by Rose Pressey
“Hello, Mr. Marcos,” I said without looking at my mother.
I knew her mouth must have dropped open. The wheels were turning wildly in her head.
“Nice to see you, Hallie. This is a lovely shop.” He looked around the room.
“Thank you,” I said.
“I need to talk to you.” He leaned in close over the counter.
“How did you find me? And by the way, you left without paying.” I frowned. “You owe me for the night.”
My mother let out a little gasp, but I refused to look in her direction.
“I asked around town and was told how to find you.”
Great. All of Enchantment Pointe would be flapping their gums about me. I could only imagine how those conversations had gone.
My mother was pretending not to listen, but if she leaned in any closer she’d fall right on her face.
“What is it, Mr. Marcos?” I placed my arms across my chest.
He glanced over at my mother again, maybe looking at her one eyebrow.
“Is there some place private where we can talk?”
After the way he’d acted around Liam this morning, I wasn’t sure I felt safe being alone with this man.
“We can talk here.”
My mother would question me relentlessly after he left anyway. Might as well save myself the time and talk out in the open right in front of her.
He stepped to the side and motioned for me to join him.
I looked him up and down, then slowly moved over to his side. Damn him. He still looked gorgeous and smelled just as enticing.
“Now are you going to tell me what’s so important?”
If he dared to complain about my breakfast I’d tell him off right there in front of my mother.
“You need to get rid of Mr. Rankin. Your life is in danger if you don’t.”
The words had barely left Nicolas’ lips when Liam burst through the door. The bell over the door jingled so hard I thought it would fall off.
“Don’t listen to a word he says!” Liam pointed at Nicolas with venom in his eyes.
I’d gotten myself into a real pickle this time. My mother wasn’t going to let this one go for months.
Chapter Nine
“Whatever he says, don’t believe a word of it.” Nicolas pointed at Liam.
The men stared at each other in a showdown.
I stepped between them. “Nicolas hasn’t told me anything yet. But I think it’s about time someone tells me what’s going on around here.”
Nicolas folded his arms in front of his chest and flashed a smug smile at Liam. If he thought I was only talking to Liam, he was dead wrong.
The men continued to stare at each other, neither one budging on giving me an answer. I glanced over at my mother. She looked quite awkward with her mouth gaping open and one eyebrow.
Who was I supposed to believe since both men were warning me about the other? If Nicolas wouldn’t tell me why he felt this way, and Liam’s lips were sealed too, then what was I supposed to do?
“I won’t ask Liam to leave.” I glared at Nicolas. “If you can’t tell me why he is so dangerous, then I can’t ask him to leave.”
“You told her I was dangerous?” A look of utter disbelief covered Liam’s face.
“For two men who don’t know each other, you seem to have quite a few warnings. Let me guess, you have a gut instinct about each other, right?” I asked, exasperated.
This seemed too dangerous. I should have asked both of them to leave, but something made me ignore my logical warning… it was that same strange pull that I couldn’t shake. They remained tight-lipped.
I looked at Nicolas. “I’m supposed to take your word for it that Liam is dangerous?”
Who did Nicolas think he was anyway? He showed up in the middle of the night looking like some kind of movie vampire and was now giving me orders? That took a lot of nerve. But was it a legitimate warning? How would I know?
“This guy doesn’t know me. He’s just spreading rumors. I don’t know what his beef is with me.” Nicolas gave Liam a brutal, unrelenting glare.
Should I mention that I’d overheard their conversation? What was the woman’s name that Nicolas had mentioned? Oh yes, Mara. Who was Mara? And what was the Underworld? Were they involved in something illegal? I decided to see how this scene played out before I mentioned what I’d overheard.
“If anyone shouldn’t be trusted, it’s him.” Liam pointed at Nicolas.
“Is everything all right?” my mother asked. “Do you know these men, Halloween?”
I hesitated, but knew I’d have to tell her the truth. “They are both bed-and-breakfast guests.”
Her expression said it all. “Oh, was the breakfast bad?” she asked the men.
I hardly thought they were fighting because of my burnt pancakes. They were bad, but not that bad.
“The breakfast was good,” Nicolas offered with a smile.
Apparently, my mother wasn’t immune to his good looks because she smiled in return.
Liam, not to be outdone, said, “The food was delicious, ma’am.”
My mother blushed and widened her grin. She was enjoying the attention.
“This is my mother, Annette.” I gestured toward my mother. She’d stopped blushing, but interest in the men hadn’t waned.
“If both of you aren’t happy with each other, I can change your rooms so that you’re further apart. Other than that, there’s nothing else I can do.” I tried to disguise my annoyance.
Nicolas remained quiet. I supposed he wasn’t going to give me a straight answer, just vague hints about how he didn’t trust the guy.
The same went for Liam. All he could offer was a lame excuse that he thought Nicolas was talking badly about him when he supposedly didn’t even know him. I had to get to the bottom of this. There had to be a way to find out who these men were and why they’d popped into my life.
Without saying another word, Liam stormed out of the store. Would he leave LaVeau Manor after this heated exchange? That would probably be for the best, even if I needed the cash. The men had issues that I didn’t want to deal with.
