4 Witching On A Star

by Amanda M. Lee

  “What are you doing? I thought you weren’t coming back until five,” I laughed. “Did you miss me that much?”

  “It’s a quarter after,” Landon tapped his wristwatch for emphasis. “I figured you would be climbing the walls because I was late. I’m actually surprised to find you here and not wandering around getting into mischief with Thistle and Clove.”

  I decided not to rise to the bait. “We do not wander around getting into mischief,” I explained to him. “It sort of follows us.”

  “Like a lost puppy?”

  “Pretty much. Just not as cuddly.”

  Landon held out his hand expectantly. “Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going,” I smirked, clicking my laptop shut and standing excitedly. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning for some reason.

  “I told you, it’s a surprise,” Landon smiled.

  I reached my hand out, lacing my fingers with his, and let him lead me back out of the building. Landon pulled up short once we were on the other side of the front door to the paper. “You need to lock up?”

  “Yeah, give me a second.”

  Landon watched as I selected the right key from the ring in my pocket and then I heard him growl as I turned around. “What’s wrong?”

  “What is with this guy?”

  I glanced around Landon’s shoulder and frowned as Sam made his way up the walkway and towards The Whistler. “Oh, you’re leaving?”

  “We are,” I nodded.

  “I was hoping that someone was still here,” Sam said hurriedly. “I guess I lucked out.”

  “For what?” Landon asked.

  Sam directed his answer to me instead of Landon. “I was hoping to be able to work for another hour or so inside the building. If you let me in, I’ll make sure everything is locked up when I leave.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said honestly.

  “Excuse me?” Sam looked surprised at my answer.

  “You don’t work here,” I reminded him. “You’re a paid consultant. I don’t think that means you get free run of the building and everything inside when no one else is here.”

  “Brian said I was to have free rein over the building,” Sam reminded me.

  “Then maybe you should call Brian to let you in,” Landon suggested.

  “I don’t think this involves you,” Sam said stiffly.

  “Well, Bay said no,” Landon said. “Therefore, why don’t you go after the man who invited you here. I agree with Bay. You’re not an employee. If Brian wanted you to be able to come and go whenever you want, he would have given you a key.”

  “It must be great to be you,” Sam said coldly. “To be perfect and so above the rest of us.”

  Landon wrinkled his nose and I felt his body tense beside me. I put my hand on his arm to placate him. “Let’s go.”

  Landon fixed his eyes on me and smiled tightly. “Right, let’s go. I believe I have a surprise to make good on.”

  “So, that’s a no on letting me into the building?” Sam asked.

  “It’s a no,” I called back, not bothering to turn around and meet his gaze head on. I could feel the anger radiating off of Sam from ten feet away. I didn’t have to look at him to see the abject hatred roiling off of him.

  “SO, YOUR SURPRISE is to bring me out to the Dandridge?”

  As far as surprises go, I was a little let down. Landon and I were parked on the dirt road on the other side of the structure, and he was watching me curiously. There was a hint of mischief on his face, but he was trying to hide it – so I pretended I didn’t notice.

  “You just spent the entire afternoon researching the history of the Dandridge,” Landon reminded me.

  “So you thought you would reward me with a trip to the Dandridge?”

  “Yup,” Landon said, opening the door of his SUV and sliding out.

  I sighed as I did the same. I moved to the front of the vehicle, expecting Landon to join me, but he was busy rummaging through the hatchback of the vehicle. “What are you doing?”

  “Just looking for something,” Landon said.

  I couldn’t see him from my position, but he was clearly searching for something important. I decided to go find out for myself when I saw the hatchback lower and snap shut. I watched Landon move around the far side of the vehicle suspiciously.

  “I’m starting to lose my patience,” I admitted.

  “With what?” Landon winked, only infuriating me further.

  “This isn’t much of a surprise,” I said carefully.

  “Well, I’ll have to try better next time,” Landon replied casually, moving up next to me and finally letting me see what he had in his hand. It was a big picnic basket and a blanket.

  “What’s that?”

  “What’s what?” Landon asked innocently.

  “What’s in the picnic basket?” I tried again.

  “What’s usually in a picnic basket?”

  “Food.”

  “Well, I guess there’s food in here, then.”

  “You cooked?” I was a little worried. Landon made fun of my cooking skills and yet his were even more disturbing.

  “Maybe I did,” Landon teased.

  “What did you cook?” I asked worriedly.

  “Fried chicken, potato salad and cake,” Landon announced proudly.

  “You cooked fried chicken?”

  Landon pursed his lips. “Okay, maybe Twila cooked it.”

  “You went to Twila for food?” I was impressed.

  “She seemed like a better option than your mom,” Landon replied dryly. “You said you wanted some time alone and I figured asking your mom for help was cheating.”

  “And asking Twila wasn’t?”

  “It was less of a cheat.”

  “You know, the minute you left with that picnic basket, Twila went and told my mom,” I said.

  “I figured,” Landon said. “I should get points for good intentions, though.”

