The Detective Wins The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 10)

by Kristen Painter

  “Yes.” He smiled. “You’ll see me there. Is your daughter going to be there?”

  “She will be. She’s one of the junior bridesmaids.”

  “I hope she likes me.”

  “I think she will.” How could Saffie not like him? He was amazing.

  “I’ll do my best to be likable. Afterward, we’ll come back here and finish everything that still needs doing.”

  She laughed. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

  His brows lifted. “Probably not. But I like a challenge. See you in an hour.”

  Fifty-three minutes later, she was walking into Guillermo’s, the best Italian restaurant in Nocturne Falls, and suffering from the kind of jitters that were more appropriate for a first date. She knew Wyatt. There was no reason to feel like they were meeting for the first time.

  But this was different, and she knew it.

  This was the first time he’d be meeting Saffron. And the first time they were going public as a couple. And all at her sister’s rehearsal dinner. She bit the inside of her cheek and peered out the front window of the restaurant. Most of the guests, including Saffie, who’d come from the wedding rehearsal with Corette, were already in the private dining room.

  “You okay?”

  At the sound of her mother’s voice, Marigold turned to see Corette and Saffie behind her. “I’m fine.” She reached out a hand to her daughter. “Hey, baby. I heard you did great at rehearsal.”

  Saffron took Marigold’s hand. “I’m like a natural bridesmaid.”

  “I bet you are.” She looked out the window. “Mimi said you’re waiting on your boyfriend.”

  “Oh, is that what Mimi said?” Marigold shot her mother a look.

  Corette pursed her mouth. “Saffron’s about to meet him. She should know who he is to you.”

  “Right, but—”

  “It’s okay, Mom. I like that you have a boyfriend.”

  Marigold raised her brows. “You do?”

  Saffie nodded. “And if he makes you happy, then maybe you can get married someday too, like Aunt Pandy. And I can be your bridesmaid.”

  “Oh, honey, you sure can.” Marigold hugged her daughter, her heart full with how good this kid was.

  Her mother put a hand on Saffie’s arm. “We should go back to the dining room.”

  Marigold straightened. “No, Saffie can stay with me.”

  Corette nodded. “Then I’ll see you two inside.”

  She left, and Marigold peered out the window again.

  “He’ll be here, Mom.”

  “I know.” Marigold smiled as best she could. “I’m just nervous. Do you like my dress?”

  “You look like a movie star. Don’t tell Aunt Pandy, but your new dress is prettier. Not prettier than her wedding dress, but the one she has on now.”

  Marigold laughed. “Now you’re just saying that. You know this dress isn’t new.” She’d actually bought the little red-flowered sundress at a thrift shop for this very occasion, so it was new to her. It was a good brand. Probably a discard from one of the many wealthy women in town. And the strappy cork wedges she’d had for ages.

  “Mom.” Saffie rolled her eyes. “Stop doubting yourself. If this guy really likes you, he won’t care if you’re wearing a garbage bag. Right?”

  “Right. How’d you get so smart?”

  “I watch a lot of YouTube.”

  Marigold snorted as Saffie’s gaze shifted beyond Marigold to something outside, and she pointed. “Is that him?”

  Marigold turned. Wyatt was coming across the street. She smiled. “Yes, it is. And he looks really good in a sport coat.”

  “Yeah, he’s not bad for an old guy.”

  Wyatt walked through the front door, took a look at Marigold, then went one step back. “You look fantastic.”

  She had to be blushing. “You like?”

  “I was actually talking to the cutie beside you.” He winked at Marigold.

  She laughed softly. “This is my daughter, Saffron. Saffron, this is Mr. West.”

  Saffron stuck her hand out. “Nice to meet you, Mr. West.”

  “Nice to meet you too. You can call me Wyatt, if that’s okay with your mom.” Wyatt shook her hand, as he looked at Marigold.

  She nodded. “It’s okay.”

  “Wyatt it is then.” He pulled a wrapped box from under his arm. “This is for you.”

