by Deanna Chase
“Yeah,” she said into the darkness, but she didn’t add anything further.
Charlotte had been Drew’s high school sweetheart and Abby’s best friend. In the spring of their senior year, Charlotte had come down with some sort of infection and was going to have to miss the prom while she recovered. She’d begged Abby to make her an energy potion so that she wouldn’t have to miss out on the celebration. After some persuading from Charlotte, Abby had reluctantly given in to the request.
Drew had taken Charlotte to the prom. It had been a great night… right up until she’d asked him to make a stop at Abby’s house. She’d said she just needed to run in and get something. Twenty minutes later when he’d gone to look for her, Drew had found her lifeless in Abby’s work shed after snagging and drinking a second batch of the energy potion.
Charlotte hadn’t told any of them that she’d had a terminal illness, one she was never going to recover from, and the potion had just been too much for her weakened body. She’d died on the eve of her eighteenth birthday. It was a night that still haunted him.
He supposed it always would.
It was past nine o’clock when Drew walked into the sheriff’s office. He sat down at his desk and ran a hand over his head. He’d dropped Noel and Daisy and the new puppy at the inn, promised to check on them the next day, and then headed straight to the office. Sleeping was out of the question. While he’d been waiting outside for Noel at the Townsend residence, he’d had the nagging thought that he had to do something to help her. He knew that Noel was struggling with the fact that Xavier hadn’t made contact with them… or more specifically Daisy. And worse, now she had no idea if he was even still alive.
While he’d been sitting in the darkness, Drew had decided he’d do everything in his power to find her ex. One way or another, Drew was going to help Noel get the answers she deserved. And he knew better than most that the county sheriff’s office wouldn’t make this a priority, no matter what Reilly said. They just didn’t have the manpower to devote that much time to a case that had very little evidence.
Drew made a pot of coffee, fired up the computer, and got to work. A half hour later, Drew had sent scans of Xavier’s pictures to the county precinct and printed copies of Xavier’s new driver’s license. He shoved the paperwork and pictures into a file, locked up the office, and headed straight for Keating Hollow Brewery.
The place was owned by Lincoln Townsend but was currently run by Drew’s buddy, Clay Garrison. Clay was an earth witch who used his talents to make the best beer on the west coast.
Drew pulled the door open to the brewery and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight in front of him. His buddy had Abby Townsend pressed up against the bar in a steamy lip lock that wasn’t safe for G-rated audiences.
Drew cleared his throat loudly.
The couple froze. Then Clay glanced back and said, “Go away.”
Abby chuckled softly and slipped out of his embrace. “Drew,” she said, eyeing him with suspicion. “Is everything all right with my sister?”
Drew hesitated. Noel hadn’t wanted her family to know what she’d been through that day, preferring not to have to answer any questions they had. On the other hand, the news would get out that a dead man had been found in Trinidad. And it was highly likely that because there would be an investigation, Xavier’s name would be mentioned. They’d find out eventually. Still, he didn’t want to betray Noel’s trust.
“Drew?” Abby said again. “What’s going on?”
“You should talk to her.” Drew strode up to the bar and took a seat.
She was silent as she regarded him, and then she nodded. “I will.”
Drew studied her. He’d expected pushback, a demand to be filled in on the details. The Abby he’d known in high school had been relentless. She’d never have given in that easily if she wanted to know something. But as he stared back at her, he saw a maturity and quiet acceptance he hadn’t noticed since she’d been back in town. Ten years was a long time. He shouldn’t have been surprised by her transformation. God knew he certainly wasn’t the same person he’d been back then either.
Abby turned, gave Clay one last kiss, and said, “I’m gonna take off… maybe soak in the tub for a while before you get home.”
Clay swept his gaze over her, no doubt imagining her lounging in the bath. Then he pulled her in close and whispered something in her ear.
She gave him a wicked smile and promised to keep the bed warm for him.
Drew averted his gaze and asked, “Are the taps still flowing?”
