that’s impossible to kill?” I ask.
She moves to another row and picks up a potted plant. “Here,” she says, handing it across a row of plants to me. “Give her this. It’s Aloe and about as low maintenance as it gets. The leaves can be cut and the gel inside has healing properties for cuts and burns. It only needs to be watered once every couple of weeks.”
“Thank you,” I reply, taken aback by her generosity. “You don’t have to. I could always pick one up for her in town.”
She waves off my attempted refusal. “It’s my pleasure. If she keeps it alive, it might encourage her to get another plant. This plant could be the spark that turns her black thumb green.”
“Are you kids hungry?” Meg asks.
Trip and I both nod. Sadie stays in the greenhouse to tend to a few things, her words, as the rest of us return to the main cabin.
Neither Trip or Meg let me help with lunch. Nope, I get to sit at the counter and watch them work together. I’m feeling guilty for sitting on my ass, but I must admit watching Trip help his mom is like seeing a new side of him for me.
Without sounding shallow, it’s his looks that first drew me to him. He’s so good looking that, considering how close we live to LA, I’m amazed no talent scout has scooped him to be Hollywood’s next action film star.
Seeing how sweet he is with his mom makes me melt inside.
“Want to help me set the table?” Sadie asks, joining me by the counter.
“Sure,” I reply, standing.
There’s a table behind us, and a china cabinet on the other side of it. Sadie moves to that cabinet and takes down plates, cups, silverware, and linens.
Together we arrange them on the table. Once everything is set, Sadie gets a pitcher of water and another of lemonade from the refrigerator as Trip and his mom bring over a couple platters of food.
After Meg sets down her platter, she says, “Everyone sit and start eating. I need to grab something.”
Trip pulls out my chair for me, and we start eating lunch. It isn’t a surprise that the food is fresh with greens I bet were grown right in their greenhouse.
Meg returns, carrying a small box. “This is for you.”
Setting down my fork, I hurry to finish chewing my last bite. I use one hand to cover my mouth to thank her as she passes the box to me.
“Open it,” she urges as she sits down.
I do, and gasp when I see a delicate silver necklace with pale pink and purple stones wrapped in silver wire. The pendant is circular, the silver wire spreading across it like a tree, the stones the blooms on it.
“Meg, this is stunning. You didn’t have to. Thank you.”
She leans across the table to touch the silver-wrapped stones. “The purple stones are amethyst which has protective qualities. The pink stones are rose quartz which have particular protective qualities for pregnant women.”
Trip rests his arm across the back of my chair as he leans in the get a closer look. “Did you make this, Mom?”
“She did,” Sadie proudly answers for her.
Meg’s gaze meets mine as she quietly nods.
“You made this for me?” I whisper, tears stinging my eyes.
Reilly is asleep in the passenger seat as I drive us back to Ferncliff. The sun glints off the necklace my mother made for her. To say this weekend went well would be an understatement.
Mom and Sadie loved her, and Reilly did not balk at their unique lifestyle. It wasn’t their being lesbians that had worried me, it was their spiritual beliefs.
My ex had always been weirded out that my mom was somewhat of a hippie witch. She played it off like she thought it was cool, but after I caught her in her lies about the pregnancy, the truth came out.
She had insulted them and me, using their beliefs as an excuse for why I didn’t want to be with someone normal like her. My mom had accepted Roxanne with open arms, so her betrayal had hurt her.
Sadie wasn’t sure about her from the start, not that she ever rubbed that in our faces. Their acceptance of Reilly was something else all together. Being able to compare the both side by side made that so clear.
Reilly was curious and open-minded. Roxanne had been put off and trying to cover it with fake enthusiasm. Looking back, I’m uncomfortable with how much of an idiot I had been.
The only hitch to our visit was when mom cornered me about Joshua. She won’t let it go. I managed to hold her off for now, but I’m certain she won’t quit.
For now, all I can focus on is work and Reilly. She rustles next to me, her arms going up as she stretches in her seat.
She turns her face toward me and with sleepy eyes asks, “How long have I been out?”
My gaze flicks to the display on my console. �
��Almost two hours.”
Her brows furrow. “Why am I so tired? We didn’t even do it last night.”
I don’t touch the “not doing it” comment. Apparently, we couldn’t because the wall of our bedroom touched the wall of my mom and Sadie’s room. We also couldn’t do it outside on the off-chance that someone might be going for a nature walk or to skinny dip.
As much as I want her, always want her, I’m not about to try and sweet talk her into doing something she’s uncomfortable with.
“If you’re sleeping, you need your rest,” I reply.
“This much rest?” She asks.
“Can’t say, Reilly. I’ve never been pregnant,” I tease.
She giggles sleepily.
Reaching out, I caress her cheek. I keep my eyes on the road as she holds my hand there. “Will you come with me to the doctor?”
“I’ll be there. Do you have an appointment already?”
She nods, my hand moving with her head. “This Tuesday at eleven.”
“Do you have to work?” I ask.
“No,” she murmurs.
I do. “I’ll take an early lunch and come pick you up. Walt will cover for me, and I’ll give the chief a head’s up.”
She lowers my hand. “Do you have to tell people?”
We make the turn into town. “Reilly, the moment we walk into the doctor’s office together, the whole town is going to find out.”
She doesn’t want to admit I’m right so she leans forward and turns up the volume on the radio. I shake my head and leave my hand where it landed on her thigh.
Reilly grew up in this town, for me it was a blip in my past. We moved around a lot with my dad’s job. My mom didn’t plant roots until after their divorce.
Reilly cares about what these people think of her. It’s more than her identity here, her job is part appearance. People watch her reports because they like and trust her. Her being pregnant is going to make her the news story, and it’s going to be the biggest thing to happen in this town in a long time.
“I want you to move in with me,” I say loud enough for her to hear me over the music.
She straightens in her seat. “I can’t move in with you.”
Her words are barely audible. I lift my hand and turn the radio off.
“Why not?” I push.
“I moved in with Julie to help her out with rent money. I’m not going to bail on her now. Besides, it’s too soon.”
Why Not? (Love Riddles Book 3) Page 11