“Except you’ve picked a babysitter who takes off for long walks in the afternoon to get away from me,” Dani fired back. “She goes off for hours, leaving me here alone. I can wander away whenever I want. Nobody can stop me. Nobody could stop me even if they were here.” There was defiance in her eyes as she met my gaze. “I do what I want, when I want. The fact that I’m still here means I’ve earned a little trust. I don’t see why you can’t just loosen the reins.”
She really couldn’t see why. She was too far gone to grasp the things that she’d done ... or the real-world ramifications associated with her deeds. “We know that Hazel has been struggling with the weight of her responsibilities,” I acknowledged. “That’s why we’re here tonight. She needs a break.”
“And you think the four of you can watch me?” Dani almost looked haughty. “Have you considered that maybe I’m better than all four of you combined?”
“You’re not.” A voice from the trees caused me to jolt.
Landon’s hand immediately swept in front of me as a protective measure. He relaxed — if only marginally — when he realized it was Aunt Tillie. “What are you doing here?”
Aunt Tillie ignored the question, her focus on Dani as she joined us. “I know you’re at an age when you think that you’re all-powerful and unable to be contained, but nobody has that power, Dani.” She was grave, reminding me of a few conversations she’d had with us when we were kids. “You’re not more powerful than my girls.” She gestured to Thistle and me. “You’re not smarter than them either. You might think you are, but that’s pretty far from the truth.”
“My aunt told me that I’m stronger than anyone,” Dani persisted. “I believe her. She said I could do anything I set my mind to.”
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should,” Aunt Tillie argued, plopping down in the open spot next to Landon and shooting him an expectant look. “Where’s my dinner?”
Landon scowled. “There’s not enough for you.”
“Oh, please.” Aunt Tillie rolled her eyes. “Winnie packed that picnic basket. That means there’s enough for twice this many people. You just don’t like sharing. It’s not as if I’m asking you to share your girlfriend. Chill out.”
Landon’s scowl deepened. “Why are you even here?”
That was a good question. The truth was, I was so happy to see her I didn’t care. The odds were now three-to-one when it came to magical beings. Dani would be contained overnight whether she liked it or not. That was the important thing.
“I thought I would share my joy and light with you guys this evening,” Aunt Tillie replied breezily. “You’re welcome.”
Thistle snorted. “In other words, our mothers got annoyed and told you to amuse yourself elsewhere.”
“That shows what you know, Mouth,” Aunt Tillie fired back. “They begged me not to go. That’s how popular I am up there.”
She was full of it. On all counts. She slipped out of the inn to offer us backup. She didn’t want people to know she had a heart, though. It was easier for her to spar with Thistle than admit to being worried about Dani.
“It doesn’t matter,” I interjected before they could launch into a full-scale war. “We’re all together. Let’s make the best of it.”
“Yes,” Aunt Tillie drawled, shooting me a withering look. “After dinner, we’ll host a sing-along and hold hands while gazing at the stars and sharing our hopes and dreams.”
I glared at her, which made Landon laugh.
“I’ll sing to you later,” he whispered, giving me a wink.
I turned back to my dinner, my stomach growling in anticipation. We were eating an hour later than normal.
“What is this?” Dani asked when we passed her a plate. Her nose wrinkled in such a manner that it was obvious she was about to say something snarky.
“Food,” Aunt Tillie shot back. “Eat it and shut up.”
Dani’s eyes darkened. “Maybe you should shut up,” she grumbled under her breath.
Either Aunt Tillie didn’t hear the snarky comment or she opted not to put on a magic display so early in the evening, because she didn’t say anything. Landon, however, seemed desperate to keep things pleasant.
“It’s the best pot roast in the world,” he said. “Seriously, the gravy is so good I want to take a bath in it.”
The image made me smile. “What about the bacon? I thought you wanted to take a bath in bacon grease.”
“Oh, gross!” Dani shifted on her seat. Even though she was being a typical teenager and running her mouth, she almost looked as if she was suddenly enjoying the conversation. “That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I bet I would glow after taking a bath in bacon grease,” Landon argued. “I would also smell divine.”
“Yes, every man in town would be questioning their sexuality if you did that,” Thistle agreed, making me laugh.
Landon bumped me with his shoulder, encouraging the reaction. “You’d like it if I smelled like bacon twenty-four-seven, wouldn’t you?”
“I would prefer you smelled like cookies,” I admitted.
He made a face. “No. That’s a chick scent. I’m a manly man.”
“How can chocolate chip cookies be a female scent?” I argued.
“Because women bake cookies,” Dani answered. “He’s sexist. Get him, Miss Tillie!” There was no doubt this time. She was definitely enjoying herself.
“It’s not sexist,” Landon argued. “I just think bacon is a more manly scent.”
“And yet you rub yourself all over Bay whenever Aunt Tillie curses her to smell like bacon,” Thistle noted. “You think bacon smells manly, so that must mean Bay reminds you of a man.”
Landon glared. “Don’t you start.”