I looked at Nicolas. “Maybe it’s better if you leave right now, then I can speak with you later. I need to help my mother now.”
Nicolas reached out and touched my hand. I sucked in a quick breath. My body tingled, although I tried to will away the feeling. Why did the simple touch of his hand against mine feel so intimate? Why did his spicy scent send shivers across my body? He smelled of rich woods and sweet musk. Years of working at my mother’s shop had fine-tuned my sense of smell. Every time Nicolas looked at me it was as if he couldn’t take his gaze off me… and as much as I tried to deny it, the feeling was mutual. But maybe I was just imagining things. After all, I hadn’t slept much. And that weird sensation from the book was playing tricks on my mind.
“Please be careful,” Nicolas said.
“I’m always careful,” I said.
“When will you return to the manor?” he asked.
I looked at my mother.
“I’ll need your help all morning,” she said.
It was completely up to her and how much help she needed today. It was like I was sixteen again and asking my mother if I could date boys all over again. Except this was definitely not romantic. It was strictly business.
I looked at my watch. “I’ll be here until at least after lunchtime.”
“I’ll see you then.” He paused and smiled, then walked out the door.
“Well, what was that all about? I’ve never felt that much tension in the air. There was some kind of magic going on.” My mother waved her hands through the air as if trying to shoo the magic away.
“How can you tell?” I asked.
“Didn’t you feel it?” she asked with a tint of anxiety in her voice.
“I may have felt something.”
She let out a heavy sigh, not hiding her disappointment.
I didn’t want to tell her that I’d fel
t a lot of heaviness since I’d discovered that book. It was almost like I’d unleashed something when I’d opened its cover. Had something happened with the spell last night, bringing these men to LaVeau Manor?
“Where did these men come from?” She stirred her latest concoction.
There was no way I was going to tell her they had just shown up. I’d tell her that they’d booked the nights well in advance.
“They had reservations. I believe they have business in the area.” I moved items around, pretending to be busy.
She raised a suspicious eyebrow. “I worry about you. Maybe having a bed-and-breakfast isn’t such a good idea.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said as placed the soaps in their designated spots on the shelf. “It’s just part of the business.”
She should know running your own business wasn’t easy. You had to deal with a lot of things that you wouldn’t normally want to handle. This just happened to be one of them.
“I don’t think they’ll stay long,” I offered, trying to make her feel better.
It was a lose-lose situation though. My comment showed her that she wouldn’t have to worry about the guests for long, but also that I wouldn’t have income coming from the bed-and-breakfast for long either.
I found it difficult to concentrate for the rest of the morning. My thoughts were consumed by the men and what was happening at LaVeau Manor. Would Annabelle want to stay over until they left? Who was I kidding? She could barely set foot in the place, much less spend the night. I didn’t want to push her. She was doing well to put her phobia aside and come into the place.
Finally the clock hit twelve and I grabbed my purse. “I have a ton of work at the manor. I’d better go.” It wasn’t a lie. I did have a ton of work. I had to find out what my guests were up to.
“Just be careful,” she said as her one painted-on eyebrow slanted into a frown.
“You know I will.” I waved cheerfully as I walked out the door. There was no need to let on to my apprehension.
I climbed in my car and headed straight for the manor. My mind was filled with trepidation. Part of me was afraid of what might be going on, but another part of me felt exhilarated and excited.
Pebbles crunched under the weight of my tires as I pulled down the driveway. Every time I saw the manor I felt small and insignificant under its shadow. Liam’s car wasn’t parked in front and neither was Nicolas’. Was Nicolas really having his car repaired? Maybe that had all been a lie? Maybe they’d both checked out. That would be for the best if they did. I didn’t like drama in my life. I had enough to worry about with my substandard witchcraft.
When I stepped into the manor, the only sound came from the faint tick-tock of the grandfather clock. It was like the silence that flooded a church after Sunday service. The cat meowed softly at my feet, voicing his displeasure with me. I had to know if the men were still there. They hadn’t left their keys on the table. I placed my purse on the hall table and made my way up the stairs, pausing when I reached the landing. I took in a deep breath, turned the corner and headed for Nicolas’ room. I wouldn’t look in the room if it was locked of course. If the door was still locked I’d know that he was still there. But if the door was open, I’d take a tiny little peek to see if his bag was still there.
I tiptoed down the hallway, trying to keep the floorboards from announcing my arrival. When I reached Nicholas’ door, it was standing open. My heart sank. If he was staying, he probably would have locked the door when he left.
With my foot, I pushed the door open even further. I could say that I’d accidentally kicked it with my foot. That wasn’t snooping, right? It was just an accident. The bed had been made… okay, it was made as well as any typical guy would make it, but he’d done a fairly decent job.
My heart beat faster as I stepped into the room. What was I worried about? I owned the place. But I had rented a room to this man. I shouldn’t be snooping. I would tell him that I came to straighten up his bed if he happened to show up. If I’d been thinking clearly, I would have brought extra towels for him.
