Witching For Grace: Premonition Pointe, Book 1

by Chase, Deanna

  She stood there like a fool, staring at him. Then she swallowed. “You’re saying not tonight because you’re too excited?”

  “That’s right. Now get in that bed before I rip that robe off you,” he ordered.

  Sizzling heat radiated everywhere. There wasn’t a nerve ending in her body that didn’t want to be touched by him. But the moment she reached for him, that tightening in her back stopped her and she pressed her palm to her forehead. “I hate that you’re right. Our rainchecks are starting to add up.”

  “Don’t worry, Grace. I fully intend to collect.” He kissed her on the temple and said, “Go on. Get in. I’ll clean up on my way out.”

  Lex was right. He was the most romantic man she’d ever known. A man who got dinner and cleaned up was a man worth keeping, no matter what his age. Once she was in the bed with her pillows situated correctly, Owen leaned down, brushed his lips over hers, and murmured, “Rest up, Grace. I have plans.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Grace woke the next day feeling like a new woman. Her back was stiff, but the shooting pain that caused her to seize every time she moved was gone. After she got up, showered, and was sure she could dress herself without feeling like an invalid, she grabbed her phone and called Owen to invite him out on a proper date.

  “Tonight?” Kind of last minute, don’t you think?” he asked, his tone full of mirth.

  “Kind of, I guess. If you want to put it off until next week, we can—”

  “How about tomorrow night at seven? I have a meeting with a new client this evening. I’ll pick you up. Dinner, dancing, a moonlit walk on the beach?” he suggested.

  “Dinner. No dancing—we don’t want to get too crazy—and then we’ll see about the beach,” she said.

  “Deal. Just do me a favor, will you?”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Keep that robe handy. I’m gonna want an opportunity to see you wearing it again.”

  Grace chuckled. “I think you mean you want an opportunity to take it off me.”

  He cleared his throat, and when he spoke again, his voice was husky. “That, too.”

  By the time she ended the call, she was flushed from head to toe and counting down the hours until their date the following evening.

  * * *

  “Have you heard from Hope?” Grace asked Joy the minute her friend took a seat across from her at the Bird’s Eye Bakery. “I called a few times over the last couple of days, but she hasn’t called back.”

  “I talked to her for a few minutes this morning,” Joy said as she picked up the menu and buried her face in it. “She said she’s slammed with back-to-back events this week. You know how summers are. Beach weddings, bachelorette parties, baby showers, etc.”

  Grace frowned. “Is there a reason you’re hiding behind the menu? It’s been the same one for about ten years. I can’t imagine you don’t already know every item on it.”

  Joy let the menu drop onto the table. “Fine. She called last night and vented about you not telling her Lucas was in town.”

  “I was afraid of that.” Grace propped her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands. “I told Lucas she’d be upset with me. And damn him, he’s the reason I threw my back out. If I hadn’t been trying to hide from Hope this never would’ve happened.”

  Joy raised one eyebrow. “You were hiding from Hope?”

  “Yes. No.” Grace shook her head. “That was the day I took Lucas house hunting. We were going to grab something to eat at Crabby’s and then call it a night. But then Hope showed up, startling me, and I moved too fast in the wrong direction. And well, you know the rest.”

  “Serves you right.” The words weren’t said with any heat, and Joy cracked a smile, indicating she was only teasing.

  “You know I only did that because he asked me to. I think he wanted to find the right time to talk to her or something.” Grace straightened up and stretched her back. It was still a little sore, but she was at least mobile. It had occurred to her that, considering how stiff she’d been the night before, it was possible she’d willed her backache away just like she’d wished those hexes on Shondra and Nina. Because the goddess knew she’d spent an obscene amount of time wishing she’d been well enough that Owen hadn’t left before they’d gotten to the good stuff.

  “What are you thinking about?” Joy asked, her tone full of suspicion.

  “My date last night,” Grace said, knowing her cheeks were already flashing pink. “Owen brought me dinner, and things got a little heated.”