“It’s a fair point,” Aunt Tillie argued, mischief flitting across her face. “Maybe we should test a few things. For example, next time you tick me off — which will certainly happen before bed this evening — I can curse you to smell like cookies. I’m all for experimentation.”
Landon shook his head. “Whatever. You act like that would be punishment, but if Bay is rubbing herself all over me it’s a win for us all.”
“And what happens when you go to work tomorrow and everyone notices you smell like cookies?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’ll say I used some of that body spray you have that makes you smell like cookies.”
“Cake,” I corrected.
“It’s the same thing.”
“Not even remotely.”
“Whatever. The point is, if you want me to smell like cookies, I’m fine with it.”
“Actually, doughnuts might be better,” I mused, mostly to myself.
“Doughnuts, cookies. I’m fine with either.” Landon was blasé as he forked up his pot roast.
“I think you’re just saying that so Bay will be willing to walk around smelling like bacon three days a week,” Thistle countered.
“No, I’m not.” Landon was firm. “I’m fine smelling like cookies without any payback.”
Aunt Tillie’s lips curved into an evil sneer. “Challenge accepted.”
Eleven
Dani’s attitude waxed and waned throughout the evening. She seemed to bristle under authority — any authority — but there were times she forgot her teenage angst crap and engaged. Those were the moments I clung to, because I was desperate for her to embrace that part of her personality. The glimpses were rare, though, leaving me agitated.
“Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you?”
Landon found me by the lake shortly before dark. He and Marcus had built a roaring bonfire, something they claimed was a “man’s job.” It took them three times as long as it would’ve taken Thistle and me. We left them to their shenanigans, though, because they seemed to be having such a great time.
I studied his face for a long moment and then shrugged. “Why does something have to be bothering me? Maybe I’m just thinking.”
“You’re definite
ly thinking,” he agreed, lowering himself to the ground next to me, resting his back against the same fallen tree and plucking my hand from my lap so he could study it. “You know I love you, right?”
The question seemed to come out of nowhere. “I’m well aware. You whisper sweet nothings into my ear about bacon every night. You also put up with Aunt Tillie daily. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
He smirked. “The bacon is a game ... it really is the epitome of goodness and light in our world.”
“It is,” I agreed automatically.
“Aunt Tillie is an extension of you. I love her, too, even if she is ... difficult ... at times.”
“That’s a nice way of putting it.”
His smiled. “What I feel for you is completely beyond anything I ever thought possible.” His voice was low but clear. “Before you, I wasn’t sure I would ever find ... this.” He moved his finger between the two of us. “I wasn’t sure it was really possible. I figured it was some construct of romance movies and something I was programmed to believe was true but wasn’t attainable.”
I had no idea where he was going with this conversation, but I was intrigued. He wasn’t shy about professing his feelings. This felt somehow different. It was almost as if he was building to something — and I had a sneaking (and sinking) suspicion I knew exactly what that something was.
“I think I knew from the first moment I saw you that we were supposed to end up here.”
“Sitting next to a log, staring at a lake, and wondering if the teenager in our midst is going to try to murder us in our sleep?” I decided to get to the heart of matters. There was no reason to meander.
“Here as in here.” He linked our fingers and lifted them. “When I’m with you I feel whole.”
The naked emotion on his face caused my heart to stutter. “I love you too.”
He grinned. “I know. Just wait until Aunt Tillie makes me smell like cookies. You will love me even more then.”
His excitement over that possibility made me laugh. “It’s not nearly as much fun as you imagine. I mean ... what are you going to do when all the women in town start following you around like lost puppies?”
He arched a mischievous eyebrow. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”
“Oh, so you want other women to chase you?”
“It’s always nice to be wanted.” He poked my side, letting me know he was kidding. “Of course, I would explain to them in no uncertain terms that I’m a one-witch guy. Leaving a trail of crushed and broken women in my wake isn’t the ideal situation, but I’m willing to take one for the team if it keeps you happy.”
I shook my head. He was in an odd mood. I couldn’t quite identify the emotions fueling it, but I wasn’t complaining. If he was feeling playful, that might bode well for the rest of the night. “Do you know where Dani went?” I asked, craning my neck for a better look at the campsite.
“She’s following Aunt Tillie around,” Landon replied, his smile slipping. “Apparently Aunt Tillie is strengthening the wards on the cabin and Dani is complaining about it. She says the wards make her feel weak.”
“They should. We’ve warded that thing to the freaking studs. She can’t do anything evil in the cabin.”
“That doesn’t stop her from doing something evil outside of it,” he pointed out.
“I know.” I averted my gaze and went back to staring at the lake. “Aunt Tillie plans to ward as much of the property as possible after Dani goes to bed, but that’s not as easy as warding a cabin.”
He squeezed my hand insistently, until I turned my eyes to him. “I want you to know that I admire what you’re doing here.” He hesitated before continuing, as if he was trying to pluck up the courage to say something difficult. “I think we need to start coming up with contingency plans, though.”
My stomach constricted. “Landon ... .”
“Hold up.” He lifted his free hand to quiet me. “I am not trying to dictate to you. I know it’s difficult for you to believe, but it’s true. I don’t want to tell you what to do in this situation. I’ll be the first to readily admit that I’m out of my depth here. I don’t know what to do with an out-of-control teenage witch.