  Saffie took the box. “A gift for me?”

  “Let’s be straight,” Wyatt said. “It’s a bribe, plain and simple.”

  Saffie looked at her mom. “You can keep him.”

  “Saffie!”

  She giggled. “Thank you, Mr. West. Wyatt.” With a huge smile, she ran off to the dining room.

  Wyatt watched her go. “Cute kid. I like her.”

  “I’d say she already likes you. The gift was a nice touch, though.”

  “I like to hedge my bets.” He took another look at her, then blew out a breath. “Man. You really do look fantastic.”

  “Likewise.”

  He stretched out his arms. “You think so? I’m not great at this dressing-up stuff.”

  “You look very handsome.” She gave him a slow up and down. “You clean up really well.”

  “I have Dexter Guildman to thank for it. All I did was shower.” He glanced toward the back of the restaurant. “Should we go in? This is your gig. Tell me what to do.”

  She nodded. “We should go in.”

  “Can I hold your hand? Or no PDA in front of family?”

  She held her hand out.

  He took it and smiled. “Good. I’ll do my level best not to embarrass you.”

  “Wyatt, you’re not going to embarrass me. Why would you think that?”

  He sighed. “I don’t have a lot of experience with family functions. I got invited to stuff when I was on the force, but this is…different.”

  “I don’t think it’s that different. A family gathering is a family gathering.”

  His brows pulled together, and he laughed nervously as he moved closer to her. “I wasn’t hoping any of those families liked me because I was crazy about one of them in particular and wanted to keep seeing her with an eye on the future.”

  “Oh.” She bit her bottom lip. “The future, huh?”

  He nodded. “I’m nuts about you, Marigold. Scared of putting so much of myself out there, but being scared is a part of life, right? I’m sure you were scared of being without your powers.”

  His eyes suddenly filled with concern. “I’m sure you still are.” He took hold of her arms. “Hey, are you okay? I’ve been so caught up in everything going on I haven’t really asked how you’re doing.”

  She smiled. He was such a good man. Maybe a little bit of a work in progress, but he was making all the right efforts. “I am scared. But I’m hopeful and optimistic. Especially since you’ve offered to stay in Nocturne Falls and help me. If nothing else, it’ll give me some time to ease into life without my gifts.”

  She hooked her arm through his. “Now, come on. It’s time to face the firing squad.”

  “Well, since you put it that way.” He rolled his eyes and laughed.

  “I should tell you before we go in that everyone in there is a supernatural. It would be a little odd to introduce them with their name and type, but I’ll let you know who’s what when we have some alone time.”

  “Maybe I’ll be able to guess.”

  “Maybe. But let’s not play twenty questions within earshot.”

  He snorted. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  Together, they walked into Guillermo’s private dining room, and she introduced him to the crowd gathered there. Corette, Pandora, and Charisma he already knew. But their partners were new to him. “Wyatt, this is Bartholomew Stanhill, my mother’s fiancé. And you know my sister Pandora, the bride to be. This is her groom, Cole Van Zant.”

  Wyatt shook both their hands. “Nice to meet you.”

  “This is Cole’s dad, Jack. You’ve met his
date, Birdie Caruthers.”

  “Yes, we have.” And now he knew she was a werewolf. It was impossible not to wonder what she looked like with pointy ears and a tail. Which was not a thought he’d ever had about anyone before, but especially not about a woman with faintly blue hair and a handbag the size of Texas.

  By the end of the rehearsal dinner, Wyatt just about had everyone’s names down. He’d made small talk, had some laughs, eaten way too much pasta, and had become completely enamored of Saffie. And really, with the whole lot of Marigold’s friends and family.

  They were more like one big family in truth. Maybe it was the supernatural element that bound them together, but they all seemed so comfortable with one another. And they’d welcomed him like he was one of their own.

  Which maybe he was, sort of. He didn’t feel that way yet, it was all too new.

