“Something like that.” She stood. “That’s all I can say for now. Besides, I think someone is waiting for you.” The mayor nodded to someone over Hope’s shoulder.
Hope spun around and spotted a very tired Lucas waiting for her. She sprang up from the chair and ran out of the room and into his arms.
“Damn, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” he said, breathing her in.
“You, too. I was so worried when Joy told me you’d been arrested, and then we sat here for hours waiting to tell them what Mom gleaned from Yasmeen’s thoughts. I wasn’t sure if we were going to get you out of here tonight or not.”
He ran his hand through her dark curls, still just holding on to her. “You didn’t think I’d turned into a drug lord, did you?”
She hesitated, not sure what to say.
Lucas pulled back and stared down at her, his eyes troubled. “Hope?”
“No. Not really. I mean, I know you. So in my heart, I really didn’t. But for a few moments there, I was thrown. And it was moving through your store, even if you didn’t realize it.”
“The very idea of that stuff running through my shop…” He let out a growl of frustration. “It makes me want to punch something… or someone.”
She placed one hand on his cheek. “If it makes you feel better, Peggy Pitsman tried to beat the shit out of Yasmeen.”
He blinked and then threw his head back and laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope. It was glorious. I’m pretty sure Peggy won.”
Still chuckling, he grabbed her by the hand and said, “You’re going to need to give me the blow-by-blow on the way home.”
“Sure thing,” she said, smiling up at him, grateful that she’d been able to make him laugh.
“Angela, do you mind if Hope sleeps over at my place tonight?” Lucas asked her mom, who was trailing them out of the station.
“Not at all. Just make sure she has coffee in the morning, or your post-coital haze will leave a little something to be desired. You know how Hope is without her caffeine.”
“Ignore her,” Hope demanded. “And never ask her for permission for me to sleep over again. I’m a grown-ass woman. I make my own decisions.”
“Of course you do,” he said with a nod. “I was just making it clear you’re not coming home tonight. We have plans.” Then he picked her up in one fluid motion and carried her over to her SUV. “Who’s driving? Me or you?”
Hope gave him a wry smile. “Looks like you’re already in the driver’s seat.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” He nuzzled her neck and carried her over to the passenger side. After placing her in her seat, he ran around to the other side and climbed in. “Where’s your mom? Doesn’t she need a ride?”
Hope twisted and spotted her mom already getting into Joy’s car. “Looks like she’s covered. Let’s go. I want nothing more than to climb into the shower with you.”
Lucas nodded once, put the truck into gear, and flew out of the parking lot like the backend was on fire.
“Someone’s eager,” she teased.
“Hope, I just got out of jail. I have time to make up for,” he said.
“Oh? Sounds like I’m in for a wild ride.”
“Is that a challenge?”
She grinned at him. “You bet your ass it is.”
* * *
“What do you say we get married this spring?” Lucas said to Hope as he idly toyed with her fingers while they sat in the swing on his back porch the next morning.
Hope, who’d been taking a sip of the most delicious coffee she’d ever tasted, sputtered. “What?”
“Spring? Wedding? You in a white dress? Me in a tux? Or if you prefer, we can do something casual down by the beach. Just you, me, our moms, and the coven. I’m not picky, just as long as I finally get to call you my wife.”
Hope gaped at him. Then she shook her head in amazement. “Seriously? After all this time, that’s how you propose to me?”
“What? Were you expecting some grand gesture or something? Like a string quartet, or a thousand sunflowers, or maybe something more lowkey like a gourmet breakfast for just the two of us while I get down on one knee and offer you a three-carat diamond ring?”
“Yeah. Something like that,” she grumbled, eyeing his two labs who were playing and rolling around in the grass. “It’s a thousand times better than ‘Hey, Hope, what do you say we get married?’ I mean, come on. I know I don’t require a ton of romance but—”
Hope stopped talking when Lucas pulled a small blue-velvet box out of his pocket and sank down on one knee. He gave her that cocky half smile that she loved so much and opened the box. She glanced down at the ring and squinted. The sun reflecting off the giant rock nearly blinded her. “Ohmigod. Is this really happening?”
“It’s really happening, Hope. I’ve lost you twice now because we both needed something the other couldn’t give in those moments. But you know what they say about the third time being the charm.”
She let out a small chuckle and wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’ve heard the theory before.”
