Sue leaned to look around Jameson’s legs, but she couldn’t see Julia.
“She said she’s glad you got her text?” Heather glanced back, not understanding.
“Who are you talking to?” Jameson asked.
Heather scrunched up her face and turned back to the seats. “I will not ask him to do that!”
“What?” Jameson turned to look at Sue.
“It’s fine. She’s talking to her grandma.” Sue reached her wrist to him so he could help pull her up without touching her injured hands.
“Is Hank gone?” Heather asked the auditorium. “Grandma, is Hank’s ghost—fine!”
Heather turned to Jameson.
“What?” he asked.
“Could you…” She frowned, sighing. “I’m so sorry. Could you like twirl around so my dead grandma can get a look at you? It’s the only way she’ll answer me if Hank is gone for good.”
“Uh…” Jameson looked at Sue, who gave him an apologetic smile. He lifted his arms to the side and slowly turned around. When his butt was toward the chairs, the clapping sounded anew. He quickly finished his turn and stepped closer to Sue. She leaned into him.
“Is Hank gone?” Heather asked before letting loose a long breath. “Yes. He’s gone. You did it, Sue. You beat him.”
Sue glanced at her bloody hands and muttered, “Pun intended?”
Heather gave a wry smile and turned back to her grandma. “I will not ask him to take off his shirt.”
“Am I being,” Jameson hesitated, “ogled by a ghost?”
“Get used to it,” Vivien chuckled. “If you’re going to be hanging around Sue, we’re all part of the package.”
“No, we will not start screening more of those sexy movies,” Heather denied in exasperation.
Sue touched his face gently with her sore hand. “I’ll understand if this is too much for you. I know we haven’t known each other very long, and this is a lot of baggage.”
Jameson glanced to where Hank had gone up in flames. “From what I see, you just set fire to most of it. I think maybe I’d like to help you carry the rest.”
“That’s either very sweet or very corny,” Vivien said, patting Jameson on the shoulder.
“Sweet,” Sue answered.
“A little corny,” Jameson admitted.
“Thank you for saving my life,” Sue said.
“Thank you for saving mine,” he answered.
“Julia says it’s over. Sue, you faced your inner demon and beat the living hell out of it. She wants me to tell you how proud she is of you and how you’re worthy of wearing the ring. She also approves of you being with Jameson. I’m paraphrasing. Her version included references to nudity.” Heather glanced around. “Anyone have questions before she goes?”
“Actually, I do have a question,” Sue stated, moving to stand by Heather at the edge of the stage. Every inch of her ached. “What the hell is a Chicago overcoat?”
Lorna and Vivien laughed.
“I have absolutely no idea,” Heather answered, shaking her head. “Julia has disappeared.”
“Look at this place,” Vivien said. “It’s trashed.”
“I got this.” Sue lifted an injured hand and willed the theater to write itself. She felt the ring pulse to amplify her magic.
The floors creaked and moaned. Suddenly, chairs began flying back into place. Bolts followed them, screwing themselves into the floor. She gestured again, and the lights lifted to the ceiling. She felt the energy draining out of her as each magical act took from her strength, but it was too late to stop it.
Sue swayed on her feet, falling to the side. Jameson caught her, and the world went black.
Chapter Fifteen
Sue opened her eyes to see Jameson’s face leaning over her. She was on the bed in the apartment. Warmth flooded her side, and she glanced over to see Lorna sitting beside them. Before she could register what was happening, the pain in her cheek lessened and Jameson’s face bruised in her place.
“No.” Sue pulled her arm away from Lorna.
“Too late,” Lorna answered, standing gingerly as she held her stomach.
Vivien and Heather stood at the foot of the bed, each with one bruised hand. Sue lifted her hands to find them sore but partially healed.
When Sue would protest them taking her pain as their own, Vivien said, “It’s what friends do. You’d do the same for us.”
A tear slipped over Sue’s tired cheek. She nodded. “So everything is good?”
“Your magic repaired the theater better than it was before,” Heather said. “All the spotlights work now so that’s something.”
Sue smiled and nodded. “I’m glad.”
“I left you some candy. Eat it. You’ll feel better.” Vivien stiffly turned. “I’m going home where Troy can take care of me.”
Heather smiled at Sue and said, “You’re free. There is nothing more to fear.”
“Thank you,” Sue mouthed, touched by their selfless generosity.
Heather limped as she followed Vivien. “Wait up, Viv.”
“They’re my ride,” Lorna stated. “Are you going to be all right if we leave?”
“I’ll stay with her,” Jameson said before Sue could answer. “I won’t leave her side.”
“Call me if either of you needs me,” Lorna ordered.
Sue and Jameson both nodded. Lorna ambled after Vivien and Heather, who could be heard slowly stepping down the stairs.
Jameson crawled over her and fell next to her on the bed. The mattress bounced, and they both groaned. He shifted his body and pulled a box of theater candy out from under him.
