Legacy of Magic

by Denise Carbo

  “Oh, come join us, dear. I was just telling Finnegan about your new job at the greenhouse.”

  Cory eyed the door and fantasized for a second about disappearing upstairs with her coffee, but then she forced a smile to her lips and sat down next to her aunt. She couldn’t refuse her aunt and be rude. She sipped the hot liquid and absently listened as her aunt told Finn about the history of her family being connected to the land.

  “Are you working today, Coralea?”

  “Yes, but not until 11:00. Is there something you need done?”

  She patted Cory’s hand softly. “Oh no, I plan to putter about the house today. What would you like for dinner tonight? You will be home for dinner?”

  “Yes, I should be home a little after five.” Home? It did feel like home. She was settling in here more easily and much quicker than she had planned. Originally, she had intended for it to be a temporary and short visit, but now she could see herself staying here. She loved her aunt and enjoyed her company. She’d found a job she was excited to start and see where it led. With the exception of Melanie, she didn’t miss New Jersey at all. “Why don’t you let me take care of dinner tonight? You shouldn’t have to cook every night.”

  “Oh, but I enjoy it. It’s wonderful to have someone to cook for again. I know cooking isn’t your favorite thing, but it brings me pleasure.”

  “Well, in that case, I won’t argue with you. Cooking definitely isn’t one of my favorite things, or one of my skills either. I will luxuriate in your wonderful meals and no longer feel guilty.”

  “Not a cook, huh? Did your husband do all the cooking?”

  Cory glared at Finn over the rim of her coffee cup as she took a healthy sip. “As a matter of fact, no. You see there are these things called restaurants that cook the food for you.”

  Finn smiled. “I have heard of them, but I would think it would get old eating out all the time. Personally, I love a good home cooked meal.”

  “I’m sure you do. I didn’t say we ate out all the time. I can cook. I just don’t enjoy it. Besides restaurants also provide this marvelous thing called take out.”

  The smirk on his face faded into a chuckle. He gave her a silent toast with his coffee mug.

  Aunt Addy gave Cory’s hand a last pat, and then she slowly levered herself up from the chair using the table. “Can I refill either of your coffee cups?”

  Finn stood and lightly grasped her aunt’s shoulder. “I’ll take care of it Addy. You sit and rest for a bit.”

  “Oh, I can’t sit in one place too long or my bones start thinking they can lock in place. I need to move, always have. Albert use to say I was his little hummingbird because I was always in motion.”

  A soft smile graced her face as she started wiping down the counter. Cory stared down into her almost empty coffee mug. What must it feel like to love someone and be loved by the same person for so many decades of your life? To still love them even years after their death.

  A tan arm appeared in front of her. He placed his hand on the back of her chair, brushing against the bare skin of her shoulder. Damn, the man’s skin ran hot. The lingering warmth of his hand branded her skin. He poured the coffee in silence and remained behind her. Cory murmured, “Thank you.”

  “How about we sample one of those things called restaurants you mentioned tomorrow night?”

  She froze. Did he really just ask her out? She replayed his words in her head. Yup, that sounded like a date. She couldn’t possibly say yes. She would probably kill him before the food arrived. So why wasn’t she saying no? She glanced up at him hovering over her, fully prepared to decline politely. His face was much closer than she had anticipated. A man really shouldn’t have such long, dark eyelashes. It just wasn’t fair.

  “What a wonderful idea, Finnegan. I have my bridge game tomorrow. Now I won’t have to worry about Coralea eating alone.”

  Cory’s gaze shot to her aunt. Did she just accept for her?

  “Great, I’ll pick you up at six.”

  Finn opened the back door before she could react. “Wait.” Cory lunged up from her chair, opened her mouth, only to abruptly close it again. She looked at her aunt smiling innocently at her from in front of the kitchen sink and back to Finn standing in front of the open door staring at her with one arrogant eyebrow raised. Crap. What could she say? How could she decline and not upset Aunt Addy? She sighed. This was a mistake. “Make it 6:15.”