  He and Marigold walked hand in hand out of the restaurant. Behind them, Saffron was doing the same with a boy named Charlie, who was the sheriff’s son, and whom, apparently, Saffron had decided some time ago she would be marrying. Ivy, the sheriff’s wife, seemed pretty cool with that decision, so Wyatt had just rolled with it. Charlie seemed like a nice kid. He was carrying Saffie’s new paint-by-numbers set.

  The gift had gone over pretty well, so he was doubly glad he’d brought it.

  Marigold smiled at him. “Was that completely overwhelming for you?”

  “No, I loved it. They’re all great.” Family was fun. A little crazy, too. In the best possible way. “But then, you’re great, so how could they not be?”

  Her smile broadened as they stopped by her car. “Good. I’m glad.”

  “Thanks for inviting me.” He glanced at Saffron. She seemed completely enthralled with Charlie, so Wyatt leaned in and gave Marigold a peck on the mouth. He would have loved to do more than that, but there were still a lot of the rehearsal dinner attendees coming out. He also didn’t want to go overboard in front of the kids.

  Her cheeks went a little pink, and her lashes fluttered in the most adorable way. “Thanks for coming with me.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed it.”

  “Sadly, I now have to go back to the shop and work. Well, after I see Saffron off to my mom’s, and then I go home and change.”

  “I know. And I’m coming with you. To work, I mean.”

  “You still haven’t given that up, huh?”

  He shook his head. “No way. With Leah on bed rest until tomorrow, you need me. I would have come even if Leah was fine, but you really need the help now.”

  “I do. I still feel bad about Leah, but at least she was able to text us to let us know what was going on. Hey, you don’t want to work in your nice clothes, do you?”

  “No, which is why I brought jeans and a T-shirt to change into.” Actually, he’d brought everything. His whole bag. Because he’d never helped with wedding flowers before, and he had no idea how late of a night this was going to be.

  Or how early of a morning. Marigold would also need help getting everything to Pandora and Cole’s house and carrying it all in and setting it all up. Wyatt wasn’t leaving her on her own to do all of that, either.

  She put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him hard and fast. “You’re awesome. Come on. We’ll change at my house. Let me just say goodbye to Saffie.”

  He leaned against the car while Marigold gave her daughter a hug and a kiss and sent her off with Corette, but not before Saffie waved at him and he waved back. Then he got into his rental and followed Marigold to her place.

  She unlocked the door and opened it, then pointed toward the left. “You can change in the guest room. It’s on that side of the house, next to Saffie’s room.”

  Her bedroom must be on the other side. He hoisted his bag over his shoulder. “I’ll find it. Meet you back out here.”

  They went in opposite directions, confirming what he’d guessed about the location of her room. The guest room was small, just a daybed, a single nightstand, and a bookshelf that was mostly kids’ books and a couple stacks of games and puzzles.

  But there was a picture of Marigold and Saffron on one of the shelves. Saffie must have been three or four, and Marigold was pushing her on a swing.

  There was so much joy and happiness in the picture that the longing to experience that kind of emotion welled up in him again. Despite everything that had happened, he was in a good place.

  That wasn’t something he’d ever thought about such change and upheaval, but there was a lightness in him that he’d never really experienced before. And it had all started when Marigold had given him her magic.

  Could this really be what being a supernatural felt like?

  And if he had all this magic inside him, what was he capable of? He’d made that rose bloom without trying, so obviously he had some skills. He put his bag on the bed, then stared at it, focusing hard. “Levitate.”

  Nothing happened, but then, he didn’t really know the right words. He tried a different approach, going back to concentrating.

  He pictured the bag lifting off the bed, rising into the air just enough to see space under—the bag moved.

  He jerked back. Had that really just happened?

  He shucked his clothes, threw on a T-shirt and jeans, and ran out to see if Marigold was ready. “Marigold?”

  “In the kitchen.” She was filling a sports bottle with water and lemon slices. “What’s up?”

  “I think I just used magic.”

  She snorted. “Sorry, but you’re adorable right now. What did you do?”