“Help yourself,” Clay said, walking Abby to the door.
How many times had Drew seen them like that in high school? Hundreds. He’d been right beside them, his own arms around Charlotte. The dull ache pulsed in his chest as he filled a twenty-ounce glass with the seasonal porter. He took a seat at the bar and downed nearly half the beer, determined to numb the ache.
The front door clanged shut, and Clay returned to the bar. He glanced at Drew, eyeing his half-empty glass, and started to pour his own porter. “Rough day?”
“Something like that.” Drew grimaced and took another gulp of beer.
Clay and Drew had been friends since elementary school. They’d been in more than their share of trouble together. They’d also seen each other through the best and the worst their lives had to offer, so he wasn’t surprised when Clay took a seat next to him and said, “Something’s definitely got you twisted up. I’d bet a hundred dollars it’s Noel.”
Drew ground his teeth, irritation making him clench his fists. “I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet since I’m certain Abby told you she saw us together.”
Clay chuckled. “Sure, that helps, but that’s not why I’d make the bet. The only time I ever see you looking so tortured is after you’ve run into her. Just own it, man. We both know you want her.”
“That’s not…” Drew shook his head. “Noel and I don’t have that kind of relationship.”
He snorted. “No kidding. And that’s the entire problem.”
Drew downed the rest of his beer, threw a ten on the bar, and stood. He wasn’t in the mood for a heart to heart. Not tonight. “Thanks for the beer. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Wait.” Clay grabbed Drew’s glass and refilled it. Then he shoved the ten back at his friend. “These are on me.”
Drew eyed the beer and relented. He couldn’t let a good brew go to waste now, could he? “Fine. But stop busting my balls.”
Clay’s mouth curved into a ghost of a smile. “Sure, buddy. Whatever you say.” He lifted his beer in a toast. “To the beautiful Townsend sisters.”
“You’re a jackass, you know that, right?” Drew said, lifting his glass.
“Well aware.” Clay grinned.
Shaking his head, Drew tapped his glass to Clay’s and said, “To the beautiful Townsend sisters.”
Chapter 7
Noel stood in her daughter’s bedroom doorway holding a calming potion. Daisy was fast asleep, with Buffy sitting at the edge of the bed, making the most pathetic whining sound.
“Need to go out?” Noel whispered to the puppy.
The dog whined again. Noel set the potion on Daisy’s dresser, scooped the puppy up, and headed to the small garden area just off their kitchen. Once she was outside, Noel placed Buffy on the grass and said, “This is where you do your business.”
Buffy promptly sat down at Noel’s feet and stared up at her with big puppy dog eyes.
Noel sighed. “Really?”
The dog thumped her tail and jumped up on Noel’s ankle.
“Come on.” Noel led the puppy around the small lawn area for what seemed like forever until the dog squatted. “Good girl. First try and everything.” Noel cooed and scooped her back up. “Just like that every time, okay?”
Once they were back inside, Noel rewarded the puppy with one of the dog treats her father had supplied, and then took her back to Daisy’s room. She placed the puppy in the crate at the foot of Daisy’s bed a
nd whispered, “Now go to sleep. I’ll see you both in the morning.”
As soon as Noel closed the door to the crate, Buffy started to whine. Noel took one look at her peacefully sleeping daughter and released the puppy. “This is not going to work,” she said to the dog. “Come on, you.”
Noel crept out of the room with the puppy in one hand and the crate in the other.
Exhaustion took over and her eyes watered as she yawned. All she wanted to do was collapse into bed, but first she needed to shower the morgue memories away. The image of the dead man flashed in her mind. Every detail was crystal clear; his round lifeless eyes, blue lips, and puffy cheeks. He didn’t look anything like Xavier, but she had a feeling she’d remember his face for the rest of her life.
She carted Buffy into her bathroom and set her on the floor. Then she quickly undressed and climbed into the shower, where she just stood, letting the scalding water cleanse her soul. When she finally emerged, she wrapped herself in a thick cotton robe and shuffled into her small kitchen with Buffy trailing behind her, and she made herself a cup of hot chocolate.