“That doesn’t mean my opinion should immediately be discarded,” he continued, earnest. “You’re the single most important thing in the world to me, Bay, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. If I lose you ... .” He trailed off and exhaled heavily, as if evening out his emotions.
“You won’t lose me,” I reassured him. “I was just thinking about that.”
“About dying on me?” His eyes flashed.
“About contingency plans for Dani. Did you watch her tonight? There were times she still found great joy in being with us. She has attitude and seems to really enjoy irritating Aunt Tillie, but that’s a teenage thing. It’s not an evil witch thing.”
“Baby ... .” Landon looked frustrated.
“What are we going to do with her if this fails?” I asked, genuinely conflicted.
“We’ll send her to a hospital or something. We’ll get her professional help.”
“And what happens if she uses her magic on the people in the hospital?” I was deadly serious. “She could torture those people and nobody would be the wiser. She might get joy in it.”
“And that’s exactly why I don’t want you hanging around with her,” Landon argued. “I don’t want her getting joy in hurting you.”
“She won’t.”
“You don’t know that. Of everyone here, she has the most attitude with you. I know you might not see it, but it’s true. When she looks at you she sees an enemy. You took her aunt out. You stopped what they thought was a foolproof plan. You’re the one she wants to topple, and it would kill me if something happened to you. I’m not joking about that.”
“You love me more than bacon, huh?” I was going for levity because his demeanor made me nervous.
“I love you more than anything.” He held my hand tighter. “She’s not your responsibility, Bay. It’s okay to let her go.”
“You’re talking about making her someone else’s responsibility.”
“I am.”
“And when she kills someone else, how am I supposed to live with that?”
“I ... don’t know.” Frustration bubbled up as he dragged his hand through his hair. “I can’t see beyond keeping you safe. If that makes me selfish, well, I’m not sorry. You’re essential to me. I won’t be able to breathe without you. I just ... don’t want you around her.”
“I get it.” I did. “The day we decided to take her on after what happened with Diane, she became my responsibility. I don’t know what the answer is, but we can’t put innocent people at risk. We have to figure out a way to reach her on an emotional level.”
“And if she turns on you?” Landon held my gaze. “If she tries to hurt you with her magic, will you be able to protect yourself without feeling guilty? Will you be able to take her out?”
It was a fair question. “I’ll do what I have to do.” I meant it, but my stomach hurt at the prospect. “I’ll protect the people I love by any means necessary. I just don’t want to give up on her yet.
“I remember what it was like being her age,” I continued. “I once read a study that said you can’t run personality tests on teenagers because the vast majority of them could be diagnosed as sociopaths. She’s at a weird age. I’m sure you would’ve hated me at that age too.”
“No. I always loved you.”
I snickered. “You didn’t love me as a teenager.”
“I did. Something inside of me knew you were out there and I loved you. You’ll never be able to convince me otherwise. This was destined.”
He was being so sweet all I could do was nod and sigh. “I’ll be careful, Landon. I promise. I’m just not ready to wash my hands of her.”
“Fine.” He was resigned. “You need to do what you think is right. But you need to start planning for what happens if this fails. We ne
ed a backup plan in place if things go south, because it’s far more likely they will than you’ll get the happy ending you want.”
I swallowed hard at his words. “There are different kinds of happy endings.”
“There are,” he agreed. “You and I will get our happy ending regardless. But Dani ... sometimes people are truly lost causes, Bay. You need to prepare yourself for that possibility.”
“I’m not ready yet.”
“That’s what terrifies me most. You have to watch your back whenever she’s around. She’s like a snake. She’ll wait until your guard is down to attack. Don’t let her beat you.”
“I won’t.”
He lifted our joined hands, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. “I love you, Bay. Don’t you ever leave me. I couldn’t take it.”
“Right back at you.”
He smirked. “We’re quite the pair, huh?”
“Quite the schmaltzy pair.”
“Yeah. Do you want a s’more?”
That put a smile on my face. “You know the way to my heart.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
“DO YOU THINK LANDON IS ACTING WEIRD?”
Two hours later, my stomach mildly upset from too much chocolate and marshmallows, Thistle and I toiled in the woods surrounding the camp. We were setting ward traps — spells that picked up on intent and doled out retribution accordingly — while Landon and Marcus kept an eye on Dani. With no women present to agitate her, Dani was a bundle of flirty (and sweet) energy with the men. It was an interesting development.
“You need to be more specific,” Thistle replied, her fingers busy as she laid down invisible lines of magic. “I’ve always thought he was weird.”
“I just mean that ... he seems different.” I looked to the bonfire, to where Landon and Marcus were sharing a story and Dani was laughing hysterically, as if she were watching a Saturday Night Live skit play out in real time.
Thistle followed my gaze. “He seems pretty normal to me. He’s sitting over there holding court while we’re out here doing the work.”
I made a face. “How do you suggest he lay down wards? Should he use the witchy powers he’s been hiding since we met?”
To Love a Witch Page 11
