More Than Magic (Books of the Kindling)

by Donna June Cooper

  Nick dropped her hands and stalked to the breakfast bar to throw on his jacket. “I almost wish you hadn’t found that damned journal.” He let out a long breath. “Why did I have to fall in love with a redheaded scientist? I’m not one of your damned experiments.”

  I never meant for you to be, but if I hadn’t—

  “Not two months exactly. You can’t tell me this is an exact science. Hell, it’s not science at all!” His jaw was set and it seemed his mind was made up. “Christmas day. It’s a little more than seven weeks away. That’s all I can do. And I’ll be lucky if I can do that.”

  Grace turned back to pack the thermos and sack into a bag. Seven weeks. Only seven weeks. Busy weeks full of guests and work and plans to restart the business. She could work and breathe and eat and sleep for seven weeks without him—without stars and moonlight and magic fairy dust.

  “Christmas,” she agreed.

  Nick came up behind her then, putting his arms around her and burying his face in her hair. “I. Love. You. Grace. Elizabeth. Woodruff. And I will leave you alone till then—not because your Granny Lily’s stupid rule book says so, but because it’s what you want—it’s what you need me to do.”

  Grace managed not to lean back into his embrace. “Thank you,” she said shakily.

  “Whatever your observations are telling you,” he whispered. “I know what my heart is telling me.”

  When she turned with the sack crushed in her hands. He was gone.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Dr. Grace? Eddie’s talking to ya.” Jamie leaned over the counter and peered at Grace’s handiwork. “And your cookie’s frowning.”

  “What?” Grace looked down at the gingerbread man she had been decorating. The mouth sagged sideways. “I’m sorry Eddie, what did you say?”

  “I seen the sheriff down at the tavern last night, and he said they’ve given up looking for Annie around here.”

  “Good. Maybe that will finally stop those reporters who keep getting lost over in the Pisgah.”

  “Well, it helps that you put in that gate and locked up that lab place. And since they found what was—” the skinny handyman hesitated, tugging on his braces as he looked at Jamie, “—uh, Boyd, that pretty much wraps up their part of things.”

  “Hmm,” Grace went back to decorating, but couldn’t seem to keep the pastry bag steady. “Here, Jamie. You finish this fellow.” She handed it off to Jamie and slid the pan of cookies over, then shrugged into her sweater. “I can’t stay warm. Maybe we should build a fire tonight.”

  “No! You can’t do that. Santa’ll burn his britches!” Jamie exclaimed.

  Grace looked at the girl sideways. “You told me you didn’t believe in Santa anymore.”

  Jamie ducked her head. “Well, no point in taking chances. Besides, I’m hopin’ to get a tablet this year.”

  Grace hid a smile. Santa had managed just that, with a little help from some Woodruff elves.

  “I’ll make you both some hot chocolate. That’ll warm you up.” Ouida headed for the refrigerator before Grace could stop her.

  “I’ll take some too,” Eddie chimed in.

  “So, are we having that sweet potato thing with the marshmallows on it tomorrow?” Jamie asked.

  “Yes indeed,” Ouida answered cheerily.

  The thought of that gooey concoction made Grace cringe and turn away from the breakfast bar, which was packed with all manner of baked goods. Ouida had been practicing her skills for the return of their cabin guests next week and she looked it. Her gray hair frizzed around a round face flushed from the heat of the oven, and the colorful Christmas apron covering her plump frame was dusted with flour.

  “I have never thought that should be considered a vegetable. It’s disgusting,” Grace said.

  “I like it. And Dr. Daniel would like it, if he was here. And—”

  “Well, Pooka likes it too, and you’ve seen what he eats,” Grace said before Jamie could bring up Nick next.

  Jamie pouted, leaning over the sheet of cookies.

  Grace watched Eddie and Ouida exchange a look and wished, not for the last time, that everyone would quit treating her as if she was pining away for some lost love. She was just tired. Starting up the business, reopening the cabins and dealing with everything alone had worn her down.

  “It’s getting dark out, Jamie. If you don’t get home soon Santa won’t know whether to leave your gifts here or there,” Ouida said.