  “You do,” I said, linking my arm through his and letting him lead me to the lawn in front of the Dandridge. “You get special consideration because Twila makes the best potato salad I’ve ever had. Well, her and Marnie.”

  “That’s what she said,” Landon laughed. “Except she said hers was better than Marnie’s.”

  I helped him spread the blanket out and, when we were settled, I peered into the picnic basket excitedly. “Oh, man, you really did get Twila’s fried chicken.”

  “Did you think I was lying to you?”

  “No,” I shook my head. “I just love her fried chicken.”

  “Well, from my perspective, everything they make is pretty darn good,” Landon admitted. “I’ve gained ten pounds since I started dating you.”

  “You have not,” I replied. “You forget, I’ve seen you naked.”

  “Oh, I haven’t forgot,” Landon laughed, grabbing a chicken leg and taking a bite out of it enthusiastically.

  “So you just wanted me to tell you that you look good naked?” I asked, taking my own piece of chicken and digging in. “That’s a little pathetic. Fishing for a compliment.”

  “What can I say,” Landon said. “Sometimes, a guy just wants to hear that he’s not fat.”

  I giggled. There was something endearing about a flirting man who goes out of his way to give a girl a picnic. He knew exactly what I had needed – before I even did. It didn’t hurt that he was incredibly hot – and when he was being sweet, he was smoking. Shallow? Yes. It was also true.

  “Well, you look better naked than any other guy I’ve ever seen,” I said, immediately regretting the words as soon as they left my mouth. “I mean, oh crap, that was a stupid thing to say.”

  Landon waved it off, smiling despite himself. “I find it charming. It’s just so . . . you.”

  “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

  “You should,” Landon smirked, taking a bite of the potato salad. “You were right, this is the best potato salad ever.”

  “I told you.�
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  “I thought my mom’s potato salad was good,” Landon said. “This is amazing, though.”

  “Your mom cooks?”

  “She cooks,” Landon said. “She’s a pretty good cook. She doesn’t cook like your family does, though. I don’t think anyone cooks like your family does.”

  “Yes, well, when they want to do something, they’re all incredibly driven,” I agreed.

  “I think that goes for you, Clove and Thistle, too.”

  “How do you figure?” I laughed. “I work at a weekly that has three stories a week – and two of those are advertorials.”

  “That’s what you do,” Landon countered. “That’s not who you are.”

  “And who am I?”

  “Someone who cares,” Landon replied simply. “That’s your gift, Bay. You care. Sometimes you care too much. You’re loyal, stubborn and you care. Sometimes, that’s a mix that drives me crazy – but it’s also what makes me crazy for you.”

  I felt my cheeks color under the compliment. “I don’t know what to say,” I said finally.

  “You don’t have to say anything,” Landon said. “That’s your biggest drawback. You don’t know when to just shut up.”

  “Are you telling me to . . .”

  I didn’t get to finish the sentence. Landon leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine quickly. “Shut up, Bay.”

  I sank into the kiss, moving closer to Landon and letting his body heat warm me with the golden glow only I could see when were together. Sometimes, only sometimes, our auras joined. Since auras weren’t a strength of mine, I only saw them when I lost control and, since I was from a family that tried to exert control on everyone, that didn’t happen very often.

  “That is gross.”

  I jumped when I heard the voice, pulling away from Landon in surprise.

  “What?” Landon looked around in alarm. He couldn’t see the guest that had just popped into view.

  “It’s Erika,” I said quietly, running a hand through my mussed hair and turning my attention to her. “What are you doing here?”

  “Is that your boyfriend?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes what?” Landon asked curiously.

  “She asked if you were my boyfriend.”

  “Oh.”

  “He’s handsome,” Erika looked Landon up and down. “He should cut his hair, though.”

  “Have you been talking to my Aunt Tillie?”

  “No, but after spending time with Clove and Thistle, I want to.”

  “Why?”

  “She sounds fun.”

  “Then Clove and Thistle have been telling you vicious lies.”

  “They said you’d say that.”

  “I bet.”

  I glanced at Landon out of the corner of my eye. If anything was going to ruin the mood, watching me converse with empty air had to be at the top of the list. He seemed mildly interested in the half of the conversation he could hear, though, and he wasn’t making a move to leave. I took that as a good sign.

  “So, what are you doing here?” Erika asked curiously.

  “Having a picnic.”

  “People used to come out here from time to time and do that,” Erika mused. “They could never see me. I tried talking to them. It made me sad.”

  “I’m sorry that happened,” I replied honestly. “I can see you, though. So why are you back out here?”

  “I was looking for you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Clove and Thistle told me to go find the boat again.”

  “Did you find it?”

  “What?” Landon asked.

  “She went looking for the boat again.”

  “Did she find it?”

  “Why can’t he hear me?” Erika asked.

  “He’s not like Clove, Thistle and I,” I replied.

  “He’s not magical?”

  “He’s got his own kind of magic,” I said purposefully. “It’s just not the type of magic that can be used to see you.”

  Landon smiled at my explanation, even though he hadn’t heard Erika’s question.

