by Lynn Cahoon
“Yes, but only in the apartment.” Mia glanced around the room, hoping she wouldn’t find Dorothy Purcell. The local ghost had expanded her haunting spots from the nursing home and the hospital to the school Mia had bought. She guessed she should feel grateful the ghost liked her enough to visit, but sometimes it wigged her out. Like the whole Mr. Darcy and Dorian thing.
A slight tapping echoed through the apartment.
“What is that?”
Mia got up and walked to the living room. “Mr. Darcy. He’s started pawing at the door when he wants in. I’m not sure if he came up with the idea or if it’s Dorian being polite.”
Her grandmother stirred her tea and looked up when Mia returned from letting Mr. Darcy into the apartment.
“I think it’s time to talk a little more about the history of our family grimoire.” Grans cleared the table of plates. Then she sat back down. “Do you have any whiskey, dear? This is going to be a little bit of a shock.”
Chapter 2
Mia made coffee, poured two shots of whiskey for her grandmother, and checked not only the apartment door but also the downstairs door to make sure they were locked before Mary Alice would talk. Finally, Mia sat at the table and stared her down. She sipped her coffee while she watched her grandmother wrestle with whatever it was she needed to tell her.
“This is why I like being a kitchen witch. There’s no drama. No transferring and stealing powers or books. We’re just here dealing with the positive vibes of the world.” She glanced at her familiar, Gloria, but the doll was turned away from her too. Something was definitely wrong. “Okay, now you all are scaring me. What’s going on?”
Grans looked at the empty shot glass, then at the bottle. She shook her head, obviously deciding that another drink wouldn’t help. Instead, she sipped her coffee. “Mia dear. I told you today that the spells a family owns pass from one witch to another. One that is bone of my bone. Blood of my blood.”
“Related, you mean.” Mia clarified for her grandmother.
She shook her head. “Yes and no. It’s more than just related. My sister wouldn’t get the spells when I die; you would. You’re my descendant. The only way the spells would go to someone else is if I didn’t have children or grandchildren.”
Mia didn’t know where this was going, but she felt her grandmother was taking the long way around to giving her an answer. “Okay, I get it. What am I supposed to know?”
“The spells from our family go back a long way. To the beginning of the Americas and even before that. But I believe, well, the book says, we are Bishops.” Grans pushed out the words as if they’d been burning a hole in her throat. She sipped the coffee.
“Okay.” Mia still didn’t know why the spirit was mad at all. “Forgive me for asking the obvious, but who are the Bishops?”
“I think we’ll stop here. We can talk more later.” Grans glanced at the clock. “Do you mind taking me home? I’m tired.”
“Of course.” Mia stood and grabbed her keys while her grandmother picked up her purse. “Watch the house, Mr. Darcy. I’ll be right back.”
The cat jumped up on the wingback chair that was facing the front door. He circled into a ball on the seat, but his gaze never left the door.
Mia and Grans left the apartment and walked toward Mia’s van. The vehicle didn’t look great, but it worked well for deliveries and catering gigs, so she didn’t care that it wasn’t as pretty as the new ones owned by the Lodge for their events.
As they drove the few minutes to Grans’s place, Mia tried to get her grandmother to tell her more about her heritage, but her grandmother kept waving the questions away.
“I’m sorry, Mia. I need to make sure I’m telling you things the right way.”
Mia pulled the van into Grans’s driveway. As soon as the van stopped, Grans hurried out and to her front door, not waiting for Mia to get out. Something had her spooked, and Mia was going to find out what it was.
Mia was back home and unlocking the front door when she realized that Grans had left her grimoire here at the house. “I even told her I wouldn’t forget. I guess I’ll just lock it in my safe. I’ll leave mine out on the shelf.”
It wasn’t the best plan, but it was the only one she had. She couldn’t lock both of them up in the same space; they’d fight to the death. Besides, she wasn’t going anywhere, so no one would have a chance to get into the apartment. She relocked the door and headed upstairs. She was beat.
