by T. M. Cromer
He swiftly lost his temper. Because he didn’t have an answer about hiding any future children’s magic, he zeroed in on Eddie. “That elephant is a pervert and wants to mate with my prize mare.”
“That!” she yelled and pointed at his face. “That right there is what I’m talking about. You think if things are of two different species, they can’t be together. Like you and me. I’m a witch and you’re powerless.”
“I’m a warlock according to Alastair.”
“Pfft. You can’t even say the word without going green. Even if you were, which I doubt, you’d be a piss-poor one at that.”
“Now you’re just trying to tick me off,” he snapped.
“We both know what happens when you get mad. The gloves come off and the weapon comes out. You gonna take out your gun and shoot me again, Sheriff?”
Breathing became difficult and sweat beaded his brow as her words took him back to the day he’d shot her. Coop cupped his palms over his eyes in an effort to regain control. Coming to terms with his actions hadn’t happened yet. Perhaps it never would. Because had GiGi not arrived when she did, Summer wouldn’t be alive today. And every single time he thought of his life without her, he became ill.
“That last bit was below the belt, Coop. I apologize.”
He lifted his head and lowered his barriers. “I love you.”
“It’s not enough.”
“It is. It can be. We can make it be.” The raw emotion in his voice left her in little doubt of his sincerity, and yet, he could tell she wasn’t moved.
“Go home, Coop.”
The finality in her tone almost broke him. But he wasn’t above begging. “You want to move here? To start over? Then we can do it together. You and me, Summer. I’ll give my whole focus to being your partner in every way. I’ll let Alastair train me. I’ll help you build your business and the new rescue center. I’ll even shovel elephant shit for the rest of my days.”
“It’s a pretty speech. Tempting to watch you try. But you’ll start to question if it’s worth it. Preston was right, you know. You don’t have what it takes to be a witch’s mate.” Her irises darkened to stormy gray. “Go home, Coop.”
26
Coop spent the next six days parked by his pool in a drunken stupor and contemplated the mating habits of elephants. One elephant in particular.
Today he watched his prize mare with the traffic cone on her head. The stupid thing should’ve been removed months ago. He was stuck with a damned unicorn wannabe on his hands. Now, when anyone tried to remove the contraption from her forehead, the mare pitched a fit. Started kicking stall walls and refusing to eat.
Chloe insisted the mare felt more comfortable with it on. At some point, she’d decorated it with gold spray paint and glitter in order to make the mare, Macy, feel pretty. How she knew was anyone’s guess.
He jerked upright and weaved a bit in the process. How did she know?
“Midget! Midge!”
“Yeah, Uncle Coop?”
“Where were you? I thought you were in the pool.”
She grinned, and her brown eyes twinkled with mischief.
Were her eyes brighter than normal?
“Never mind that. How do you know the mare likes that infernal cone?”
His niece dropped her gaze, shrugged, and swept her foot back and forth along the pool deck.
An ingrained instinct told him she was worried if she told the truth, he’d think she was lying. “Midge, do you have something you want to get off your chest?”
She shook her head but didn’t look up.
While not one-hundred percent sober, Coop’s buzz was quickly wearing off. “Chloe, come here, sweetheart.”
She inched closer but still refused to meet his eyes.
For a split second, her actions reminded him of Summer’s when she was afraid to tell him the truth.
“Chloe, I won’t be mad. Can you tell me how you know the mare wants to keep her cone? Is it because she kicks the stall and refuses to eat?”
His niece shook her dark head. “She told me.”
“You know what,” he said gently. “I believe she did.”
Her head whipped up and her eyes grew round as saucers. “You do?”
“Yep. Can you tell me how it’s done?”
“I saw Miss Summer do it one day when she was here. It’s easy, Uncle Coop. You just put your hand flat on her head, and Macy tells you everything.”
“How does she tell you?”
“She shows me pictures.”
He sighed and scrubbed his hands over his jaw.
“You don’t believe me,” she said.
When the light brown of her irises faded a marginal amount, Coop groaned.
Chloe was a witch.
Alastair hadn’t lied about magic in his line.
“I’m sorry, Uncle Coop,” she said tearfully. “I made it up. Don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad, midge. But I don’t think you made it up.” He smiled and willed her to see he was being honest. “In fact, I know you didn’t.”
“You do?” Her tears dried up, but her forlorn expression didn’t change. “My friends don’t. They called me a liar and don’t want to play with me anymore.”
His heart pinged.
Summer and her family knew what it had taken him forever to realize. Magical children weren’t isolated for the outside world’s sake. They were isolated for their own. To protect them against fear mongers and ridicule.
“I do believe you, sweetheart. As a matter of fact, I’d like to see what else you know how to do.”
The sparkle returned to her eyes, and they brightened to their normal light honey shade. She glanced around as if ready to impart a secret.
He leaned forward to provide his undivided attention.
“Watch,” she whispered.
She waved her hands.
