by Tena Stetler
“We’ll face him together and tell him the truth. We’re dating. I don’t think that will be a problem though. Owen assured me Tristian would be waiting in my office to go over the reports.”
“Does he usually bring them to you personally?” Angie shifted in her seat to face Bruce.
“Sometimes when he’s in town or something about the reports bother him.” Bruce slid a glance at Angie.
“These reports, are they on the jobs you’ve given him?”
“Yes.” He looked over at Angie again. This time gauging her reaction, then turned his eyes back to the road. “I’ll drop you off at the back door of your shop. Then I’ll go to the salon and meet with Tristian. That will give you a chance to shower, change into work attire, and talk with Willow before facing him.”
Angie chewed on her bottom lip. “I’ll just tell him I was with friends. I don’t think he’ll question me further, not after our fight when I left. It was all about his constant invasion of my privacy.”
“Sounds good,” Bruce said with a wink.
“If you have nightmares tonight, I want you or Willow to call me, I’ll port over. I’ve a feeling these are more than just nightmares.”
“And if Tristian stays the night?”
A little furrow dug itself between his brows then he shrugged. “I guess he’ll have to handle it, huh? Unless… Well, he’s handled them before.”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
****
The back door to The Krystal Unicorn was open when Bruce drove up and Willow waited just outside. He dropped Angie off without incident and no Tristian in sight.
Bruce strode into the salon, acknowledged the staff with a friendly smile, and nodded to Owen who looked sullen and glanced meaningfully up at the mezzanine.
Bruce gave a thumbs up and sprinted up the stairs two at a time. He strode through his office door to find Tristian seated on the leather couch reading a new copy of Money magazine. “Sorry, I wasn’t in town this weekend. Sometimes I just need to get away. If I’d known you were coming, I’d stayed.” Bruce settled in his leather chair, and flipped the laptop open.
“It’s all right,” he muttered closing the magazine and laying it on the table. “I should’ve have called before I came. I missed Angie too.” Tristian shifted in his seat and stared at Bruce. Tristian didn’t like to discuss personal matters with Bruce, but Tristian already knew that Owen had discussed the situation in detail with Bruce.
“That’s too bad. My customers are thrilled with her store. They claim to spend way too much money there. So, I assume it’s doing well. Owen put her flyers at the front desk, to kinda help her get started.” The leather creaked as Bruce leaned back in his chair waiting for Tristian to get to the point of why he was here. The reports were just an excuse.
Tristian stood up pacing back and forth in front of the desk. “Yeah the girls are enjoying their adventure, and business is good according to Willow. She met a new guy that she really likes. He seems nice. I met him when she invited me to have dinner with them last night. Angie was off with friends for the weekend. So I guess they’ve settled in.”
“That’s a good thing. Right?”
He sat down in a chair at the front of Bruce’s desk. “Yeah, I guess. I was hoping they’d fail miserably and come back home. I should have known better, those two have always been successful at whatever they set out to do. Angie is supposed to be back this afternoon. I’ll ask her to dinner tonight and try to work out our differences. I guess it’s time to let her try her wings.”
“Sounds like a good plan. Now is there anything unusual in the reports, or everything up to your standards?” Bruce shoved his laptop to the side of the desk and looked directly at Tristian.
Tristian met his gaze unwavering. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. On the surface, everything looks good. My assignment is complete without complications. However, there’s rumblings of another powerful dark demon, a higher up, escaping when the tear in time opened up and he’s out for revenge. I’m trying to ferret out more information, but my sources say this one’s bad and they’re scared to talk. Have you heard anything?”
“No. But, I just got back. I’ll check into it and let you know.” Bruce glanced at his laptop. “Otherwise things seem quiet?”
“Yeah, kinda, like the calm before the storm. That’s another reason I came to check on the girls. I don’t like it,” Tristian said shaking his head slowly.
“Well, let’s hope not, I could use a few months or even years of quiet.”
Tristian’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously.”