Her cell rang just as she was settling into her bedroom with a book to read. Seeing the display, she smiled as she answered. “Hey, Trent. I was thinking about you tonight.”
“Really? Tell me more. Especially the dirty parts.” He chuckled over the line.
She had to grin. It was about the dirty parts that she needed his help. Just not what he was thinking. “Okay, then. Can you come over here about ten tomorrow morning? I’ll cook you a late breakfast.”
“You know the way to my heart, but you still haven’t told me what you need exactly. I’d enjoy hearing the details, especially from you.” His voice was deep and husky. “Maybe I should come over now?”
“I’m tired. Grans was over all day and we were trying to find a spell to free Dorian. Tomorrow will have to do. You don’t have to work, do you?” She lay on the bed and plumped up her pillow, then turned on the reading light.
“It’s my day off. I guess I’ll see you then, if you’re not going to talk dirty to me,” he said, trying to persuade her.
She yawned. “There will be plenty of dirt tomorrow, I promise.”
“Good to know. Good night, Mia.”
“Good night, Trent.” Mia hung up the phone and set it on her wireless charger. Then she opened her book and started reading. It was long after midnight when she finally turned off the light. She’d be cutting it close to her getting eight hours of sleep before Trent arrived, but the story had been so worth it.
* * *
The next morning sunlight streamed into her bedroom, waking her along with the birdsong that came from the surrounding trees. She loved getting up when her body told her it was time rather than for some artificial clock so she could go work for someone else. In Boise she’d been the head of catering for the hotel, but because her ex-boyfriend, Isaac, had also been her boss, he’d scheduled planning meetings at six every Monday morning. Even if she’d catered an event the night before. One more reason she was glad she was out of the relationship and her own boss now.
She got ready for her day, and by the time she’d reached the kitchen, Mr. Darcy was in the laundry room, waiting to be fed. She took a can of wet cat food and put some in his bowl. The look on the cat’s face was one of pure disgust. “Sorry, Dorian, but you know Mr. Darcy loves his turkey and liver.”
The cat dug into the food and she went to the counter to make a cup of coffee. She had an expensive coffee maker, but most days she used the one-cup model she’d bought for her work office. She grabbed a carton of yogurt and a banana, and once the coffee was done, she started eating. She’d cook eggs and toast for Trent when he arrived, but she liked lighter fare.
Noticing her grimoire, she crossed the room to move it to the table. She opened the cover and studied the page where her first spell was written. Small, tiny handwriting with a ruler line drawn below the words. She remembered asking Grans to draw the pencil lines so she wouldn’t go crooked on the spell. She’d wanted her book to be nice and neat. She flipped through the pages, and as she did, she remembered each of the situations concerning the spells. She wondered how the book would feel with the family’s spells added. Hopefully, she wouldn’t find out for a long time.
The main-door doorbell rang and she glanced at the video feed of Trent waving at her. She stood and buzzed him in. She’d replaced the original system with a higher-tech one a few months ago, after someone had broken into her house. The upgrade had been expensive, but it had been worth it. She must have saved a ton of trips down the stairs, and she could totally ignore door-to-door salesmen. Who made a
living like that anymore anyway?
Instead of sitting down, she went to meet him and unlock the apartment door. Trent was finishing the last set of stairs and held a card out to her. “Looks like you had a visitor last night or this morning.”
She took the business card. It was John Louis’s, and it had a note scribbled on the back. She read it aloud. “ ‘Call me when you decide to sell. Sooner than later and you’ll get a bonus from me.’ I can’t believe this. Man, he’s persistent.”
“Do you want me to talk to him?” He shut the door and locked it, then followed her into the kitchen. “I could take a bat with me to help him understand the words coming out of my mouth.”
“My luck, he’d say something totally stupid and you’d be tempted to use your prop.” She nodded to the coffee maker. “Tell me what you want for breakfast and you can make your coffee to get you by while I cook.”