  He gave a short nod and left. Cory considered running after him and demanding to know what he was up to, but that would cause an even worse scene. Besides going out with him would make her aunt happy. She wouldn’t understand that Cory didn’t hold him in as high regard as she did. That was another thing. If this was going to be her home now, then she needed to figure out a way to get along with her neighbor. Instead of a date, she would view it as a sort of negotiation for a peaceful coexistence. If he thought he was going to get lucky, he was sadly mistaken.

  ****

  The shower steam fogged up the mirror. Cory wiped her hand across the wet glass and stared at her reflection. What was she doing? Getting ready for a date with Finn? She had decided to swear off dating for a while until she got her head on straight and figured out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, and yet here she was going out with a man who drove her crazy. She should have said no. Aunt Addy would have understood, maybe. Well she had agreed to go, sort of, but that didn’t mean she had to give him what he expected.

  After dressing, Cory once again stood in front of the mirror. A pair of old jeans, a comfortable T-shirt, her hair slicked back into a ponytail, and not a trace of makeup on her face. Definitely not what she would term date wear. She smiled. He believed he had manipulated her into going out with him, but she would have the last laugh. Hopefully she would get a decent meal out of it too because after working all day, she was starving.

  Cory hesitated over sneakers to finish out her ensemble, but in the end grabbed a pair of comfortable sandals. She wanted to make her point, but she didn’t want to feel self-conscious all night. Perhaps some mascara and a touch of tinted lip balm might be in order. Half way to the bathroom, she stopped. No, she wasn’t dressing up for him. Cory was done being manipulated or maneuvered by men.

  She grabbed her purse, and went downstairs to wait for him to arrive, lest she be tempted to change again. She paced the length of the dining room and back again. Cory stopped and straightened the silver candlestick holder so it sat squarely in the center of the white tablecloth. She glanced at the china cabinet and then down to her attire. What if he intended to take her somewhere fancy?

  A peek out the dining room window to see if she could catch a glimpse of him to give her a clue proved fruitless. Damn it, it would be just like him to do the unexpected and then her plan to teach him a lesson would backfire.

  The grandfather clock in the living room started chiming. By the time the sixth chime sounded, she was up the stairs.

  A couple of swipes of mascara, a dash of color to her lips, and a pair of earrings dangling from her ears were all she had time for before the doorbell rang. A quick check in the full-length mirror made her hope she could pull off shabby chic in case he decided to go the more formal route.

  He didn’t.

  Well, maybe for him it was. His normal blue jeans were replaced with black. The customarily tight T-shirt was now a blue, button down shirt opened at the throat. Damn, it matched his eyes.

  Eyes that were making a very slow, thorough, perusal of her before meeting her gaze. “Must admit, I thought you might stand me up.”

  Now why hadn’t that occurred to her?

  “The thought never crossed my mind. I follow through when I say I’m going to do something. Although, technically I don’t think I actually accepted your invitation.”

  “Sure, you did. You said 6:15. That implied acceptance.”

  Cory rolled her eyes. “We both know if Aunt Addy hadn’t been there, I would’ve said no very clearly.”

  “May
be, but then we’d both be left wondering what the two of us together might be like. Personally, I prefer a more direct approach.”

  Her foot began to tap. “Oh really? Maneuvering me into a date is direct? And for the record, I wouldn’t be wondering about anything. You and I are not going to get together.” Her hand waved back and forth between them. “We can’t even be in the same room for a few minutes without arguing.”

  Finn laughed. “This isn’t arguing.”

  “Oh really, what would you call it?”

  He leaned toward her and whispered, “Foreplay.”

  Mouth slightly agape, Cory stared at him.

  “You ready to go?” He jogged down the porch stairs. “I have reservations at the steakhouse. You like steak, right?”

  She stood at the door with her hand on the knob. “You’re insane, right? Certifiably crazy.”

  He glanced back at her. “You don’t like steak?”