Nothing happened that he could tell.
“Did you see it?”
Christ, he was reading into things that weren’t there. She was only a child with an active imagination.
“I’m afraid not. I must’ve had too many beers, midget.”
She laughed and tilted his head skyward. “Now watch, Uncle Coop.”
She waved her hands again, and he did see.
He saw the breeze pick up and the trees sway before the wind died back down.
“Chloe, are you making the air move the trees?”
“Yes!” she cried excitedly. “Isn’t it cool?”
“It certainly is.”
“Wait until Dad finds out!”
Keaton! In his own personal angst, Coop had forgotten to mention any of this to his brother. Not the fact they were descended from witches, or the fact the two of them had most likely had any power bound at a young age.
Once Coop got his head out of his ass, he intended to train with Alastair. That wouldn’t go over well with Keaton either.
“How about we keep this to ourselves until I’ve had a chance to speak with your dad?”
“Do you think he’ll be mad?”
“No, midge, but it’s not every day you find out your beautiful little girl has a superpower. These things need to be finessed.”
Her eyes flew wide and her mouth opened in a perfect O. “Do you think I can fly, Uncle Coop?”
Because he didn’t know and the thought caused him to break out in a cold sweat, he said, “I’m going to put the kibosh on flying until you’re older. I don’t need to go gray before my time.”
She giggled and hugged him. “Okay.”
An idea came to him. “I know some people who might be able to help you figure out if flying is possible.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“The Weird Season Sisters?”
He frowned. “That’s not a nice thing to say, Chloe.”
“But everyone calls them that.”
“They aren’t weird. In fact, all the sisters are nice, funny, and extremely intelligent.”
“N
ot Miss Autumn. She makes Daddy mad.”
He lifted a brow in warning.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. Just promise you won’t repeat it.”
“I promise.”
“Good. Now how about you pick up around here while I go talk to your dad? What do you think?”
“You have an awful lot of beer cans.”
He tugged her ponytail. “I’ll pay you a quarter a can.”
“Deal!”
“When you have a chance, do you think you could ask Macy how she feels about Eddie?”
She giggled. “I already know.”
“Care to spill the beans?”
“I think she likes him. She has lots of pictures of him in her head.”
“Thanks, midget.”
“You’re welcome, Uncle Coop.”
Coop went in search of his brother. It was time for the talk.
“Well, damn, sis. That was sweet.” Holly wiped the stray tear from her cheek.
“It was, wasn’t it?” Summer sighed as she covered the mirror on the table in front of her. Little moments like these made her believe she’d misjudged Coop.
“You should give him another chance.”
“Not you too!” Summer groaned. “I’ve had to hear this from everyone. Even Alastair, if you can believe it.”
“Based on what you’ve told me, I expected Coop to freak out on the kid. But did you see how he encouraged her?” Holly grabbed a handful of popcorn and fell back into the plush red chaise in the corner of Summer’s new attic. “I’d lay odds he intends to talk to her dad in order to pave the way for her to learn from our sisters.”
Summer brought the bowl to the chair and gestured Holly to scoot over. She climbed onto the chaise beside her and offered up the bowl.
Today had been the first day she’d given into the urge to scry and spy. Oddly, she was glad she had.
Holly had arrived after Coop had opened his first beer and toasted the absent Summer aloud. Her sister had claimed she had a sixth sense that he would have a revelation. And when Holly produced the popcorn to enhance their viewing pleasure, Summer had laughed.
Her new sister was similar to Autumn in temperament. Hanging with her twin eased some of the homesickness being away from her sisters created.
“Part of me doesn’t want you to go back to him,” Holly confessed. “Because then you’ll leave here.”
“This is my home now. The animals are settling in, and I’ve taken out an ad to establish my business name. Once I sign the lease on the little blue two-story you found on the edge of town, I’ll be able to set up an actual office for patients.”
“Dear old Dad won’t be happy. You’ll have no time to chase after his damned objects.”
Because their arms were touching, Holly didn’t sneeze.
Summer suspected Holly had planned it that way. They’d made a game of it when they were alone.
“I don’t care what Alastair likes or doesn’t like. I’ll run my life as I see fit.”
“I wish I could be the same way. But he saved my life.” Holly flopped her head back on the pillow. “I owe him.”
“No, you don’t. He’s your father.”
“But—”
“No, Holly. His saving you should’ve been done out of love or duty, not to gain a minion.”
“You’re right,” she sighed. “I know you are. Yet, I can’t seem to tell him no. Not if it’s going to bring Mom back.”
“I wonder if that’s even possible,” Summer mused.
“Enough about all that. I think you should go see Coop. Forgive him, have all kinds of wild monkey sex, and be happy.”
“Until the next time he decides he’s fed up.” Summer rested her head on Holly’s shoulder. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Such is love, dear sister. Such is love.”
“Speaking of, we never discuss your love life. What’s with that hot warlock?”
“Quentin?”