I stepped into the space and looked around. Where was Nicolas’ bag? Finally, I spotted it to my left, sitting on the floor. My heart did a little dance. Why was I so excited? I needed to get a hold of myself. He was a customer and that was all. My thoughts floated to Liam. Was he still here? And again what did I care? He was just as mysterious as Nicolas. Unfortunately, I was intrigued by both of them.
I stepped over to the bag. Did I dare look inside? No, it wouldn’t be right. It was definitely the wrong thing to do. No matter how much I wanted to know about him. Besides, how much would I really learn just by looking in the bag? Whether he was a boxer or briefs fan? Intriguing as that might be, I would have to leave it to my imagination.
When I glanced to my left, I spotted papers on top of the bureau. I guessed if I happened to look down while walking by them that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. It wouldn’t be my fault if I happened to see something. Maybe the papers would be a clue as to what type of business Mr. Marcos was in town for. I stepped over to the dresser.
“Did you lose something?” the male voice said from very near behind me.
Chapter Ten
My heart almost jumped out of my chest and a scream escaped my lips. I spun around and clutched my chest. Nicolas was standing behind me. I had been caught in the act. There was no way to explain why I’d been over there snooping around. I glanced down at the dresser. I had to think fast if there was any chance getting out of this dilemma. The copy of The Raven that I’d left for spooky effect was lying there.
I grabbed it and showed it to him. “I came to borrow this book. I hope you don’t mind.”
The expression on his face let me know that I wasn’t a good liar.
“Of course. Please take anything you need out of the room,” he said with a knowing grin.
“Thank you. I’m sorry to disturb you. I’ll just leave you alone.” I moved toward the door.
“Hallie,” Nicolas called out.
I stopped and turned around. When he said my name it made my heart do a little flip.
“I had to pick up a few necessities in town,” he offered, even though I hadn’t asked.
I supposed he was trying to ease into conversation after the incident earlier. Did that mean he planned on staying longer than expected? Well, there was only one way to find out. Why did I feel bad for asking? It was a legitimate question. After all, it was past checkout time and he hadn’t even paid me yet.
“Will you be staying an extra night?” I studied my shoes in order to avoid his penetrating gaze. Avoiding the desire to stare into his electric blue eyes was difficult though.
“Actually, I’m not sure how many nights I’ll need the room. Apparently, my car needs more serious attention than I’d realized. It may take a few days to repair the vehicle. I hope that’s okay. And I apologize that I haven’t paid you yet.” He pulled out his wallet and handed me a wad of bills. “Please take this and let me know if it isn’t enough. I’ll give you more as soon as I’m sure of how many nights I’ll need to stay.”
I glanced down at the bills. “This is more than enough.” I tried to hand back some of the cash.
He waved his hand and pushed it back. “Please. Keep it and add it to my bill. Like I said, I’m not sure how many nights I’ll be staying.”
Wow. Maybe I wasn’t so bad at this bed-and-breakfast thing after all. Well, maybe the breakfast part. But that was what they had bakeries for.
I debated on whether I should bring up what had happened at my mother’s store. It was beyond weird and he had to know that. I wanted to ask him about the conversation I’d overheard too. But it could be none of my business and perhaps I didn’t want to be involved. Should I wait to see if he mentioned it again? I’d let it go and see if he broached the topic again.
The sound of footsteps ascending the stairs caught our attention. Was it Liam? Or the ghost? I looked over my shoulder toward the hallway, then back at Nicolas
. His facial expression tensed. I knew he was hoping it wasn’t Liam. But I was hoping it was. Did that make me crazy? I wanted to know as much about them as I could find out.
“I’d better check out my other guest.” I pointed over my shoulder.
Nicolas reached for my hand again and my heart skipped a beat. “When can I speak with you privately?”
“If you’d like to come downstairs later I can serve refreshments.” I motioned over my shoulder.
I was trying to remain professional, but did I sound too professional? Too aloof and indifferent? After all, I didn’t know this man.
He nodded and released my hand. I turned and walked out the door, without looking back. I needed to calm my speeding heartbeat.
I couldn’t deny my attraction to Nicolas, so I decided to remain quiet about his earlier warning and disagreement with Liam.
Liam was in the hallway when I came out of Nicolas’ room. The strangest look spread across his face when our eyes met. What did he think had happened? Sure, I’d been in a mysterious, handsome stranger’s room, but I wasn’t a lady of ill repute, as my mother would say.
“Is everything all right?” he asked with worry in his voice.
Why wouldn’t everything be okay? “Yes, it’s fine. I just came to retrieve a book.” I pointed at the hardback.
That sounded incredibly lame. He looked down at the book in my hand.
“The Raven. One of my favorites.” He flashed his dazzling smile.
How did I end up with two gorgeous men in my home?
“I enjoy Edgar Allan Poe too,” I answered softly.
“I’m sorry about earlier. Nicolas and I had words and we shouldn’t have involved you, especially at your mother’s store.” He crossed his arms in front of his muscular chest.
I shrugged. “Testosterone at work, I guess. How did you know it was my mother’s place?”
“You look just like her. The same caramel streaks in your golden hair and emerald specks in your green eyes.” He reached out and touched a lock of my hair and I sucked in a sharp breath.