  “Oh, really.” Joy’s eyes glittered with interest as she leaned in, clearly ready for all the sordid details.

  “Don’t look at me like that. Nothing happened,” Grace insisted. “Or nothing scandalous anyway,” she added when Joy’s eyebrows rose. “We just made out, and then he helped me get into bed.”

  “Oh. He ‘helped’ you, did he?” She used air quotes to emphasize the word helped.

  Grace rolled her eyes. “Please. I could barely move. That’s not exactly sexy. He really did just tuck me in, and then he cleaned up my kitchen before he left.”

  Joy clasped her hand over her heart as she sucked in a short breath. “He cleaned. Are you serious?”

  “Yes,” Grace laughed.

  “Guh. Marry him,” Joy said with a sigh.

  “Um, maybe I should date him for a bit first, don’t you think?”

  “Nope. He cleans. Snatch him up before word gets out. Put a ring on it. Sign the contract. Give him the potion. Do whatever it takes. Do you know the last time Paul cleaned?”

  Grace shuddered at the potion suggestion and made a note to never wish for a proposal of any kind. Not only did she have zero desire to get married again, she definitely didn’t want anyone proposing if it wasn’t of their own free will. “No. When?”

  “I’m gonna say 1993, right about the time we moved in together. I think he cleaned the bathroom when I had morning sickness.” She wrinkled her nose. “I should’ve known I was doomed when he didn’t wipe the base of the toilet down.”

  “Gross.” Grace reached across the table and squeezed her friend’s hand. “Are you okay? I know things with Paul have been a little tense.”

  “Eh. It’s fine, I guess. No better, no worse. He’s not cheating on me. That’s something, right?”

  Grace just felt sad for her friend. There was a giant chasm between not cheating and feeling loved and appreciated by your partner. And Joy deserved the best someone had to give. Paul needed to step up, or Grace had a feeling he was going to lose her. But she kept her commentary to herself and said, “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Joy glanced down at her menu and said, “Cinnamon rolls?”

  “Definitely. We deserve it.”

  “I’ll get them.” Joy slipped out of her chair, and within a few minutes, she was back with warm pastries and two lattes. “Eat up. We’re gonna need the carbs if we’re gonna get through this research.” She tapped the large folder she’d brought with her. “I found records of all possible people who might be related to Emma and Jenny. Time to find someone who might want to buy that place.”

  “You’re the best. Thank you.”

  Twenty minutes later, full of sugar and caffeine, Grace and Joy were busy poring through Joy’s detailed research and making a list of who to contact about the house. So far, the closest relatives they’d found were three of Emma’s second cousins, all of them on the west coast, and all of them in their early twenties. There were a couple more back east, but they were distant relatives, and from everything they were finding online, they didn’t look like they had any ties to the west coast other than a bloodline.

  “Look at this, Grace,” Joy said. “Didn’t you say you had a client named Matt who was looking for a house here recently?”

  “Yeah. His wife died, and she’d always said she wanted a place in Premonition Pointe. He was looking for something that would be great for his kids and grandkids. Why?”

  Joy handed her
a piece of paper. “The parents of two of these twenty-somethings are McKenzie Summers and Matt Dahl. Do those names ring any bells?”

  “Matt Dahl! Holy crap. That’s my client.” Grace stared at the paper and then frowned. “I tried to show him the house, but he wasn’t interested. He told me he knew it was haunted, and he didn’t even want to go inside.”

  “You know, I think the house wouldn’t have welcomed him anyway. He’s not the one who is related by blood. But his sons are because of their mother’s bloodline.” Joy looked up at her. “You could try the family-ties angle with him. See if he can get his kids to come take a look. If it’s ultimately for them, he might change his mind.”

  “It’s worth a shot.” Grace took the paper from Joy just for reference and then called Matt. “Hey, Matt. It’s Grace Valentine. How are you doing?”