  “Aww, it’s not—” But the bell hanging next to the front door interrupted Jamie with a loud ring. Jamie went running for the door as Grace stood, her heart pounding wildly.

  “Who on earth?” Ouida said.

  “Dr. Daniel! Dr. Daniel!” Jamie shrieked from the foyer.

  “Jamie, sweetheart, you’ve grown a foot,” Daniel exclaimed.

  “Oh my heavens, it’s my Danny!” Ouida wiped her hands on her apron and ran out of the kitchen. Eddie limped behind her.

  But Grace stopped in the archway, her hands over her mouth and tears filling her eyes. Daniel was surrounded before he could get past the foyer. He dropped his bags in self-defense.

  “It’s the Japanese diet thing, Ouida, but you can fatten me back up,” he replied to all the noise and questions around him at once. “I’m sure the girls are fine, Jamie. I’ll go see them in the morning. Thanks Eddie, it’s good to be back. Hey Pooka boy!” He managed to talk to everyone at once, but his eyes were on his sister.

  She hadn’t told him everything. Everything would have interrupted his work and brought him home. But she had told him enough. The look on his face as he made a beeline toward Grace through the noisy celebration was enough to make her choke down a sob.

  Then he was towering over her, pulling her up on her toes into a crushing hug.

  “Oh, Danny. I’ve missed you so much.” She tried to choke back the flood of tears that threatened.

  “You are white as a sheet, sis,” he said. “I wanted to surprise you, not scare you to death.” He pulled her back into the kitchen as everyone swarmed around them. “I am dying for a good cup of Ouida’s coffee,” he said. “And some of those gingerbread cookies.”

  He pushed Grace onto a stool and settled beside her as Ouida went off to get coffee with Jamie in tow. Eddie left to take his luggage upstairs.

  “I thought you were going to Italy first. Buon Natale and all that,” she said, wiping at her face.

  “Fooled ya.” He grinned. “I don’t have to be there until late next month. So I’m here a while.”

  “Oh D-Danny. That’s w-wonderful.” Then she did cry. Big hiccupping sobs. He turned his stool and pulled her back into his arms.

  “Gracie, you’re worrying me now. This isn’t like you at all.” He called to Ouida. “On second thought, can you make a couple of those special toddies?”

  “Quick as quick,” Ouida said. “Now Jamie, you need to get on home.”

  “Aw, I don’t—”

  “You go on now,” Ouida said firmly. And Grace heard Jamie scamper off.

  “No. If I drink anything like that I’ll get all blubbery,” she said, pulling back and wiping at her face. “Or worse than I already am.”

  “I’ll make you hot chocolate,” Ouida said.

  Daniel looked Grace over. “So, sis, why do you look like crap?”

  “Gee, thanks,” she replied.

  “Well, I’ve never seen you actually look sick before, but you look sick. And my sources—” he glanced at Ouida, “—tell me you’ve been this way a while.”

  “Thank you, sources,” Grace said.

  “Do you think you might have breathed in something from that lab?”

  “Actually, the environmental cleanup team was surprised at how little there was to do. Aside from pulling out all the equipment and replacing the plumbing, which I wanted to do anyway, they said the levels of toxicity were amazingly low,” Grace said. “The mountain seems to be healing itself, very rapidly.”

  He shrugged out of his leather jacket. “You’r
e avoiding the question. Did someone look you over?”

  “I’m a doctor, remember? And I’m just tired. Starting up the business again, working on some new herbal compounds, getting the cabins ready to open next week—”

  “Okay. Fine.” His face said he didn’t believe her. “You’re just tired.”

  “And you must be exhausted yourself. You—”

  “Oh shit, I forgot!” Daniel pulled out a fat packet from his jacket pocket. “This was stuck to the keypad at the gate when I came in.”

  It was an ivory-colored envelope with “Grace Elizabeth Woodruff” printed on it.

  “You think someone is trying to serve you papers or something?”

  “I have no idea.” Grace took the envelope from him and opened it. A thick sheaf of copies was folded inside. When she unfolded it the first thing she saw was Nick’s name.

