“Most everyone who is a local is aware. I don’t really volunteer it to people, because ... well, just because.”
I understood. “You don’t tell people because you want people to like you for who you are and not what you can give them.”
“Basically,” he confirmed. “With you, I just wanted you to love me as I am.”
“Oh.” Booker made an exaggerated face. “That’s so sweet.”
Galen punched him hard in the shoulder. “You’re not helping matters.”
“What’s to help?” Booker turned his eyes to me. “You loved him when you thought he was poor, right?”
I slowly nodded. “Yes ... although I didn’t think he was poor. I just assumed he was middle class.”
“Well, that’s poor on this island.” Booker made a dubious face. “He’s rich. He works because he enjoys protecting and serving. You should be happy about this. It means you don’t have to buy all these groceries.”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t happy.” I was honestly at a loss. “I just kind of feel stupid for not realizing it. I mean ... you do wear really expensive boots.”
“Those were a gift from my mother.”
Something occurred to me. “Is that why you didn’t want me to meet her?”
His sigh was long and pronounced. “My mother lives in a huge mansion on the other side of the island. She’s been on me to meet you since she heard through the gossip vine that we were together. She’s ... difficult.”
“Like my mother is difficult,” Booker offered.
“She kind of is,” Galen agreed. “I just wanted you to have some time to settle before she started grilling you.”
It was a lot to take in. “Well, I guess you can buy the groceries.” I tugged the cart down to the meat case and started perusing. “In fact, how would you feel about having a barbecue with our friends this afternoon? You can pay for that, too.”
“Is this a weird form of punishment or something?”
“Lilac needs a break from the bar. Booker needs a break from his mother. Aurora likes to eat. I thought it might be a fun way for us to entertain ourselves tonight without leaving the lighthouse and possibly getting thrown into the cemetery.”
His expression darkened at the mention of last night’s activities. “I would prefer sticking close to the lighthouse tonight. If you want a barbecue, we can make that happen.”
Slowly, my lips spread into a smile. “Then I guess the money doesn’t bother me. I’m still a little weirded out that I didn’t realize the truth before but ... you’re a well-to-do man. I guess that means I’ll be getting good Christmas gifts?”
He slid his arm around my neck and gave me a kiss on the temple. “I’m the king of giving gifts.”
THE BARBECUE ENDED UP bigger than I expected. Galen invited his deputies — who I was slowly getting to know — and Aurora brought a few of her siren friends. They were all laying low given the cupid invasion, but they were eager for conversation and shenanigans.
The one unexpected face belonged to Judy. She showed up about thirty minutes after Galen started grilling. She was alone ... and appeared to believe she’d been invited.
“Sorry I’m late,” she called out gaily, causing Booker’s head to swivel in her direction. He’d been busy holding court with the sirens and Lilac, telling stories that made them guffaw so loudly their voices echoed off the water. “I thought I would have trouble finding the place, but it turns out lighthouses are tall. It wasn’t any trouble at all.”
My mouth dropped open. “Oh, um ... .”
“I’m pretty sure you weren’t invited, Mother,” Booker snapped, hopping to his feet. “What are you doing here?”
“What do you mean I’m not invited?” She adopted an innocent expression. “If you’re here, I’m certainly going to be here. We’re supposed to be spending time together.”
Booker looked mortified. “I can’t even ... .”
“Don’t worry about it,” Galen offered, swigging from a beer. “It’s fine. Everyone is welcome.” He tilted his chin in Judy’s direction. “Make yourself at home.”
“Thank you.” She plopped at the table where the deputies were telling tall tales, and smiled at each man in turn. “I feel so safe given everything that’s going on. It’s good to know that every deputy on the island is in one place and not spread out to monitor murderous behavior or something.”
Galen scowled. “It’s not every deputy on the island. These are off duty.”
I sent him a warning look and shook my head when it appeared he was going to continue railing at her. It so wasn’t worth it.
“Mother, can you come over here for a moment?” Booker didn’t wait for her to answer. Instead, he gripped her arm and drew her away from the table, not stopping until he was under a stand of trees near the road. He was clearly about to unleash a tirade and didn’t want anyone else to hear.
“What do you think?” I asked as I sidled up to Galen. He seemed to be having a good time playing master of the grill.
“I think you’re the prettiest woman in the world,” he replied, grinning. “Oh, you mean about Booker and Judy. I think that she is a busybody of the highest order and she expected Booker to spend time with her and her friends this evening. When he texted her to say he wasn’t coming and had other plans, she took it upon herself to force his hand.”
That was certainly part of it. I read that, too, but there was more. “She’s worried he’s interested in me,” I explained. “She pretty much said that straight to my face that day at Lilac’s bar. She has plans for his romantic life that I don’t think he’s going to like.”
“I guarantee he won’t like them.” Galen handed me his beer so I could take a drink, his expression thoughtful. “If Booker is smart, he won’t kowtow to her. She’ll get bored of this place soon enough and leave on her own. He needs to put his foot down soon.”
“I agree.” I tilted my chin so I could study his profile. “Are you going to introduce me to your mother now that I know the big secret?”