  Cory closed her eyes and counted to ten. When she reopened them, he was still standing there watching her with a bit of a smirk on his face. She closed the door and walked down the steps and then past him.

  “Love it. As a matter of fact, I’ve had a chance to sample the local steakhouse on my date with Sebastien.”

  She approached the passenger side of his car and looked over her shoulder. He was right behind her. He winked at her and reached past her to open her door. “How do you feel about Italian?”

  A laugh bubbled up her throat. He sauntered around the front of the car and slid into the driver’s seat. One thing was certain, the night wouldn’t be boring.

  In the end, they decided on seafood. He drove her down to the coast, and they arrived at a small restaurant on Long Island Sound. They sat outside at picnic tables shielded from the sun by red and white umbrellas. Once the waitress left with their order, Finn folded his arms on the table and leaned forward. “Tell me one of your happiest memories.”

  Cory mimicked his move and leaned on the table. “All right, let’s see, I was seven. My parents took me on vacation to Mexico. I rode a horse on the beach. I remember trotting through the waves and laughing. I asked for a horse for my next birthday.”

  “Did you get one?”

  “Uh, no. We lived in a suburban community. There wasn’t any room for a horse. What about you? What is one of your happiest memories?”

  “Buying my first car. I was fifteen. I had been working steadily for a few years by then. Mostly odd jobs: lawn work, construction, and my uncle’s garage. I had saved up enough to buy a ‘78 Camaro from the local junk yard. Didn’t run, of course, but I didn’t care. Took me over a year to get it running and on the road.”

  “Do you still have it?”

  Finn shook his head. “No, I sold it when I joined the Air Force. Still regret it.”

  The waitress delivered their drinks while Cory pondered the fact Finn had been in the military. She wouldn’t have guessed that.

  “Did you serve a long time?”

  “No, only a few years. Too many rules and people telling me what to do. I prefer to go my own way.”

  Cory smiled. “Now that I could have guessed.”

  He returned her smile before taking a sip of beer. “Worst memory?”

  She looked out at the water lapping against the rocky shore. “Coming home from college for summer break to find out my parents had put my dog to sleep before I could say goodbye.”

  “That’s harsh.”

  “They thought they were saving me the heartache.”

  “Doesn’t look like they succeeded.”

  “No.”

  “I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. Always had them growing up. House feels empty without one.”

  “Dogs are good companions. They are man’s best friend after all.”

  Finn tipped his beer at her in agreement.

  “Your turn. Although this conversation seems a bit depressing.”

  “You’re right, and on that note, let’s switch to your most embarrassing moment.”

  Cory considered pursuing the topic, but the distant look in his eyes changed her mind. “That’s an easy one. Walking into my husband’s office to find him screwing his secretary.”

  Dark eyebrows rose and fell. “I would’ve been pissed, not embarrassed.”

  “The anger hit me later.”

  “So, did you maim him? Scar him for life?”

  “No, I turned and left without a word.”

  “Really? No name calling or inventive swearing even? You didn’t throw anything? Hit anything?”

  “Nope, I got in my car, used my phone to do a search on divorce attorneys and called one on the way home.”

  He sat back and nodded.

  “What? Why are you nodding?”

  “Nothing, just explains a bit.”

  “Oh, this should be good. Go ahead, enlighten me.”

  “Simple really. Women generally think their wedding day is one of their best days, but not you. Then I wondered if you would say your divorce was one of your worst memories, but you didn’t. Instead you chose it as an embarrassing memory. The fact that you didn’t kill the stupid son of a bitch, or at least give him a screaming set down which would be branded into his memory for all eternity speaks volumes. You didn’t love him.”

  Cory wanted to yell at him. To tell him he was wrong and didn’t know what the hell he was talking about, but the words didn’t come. She gazed out at the water. The sea gulls glided on the wind and dove through the air searching for a tidbit of food. Their cackling call echoing across the water.