  “I levitated my duffel bag.” He glanced back at the bedroom. “At least I think I did. Or maybe I was imagining things.”

  “And maybe you weren’t. Let’s see if you can do it again.” She took a wooden spoon out of a drawer and set it on the counter in front of him. “Levitate that.”

  He nodded. “All right.” He focused like he had before, imagining the spoon lifting into the air. Imagining the air pushing the spoon up.

  And it rose. He did his best not to react so that he could hold focus. It went a little higher. He shook his head. “How is that—”

  The spoon fell.

  He sighed. “I’m not very good at this, am I?”

  She gaped at him. “Are you kidding me? You’ve had zero training. And you can levitate stuff with your mind? That’s crazy good.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes.” She studied him, then raised a finger. “You know, it makes me wonder if you don’t have a little something in your bloodline.”

  “A little something like what?”

  “A little supernatural something.”

  “It could be, I guess. I don’t know that much about my biological family. Could I do a DNA test?”

  She shook her head. “No, supernatural abilities don’t show up on those. Which is good. Think about when you were on the force.”

  “Yeah, I see what you’re saying. Supernaturals wouldn’t stay secret for long if there were markers for werewolves and witches.”

  “Nope.” She smiled at him. “This should be fun.”

  “What?”

  “Tonight. There are a lot of arrangements left to do, and they’ll all need a little magic touch.” She patted his chest. “I can’t wait to see what a dash of Wyatt does.”

  He couldn’t either. “Then let’s go.”

  They settled into work at the shop pretty quickly. Marigold gave him a quick lesson in swag design, and he set about building the basic greenery background that would anchor the flowers she’d add to it later.

  “That’s the main piece that’s going on the arch they’re getting married underneath. After that, the side pieces have to be built. I’ll put it all together on site in the morning.”

  “How do you do that?”

  “A lot of wiring.”

  He attached two pieces of ivy the way she’d shown him. “I can help with that.”

  “Wyatt, you’re already doing a lot. I can’t ask—”

  “Yes, you can. I wa
nt to be partners in this. I mean, it’s your business. I’m not trying to take over. Not in the slightest. But I want to help. And I don’t want your shop to suffer because you don’t have your magic anymore. So just let me.”

  She laughed. “Okay, I will try to remember that.”

  “It’s hard, though, isn’t it? You’ve been on your own for so long that you’re just used to doing everything by yourself. Right?”

  She nodded. “Yes. That’s a lot of it. My mom and sisters are always there, but they have their own lives and their own businesses. And when you’re a single mom, you don’t have a choice. If you don’t do something, it doesn’t get done.”

  “Being a foster kid has some elements like that too. No one really pushes you to do better in school, or to try out for sports, or clubs. At least, they didn’t for me. You get used to being on your own for a lot of things. And you learn pretty fast that the only truly dependable person in your life is you.”

  She held his gaze for a long moment, the emotion in her eyes bright. “I don’t want that for either of us anymore.”

  “Neither do I.”

  “Partners, then.” She took a breath. “But I swear if you break my heart, I will call up every favor I have in this town and…do bad things to you.”

  “I’m making a big mental note of that right now. And I swear, breaking your heart is not my intention. At all.” What he wanted to do was keep her heart happy and safe. For as long as she would have him.

  “Good. Now we should probably get cranking.”

  “You got it, boss.”

  It took him nearly an hour and a half to get all three pieces of the arch done, but at last he stepped back. “What do you think?”

  Marigold lifted her head to see. A sprig of greenery stuck out of her curls near the top of her head, giving her an impish look. “That’s really good.”

  “But you can see a few places that need adjustment, can’t you?”

  She smiled like she was trying not to. “That obvious, huh?”

  “Yes, but it’s okay. I can take it. Just tell me.”

  “The top needs to be fuller in a way that tapers more at the ends, and the side pieces both need to be about a foot longer.”

  “I can do that.” He went back to work. Another half an hour and he felt like he’d accomplished what she’d asked for. “Better?”