Bruce laughed. “I know, just wishful thinking.”
Tristian stood up to leave. “Me too.” Then he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned back to Bruce. “Uh, there’s something else. Oh, never mind, I need to work it out in my head first.”
“If you need to talk, you know where to find me.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he thought better of it.
Tristian raised a brow questioningly and said with a sneer. “Right.”
Smiling sheepishly, Bruce countered. “Usually.”
Bruce rose and walked Tristian to the door. They shook hands and Bruce handed him an envelope. “Talk to you soon. I’m sure everything will work out with your sister.” He watched Tristian walk down the stairs and ran his long fingers through his already tousled hair. Telling Tristian about his relationship with Angie was going to be more difficult than he first thought.
****
“Don’t you ever do that to me again. I was worried sick.” Willow stood toe to toe with Angie, finger in her face. “You weren’t home when I came home from my date. Then you call me and you’re alone with Bruce at his estate.” Willow took a couple of steps backward as the color in Angie’s cheeks rose to a bright red. “After you promised not to do anything stupid. Then Tristian shows up as I am locking up, searching for you.” Willow huffed out a breath and threw up her hands. “As if that wasn’t enough, Owen stops by shortly after that demanding to know where you are. All this time, Caleb is standing in the store watching this scenario play out.”
“I’m sorry. I told you that already,” Angie said, examining her fingernails and tamping her temper down. She hated lectures. “Who’s Caleb?”
As if Angie hadn’t said a word. Willow continued to rant. “Then Owen’s back with a plan to save your sorry ass and wants me to go along with it. Which I did.” Willow narrowed her eyes and glared at Angie.
“Thank You. I said I’m sorry. What more do you want?”
Willow paced back and forth in front of Angie. “Then your brother shows up again just before closing hoping you’ve returned. I tell him you’re gone ’til Monday afternoon with friends, just like Owen said. Tristian looked so miserable I invited him to dinner with Caleb and me. Tristian and Caleb got along real well. In fact, he seemed more relaxed than he’d been all day. We had a nice dinner then dropped Tristian off at the hotel. Caleb asked me to his house. I spent the night there, just to avoid the craziness.”
Angie nodded, “I understand.”
Willow’s temper appeared to have run its course, she sighed. “Caleb is the new guy in my life, if you’re interested. I’m surprised he hasn’t dumped me after what went on the last couple of days,” Willow said with a pout, crossing her arms across her chest.
“I’m always interested, Willow, you know that,” Angie said patiently, laying a hand over her friend’s hand. “Now, tell me all about Caleb. Is this the handsome guy you left with Friday night?”
“Oh yes. He’s wonderful. The art gallery on the other side of the park is showing his work. You gotta come see. It’s selling really well. Caleb’s offered to give us a painting to display on the wall of The Krystal Unicorn. I told him I had to ask you, but I was sure we’d be honored. Right?”
“Of course.” Angie winced and hesitated. “I gotta ask, his paintings aren’t abstract or something weird?”
“Nooo…” Willow said.
“I’d l
ike to meet him first. I’ll apologize for the chaos I’ve caused, if you think it’ll help.”
“I think we’re all right, especially since he is offering to give us one of his paintings to hang in the shop. I was angry with you because I had no idea where you were, or what happened to you or if you were safe.” Willow sighed, walked over to one of the chairs in the books section, and sat in one of the wing backed chairs. “Now tell me about your weekend. Is Bruce really the Demon Overlord?”
Angie followed her and eased into the other chair. “Yes, but he is also a wonderful man. At least when he’s with me, he’s not dangerous or pure evil. I’d feel it. He’s a gentleman. There’s a connection between us like I’ve never felt with anyone. When he touches me…well let’s just say I don’t want him to ever stop.”
“Angie, you didn’t.” Willow squealed. “Not with a man, ah, demon you don’t even know, very well.”
“Hey look who’s throwing double standards around. You spent a couple nights with Caleb.”
“Yeah, but we’ve been talking for weeks. Besides that’s different.”