He snorted at the topic shift. “Will you stop bugging me about it if I promise to find a date that works for everyone after this incubus is captured and killed?”
“Yes. I just don’t like feeling as if you’re embarrassed and hiding me away.”
He stilled. “Is that what you think? Honey, I’m not embarrassed by you. I’m embarrassed by her.”
Now I was officially intrigued. “Why?”
“You’ll understand when you meet her. She defies words. I don’t want to cloud your opinion. I want you to come up with your own ideas where she’s concerned.”
“Okay. Fair enough.” I rolled to the balls of my feet and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Thanks for all this, by the way. I really appreciate it, but I did have the money. I’m not going to starve if you don’t feed me.”
His cheeks tinged with pleasure. “Maybe I want to take care of you. Have you ever considered that?”
“It’s kind of nice.”
“It’s going to get better,” he promised. “Once you meet my mother, you’re going to want to curl up in a ball and hide in bed for a week. I’ll take care of you then, too.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Oddly enough, so am I.”
THE BARBECUE WAS A SMASHING success. Booker opted to stay, sitting at the far end of the table from his mother and glowering at her as she told stories about his misspent youth. I lost track of Judy eventually as Lilac and I moved to the loungers on the back patio to gossip about Galen and everything that had happened. She was a good friend and she was excited for me. It was nice to have someone to share my feelings with.
After several drinks, I had to excuse myself to go inside and use the restroom. I thought I was the only one in the lighthouse until I heard a noise upstairs. It threw me, so I headed up the stairs. The first stop was my bedroom, but it looked the same as when I’d left it this morning. That is to say it was just as messy as always.
When I
climbed to the top floor, the room May used as a laboratory and library of sorts, I found Judy with her back to me. She was riffling through the books and obviously hadn’t heard me enter the room.
I cleared my throat. “Can I help you?”
She jumped and turned toward me. Fear momentarily clouded her eyes, and then she regained control of her emotions and plastered a wide smile on her face. “I was just looking at your lovely library.”
“Uh-huh.” I didn’t believe her for a second. “I don’t remember saying this room was open for visitors.”
“Oh, don’t mind me.” She gave me a dismissive hand wave. “I got turned around when I came to use the restroom and ended up here.”
“The bathroom is on the first floor.”
“Yes, but somebody was inside and I really had to go. I thought maybe you had another bathroom upstairs — which you do — and I used that.”
“This room is still upstairs from that,” I argued. “Wouldn’t you have naturally gone down when you were finished?”
“I just wanted to see the view.” She gestured toward the window. “It’s magnificent. I can’t see myself living in a lighthouse, but the view from this one is so amazing it might change my mind.”
She was lying. A quick study of the library, though, told me that everything looked to be in place. It was possible she was simply obnoxious enough to go through my things because she was looking for proof that Booker and I had a relationship she wasn’t privy to.
It was also possible she was up to something else.
“Well, everybody else is outside,” I prodded, gesturing toward the stairs. “We should probably join them.”
“Absolutely.” She perfunctorily bobbed her head. “I really do love this room. But you should spend some time decorating. It’s a little drab.”
“I’ll take that into consideration.” I waited until she descended the stairs to search the books she’d been going through when I found her. They all appeared to be accounted for, although I’d never done a proper inventory, so I couldn’t be certain.
What had she been looking for ... and why?
26
Twenty-Six
I was bothered enough by Judy’s lie that I couldn’t take my eyes off her once we returned to the barbecue. Galen’s men left before dark. They were eager to hit up a few bars and pick up women. The rest of the party — including Judy — remained to sit around a bonfire and chat. I had a feeling Judy stayed only to make a point. Still, I had to give her credit. It was ballsy to remain behind the way she did.
“What’s wrong?” Galen asked as he sauntered up to me. Aurora was in the middle of telling a story by the fire and I’d spent the last five minutes fishing in the cooler for a beer so I could have a better view of Judy.
“What makes you think anything is wrong?”
“Because you’re watching Judy as if she’s a bomb about to explode,” he replied without hesitation. “What gives?”
“Oh, well ... .” I wasn’t sure I should tell him, at least not now. In the end, lying wasn’t something I was comfortable with, so I blurted it out. I told him the whole story. When I was finished, he looked more curious than murderous, which was a relief.
“Do you think she was looking for something specific?”
That was a good question. “I don’t think she was searching for the heck of it. But I have no idea what she was trying to find up there. It’s all books and potions basically.”
“No, it’s more than that.” Galen’s hand moved to the small of my back. “It was May’s sanctuary. She spent a lot of time up in that room. I’m betting she has a few other things hidden up there that you haven’t stumbled across yet.”
That was a weird thought. “What should we do?”
“Ask her.” He was already halfway across the lawn before I realized what he was going to do.
“Wait.” I scrambled to keep up, but it was already too late. “Don’t.”
Galen ignored me. “Judy, it’s time we have a little talk.” He had a beer in one hand and planted his other hand on his hip. “What were you doing going through the third-floor library?”
“What?” Booker, who was sitting next to Lilac and having a good time despite the presence of his crabby mother, nearly fell off his chair. “You were going through Hadley’s things?”