“Eat this,” he said, not lifting his head as he pushed it toward her.
“Maybe later.” Sue slipped her hand on top of his to hold it.
They laid in silence for a long time. Suddenly, Jameson gave a pained laugh.
“What?” Sue turned her head toward him.
He laid on his back, looking over at her. “This is the strangest first date I’ve ever been on. The bar had been set pretty high. I was just wondering how was going to top it on our next date.”
“Apocalypse?” Sue suggested.
“Zombie horde?” he countered.
“Take down an international spy syndicate?”
“Alien invasion?”
“Striptease for grandma ghost?”
He smirked and shook his head in denial. “How about free coffee and a discount on the bookstore lease in exchange for your help cleaning the coffee shop?”
“Lease agreements are hot. So hot,” Sue joked. She chuckled and instantly regretted it as the motion jarred her ribs. “It’s a date.”
Jameson slid his hand out from under hers and placed it on top. He lifted his head and moaned.
“What?” she asked.
“The light switch is really far away,” he answered.
Sue closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion take her. “Leave it.”
“Okay,” he mumbled. His hand lightly patted hers. “Know in my mind I’m kissing you goodnight.”
“And I’m kissing you back.” Sue felt happiness flooding her. This was the life she wanted. Even with the pain, she wouldn’t trade this moment for anything.
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
St. Louis, Missouri
Sue stood on the lawn and stared at the home she had shared with Hank. She couldn’t help the sick feeling that filled her when she tried to go inside. In many ways, it was like excavating a puss-filled wound. Doing it sucked, but afterward, it felt great.
“Eww,” Vivien appeared next to her. “I just had the weirdest visual, like I was about to pop a giant zit.”
Sue suppressed a laugh. “Yeah, that is weird.”
A car pulled up in front of the house.
“This must be the realtor. Let me get a read off her before you say yes to the contract. I’ll walk with her around the property to give you a moment to collect yourself inside and do a quick…” Vivien made a whirling nois
e and swirled her hands around to indicate Sue’s cleaning abilities.
Sue nodded. “Make sure she knows I’m motivated to sell. I want this book closed and tossed in the trash heap. I also don’t want to come back for the closing.”
“Gotcha.” Vivien went to greet the woman.
“You don’t have to go in if you don’t want.” Jameson came from the car carrying the purse she’d forgotten in the back seat. “Tell me what you want me to get. I’ll take care of it.”
Vivien and Jameson had insisted on coming with her, and she had never been more appreciative to have company. They’d made a road trip out of it, and their support had made the idea of coming back here bearable. Heather and Lorna had wanted to make the trip as well, but someone had to watch the theater, and Martin needed Heather’s help with January.
“I’ll be all right.” Sue slipped her arm around his waist. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“There is no way I’d let you face this alone.” Jameson held her hand as they went to the front door.
Sue dug in her purse for her house keys to unlock the home. Inside, the air was stale, like time had stopped and waited for her to return. She had thought about what items she would want to keep. There weren’t many.
The home was as she left it, the living room messed up from the supernatural scare. Sue waved her hand, forcing the room to clean itself. The cord hanging from the television plugged itself into the wall. She couldn’t help watching it to see if it would try to send her messages. It remained off.
“Do you want me to start building moving boxes?” he asked. They were currently lying flat in his trunk. He’d insisted on bringing some just in case she needed them.
Sue didn’t answer him as she went to the kitchen. Dust had settled on the surfaces. She was a little surprised that Kathy had not been coming to the house to clean. When Hank was alive, she’d been a constant source of housekeeping criticisms. She also hadn’t called again. Apparently, Vivien’s threats had worked and Sue was now free of the woman.
Sue lifted her hand, magically cleaning the kitchen. The dishwasher opened, and a load of dishes she’d left inside flew to their respective cabinets and drawers. Dust swirled and went into the trashcan. Items inside the drawers rattled as they straightened.
When everything settled, she went to a cabinet and pulled out a vase. She handed it to Jameson to carry. “This was my mother’s. I don’t want anything else in here.”
Sue then pulled out trash bags and set them on the counter. She threw away a half-drunken bottle of wine that had been sitting out.
Jameson set the vase down and helped her clear out the fridge. When it was empty, she waved her hand and cleaned it as well. She made her way through the house quickly, cleaning each room, throwing away what needed to go, and leaving everything else behind. The last room was the bedroom.
“Can you get the duffle bag for my clothes, please?”
Jameson instantly went to do as she asked.
Sue stood alone in the bedroom and waved her hand to clean it. The bed made itself, and dust flew into the trash bag she held open.
Hank’s smiling face stared at her from a photograph of them together. Sue didn’t even feel the need to tell him to fuck off anymore. This part of her life was almost entirely over. She picked up the frame and dropped it in the trash bag. She did the same with the wedding album in the closet, not bothering to look inside, and then tied the bag shut.