“How?”
“It just is. I don’t have a brother that will kill us both when he finds out. You do. He’s not a Territory Overlord. Bruce is.”
“Well. Just to ease your mind, I didn’t sleep with him, but I sure wanted to. He has the most incredible body and built to please a woman.” Angie fanned herself with her hand.
“Really?” Willow’s eyes grew big. “How would you know that if you didn’t see him naked?”
“We relaxed in his hot tub and the swimsuit he wore left very little to the imagination.”
“Oh. What did you wear, you didn’t have one.”
“He had some for guests, so I wore one of those. It was brand new, still had the price tag on it.” Angie giggled and leaned into her friend. “It didn’t leave much to his imagination either.”
“So you had a good time. Will you see him again?”
“Yes. But while I was there, my nightmares, well let’s just say Bruce was surprised.” Angie took a deep breath and leaned toward Willow. “Willow, they were different than the ones I’ve had before. These were like a warning that something bad was going to happen to Tristian and Bruce.”
“Duh, you were worried about Tristian trying to kill Bruce when he finds out. It was just your subconscious addressing your fears.”
“No, I’m serious, Willow, I’m worried. The weird part is that the only way I could sleep without the nightmares was with Bruce wrapped around me.”
“What! You said you didn’t sleep with him.”
“Don’t be silly, I’m serious. We didn’t have sex. It was as if the nightmares stayed away because of him being close enough to protect me from them. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?”
“No it doesn’t, your mom was a seer, maybe you are just coming into that part of your talents. What did Bruce say?”
“I didn’t tell him, yet. I will. I think he suspects there’s more to the nightmares than I’m telling him. I wanted to get your take on it, and you said what I expected.”
Willow tilted her head and stuck out her tongue. “I’m glad I’m predictable. But you better tell him and soon.” A tinkling chime came from Willow’s cell phone. She glanced down to check the text. “Now get your clothes changed, Tristian will be here any minute. Owen just texted me he’s left the salon.”
While she was changing, Willow hollered to Angie. “Hey I just got a super idea. After Tristian leaves town, why don’t you and Bruce join Caleb and me for dinner. We can all get to know each other.”
“Sounds great. I’ll check with Bruce. We want to keep our relationship low profile until Tristian catches wind of it and we have to face him. But, we aren’t hiding it either, so I imagine that will work. One more thing, Bruce wants you to call him if I have another one of those nightmares. He’ll come right over.”
“And if Tristian is here?” Willow asked.
“Don’t call Bruce unless you or Tristian can’t wake me. Then I guess that’s how Tristian will find out about us. Not a scenario I want to face.”
“Bruce’s place is where they started. Maybe you won’t have them here.”
****
From the back room, Angie heard the front door chimes. She poked her head through the beaded curtains in time to see her brother amble through the door.
“Angie, are you here?” Tristian called as he stood in the middle of the show room where rainbows danced across the floor. Angie watched as he surveyed the showroom filled with glass cases of crystals, statues of wizards, faeries, water nymphs, dragons, and every kind of mythical creature.
The crystal beads tinkled as she stepped through the curtain, catching Tristian’s attention. “Welcome to The Krystal Unicorn.” She sauntered past the bookcase on the far wall that held shelves of how to books, for magic, growing medicinal herbs, horoscopes, and tarot cards reading.
In front of the main counter, she greeted Tristian with a hug and kiss on the check. “Sorry to have worried you. I had a couple of days off and decided to get away for a while.”
“I know, Willow told me.” He glanced over Angie’s head to the mirrored wall behind the main counter “I didn’t notice all those.” Tristian motioned to the glass shelves of crystal apothecary jars filled with a wide variety of herbs, lotions, and miscellaneous ingredients. Then he glanced at a sign on the counter written in a purple flowery script that said, “If you don’t see it, we will be happy to order it, just ask.” Tristian smiled at her and pointed to the sign. “Cute sign. Nice place you got here.”
