“They going to visit you out here?”
“I don’t know.” I turned away before he could say anything else. “Shall we go?”
“Sure. I brought my car seeing as I didn’t know if you were wearing a dress or not. I figured you wouldn’t want to be on my bike,” Gage was saying as he opened the door. I pulled it behind us and locked it, my fingers tracing the magic the lock retained, and if he thought locking it was odd for this small town, he didn’t say. I stood on the porch for a moment, a faint tingling niggling my skin. I looked around into the low lit garden, wondering what it was in the shadows that bothered me so much. I shivered lightly and hurried over to Gage where he was holding his car door open and waiting for me, trying to shake off that feeling I had of being watched.
“I thought movie then dinner, or drinks?” said Gage as he folded himself into the driver’s seat after closing my door in a very gentlemanly way that I somehow hadn’t quite expected from him. “There’s a few shows on. I didn’t know what you’d seen recently.”
“I haven’t been to the cinema in a long time so I haven’t seen anything,” I confessed. “I didn’t even know Wilding had a cinema.”
“It doesn’t as such. We’re too small to sustain one so we’ll go to the next town over. Annalise might have mentioned there’s a coffee shop in town that does screenings of old movies, if you like that sort of thing. They do shows every Friday night.”
“I’ll have to get her to take me.”
“You’d better book your time.” Gage flashed a smile at me as he turned the car onto the road and pointed it towards town. “She’s been spending a lot of time with Beau.”
“She seems pretty happy that he’s back?” I ventured. Annalise hadn’t said a lot to me but I guessed there was some history between the two of them.
“They were high school sweethearts back in the day. Thought they might even get hitched but they split up during their senior year – I was away at college by then – and Beau went off to the army and Annalise, well, she moved on eventually.”
“And here they are again.”
“Here they are again,” agreed Gage.
We fell silent while I wondered if I was supposed to make small talk to fill the gaps. Gage had never struck me as overly talkative but I didn’t want him to think I was in some way put out about our date, even if it was the result of me getting a smack down in poker. When I thought about it, I was actually fairly pleased to be going out and on a date, no less, with Gage. There was no denying that he was an extremely attractive man. And he liked me. That thought made me bristle with pride just a touch, even if there was a little pang of guilt at that. I brushed it off. I was going to do my best to enjoy myself. I had to live.
“What you smiling about?” asked Gage.
“I was looking forward to this evening.”
Gage flashed me that smile again, the one that made me melt inside. “Me too,” he nodded and flipped his blinker so that we could switch roads and start the route out of town, instead of into Wilding.
“So, how come you don’t have any family?” Gage asked, then shook his head. “I’m sorry if you think I’m rude. I just wondered because you came here out of the blue and you said back at your house that you didn’t have family.”
“I think you were there when I told you that my parents left me the house. I didn’t know about it until a few months ago though. I don’t think they ever took me there.”
“I would have remembered if the Mayweathers had brought a kid with them and I don’t remember you. Did they pass recently?”
I shook my head. “When I was little.”
“That’s rough.”
“You said you knew my parents?” I pressed, changing the subject slightly, suddenly eager to glean any knowledge about them.
“Well, sure. I’ve lived there my whole life, ‘cept for a few years during college and after, so I remember your mom and dad coming out now and again. They used to pay me a couple of dollars for doing the lawn.”
“They got a good deal.” The lawn was big and took effort as my aching muscles had found out this summer.
“A couple of decades ago that was a great deal.”
“Was it you who still cut the lawn when the house was empty?”
Gage nodded but kept his eye on the road. “Every month money turned up from some law practice in New York in return for keeping the lawn good and doing the odd bit of maintenance. My parents used to keep an eye on the house for your parents, and when they passed, I kept it up. The money stopped coming when you arrived.”
“I don’t understand how anyone could have known I was here.” I wondered if I should ask him if he minded the money not arriving.
“Someone knew,” pointed out Gage.
I guessed that might explain why I’d had my mystery gift waiting on the porch. Perhaps it was something to do with Steven’s law practice. I hadn’t seen him since that fateful evening in New York when I’d first arrived Stateside; the day on which he’d given me my parents’ last effects and the key to the house. Of course, I didn’t say any of that to Gage, instead I said. “I’m sorry about the money. I didn’t know you was expecting it and I’ll make it up to you.”
“No you won’t. That money was not our livelihood and we were always a bit surprised when they kept on coming after our parents’ passed on. We’ve been paid, Annalise and I, for keeping an eye on the place and now we don’t have to, so for that, I’m grateful. Plus now I only have to keep on cutting one chunk of grass so I’m grateful for that too.”
“Well, if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure and don’t go offering to pay your movie ticket either.” I wasn’t totally sure if Gage was offended or not so I let that slide.
“What is it you do anyway?” I asked. He had a nice house, inherited like mine so I assumed there was no mortgage to pay. He had a nice car, and his motorbike, and I knew he worked out of Wilding, though I’d never been sure what he did.
“For work? I’m a graphic designer. I design logos and artwork and stuff like that.”
“Wow,” I admitted. I was lacking in the creative department but I made up for it with an awesome ability to stick out dull jobs. Or, at least, I had.