  “What kind of magic does he have?”

  “He has the kind of magic that helps people,” I replied simply. “And he makes people feel better.”

  “Like the children on the boat?”

  “Like the children on the boat,” I agreed.

  “Good,” Erika said. “Because you’re running out of time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The boat is going to be gone soon. Two days.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “I listened to the people upstairs on the boat. That’s what they said. They said they had to be gone in two days.”

  “What is she saying?”

  “She says we’re running out of time,” I said grimly. “We have two days.”

  “Two days? Well, crap,” Landon climbed up and started packing up the picnic.

  “What are you doing?”

  “We have to get moving on this,” Landon said.

  “You believe me?”

  “Are you lying?” Landon asked, but he didn’t stop packing the picnic back up to wait for my response.

  “No,” I said. “You’re taking a lot on faith, though.”

  “That’s what a relationship is, Bay,” Landon said. “I believe in you. So, let’s help these kids.”

  “You’re right,” Erika giggled. “He does have a different kind of magic.”

  Thirty-Two

  After packing up our picnic, we returned to the guesthouse – but found it empty. I realized that Thistle and Clove were probably up at the inn having dinner.

  “You want to tell them, don’t you?” Landon asked.

  “It can wait until morning,” I said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “We’re not joined at the hip,” I pointed out.

  “Really? I wasn’t sure,” Landon teased, although the mirth in his voice didn’t encapsulate his entire face.

  “You’re worried,” I observed.

  “Worried? I don’t know if that’s the right word,” Landon said. “I think concerned would be more like it.”

  “So, what do we do?”

  “I called Chief Terry on our way back here and he said he would get out some extra patrols as soon as possible,” Landon said. “Until tomorrow morning, though, we’re stuck.”

  “What happens tomorrow morning?”

  “Tomorrow morning I drive over to Traverse City and find a way to get my boss to put the full weight of the FBI behind this.”

  I felt my heart rate ratchet up a notch. “Do you think you can do that?”

  Landon shrugged noncommittally. “I have no idea. What I do know is that I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try.”

  “What will you tell him?”

  Landon shook his head. “I don’t know yet. I guess I’ll figure that out on the drive over there tomorrow morning.”

  “Can’t you just call him?”

  “I think I’ll be more convincing in person,” Landon replied honestly.

  I bit my lower lip. “Will you stay over there tomorrow night?” I was reluctant to admit that I wanted him close to me. I felt a little pathetic even thinking it.

  Landon smirked. “Missing me already?”

  “No,” I shot back. “I don’t care if you stay over there.”

  “Well, that’s good,” Landon replied dryly. “But I care. I’ll be back tomorrow night, one way or another.”

  “How can you be sure?” I asked curiously.

  “Because, either way, the boat is over here. If we’re really working on a timetable, then I have to be over here where I can do some actual good.”

  “So you’ll be back tomorrow night?”

  “I’ll be back tomorrow night,” Landon agreed. “And while I’m gone, I expect you and your cousins to stay out of trouble.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I protested.

  “You know what it means,” L
andon cast me a dark look.

  “No, I don’t,” I pushed out my bottom lip obstinately.

  “That means I don’t want the three of you concocting some crazy plan about how you’re going to solve this without the help of law enforcement.”

  “We would never do that,” I protested.

  “You’ve done nothing but do that since I met you,” Landon pointed out.

  “That’s not true,” I hedged, but my memory was suddenly agreeing with him and arguing with me. “Well, it’s not totally true.”

  “You three are going to stay out of trouble, right?” Landon pressed.

  “I said we would.”

  “And you’re not going to tip off your Aunt Tillie to do something as a way around that promise?”

  Crap, he was catching on to our tricks.

  “I promise.”

  “Good,” Landon said, pulling me towards him and dropping a kiss on the top of my head. “I wouldn’t be happy to lose you.”

  “That’s a nice thing to say.”

  “And if you do something stupid,” Landon continued. “I’m going to make you wish you’d never met me.”

  “That’s not a nice thing to say.”

  “You want me to be nice?” Landon cocked an eyebrow and looked down at me suggestively.

  I blew out a sigh. “Okay,” I said. “But you’re going to have to do all the work because I’m really tired.”

  “I’m up for that,” Landon laughed moving towards the bedroom. He stopped abruptly at the door. “There’s no bacon in the house, right?”

  I frowned. His cuteness factor was diminishing rapidly.

  “SO, I HAVE an idea.”

  “This can’t be good,” Thistle intoned, watching me from her spot behind the counter of Hypnotic as I paced around the store like a caged animal. I had spent the last thirty minutes catching my cousins up on everything I had learned in the past twenty-four hours.

  “I don’t want any part of it,” Clove announced primly.

  “You don’t even know what it is,” I pointed out.

  “That doesn’t matter,” Clove replied. “I’ve learned my lesson about doing what you guys want me to do. I’m not codependent anymore.”

  “Really?” Thistle arched an eyebrow doubtfully. “You cured your own codependence by sheer force of will in two days?”