“Thank you, we’re proud of it.” Angie knew he was doing his avoidance thing, so she cut to the chase. “If you’d called, I would have stayed here,” Angie said.
“I wanted to surprise you. Wouldn’t be a surprise if I called,” he said, then hesitated. “Hell Angie, I wasn’t sure you’d agree to see me.”
One of several large crystals hung strategically in the front window cast a rainbow over Tristian’s face. He frowned and moved out of the crystal’s trajectory.
Angie smiled remembering when they chased rainbows as children. “Of course I would. You’re my big brother.” Angie reached up and threw her arm around his shoulder. “So where are you taking me to dinner?”
He grinned down at her. “Anywhere you want.”
Once seated in the Italian restaurant, Tristian put his hand over his sister’s. “I want to apologize for the things I said before you left. I know you’re grown up and I have to let you go, but it’s not easy, with all the things that could happen to you.”
“I know. I’m sorry too for some of the things I said. But you have to trust me. There are a lot of things you should have told me for my own protection. Willow and I have had long talks about the things you wanted kept from me.”
Tristian’s mouth was set in a firm line, his dark eyes flashing.
“Now don’t get mad, I just want everything out in the open, and I mean everything, since all of it could affect me someday. Then we start with a clean slate and rebuild our relationship. Fair enough? I will always love you, but respect on both sides is important.” As she said this, she thought about Bruce and how that would affect anything they decided. She had to trust that it would all work out somehow.
“Sounds fair.”
“One more thing, my private life is just that, private. If I decide to share any of it with you, that’s my decision, not for you to snoop.”
“But how am I supposed to protect you?”
“I believe the spells you arranged on The Krystal Unicorn and my apartment will be of help in that area.”
The shock and confusion on Tristian’s face made Angie burst out laughing. “I am a witch with pretty good command of the powers I possess, no thanks to you.”
Sheepishness now replaced the confused look crossing his face. “It was supposed to be undetectable by any magic source. Apparently, something went wrong. I’ll have to work on that.”
Recovering from h
er fit of laughter that left tears streaming down her face, Angie suggested. “Maybe you should mind your own business. Honestly, I have friends that were aware of your desire to protect me. Thanks for caring, but could you just consult me next time?”
“Yes, I see that you are all grown up and I have to let you go. It’s not easy, you are all I have, but I’ll try. I love you, Angie, and don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I know and I won’t take unnecessary chances.”
Chapter Ten
It had been slow all day. The trickle of customers appeared to stop at midday. Everyone was preparing for the Cherry Blossom Festival gearing up for the weekend.
A brief glance at the salon, told Bruce there were two customers left and it looked like they were about finished. With one thing and another, he’d not had a chance to see or even phone Angie all week. Leaning back in his chair, rubbing his eyes with thumb and forefinger, he made a decision. The computer indicated no new e-mails, so he turned it off and reached up to turn the desk lamp off as well.
Bruce stood, shaking the wrinkles out of his slacks that formed from sitting so long and walked to the stairs, taking them two at a time he landed on both feet at the bottom. A grin spread across his face, one of the staff near him glanced over amused.
A quick scan of the salon found Owen at Tobi’s station. “Hey Owen,” he called as he crossed the floor. “Let’s close the salon and let everyone join the Cherry Blossom festivities.” His exuberance had everyone raising his or her eyebrows. Known for his quiet, controlled demeanor, this was anything but. “With pay of course.”
Owen grinned. “You heard the boss, clean up your stations, finish up your customers, and get out of here before he changes his mind.” Owen stepped to the OPEN sign, flipped the switch to CLOSED and locked the door, but stood there to let out the last customer.
Finally, Owen came back to Tobi’s station and put his arm around his wife. “Let’s go. We can finish up the close out paperwork tomorrow.”
Grinning Bruce called out, “Owen, you and Tobi take the weekend off. I’ll handle the salon. I don’t want to see or hear from you until Tuesday morning when you open. Got it?”