“And you?”
“Until I got here I used to do office work. Typing, filing, things like that... not nearly as exciting as graphic design.”
“You wouldn’t think it was exciting after the five hundredth cheesy logo you’d drawn. You going to be looking for office work here?”
“Maybe. I don’t really feel like it’s my calling, but I don’t know what is.”
“It’ll hit you one day,” Gage said kindly.
“I hope so. Maybe more of a gentle thud though. Hey, maybe I’ll go to college. I never went. Or I could do some correspondence courses.” It was something I’d thought a lot about over the years but never done anything about since I had worked long hours. So much had changed this past year, maybe one of them could be positive.
“That would improve your prospects ready for when you do know what you want.”
“Maybe. I’ll look into it.”
“Ask Annalise. She used to teach at the local college so she’ll know how to get you started.”
“I didn’t know she taught.”
“Yep, textile design. That’s why she’s so good with all those things she makes.”
“How come she gave it up?” We were on the outskirts of town now and heading towards the main street. Annalise had taken me here to buy lamps a few weeks ago and we’d stayed for lunch in the town. It was a bustling place, both day and evening as it sucked on the people from the surrounding smaller towns.
“She had a real bad ... accident a few years ago and she didn’t go out much after that.” Gage was gripping the steering wheel and his knuckles blanched to white. “Gave up her job, moved back home and then she started her craft business. She’s almost back to her old self now.”
“Oh, she never said.” I wondered what he was g
oing to say before he’d said ‘accident’. I got the impression he was smoothing over the details.
“She doesn’t like talking about that time of her life. That’s why I’m happy she’s happy. Especially with Beau. He’s a decent guy and he’ll treat her right.”
Gage took one hand off the steering wheel to point along the street. “The movie theatre is just over there.”
We got tickets for a Johnny Depp film and shared a bucket of hot buttered popcorn. He didn’t do anything cheesy like try and put his arm round me but he did rest his arm against mine on the armrests and later, when we left, he wrapped his hand around mine and I let him. He was toasty warm and I allowed myself to enjoy the simple pleasure of a handsome man holding my hand.
“Do you want to go for a drink?” I asked as we lingered for a moment outside the doors of the theatre, the cold night air whispering around our faces. The street was shot with artificial light spilling from the doors and overlaid with the soft glow of moonlight. A long line of people snaked down the street. It was date night from the looks of the number of couples waiting.
“I’d like that,” I said.
He nodded to a bar across the street. “Let’s go there.”
The sound of the band hit me as soon as we went inside and I let Gage, being the taller and broader of the two of us, break our path to the bar. He was greeted, and clapped on the back by a few guys and I couldn’t help notice more than a few women look casually over him from head to toe and then look coolly at me. I got it. He was in demand and I was in the way. Tough sodding luck for them, said the little defiant voice in my head.
He ordered us beers and pointed to a table to perch at, holding my hand so that I was swept along in his wake. I shrugged off my coat and hung it over the back of the chair.
“Do you come here often?” I asked.
“Worst line ever. Does it ever work for you?”
I blushed and he squeezed my hand lightly. “I’m kidding, Stella. And no, I don’t come here often but I’ve been a few times. If I want to go for a beer, I go somewhere more local where I don’t have to drive.”
“Like the bar on our road?” I asked. The Loup Garou, as it was called, was a few miles down the road from our houses. From the times I’d driven past it seemed to attract a motley sort and I’d never been in there. I didn’t think I was missing much.
Gage took a long sip from his bottle. “From time to time.”
“I’ve never been.” Annalise had recommended a bunch of places but never that bar, even if it was the closest one to us.
“I don’t think you’d like it much.”
“Dirt floor and angry barmaids?” I asked, making light of it and Gage laughed.
. FrNot quite. It’s fairly rough and ready though. I wouldn’t take you there.”
“I’ll take that as a complement then.”
“Gage! Stella! Hey!” I twisted my head and saw Annalise and Beau bearing down on us. Annalise was wearing super tight jeans and a strappy top. Despite the cold, she was only carrying a light jacket. Beau was more dressed for the weather in jeans, boots and a thick check shirt. Still no jacket. I was glad I’d taken my jacket off or I would have felt positively overdressed next to Annalise. She slid over to me, smiling. “Well, hello. Are we crashing your date?”
“Not at all.” I would have signalled that she take a chair if there were any to be had but the other bar patrons had got there first so I stood to give her a quick hug instead.
“We’re going to see that Johnny Depp film, now. Shame he’s not a pirate in it, but a girl can’t have everything.” She shrugged and Beau slipped his arm around her shoulders so that she could snuggle into him.
“We just saw it,” said Gage.
“Then don’t say anymore because you’ll spoil the surprise. See you later ... maybe.” Annalise winked at me then hugged me again, then Gage, and Gage shook hands with Beau in a friendly man-way which involved clapping each other on the shoulders and not wincing.
“You’re right, she does seem happy,” I said, watching them retreat out the doors until they were lost past the crowd.
Gage nodded. “You want to stay for another drink?”
I shook my head. “You’re driving and it wouldn’t be fair. We should go.”