“I’ve loved you since I was seventeen years old. It may have taken us thirty years to finally get here, but now that we are, I don’t want to waste another day.” He reached for her left hand and said, “Hope Anderson, will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?”
“Yes,” she practically shouted and then slid down to her knees and launched herself at him, kissing him with everything she had.
When they finally came up for air, he let out a throaty laugh. “Did you want this? Or should I just wait until the wedding day?”
She glanced down at the ring box in his hand and chuckled. “Yes. I want it. But I wanted to kiss you more.”
“And that’s just one of the reasons I love you.” He winked at her and slid the shiny rock on her finger. “Come on,” he said, tugging her to her feet.
“Where are we going?” she asked, unable to tear her gaze away from the antique engagement ring on her finger. It was perfect, exactly what she’d have picked out herself.
“Breakfast.” He led her back into the house where there was an elaborate spread of breakfast food on the table.
She glanced at the plates of pancakes, croissants, eggs, bacon, and toast. Fresh orange juice sat next to a plate of blueberry muffins, making Hope throw her head back and laugh. It was exactly like the breakfast scene in Pretty Woman. Every time they’d had breakfast together when they were dating, she’d say a gentleman would order everything on the menu for his woman just like Edward Lewis did for Vivian. Hope turned and wrapped her arms around him. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
“Baby, I remember everything.” He dipped his head and claimed her mouth, making her breathless.
“Get a room,” Lucas’s mother called from the kitchen doorway.
Hope pulled back just enough to poke her head around his shoulder to look at her and wave her left hand in her direction. “Did you know about this, Bell?”
“Absolutely. Who do you think helped him pick out the ring?” She winked and added, “Congratulations. Now, seriously, get a room. A woman has things to do around here.”
Laughing, Lucas scooped her up and did exactly that, making her forget all about her Pretty Woman breakfast.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“That’s going to be you soon,” Joy told Hope as they sat in white chairs on the bluff watching Skyler and Pete walk their two shih tzus down the aisle. Polly was dressed in a billowy white satin gown, and Drew was wearing the most adorable checked vest with a matching bow tie. It was enough to make a girl melt from the sheer cuteness.
“Please. I’m going to be wearing a bikini top and a sarong, and Lucas is gonna be in board shorts,” Hope insisted.
Joy rolled her eyes. “Not if Bell and Angela have anything to say about it.”
Hope sighed, and Joy knew her friend was going to cave. Angela and Bell both had thought they’d never see the day co
me when their kids would get married. They were desperate to be part of the celebration. Hope wouldn’t deny them that, no matter how much she wanted to run away and elope with the man of her dreams. “You’d think it’d be easier planning it, considering that’s what I do for a living. But every time I think about it, I just don’t care. The only thing I want is to actually be married to him.”
It was Joy’s turn to sigh. She’d been that woman once many years ago when she and Paul were engaged. Joy hadn’t cared about the ceremony either. All she wanted was to start her life with the man she was head over heels for. Too bad he’d walked out almost thirty years later, the jackass. Now she was starting over and a little bit lost. She needed a job that was more significant than volunteer at the Arts Market.
She also needed a date. And as much as she talked about trying out the Tinder app, she wasn’t really up for meeting some stranger from the internet. Whatever happened to meeting people in person and hitting it off?
“It’s a little crazy isn’t it?” a man’s voice asked from beside her.
Joy jumped slightly, not having realized someone had taken the seat next to her. “Damn, Troy. When did you get here?” she whispered to the tall, lanky man with the kind blue eyes. She let her gaze travel over his torso, and she couldn’t help wondering what was hiding beneath his perfectly pressed white button-down shirt.
“Just now. I’m glad I didn’t miss the vows. How do they do it? Bark at each other? Share a treat? Sniff each other’s nether regions?”
Joy had to stifle a giggle that earned her dirty looks from the people in the row in front of them. “Thanks a lot,” she whispered to him. “Now I’m not going to be invited to their silver anniversary party.”
“I’m sure you’ll be forgiven by then. If not, you can enjoy the day at the beach or spa or in my hot tub instead.” He gave her a sexy little smile that made her insides wake up and say hello.
He was flirting with her. Oh, gods. Did she remember how to flirt? How long had it been since an attractive man had shown interest in her? She couldn’t remember. Hell, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d had sex, much less anything else.
“You’re missing it,” he said, nudging her arm.
“Missing what?” she asked and then quickly realized that the ceremony was over, and Pete and Skyler were carrying their precious little puppies back down the aisle and inviting everyone over to their beach house for a reception.