He stepped over to the counter and took out a cup. “Actually, I had to run out to see my folks, so my mom made me biscuits and gravy. So just coffee’s fine.”
“Everything okay at the farm?” Mia had met his folks once at a community dinner and auction. His dad was the jovial type who loved everyone. His mom? She was more reserved. More watchful. Mia couldn’t tell if they approved of her dating their son or not.
Trent watched his coffee finish brewing and brought it over to the table. He glanced at her grimoire but didn’t say anything about it. “Everything’s fine. They updated the will and wanted me to know the changes. Boring estate stuff.”
“That’s funny. I had a chat with Grans yesterday about the way our family passes down spells and such. I didn’t realize spell books were a historical record of the family tree.” She eyed her spell book and laid her hand over the top of it. “Maybe that’s why my book and Grans don’t get along. Her book sees us as their replacement.”
Trent shifted in his chair, focusing on his coffee. Then he changed the subject. “What’s on the agenda today?”
She studied him. There was definitely something he wasn’t saying. “Okay, spill. What do you know about passing down grimoires?”
“Mostly that they’re a pain in the butt.” He set aside his coffee. “I don’t know this, but I’ve heard stories that sometimes books can start fighting between themselves. Throwing a revolution of sorts. I think it’s more likely that the descendants decided it was their time to shine and took out their elders. Either way, the coven has a history of early ascension of powerful leaders after the accidental death of their elder.”
“Wow.” She stood and put her spell book back on the shelf. “Sometimes I forget that a lot of witchcraft isn’t as warm and cozy as the kitchen witch branch. I just want the world to be a happy, safe place to live. What about the rule of three?”
“That’s only a limitation on human witches. If a familiar or an object does the act, it doesn’t have a body to bounce back to.” He reached down and scratched Mr. Darcy on the head. “I see you weren’t effective in freeing Dorian yesterday.”
Mia shook her head. “No, we weren’t, and I’m beginning to think Grans’s heart isn’t in the reversal spell.”
Mr. Darcy made a noise, then ran from the kitchen.
“Sounds like Dorian has been thinking along the same lines. I’ll ask Mom if she knows of any spells. Maybe she’s seen it happen before.” He glanced at his watch. “Time is ticking; why did you want me to come over today?”
She pulled out a notebook in which she’d drawn the starting of a landscape design. She didn’t have any measurements or utility markers, but it was a beginning. She tapped her pencil on the page. “I want you to help me set up an herb garden over here, near the back fence.”
He took the notebook, then went to the window. “You want it on the left of the willow?”
She followed him and pointed out the markers. “It’s going to be crazy big, but I need a place where I can grow herbs to dry and package for the winter. Sometimes your provider doesn’t carry what I need to make certain dishes. And I’d love to maintain a small vegetable garden for my own kitchen.”
He compared the drawing to the landscape outside and then set it down. “We can’t dig until we get the utilities marked. I’ll call that in now and we can go out and set it up so when they get paint down, we’re ready.”
“So you’re going to help?” Excitement over the possibilities of the garden almost made her words more of a shriek. “Thank you so much.”
“It will be a fun project. Besides, we can see how well we work together. Sometimes that’s the Achilles heel for couples. Dating’s fine, but you put them into a project and add some stress and they fall apart.” He turned to study her. “Are you sure we’re ready for something like this?”
“Heck, I know we are.” She stepped away from him and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. “And if we’re not? I’ll still have my garden.”
“Pure evil, that’s what you are.” He nodded to the door. “Ready to get this thing started?”
“Definitely.” She grabbed gardening gloves from the washer, where she’d tucked them so she would remember. “I’ve got my watch alarm set for five, just in case we go crazy and lose track of time. I told Grans I’d bring dinner over to her when I returned her grimoire.”