Gage drained the last of his beer and I took another sip. We’d been in there less than half an hour and I hoped he didn’t think I was trying to cut our date short. I’d actually surprised myself into having a good time.
“Want to dance before we go?”
I looked over to where he was looking and saw a small space had been cleared for no more than a few couples to dance. The band were playing some thumpy, up tempo numbers and the crowd were getting loud right along with them.
“Sure,” I replied and it wasn’t until we were on the dance floor and Gage had spun me out and pulled me back to him that I realised that the last time I’d danced, I’d been with Evan and my heart seemed to plummet through my body. I swallowed quickly and forced myself to move in time with the music. I would tackle my grief later, privately. I wouldn’t let it consume me. For this moment I just wanted to feel happy.
Gage was a good dancer. Rhythmic, vibrant and with good footwork that told me he had had plenty of dance partners. As the number drew to a close, he picked me up, his hands on my hips and twirled me around before setting me lightly on the floor, my body sliding against his. I wasn’t a genius at man-woman stuff but I recognised a come on when one body slammed me. He smiled down at me and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he took my hand and tugged me outside into the cold night air.
“Let’s get you home.” Gage chatted congenially about the film as we drove back and when we passed the Loup Garou I couldn’t help check out the number of cars and motorbikes in the lot. The lights were on but it seemed quiet inside tonight and then we had flashed by and five minutes later Gage turned onto my drive.
“You’re welcome to come in for a drink, if you like.” I thought about what I might have in my kitchen. “I have wine, or coffee. No beer though, sorry.”
“Wine is fine by me.” Gage cut off the engine and walked around my side to open the door for me. I fumbled in my bag for my keys as we took the steps then unlocked the door and held it open for him.
“Make yourself at home. Put on music if you like. I’ll get the wine.”
Gage took off his jacket and hung it on the rack by the door as I retreated into the kitchen. It felt strange having someone in my house. So far, there had just been me and Annalise. Gage was officially my second guest (I’d decided Chyler didn’t count seeing as she wasn’t invited). I picked up two glasses with long stems and the white wine from my fridge. I hoped he wasn’t a wine snob because otherwise he was going to get a disappointment.
When I went back in the living room, he’d turned on my TV and was looking through my stack of dollar bin DVDs would have been less mortifying if I’d had some more cerebral movies selected. Unfortunately I hadn’t.
“You’re just as bad as my sister,” Gage laughed.
“I like happy movies,” I said, sitting next to him on the sofa, and then started to protest when he took the wine bottle and corkscrew from me, but he just shook his head. I waited until he’d uncorked the bottle then held out the glasses for him to fill. He set the bottle on the floor and clinked his glass lightly against mine.
“What are we drinking to?”
“Bad poker hands and good dates?”
“I’ll drink to that.” Gage smiled and I returned the smile before taking a sip. The wine slid down my throat easily.
“Okay, let’s see if you have anything watchable.”
“I’m going to take offence at that.”
“Most people would take offence at your preferences,” Gage teased as he shuffled through my less than intelligent offerings.
“I’m definitely offended now.”
“Drink your wine. It’ll dull the pain.” I got the pleasure of him yelping as I bashed hi
s arm with a cushion.
“Fine, fine.” Gage paused, holding up a disc box. “You want to watch A River Runs Through It? No drooling over Brad Pitt.”
I laughed. “Sure.” I settled back on the sofa as Gage loaded the DVD then sat next to me, legs stretched out, wine glass in hand as the credits rolled. He looked very at home on my sofa. If he was my boyfriend I would have pulled the coverlet folded over the back of the sofa over us and snuggled up to him, but he wasn’t and I wouldn’t. As soon as I thought, if he was Evan, I wiped it from my mind. The rawness had only just begun to heal but every so often, it would tug at me as if to remind me it was still there.
As it happened we didn’t really end up watching much of the movie; instead we talked about them. A line here would remind Gage of something he’d seen and then we’d talk about that. Or maybe a scene would remind me of another film and that would lead on to another topic which would make us laugh. I didn’t even realise that I was flirting at first as my body responded naturally to his. By the time I did realise, I was warm with wine and when Gage flirted with a touch of his hand against mine, or our legs would bump together and neither of us would draw back, I didn’t mind one bit. When, finally, his lips brushed mine, his hand soft against my cheek, I didn’t hesitate to slip my arms around him and pull him in for more. It wasn’t just human contact I craved; it was the warmth of his skin on mine, the feel of him on my lips.
Four
My head was swimming as I cranked my eyes open, groaning with discomfort. I could only vaguely remember falling into bed the night before. Kicking off my clothes and climbing under the covers was a distant, hazy memory. In my half-sleepy fuzzy state, I smiled at the memory of us dancing. I remembered Gage coming back to the house with me where we’d shared a bottle of wine and I vaguely remembered opening another. We’d watched another movie and talked and laughed for hours. I knew I hadn’t drunk that much, but I wasn’t a big drinker so the effects of the alcohol didn’t really hit me until I knew I was already very merry. By the time I’d cut out the alcohol, it was too late.
Unruly Magic Page 5