She was standing at her counter, stirring her cocoa, when she heard a small yelp from Buffy. She glanced around the kitchen, finding the puppy wedged between the wall and an indoor ficus tree. She chuckled, freed Buffy, and retreated to the couch in the living room. She glanced down at the dog. “Looks like you’re gonna need a wee bit more supervision.”
Buffy responded by curling into a ball on Noel’s lap and promptly going to sleep.
“Figures.” Noel petted the dog, then leaned back into the couch pillows.
As she sipped her cocoa, her gaze landed on the coffee table and the open box full of pictures. She’d left them there after hastily choosing a couple for Drew to give to the county sheriff’s office. It was a box she hadn’t opened in three years. Now that she had, she couldn’t stop herself from taking a trip down memory lane.
It was a mistake.
Seeing their former life, the hope and happiness, Xavier smiling at Daisy with obvious love in his eyes, sent a lightning bolt of pain through her that knocked the wind out of her. She hunched forward, barely getting the mug of cocoa onto the table before it toppled to the floor. Her insides ached, and she gasped for air.
Dammit! What had she been thinking? This was exactly why she’d closed the door on her past. Xavier had taken enough from her already; she wasn’t willing to let his memory take even more. She slammed the lid on the box, startling Buffy. The dog lifted her head as Noel shoved the box under the couch. Out of sight, out of mind.
If only it were that easy.
She soothed the puppy. When Buffy settled, Noel leaned into the pillows and closed her tired eyes.
Noel woke with a start, her heart racing at the sound of her daughter’s cries.
The sobbing was louder than usual, more frantic, almost panicked. Noel leaped off the couch and ran into Daisy’s room. Her daughter was sitting up in bed, gasping for air as she frantically searched the end of the bed.
“She’s gone! I can’t find her.” Daisy turned her tear-stained gaze on Noel. “Mommy, where is she?”
Noel clutched at her chest, realizing the problem. Daisy was near hysterics because Buffy wasn’t there. “She’s in the living room, love. I’ll go get her.”
But Daisy didn’t wait. She flew out of her bed and ran into the other room. “Buffy!” She hiccupped through her tears and forced out. “Don’t—don’t leave me like that.”
Noel followed her daughter, but just as she was about to leave the bedroom, she spotted the full bottle of calming potion. Damn, she’d forgotten to give it to Daisy. No wonder she’d woken in a panic.
Fat tears rolled down Daisy’s cheeks as she clutched the puppy to her chest as if holding on for dear life.
Noel’s heart nearly cracked wide open. She grabbed the potion and joined her daughter on the couch. She placed the bottle on the end table and then wrapped her arms around Daisy. The little girl cried softly while snuggling the puppy. Noel rocked her gently and muttered quiet reassurances that she was going to be okay, just as she did every time her daughter suffered a nighttime anxiety attack. They’d started shortly after Xavier left them. Daisy would go to sleep, and almost every night she’d wake up panicked, looking for her mother. Daisy’s therapist kept saying Daisy would grow out of them, but Noel was skeptical. Unless someone spelled Daisy to suppress her dreams, Noel highly doubted it. The new calming potion Abby had made for her was helping, but it wasn’t a sure thing, and definitely not when Noel forgot to give it to Daisy.
Her daughter’s cries finally quieted, and Noel pulled back just enough to glance down at her. Daisy’s eyes were closed, and her breathing had evened out. “Asleep already, love?” she whispered and gently brushed her dark curls to the side.
Daisy didn’t even move.
Noel glanced at the puppy curled on Daisy’s lap and sighed. It looked like she was going to have two extra bed partners. She set Buffy on the floor, grabbed the potion, then stood up, still holding Daisy. She carried her child to her bedroom and said, “Come on, Buffy. Time to go back to bed.”
The dog obeyed, trotting along beside her as if she already knew where they were headed. “Smart, aren’t you?” Noel said as she placed Daisy into the bed.