  Not a word for two months, except what the sheriff had passed along to them about the case. But he had kept his promise and sent—

  “His medical records,” she said. “Complete remission. PET scan. Nothing. Biopsy. Nothing. No markers. It’s like he never had it at all.” She smiled at Daniel. “He’s cured.”

  “Who? Of what?” Daniel asked.

  He had sent the records to let her know he was fine, but he hadn’t come himself. The obsession had worn off. He’s not coming back.

  “Dammit, Grace. What the hell? You’re doing that ‘just saw a ghost’ thing again.” Daniel grabbed her arm. “It’s that Nick guy, isn’t it? I want to hear a lot more about this guy, because if he’s the reason you’re in this shape, I want a word or two with him, government agent or no.”

  “He’s not the reason— Well, he didn’t—” She gave up. Daniel wouldn’t listen anyway.

  “Sorry sis, I don’t believe you.” Daniel waved the envelope. “And there’s something else in here.”

  Grace held out her hand and he shook it carefully into her palm. It was a small velvet bag. She untied it with trembling fingers and pulled out a silver serpentine chain hung with a silver pendant. It was intricately engraved with a young girl sitting in the grass, holding up a mason jar out of which flew a swirl of tiny diamond fireflies.

  Daniel watched her face. “You’re not going to cry again are you? I swear, I’m gonna kill this guy.” Grace held up her hair so he could clasp the necklace around her neck. “And those government goons he’s got keeping an eye on you.”

  Grace looked up from studying the pendant. “Government goons?”

  “Well, maybe it’s the press. But it’s still his fault.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Whoever’s in that black SUV parked up the road from the gate.”

  Her heart stuttered. “Black SUV?” She grasped Daniel’s hand. “Up the road from our gate?”

  “Well, dark SUV. I couldn’t tell—” Daniel stopped. He stared at their clasped hands, then he blinked and a slow smile spread across his face. “Oh. So that’s the reason.”

  She stood up on shaky legs. “The reason for what?”

  “Go tell him I said congratulations, but he better treat my big sister right.”

  Grace clasped her hands over her heart, afraid to hope.

  “Go!” Daniel said, getting to his feet. He pushed her toward the front door just as Jamie barreled back through it.

  “It’s Mr. Nick! I seen him coming up the drive! It’s Mr. Nick!” Jamie giggled in excitement as Pooka nearly knocked her down and Grace went flying out the door.

  “Whoa Pooka boy. You stay,” Daniel said. “This is private.”

  Nick’s car was in the same spot as the first night she had seen him, but he wasn’t next to it. She looked for him in the dim light of dusk and spotted him over in the meadow, just standing there watching her—waiting.

  She ran across the meadow to where he stood—a blanket, a bottle of champagne, and two glasses at his feet.

  “You brought champagne,” she said, out of breath.

  But the look on his face kept her at a distance. Even in the fading light, she could see the beard stubble shadowing his jaw. He looked tired and frustrated.

  “I was going to sleep in the car, but hell—it’s Christmas somewhere by now,” he said, looking at his watch.

  “Yes, it is.”

  “And you got my gift,” he said, looking at the pendant around her neck.

  She touched it. “The test results were the very best part.”

  He came to her and grasped her shoulders.

  “I will never agree to anything like that ever again. No matter what your Granny’s journals say.”

  She could only nod. “I’m—I’m so sorry, Nick. I had to be sure. I just couldn’t have—”

  Nick took her head in his hands and kissed her, then crushed her to him.

  “The only thing that kept me away was knowing that you’re so damn stubborn that you’d probably send me off for two more months if I showed up. And being so busy with the damn case, I couldn’t think.” He held her out at arm’s length to look at her. “Do you know how often I came down here and sat out at your gate at night? Just sat there.”

  “At the gate?” She started crying then.

  He pulled her back into his arms. “I’m surprised that sheriff of yours didn’t tell you. He caught me a couple of times.”

  “Oh, Nick,” Grace sniffed. “I’ve missed you so—”

  Nick shut her up with a kiss. “For two months.” Then he kissed her eyelids. “I have been waiting.” Then her temple. “For three words from you.” Then her forehead. Finally he held her at arm’s length again. “No more. No less.”