As they worked, Mia was acutely aware of the comfort level between them. No one raised their voice or argued for their point. Decisions were made fairly and in a calm manner. This really was different from her last relationship, when if Isaac didn’t get his way, he pouted for days. This was really a different world.
By the end of the day they sat under the willow and studied their progress. She took out her notebook and penciled in the changes they’d made during the day.
Trent watched her as she drew and nodded. “As long as the underground utilities aren’t where they’re supposed to be, you’ll be fine.”
She leaned back on the tree trunk and sighed. The school was starting to look more like her house. Her business. Her life.
He took her in his arms and scooted between the tree and her back. Then he leaned her back. “It’s a really nice place, Miss Mia. You need to stop worrying about things so much. Relax and let the day shine for you.”
“If you say so.” She closed her eyes and released a long breath. All was good with her soul at that specific moment. She didn’t really know what the phrase meant, but she’d learned the song in vacation Bible school, and when things were on a roll, it came to her. And relaxed her.
She opened her eyes again and took in the scene. This was what she’d imagined when she’d thought of home. The building was a little larger than the one in her daydreams, but the feeling was solid. It felt like home. And she hadn’t had a place like that for a long, long time.
Chapter 3
The next morning Mia taught her first small class in the downstairs kitchen. Brunch Basics. She’d hoped to have Christina here to help during classes, but she wouldn’t be able to make it back until that weekend. Ten students had signed up and paid in advance for the class. She had just finished with the demonstrations and was handing out the recipe book for people to take home when she realized she knew one of the students.
“You’re Bethanie Miller, right?” Mia handed her the class book. The last name Miller had been on the builder list. Mia wondered if Bethanie was part of that line of Millers. She’d have to do some research before she brought the question up to the girl. The last time she’d seen Bethanie she’d been dressed in a full white-satin suit at a chili contest. Mia was glad she’d made sure Mr. Darcy was locked up in the apartment. Dorian might have a few issues with seeing her since Bethanie’s family had been involved in Dorian’s demise. The spirit in her cat might just hold a grudge against all the Millers. Today Bethanie had gone away from the all-white look and was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt that proclaimed that Magic Springs really was magical.
“Hi, Ms. Malone.” She took the book. “I hope it’s all right I took your class. I’d understand if you didn’t want m
e here, but Christina said it would be fine. That you were cool.”
Mia studied the formerly rich coven princess of Magic Springs. “It’s a small town. I was going to run into you sooner or later. I didn’t know you and Christina hung out.”
Bethanie bobbed her head. “Yes. She’s so much fun. And she’s been teaching me jazz dance. I took ballet as a kid, but jazz is really fun.”
The rest of the class had already left the kitchen. A few were with Grans, making an order for carryout. Mia realized that Bethanie had waited to approach her, probably so that they could talk without causing a scene. “I’m glad you two are bonding. Christina needs more local people to hang out with.”
“Her boyfriend is ultracool too.” She smiled, and for the first time Mia could see the young woman behind the walls she always seemed to have up. “Anyway, I’d better get going. I took the morning off from the real estate office to come here. My boss hates anything fun, so I told him I had a dentist appointment.”
“What office do you work for?” Mia started walking out with her. There were lots of real estate offices nearby, especially ones that specialized in high-end homes for the rich who enjoyed owning their own ski lodge for winter vacations.
“I work for John Louis. He sells commercial real estate.” She flipped back her hair as she tucked the recipe book into her tote. “He’s a real tool, and he’s always trying to get me to go out with him, even though he’s married, but he pays well, so there’s that.”
Mia paused at the cash register and watched out the window. She could see the front walkway. A man stood waiting at the corner of the property. Bethanie met up with him, took his arm, and pointed toward town. Then they disappeared down the road. Maybe someone else had Bethanie’s heart.
Grans finished packing up a few premade casseroles and a salad for one of the class members.
Mia waited for the last person to leave, then sank into a chair. “Teaching people to cook is really hard work.”