“Well, glad it didn’t last all day,” Troy said. “Can I walk you over to the party?”
“Sure.” Joy glanced over at Hope and Lucas, intending to let them know she’d see them there, but they were already chatting with Iris Hartsen. It sounded like they were getting the scoop on how her husband had managed a plea deal to avoid jail time, but no deal had worked on Iris. The moment he was bailed out of jail, she’d thrown him out. And good for her, Joy thought. No woman needed a man she couldn’t trust.
She turned her attention back to Troy and slipped her arm through his. “I’ll catch them later. Let’s go.”
They walked by themselves down the oceanfront road toward Skyler and Pete’s house. But before they got there, Troy stopped in front of a large modern home that had windows for days. “I forgot the gift. Want to come inside while I grab it?”
“Do I? Of course I do. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a house this gorgeous before. It must be tiring to stare at that view all the time,” she teased.
His lips curved into a ghost of a smile. “You know how it is. Someone had to, so it might as well be me.”
“Poor guy. I feel for you.”
He led her into the house, and instead of it being stark white like she expected, the walls were painted a warm taupe and had photography covering almost every available vertical surface. Which admittedly was lacking considering all of the windows, but it was still impressive.
While Troy went off to find his wedding gift, Joy got lost in the prints on his wall. There was one in particular of a woman wrapped in a silk sheet looking disheveled and completely ravished that she just could not tear her eyes from. She was so powerful in her sexuality that Joy couldn’t help but be a little jealous.
“You know, you’re even more beautiful than that model,” Troy said. “I’d love to shoot you sometime. You’d make a great subject.”
The thought excited her. She’d modeled when she was younger for a bit before she’d married Paul, and she even had aspirations to be an actress for a while. But that had been too long ago. Joy turned to eye him and asked, “Are you serious? Because that sounded more like a proposition than a modeling offer.”
He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes slightly. “Yes, I was serious. I hire models all the time. I pay the going rate. Think about it and let me know, okay?”
“Yeah, Okay.”
“But I’m curious. Why did that sound like a proposition?”
She shrugged. “It’s just that this woman has so obviously just been ravished. And by the way she’s looking at the camera, I’m certain that the two of you had just…” She waved a hand. “You know.”
His eyebrows shot up. “No. What?”
Her mouth went dry, and she suddenly wondered what had possessed her to bring this up. “You know. Sex. You two just had sex.”
“We did?” His eyes crinkled with amusement.
“Are you trying to tell me you didn’t?” she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“I don’t believe you.” Joy shook her head. “There’s just no way.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “I can see why you think that. It’s obvious this photographer has a relationship with his subject. The only problem with your theory is that I didn’t shoot this picture. A friend of mine did. This woman was his lover at the time. They’re now married. I bought this print because it reminds me that love should be full of passion and fire and heat and everything that lights a person up from the inside. I want that one day. Don’t you?”
Joy’s breath left her. And just like that, his words made her want to throw herself at him. She placed a hand on his chest, stared him in the eyes, and whispered, “Yes. More than anything.”
He didn’t hesitate. Troy moved in and claimed her mouth with his. The kiss was full of fire and intense need. Joy stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his muscled shoulders, and just sank into everything he had to offer.
When they finally broke apart, Troy’s eyes were full of want, something she hadn’t seen in far too long when a man looked at her.
“Dammit, Joy. I want you. Badly,” he said. “Would it be too forward to ask you to share the afternoon with me in my bed?”
They stared at each other for what seemed like forever as the electricity sparked between them. And even though he’d offered her a modeling job, and it was undoubtedly unprofessional to sleep with the photographer, there was nothing in the entire universe that could stop her from saying yes to his proposition.
Because it was definitely time Joy got her groove back.
***
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Deanna’s Book List
Witches of Keating Hollow:
Soul of the Witch
Heart of the Witch
Spirit of the Witch
Dreams of the Witch
Courage of the Witch
Love of the Witch
Power of the Witch
Muse of the Witch
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A Witch For Mr. Christmas
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Witching For Hope
Witching For Joy
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Witches of Bourbon Street
Demons of Bourbon Street
Angels of Bourbon Street
Shadows of Bourbon Street
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Hexed on Bourbon Street
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Irresistible Magic
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The Wolf’s New Year Bride
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Witching For Hope: Premonition Pointe, Book 2 Page 20