  Grace frowned, counting in her head. Then she smiled, wiping the tears off her face. “Six.”

  “Six? Dammit Grace—”

  She covered his lips with her fingers.

  “I. Love. You. Nicholas. Andrew. McKenzie.”

  And she kissed him again, for a long while.

  Eventually, Nick pulled away. “It’s a good thing I love you too, woman. You’re enough to—” He peered at her closely. “Are you all right? You look—”

  “Tired. I look tired. Everyone keeps telling me that. You on the other hand, look great.” She ran her hands through his much longer hair. “I love your hair, and your—” She touched his chest. “Have you been working out?”

  Nick took her hand in his and ran it further down to his stomach—the very firm muscles over his stomach. “Exercise is a real good outlet for frustration.”

  It was her turn to kiss every part of his face, then tuck herself under his chin. “I still can’t quite believe it. Not a trace left anywhere.”

  He pulled back and tugged up her chin. “Did you doubt it? I mean, you were so certain.”

  “I recall someone telling me this isn’t an exact science,” she said. “And I can’t exactly do a PET scan or biopsy or anything.”

  Nick took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips, kissing each in the palm. “Don’t let your inner scientist make you doubt your gift, Grace.”

  “Scientists always leave room for doubt, Nick—questioning, asking why, wondering how. It’s what we are.” She smiled up at him. “But even if I don’t know how I did it—yet—I’m thrilled beyond words that I did.”

  “Well, my family’s thrilled. Between their non-stop celebrating and my ‘going away’ bash at the agency, there’s been a lot of partying going on.” He pointed to the champagne. “But before we celebrate anything, I have something I need to tell you.”

  Grace took both his hands, and smiled. “Me too.”

  He frowned. “You’re shivering. You know, we could go inside where it’s warm to do this.”

  “No, I’m afraid once we get in there we won’t be talking so much.” She leaned up to kiss him again.

  “Have I told you I love how you think?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hold that thought.” He squeezed her hands. “I have a confession to make. I—I wasn’t completely honest with you when we were in that cave
with the carvings.”

  She frowned. “About what?”

  “About the handprint. I mean…It was a lie of omission.”

  “Oh!” She smiled then. “I thought you saw it. I was afraid to ask. The mountain hides things and I don’t always know why—like keeping the handprint from Pops.”

  “So, are you willing to take me back into the cave so I can see if the old magic will still have anything to do with me?”

  “Now?”

  Nick laughed. “Tomorrow’s soon enough.”

  “But I can’t imagine how you resisted touching it. And you are going to tell me why you didn’t.”

  “Yes, I am. But it’s more of a question.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I didn’t buy a ring yet, because… Well, it seemed a bit… Anyway, if I can’t have you, Grace Elizabeth Woodruff, I don’t want whatever it is the mountain has to offer.”

  “Oh Nick. You can have me, the mountain, and anything else you want,” she said, flinging her arms around him for another long, delicious kiss.

  “I like that you’re wearing your hair down,” he said, running his fingers through it as she pulled back. “So, now can we celebrate?” He went back to pick up the champagne. “And then go inside to some nice warm bed-like thing—with a mattress? It’ll be an adventure for us, I know—”

  She laughed. “Yes, it will,” she said, gazing into his eyes. “But you’ll have to drink the champagne for both of us.”

  “What? You didn’t give up drinking champagne after that one night? I mean, it was the healing that made you get sick, right? Not the champa—”

  Grace stood there smiling at him as he stuttered to a halt. She saw the exact moment when the thought crossed his mind and his eyes drifted downward, then back up to her face. She would never forget the way his expression changed from bewilderment to a tentative smile to a full blown grin. His dimple was showing as he stood there—apparently rooted to the ground—looking first at her stomach, then at her face, then back down again.

  “As it turns out, the one thing that I can’t heal seems to be morning sickness and everything that goes with this.” She rubbed her belly. “Apparently Woodruff women do not bloom when they are pregnant.”