  Anger hadn’t been her first emotion. The hurt hadn’t come until later either. She had believed it might have been shock which had consumed her when she opened the door to his office. A kind of numbness which had invaded her to prevent all the other emotions from overwhelming her, and a sense of self-preservation had kicked in to get her out of there without a scene, but it hadn’t been.

  Relief. She had felt relief.

  The waitress placed their dinners in front of them, and they both started eating in silence.

  “I was married once.” Finn took another bite of his seafood platter before continuing. “It was while I was in the service. Met her at basic. We dated awhile.” He shrugged. “Just seemed to be the natural order of things to get married.”

  “What happened?”

  “She sent me a letter about a year later that it wasn’t working for her, and she needed someone who was around all the time. She never asked me to leave the Air Force, or said she wanted me to be around all the time. Divorce papers accompanied the letter.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. After all was said and done, I realized if I had loved her like I should have to marry her, then I would have fought for her. I would have been torn up over the end of our marriage, but I wasn’t. It was just another turn in the road.”

  Cory swirled a French fry in a puddle of ketchup. “I did love him. I wouldn’t have married him if I hadn’t. I wasn’t one of those girls who always dreamed of her wedding day. I’m not sure when it died, or changed, but you’re right. In the end, I felt relief that it was over.”

  Cory set her half-finished plate at the end of the table. Her appetite was nonexistent. A chill danced over her skin leaving a trail of goosebumps on her arm. The sun was setting, and the night air turned colder. She rubbed her arms, and Finn signaled the waitress for the check. “Let’s get out of here. We can drive down to the park at the end of the bay and get a great view of the sunset.”

  Bright pink and lavender wove together in a tapestry of color as the sun dipped below the sea. The drive home was mostly done in silence with the occasional inane remark or question thrown in. She answered in monosyllables and with shrugs. Her thoughts centered on the night’s revelation. Guilt and sadness weighed on her.

  “You coming in for a night cap, or dessert?”

  He had stopped at the end of his driveway.

  She swiveled in her seat and glared in his direction. “You ha
ve got to be kidding me!”

  A half grin and a shrug accompanied his response, “Can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?”

  Cory opened the door and got out in the middle of the street. “Thanks for dinner,” she called before slamming the door. She stalked to her adjacent driveway. The sounds of him parking his car and the car door opening and closing spurred her up the pathway to the house. So much for making peace with her neighbor.

  “Hey, wait a minute.” Finn caught up to her and gently took hold of her arm.

  She swung around to stare at him with narrowed eyes. “If you think you’re getting a kiss goodnight, you are delusional.” She yanked her arm free and started walking again.

  He kept pace with her. “I’ve been called worse. Is it negotiable?”

  “No.”

  “How about if I tell you how beautiful you are when you’re angry?”

  She stopped and glared at him. An urge to growl at him or stomp her foot washed over her.

  He chuckled. “I like you much better angry than sad. Night, princess.”

  Finn strolled across the lawn to his own driveway and got in his car. She stood on the porch, her hands clenched at her sides. His car disappeared into the garage. Her hands loosened, the tension in her shoulders eased away. Her head dropped to her chest as a small smile quirked her mouth.

  Damn it. The man’s methods may leave a lot to be desired, but she couldn’t help but appreciate the results.

  Chapter Nine

  April drifted into May, and the hot sunny days of June were fast approaching. The days grew longer and busier for Cory. Spring was one of the busiest times of the year at the greenhouse. People arrived in droves to add color to their decks and yards and ask for expert advice. Her hours had been extended, and she had thrown herself into learning every aspect of the business she could. June and Alec had welcomed her enthusiasm and shared passion for plants. She spent many after work hours with them at the greenhouse or their small cottage on the lake. Aunt Addy often accompanied her to visit with June and Alec.

  Cory stood back to admire her handiwork. She had created a small circular garden around her aunt’s birdbath in the backyard. Two purple butterfly bushes flanked the birdbath. White and pink lilies bloomed around them. A small circle of evergreen boxwood surrounded it all. A smile blossomed across her face. It looked enchanting.