Sue put the jewelry, including the now-famous cuff links, and cash in her purse. She’d sell the jewelry, including her wedding ring, and invest it back into the bookstore. Sue felt it was only right her past life paid for her new one.
Melba had been teaching her the ropes over the last few months since she’d officially bought the store, and Sue was eager to expand. She and Jameson discussed opening a wall between their businesses so that customers could flow both ways. The stage would be perfect for musicians, visiting authors, and spoken word poets.
Vivien appeared in the doorway, drawing Sue from her rambling thoughts. “Good news. We’re all set. You can trust this one. I’ve arranged for her to sell whatever the new owners want to keep with the property. I told her she could keep her commission rate for any large items she sells on our behalf. Food, clothes, anything else you leave behind will be donated to charity. She’ll have any evaluations and donation receipts mailed to us. You’ll want those for your taxes.”
“Sounds perfect, thank you.”
“What else?” Vivien looked around the room. “Oh, you’ll sign a few contracts today so she can start the house listing, but everything after that will be done with electronic signatures. At most, we’ll have to get a notary signature and mail something back. I know you’re motivated to sell, and I told her that, but I also said not to bother you with lowball cheap offers. Her company has a service, and they’ll take care of the lawn mowing. Once we leave, there is very little you will have to do.”
Sue breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you for taking care of that. It’s a great relief.”
“Of course.”
Sue grabbed a portable fire safe that contained all her important papers—social security cards, bank info, and copies of Hank’s death certificate. She then opened a few drawers and began piling clothes on the floor. “This will be the last of it. Oh, and the guns in the safe. I suppose I can’t leave Hank’s weapons here. I’d throw them away, but that’s probably not good either. I don’t want to keep anything of his.”
“We’ll take them to a gun store and sell them before we leave town,” Vivien said. “That way you’ll have a receipt that proves you properly disposed of them.”
Jameson returned with a duffle bag and grabbed the trash bag. “I’m going to take all the garbage out and put new liners in the bins before we go.”
“Thank you.” Sue could tell he was trying to help her get through the house as quickly as possible.
Vivien kneeled and started shoving the clothes into the bag. “Just these?”
“Yep.” Sue went to the closet and dropped some shirts on the pile, hangers and all.
She then went to open the gun safe in the closet. She put the weapons and ammo into one of Hank’s suitcases, along with his paperwork. Then, writing the combination on a sticky note, she affixed it to the door.
“Clothes are done. Jameson is putting them in the car.” Vivien touched Sue’s shoulder. “What is it?”
“I was thinking that I’m lucky Hank decided to use a hammer and not any of his knives or guns.” She gestured to his bag. “He had enough of this crap.”
“Let’s go sell them, and you can use the profits to buy an entire section of self-help books for empowering women,” Vivien suggested. “Or romance novels with alpha women. Whichever he’d hate more.”
Sue chuckled.
“I love you, Viv. I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for you, Lorna, and Heather.” Sue rolled her eyes. “And Julia, of course.”
“Anything else?” Jameson asked, joining them. His focused expression said he was determined to get this over with for her. “The realtor is waiting for you in the kitchen to sign some papers.”
Sue smiled at him.
“What?” he asked.
“I love you,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
At that, his expression softened. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. “I love you, too. And where else would I be but here with you?”
“That’s sweet,” Vivien interrupted. “Jameson, be a doll and put this bag in the back seat. And be extra careful with it.”
He furrowed his brow as he looked at the suitcase.
“I’ll go look over the papers for you,” Vivien said as an excuse to leave. “I’ll have her meet you outside so I can smudge the negative energy out of here before it gets new owners.”
“Viv is kind of bossy,” Jameson noted.
“She wants to make this as fast as possible for me. Plus, she knows her business with this real estate stuff.
I’m lucky to have her.” Sue stayed in his arms. “I’m lucky to have you too.”
“So dare I ask, what’s in the bag?”
“Self-help books and romance novels with strong female leads,” Sue answered. “Or they will be. In my purse is a new archway in the wall between our stores. And right now, I’m going to go sign some papers that will give me the rest of what I need for remodeling.”
Jameson picked up the suitcase, and they walked out of the house together.
The End
The Magical Fun Continues!
Order of Magic Book 5
The Sixth Spell
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About Michelle M. Pillow
New York Times & USA TODAY
Bestselling Author
Michelle loves to travel and try new things, whether it's a paranormal investigation of an old Vaudeville Theatre or climbing Mayan temples in Belize. She believes life is an adventure fueled by copious amounts of coffee.
Newly relocated to the American South, Michelle is involved in various film and documentary projects with her talented director husband. She is mom to a fantastic artist. And she's managed by a dog and cat who make sure she's meeting her deadlines.
For the most part she can be found wearing pajama pants and working in her office. There may or may not be dancing. It’s all part of the creative process.
The Fifth Sense: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Romance Novel (Order of Magic Book 4) Page 16