Her daughter stirred and blinked up at her. “Where’s Buffy?”
“Here you go, love.” Noel handed her the dog and then held out the potion. “Drink this before you go back to sleep.”
Daisy did as she was told without question and then snuggled down into the covers. The dog jumped to her feet, turned around three times, and then laid back down, placing her head on the pillow right beside Daisy.
Noel couldn’t help but smile down at them. She didn’t think she’d ever seen anything sweeter in her entire life. With her heart a little less bruised, she climbed in beside them, gave them both kisses, then closed her eyes and let the night take her.
Chapter 8
“Noel? Where are you?”
Footsteps sounded on the wood floors, waking Noel from a deep and dreamless sleep. She sat straight up, squinting as the sun streaming through the window blinded her.
“Abby?” Noel called back, rubbing her eyes. “I’m up. What’s going on?”
“Noel?” Abby poked her head into her sister’s room. Her blond hair was pulled up into a messy bun and she was wearing her work apron as if she’d hurried over from her studio. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes. I think so,” she said through a yawn. “Why?”
“It’s almost ten. Some of your guests are down at the café complaining about the lack of breakfast.”
Noel bolted upright and glanced at the clock. It read 9:47. “Holy hell!” She shot out of bed and ran into the bathroom. Less than two minutes later, she ran back out and pulled on a pair of jeans and the nearest sweatshirt. “Daisy, do you have your shoes on?”
“I already took Daisy to school,” Abby called from the living room.
Noel froze, her body still pumping with adrenaline. Then she moved to stand in the threshold of her bedroom door and stared at her sister who was sitting in the middle of her hardwood floor petting Buffy. Even though she was wearing old faded jeans and a Keating Hollow Brewery T-shirt under her apron, she looked as gorgeous as ever. Her brilliant blue eyes were striking, and her cheeks were naturally tinted pink, giving her that girl-next-door look. “What do you mean you already took her to school?”
She shrugged. “You were out. Like totally out. When I tried to wake you, you waved me off and rolled over. So I packed her a lunch, made sure she had breakfast, and took her to school. I left you a note, but clearly you didn’t see it.” She climbed to her feet and pointed to a piece of paper on the coffee table. “What’s going on? Are you sick?”
Noel moved to the couch and slowly sank into the cushions while pressing her hands to her forehead. “No. I just—damn.” She glanced up at Abby. “I can’t believe you strolled right in here, gathered up my daught
er, and left without me ever knowing a thing. Me! I’m an air witch. I hear everything.”
Abby just shrugged. “You should probably get a healer to check that out.”
Noel curled her hands into fists and fought the urge to scream. What was going on? She never overslept, and her magic had never failed her before. She simply couldn’t understand how she hadn’t heard her sister or Daisy that morning. She stood and took a deep breath. “Thank you for getting Daisy off to school. I owe you one.”
“No, you don’t,” Abby said with a laugh. “That’s what sisters do, you know. We help each other out. Now, how about we get some breakfast and you can tell me all about Deputy Baker and why you were rolling around in his cruiser last night.” She flashed Noel a mischievous smile. “Did you see what’s under his hood? Is that why you slept the morning away?”
Noel scowled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Abby’s grin vanished as she stared intently at her sister. “You’re right. I clearly don’t. Why don’t you let me get you some breakfast while you tell me what’s going on?”
“There’s nothing—”
“Noel,” Abby said with an exasperated sigh. “I saw Drew last night at the brewery. He wouldn’t say what’s going on, but I know something’s up. You don’t have to tell me, but I wish you would.”
The concern on Abby’s face penetrated Noel’s defenses. Her protective shields vanished and suddenly she was transported back to a time when she and Abby told each other everything. She wanted to talk to her, to feel that closeness again. She just wasn’t sure she could. Trust was hard to come by these days. Still, she didn’t want to be closed-off. She had to try. Nodding, she said, “Coffee first.”