Summer got warm just thinking about all that yumminess. “Yeah, Quentin.” She sighed.
Holly shoved Summer’s head off her shoulder and sat up. “Are you lusting over Quentin?” she demanded.
“Ha! I knew you wanted him.”
“Well, duh! Look at the man. Who wouldn’t want him?” Holly settled back on the pillows. “But he’s a grade A player, and I can’t trust him as far as I could throw him.”
“You think it’s because of your past experiences, or is it the man himself?”
“If I’m being honest, probably a combination of both.”
“So why not just have sex with him? See if all the buildup and angst is worth it. He could be a dud.”
The sisters shared a look and laughed.
“Yeah, okay, so we both know sex with him will rock your world. But there’s nothing written that says you have to marry the guy.”
Holly winced.
Summer cringed inside. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“No worries. Besides, I already had sex with him—a long time ago.”
“What? I want the deets!”
“I’ll say he was amazing and leave it at that. One day, I promise, I’ll tell you the whole story.”
Summer studied her sister and slowly nodded.
Holly held her cards close to her chest, and Summer could appreciate her reservations.
“Okay. And on a different note, I want you to come work for me.”
“What?”
Summer laughed at her sister’s dumbfounded expression. “I want you to come work for me. But only if you want to.” She held up a hand when Holly would’ve interrupted. “Look, I know you don’t want to touch the Thorne money. I get it. But waitressing can’t bring in all that much. As my office manager and assistant, you can earn a decent living.” She smiled. “And best of all, we get to spend more time together.”
“You might hate me once you get to know me. I’m outspoken and likely to piss you off.”
“Doubtful. And you can even live here if you want. There’s more than enough room, and you don’t have to pay rent.”
“Yeah, you certainly got carried away designing the place,” Holly laughed.
“Confession? I might’ve designed the whole right side of the house with you in mind.”
“Is that why it has its own kitchen?”
Summer recalled making the glass room that separated what was essentially two residences. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls looked out over the property. With a thirty-foot-high pitched roof that boasted eight large skylights, it resembled more of a conservatory or greenhouse. The room was massive and required a thirty-five-foot catwalk to join the two homes by way of the individual attics.
To give the room warmth, Summer added dwarf ever-bearing fruit trees and lined the interior walls with bins of strawberry bushes. It was like an indoor orchard.
The glass room was Morty’s favorite place to paint.
“Yes.”
“I, for one, love this place,” Holly told her.
“Then say you’ll move in with me.”
“I’ll move in on the condition you give Coop a second chance.”
Summer jerked to her feet to pace. “That’s asking too much, Holly. I want you here, but not at the expense of setting myself up for heartache again.”
“You never intend to take another chance on anyone?”
“I don’t know.”
“Summer, you’d be foolish not to give him another chance. He loves you.”
Because thinking about her pathetic love life would require making a decision, Summer wanted to avoid this discussion at all costs. “Can we let it rest? At least for a little while?”
Holly grimaced and nodded.
“Good, now when do we move you in? I need to call our sisters for some magical muscle.”
27
“Now that I have you all here, we need to discuss Alastair’s revelation about Mom,” Summer said as her sisters gathered around her kitchen table.
; Autumn shoved aside her breakfast plate. “Look, I know you trust him. He’s claimed he’s your father, made a few promises, and you suddenly believe everything coming out of his mouth. Well, I’m sorry. I don’t.” She gestured to Spring and Winnie. “They don’t either.”
“I’m not sure I do. Not one-hundred percent,” Summer confessed and took a sip of her coffee.
She struggled with the words she wanted to say. “I intend to have him take me to where she is kept. I want to see for myself if he’s telling the truth.”
Protests rose around her. She held up a hand. “I’m doing this. If there is a chance she’s alive, a chance she needs a magical trinket to bring her back to us, I’ll do whatever I can to retrieve it.”
“Summer!” Spring protested.
“I don’t need you all to get on board this insane scavenger hunt. But I do need you to understand why I’m doing it. I also need one of you to stay here and take over the day-to-day rescue operations.”
“I’ll do it,” Autumn said.
“Thanks. I’ll make sure you have the feed schedules and—,”
“No. I mean, I’ll go to see her. Then I’ll retrieve whatever is needed for her recovery.”
Summer opened her mouth to argue, but Autumn cut her off a second time.
“I have the least to lose.” She shrugged. “You have all of this. Your animals need you. Coop needs you too, whether you care to acknowledge it or not. You also have a new twin to get to know.”
“No, Tums. We can’t know who or what might hold the item. I can’t ask you to do this.”
“You didn’t ask. I volunteered.”
Summer turned to her silent sisters. “Say something, you three. Tell her she’s being stubborn.”
Winnie shook her head. “She’s right. You, of all of us, have the most to lose.” Winnie grasped Summer’s hand between both of hers and rubbed. “You also need to repair this rift with Coop. He’s sorry, sister, and he’s miserable. As are you.”