  She listened to him talk for a few minutes about maybe having to wait on buying the beach house. He said his kids had come into town for a few nights, so he’d taken them by a couple of the ones she’d shown him, but none had come close enough to being what they were looking for. “Maybe you can email me as homes come on the market? Keep me in the loop?”

  Her heart had started racing when he said his kids were in town. It was the perfect opportunity to make something happen. Her stomach got that tingling feeling it always had before when she knew she was right on the verge of making a deal happen for Bill. But the fact that this deal was all hers made her giddy with anticipation. She just needed to hold it together long enough to see it all work out. “Actually, I was hoping we could look at one more before you go. I think I’ve found the perfect property. It has everything you’re looking for.”

  “Really? Where? On the beach or off?”

  “On. Gorgeous view. Plenty of space. How about we make an appointment and you can bring your kids along? See what they think, since they’re here.” She only felt mildly guilty that she was misleading him. She’d heard him when he said he wasn’t interested in a haunted house. Grace could hardly blame him. But that feeling she had… she just knew this was the right move. If they didn’t like it after the second attempt, she’d drop it. Until then, she was going to give it everything she had.

  “Well, if it’s that good,” he said. “Sure. But we can’t do it today. We’re headed out on an overnight fishing trip. Can we do it tomorrow night? Six-thirty? We’ll be back by then and will have had enough time to get cleaned up.”

  “Six-thirty it is. Meet at the realty office?” she suggested. “I’ll drive you over.”

  “Sounds good. See you tomorrow. And thanks, Grace. I appreciate you working so hard for us.”

  Okay, now the guilt was sinking in. She pushed the feeling away and said, “It’s entirely my pleasure. Have a great fishing trip.”

  “Thanks.”

  After she ended the call, she went to put the appointment in her calendar and grimaced. She glanced at Joy. “I had a date planned with Owen tomorrow night at seven, and now I have to cancel it.”

  “Man, that’s sucks. But at least you have the showing with Matt, right? I’m sure he’ll understand,” she said giving her a sympathetic look. But then her lips curved into a small teasing smile. “There’s a silver lining here you’re not thinking about.”

  Grace narrowed her eyes at her. “What’s that?”

  “By the time you do get together, all that sexual tension will be off the charts.”

  She wasn’t wrong. Still, Grace had really been looking forward to their date. Sighing in disappointment, she tried to give him a call. When it went straight to voice mail, she left a message letting him know they’d need to reschedule due to a work conflict.

  She contemplated making the date for later, but she didn’t know how long her appointment would take. And besides that, she wasn’t in her twenties anymore. Anything after ten and her eyes started watering with fatigue.

  Stop it, Grace, she thought. She could survive a few nights until she could get Owen alone again.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Grace,” Matt called as he walked toward her with two handsome young men. There was no mistaking that the two younger men were Matt’s sons. They all had the same green eyes, wide shoulders, and narrow-waisted build. They even all moved the same. Kind of gangly and a little awkward due to their height. It was adorable, and Grace figured she could watch them all day.

  “Hi there.” She waved and gave them a cheerful smile. “How was the fishing trip? Did you catch a lot of fish?”

  “Hunter did. Hayden not so much. He probably needs to stop wearing so much cologne. It scares away the fish.” He grinned at his two sons while they both rolled their eyes.

  “Deodorant isn’t cologne, Dad,” the one with a small scar over his left eyebrow said. “Besides, you’re probably the one to blame. All that talking you did was sure to scare them off faster than the scent of a personal hygiene product.”

  “Hayden needs to blame his lack of skill on something,” Matt said with a wink at Grace. “It makes him feel less like a failure.”

  “Oh, here we go,” Hayden said with a guffaw. “What’s your excuse? Did you just decide to give the fish a few days off?”

  “Never mind me, Son,” Matt said, draping an arm over Hayden’s shoulders. “I’ve seen my days of successful fishing. You’re the one who doesn’t have any stats under his belt.”