“I most certainly was not.” Judy straightened her shoulders. I had to give her props. She was the one in the wrong, yet she still managed to look haughty. That was an impressive feat. “I can’t believe you would accuse me of something like that, Booker. I mean ... really.”
Booker’s eyes flicked to Galen. “What did she do?” He seemed resigned that she was guilty of something, which I found very telling.
“Hadley went inside to use the restroom,” Galen replied. “She heard noises from above. She found your mother going through the books on the library floor. When she asked her about it, she denied being up to anything and said she got lost going to the bathroom.”
Booker made an incredulous face. “That doesn’t sound likely. There’s no bathroom on that floor.”
Judy’s eyes filled with intrigue. “You’ve spent time in the library? I don’t suppose you’ve seen anything interesting?”
I was beyond confused. “What are you looking for?”
“I didn’t say I was looking for anything.” Judy recovered quickly. “I told you. I was using the second bathroom because someone was in the first and I simply got turned around.”
Galen cleared his throat, annoyance obvious as it flitted across his handsome features. “You couldn’t tell the difference between up and down? That’s what you’re saying.”
“I was confused.” Her eyes blazed. “I don’t think I like what you’re accusing me of.”
“And I don’t think I care,” Galen shot back. “What were you doing in the library ... and don’t bother making up another lie.”
“I don’t have to sit here and take this.” She made a big show of hopping to her feet. “I have never been treated so poorly in my entire life. Your manners and hospitality leave much to be desired.”
“Sit down, Mother.” Booker came out of nowhere and surprised me when he muscled past Galen and put his hands on Judy’s shoulders, firmly pressing her back into the chair. “This conversation is nowhere near over.”
The look Judy shot her son was straight out of a horror novel. “You don’t want to push me, Booker. You won’t like what happens if you do.”
“Oh, really?” Booker was having none of it. “What are you going to do to me? You’ve already done everything that can be done. I’m not afraid of you.”
“I can do more.”
“No, you can’t.” Booker vigorously shook his head. “These people are my friends. I’m loyal to them. And, before you ask, I’m more loyal to them than I am to you. You can pout all you want about that – all day if you like – but they’ve done more for me than you ever have ... including actually listening to the words that come out of my mouth. I’m certain you’ve never done that. You only hear what you want to hear.”
“Really, Booker, is now the time for such theatrics?” Judy suddenly found something fascinating about her fingernails and stared at them. “You get that from your father. I’m not the dramatic sort.”
“Yes, you’re a regular ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, and you never overreact,” he drawled. “Look at me.” When she didn’t immediately acquiesce, he yelled at her. “Look at me!”
Judy’s eyes momentarily swam with loathing for her own son before she regained control of herself. “What?”
“What are you looking for?” Booker gritted out. “Don’t bother lying. We know you’re looking for something. You might as well tell us what it is and be done with it. You’re not leaving until you do.”
She huffed and raised her eyes to the sky, as if imploring some higher power to explain how she ended up with such a bossy son. Finally, she shook her head and held out her hands. “I’m looking for the St. Valentine Seal
.”
Whatever he was expecting, that wasn’t it. “What?” Booker’s eyebrows flew up his forehead. “Why would you possibly think that Hadley has the seal?”
“Wait.” Galen stepped forward. “What is the St. Valentine Seal?”
“It’s some mythological talisman,” Booker replied. “Supposedly it can open a door between worlds. The way it’s described in our history books makes me believe it actually opens a door between planes, but I think it’s all fairy tales and nonsense anyway, so I never really paid that much attention. It’s also supposed to enhance power for some elementals, including cupids.”
“It is not a fairy tale,” Judy hissed. “It’s the real deal ... and it’s important. You shouldn’t be sharing information with these people. They’re not like us.”
“Whatever.” Booker shook his head. “The seal was supposedly created by St. Valentine before he was martyred in the third century. Not much is known about him — and that’s by design — because he was trying to hide his true identity. He was a cupid.”
I was taken aback. “Wait a second ... are you saying that St. Valentine was a real person? Oh, and that he was a cupid?”
Booker was clearly amused despite the serious nature of the conversation. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“Why was he martyred?”
“For his faith,” Judy replied. “He was a true believer.”
I was curious about the change in her tone. She almost sounded reverent. “A true believer in what?”
“That is none of your concern.”
Booker pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. He looked to be struggling to remember. “It was a long time ago, but I remember something about this,” he started. “Valentine was known to proselytize to the masses in Italy. This was before Christianity was the ruling religion.
“There was some judge who had him locked up and then demanded that he perform a miracle,” he continued. “That miracle consisted of curing the blind. I believe it was the judge’s daughter. Valentine — who was actually Valentinus, but we’ll stick with Valentine because it’s easier — actually pulled it off. It was a big deal; the judge exalted him and freed a bunch of Christians from prison. Valentine kept up his shtick and was sent before the prefect of Rome. He tried to turn the prefect, who refused, and declared he either deny his faith or be killed. He was killed on February 14th, 269.”
To Spell With It Page 24