  Hunter, the other brother who’d been quiet up until that point, interjected, “The sooner you find a house, Dad, the sooner Hayden can work on making you proud with his fishing skills.”

  Matt snorted. “I’m not holding my breath.”

  As entertaining as it was to watch the men needle each other, Grace was getting antsy. She had a house to show… and explain. “Are we ready to go? I can drive us. It’s not that far.”

  “Sure,” Matt said, grinning at her. “Work your magic, Grace.”

  Oh, didn’t she wish she could. But her code of ethics required her to keep her magic to herself. It did bode well for her that Matt was in such a good mood. But she was fairly certain as soon as he saw the cottage and realized where she’d taken them, he was going to have questions.

  They arrived at the house entirely too quickly, and by the time Grace stopped the SUV in the driveway, she was certain she was going to sweat right through her blouse. Only this time it certainly wasn’t a hot flash. She was as nervous as she’d ever been.

  “Grace?” Matt asked, sounding confused. “Why are we here?”

  She cleared her throat and was about to explain the family connection when Hayden let out a small gasp and then threw the door open and rushed to the front porch. He stood on the top step, clutching the railing and staring wide-eyed at the front door.

  “What’s he doing?” Matt asked.

  “It’s Mom,” Hunter whispered as he wiped at his eyes. “He’s talking to her.”

  “Mom? That’s not possible,” Matt said, but his voice trailed off as he watched Hunter stride up to the porch and stand right next to his brother. Both men were smiling through their tears.

  Grace sat frozen in the driver’s seat. She couldn’t see their mother, or any ghost for that matter, and she wondered if Matt could. She doubted it, since Hunter had to tell him who Hayden was talking to. Grace turned to Matt, her eyes brimming with tears, and waited for his reaction. Would she be met with ire or curiosity? Something in between? She really had no idea what to expect. She just didn’t know Matt well enough to predict anything.

  “How did you know?” Matt asked, still watching his boys.

  “That their mom was here?” she asked, her voice hitching a little.

  “Yeah.” He spun to face her, his brows knit together. “Did you conjure her or something? You and your coven?”

  Grace blinked briefly, wondering if they could even do that. She supposed it was possible, but she had no desire to call up ghosts. That was just asking for trouble. “No,” she said more forcefully than she intended. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I didn’t even k
now she was here until Hunter said so. We don’t conjure anyone other than the goddesses when we’re doing our blessings. And they don’t exactly show themselves to us if you know what I mean.”

  He turned to look back at his boys. “No. I don’t know. I’m not a witch.”

  “Oh.” Right. “I’m sorry. You can’t see her either, can you?”

  He shook his head.

  “Did your wife have magic?”

  “Yeah. So do the boys.”

  That made more sense. “Okay, I’ll tell you what I found out and why I brought you here, but don’t you want to go speak to her? At least through your sons. It looks like they’re having no trouble communicating with her.”

  He nodded once and then slipped out of her SUV.

  Grace watched as Matt joined his family on the porch. They stood there for a long time, crying, talking, laughing. And then the conversation came to an abrupt stop, and all three men stared at each other in silence. Finally, Matt reached for the front doorknob, but didn’t get far since the home was still locked.

  Grace got out of the vehicle and asked, “Did you want to see the inside?”

  “Yes,” Matt said, his voice sounding hoarse. “But unless it’s substantially different than the pictures online, I’m pretty sure I’ll be making an offer tonight.”

  Grace’s heart soared. Not because she was getting ready to make her first sale and secure her job with Landers Realty, but because there seemed to be a peace that had settled over the Dahl men. She’d managed to give them a moment with the wife and mother of their family. It was a moment that filled her heart and soul.

  “I doubt that’s going to be an issue, but let’s get you guys inside so you can get a peek at the real thing.” Grace fiddled with the lockbox until she had the key in hand and then let the men in. Once again, she stayed outside, letting them have the time they needed to process what had just happened.