The Love Potion Groom

by Taylor Hart

  “Stop!” She threw her hands up.

  He laughed and it hit the center of his chest. She was real. This girl. She was at the facility to make money. Her Nana was gone. She was trying to figure things out. His respect for her was going up by leaps and bounds. “Regardless of whether I’m attracted to you because of a potion or not, I would still endorse it.”

  She shook her head.

  He laughed, loving this. “I’m kidding.” Kinda. “It is really cool that you’re learning that stuff.” He smelled her again. “Whatever it is, I think you can tell Kevin…it does something.”

  “It’s called, ‘Talk to Me.’”

  “What?” B.C. asked.

  “The name of the potion is called … ‘Talk to Me.’”

  B.C. grinned. “So it did work.”

  Shaking her head, she looked dismissive. “Whatever.”

  “You don’t think it works?” he challenged.

  “I don’t know. I guess. Nana always said, ‘When you need help…try a potion…and a walk in prayer with God.’”

  This made him smile. “That’s right, she was a believer.”

  She let out a breath. “Yes, she was.”

  For a brief moment B.C. wondered what it would be like to believe. In something. Sure, he believed in God, but…to walk with God?

  She pointed at him. “I think AA talks about believing in a higher power, right?”

  He felt caught, and reminded that he was…deficient. “Uh, yeah.”

  She winked at him. “Maybe it might be worth the walk.”

  They approached the facility and he opened the door for her. “Dr. Schneider thinks God might help me too.”

  She hesitated. “We should probably not really talk anymore and I should go.”

  He waited. “Probably,” he stated, wanting to tell her she was totally wrong. “You do have that potion on, so it’s kinda beyond our control.” He opened the door for her.

  Laughing, she stepped through the door. “If you’re nervous asking God for a big favor, start with something small. Ya know…like maybe asking for some help with that horrible accent.” With a wink she was off down the hall.

  B.C. was too stunned and amused to think of a single comeback, but he knew at this moment…he wanted to be real with this woman forever.

  Chapter 8

  Kira was exhausted. It’d been another week at Red Rocks, and she loved teaching four classes a day. It was still four classes a day, on top of other responsibilities to help with other activities throughout the week.

  When she did the sunrise class it meant getting up at four, driving out here by five. Then putting everything she had into the class. It was invigorating and at the same time exhausting.

  The other thing that was pressing on her…was him.

  B.C.

  He was always there. Every class she taught. She wanted to say, don’t you have more therapy or something?

  Well, candidly, she didn’t want to say that. She should say that, but that didn’t mean she wanted to say it.

  Her classes were during the hours between therapy sessions and he was never intrusive. Truthfully, he was amazing. Not only was he muscular and fit, but he'd clearly been trained in many disciplines. After all, she’d seen his movies, he had skills. And she’d done more research on him. He was currently being considered for some war drama that some were touting as the next ‘Pearl Harbor.’ It was just stupid crazy she even knew so much detail about him.

  The media didn’t know where he was at the moment, and there was some talk that he might be in a rehab facility somewhere. Apparently, someone had leaked he had a pain pill addiction with the DUI. She hated the media.

  Pushing away all crazy thoughts, she focused on the best part of getting up and out here this early, the stillness of the morning. The beauty of the red rocks. She had her shoes off and was on a patch of grass the facility kept up for classes. Dr. Schneider liked the fact she was having them go barefoot on the grass. He said that it was good for them to be grounded. Kira couldn’t get enough of it. She was finding herself feeling like she too was healing with all these therapeutic classes.

  Peace filled her.

  Nana's spirit.

  Immediately, she thought she might be sad, but the peace only deepened.

  At least there was that. “Nana,” she whispered. It’d been interesting to spend some time with Dr. Schneider going over the concoctions Nana had supplied him. It was even more interesting to open up Nana’s old cookbooks and find those recipes. Kevin had continued to put a different potion on her every day. Ugh! It was annoying. He’d ask her how often B.C. had spoken to her each day. Today he’d hugged her and she’d known he was going to lather her with something. She took a long breath and grinned. Heart to heart. That’s what he’d put on her.

  Her peace of mind only lasted for a second because her mind flitted to stupid Spence’s incessant phone calls. She’d been ignoring them and he was leaving more and more messages. She thought of how he’d been to St. George last Christmas and he’d hated the ranch and everything about it. Which was funny, because he was helping people in Africa learn how to raise cat fish farms.

  There was also something else that had been niggling her about living in St. George lately. She realized she liked being back a lot more than she would have thought. She didn’t have high school friends she hung out with or anything. She liked her job and she liked seeing the difference it was making in her students’ lives and … she hated how much she liked seeing B.C. every day.

  Dang it.

  Her phone buzzed and she saw that it was actually Spence again. She didn’t have long until class, but she was tired of his incessant calling.

  “Hey.” She kept her voice tight. “You need to stop calling.”

  “How is the morning yoga class?” he asked quietly.

  “Spence, I told you we’re through. You have to quit leaving all those messages.”

  “Oh, so you don’t have time to talk to me anymore?”

  Confusion filled her because he sounded like he had a right to be angry with her.

  Which made her mad. Her heart rate kicked up a notch and she thought of all the things she’d wanted to say to him. “How are the catfish ponds going?” she asked in a very annoyed voice.

  His breath hitched. “Fine.”

  “Good.” She wanted off this call. Her hand had started to twitch.

  “Kira, I have to know, will you be back for the fall semester?”

  She let out a breath. “I can’t talk about this right now.” How did she explain to him, a guy who never worried about money, that she wasn’t sure if she’d have the money?

  “Is it the money?” he asked, seeming to read her thoughts. “Because I’ll pay for it.”

  This stunned her. He was from money, but he didn’t have money. Not assessable money that could pay her tuition. He had to go beg from mommy and daddy for his money. Not to mention he had never offered to even pay for dinner most of the time.

  “I will. Kira, I love you. I know I’ve been awful, I should have come sooner.” His tone had turned softer.

  This whole conversation had totally blind-sided her and she instantly felt like crying.

  “Kira,” he said urgently. “Are you still there?”

  “Yeah.” She wiped beneath her eyes. Dang, why had she answered?

  He was quiet for a minute. “Think about it because I would like to help you.”

  Of course she would never let him, but … he’d offered? It actually meant a lot to her that he’d offered because she had been starting to feel like their whole relationship had been a sham.

  “Are you going to sell the ranch?” He asked out of the blue.

  The question gave her whiplash. Wait. What? “No.” No, it was all Kevin had. It was all she had left of Nana.

  “Okay.” His voice was ticked. “Why in the world would you even think about keeping it?”

  Now she was ticked. “Don’t you dare try to tell me what to do with Nana’s
ranch!”

  “Kira, listen—”

  She hung up, her hand shaking.

  For a beat she sucked in a breath, trying to calm herself. For a moment she’d thought he did feel bad he hadn’t been there for her. She’d thought … maybe he cared.

  “That bad, huh?”

  Startled, she jumped, her hand going to her chest. “Oh my gosh.”

  Of course, it was him. Mr. Movie star. Which really wasn’t an appropriate name for him anymore, because there were plenty of stars here, but she still called him that.

  “Hey,” she said quietly, feeling vulnerable and unsure of herself. She didn’t like when people knew things about her, without her wanting them to. Kevin often teased her about how she liked to keep things private.

  He spread out a blue mat on the ground and stepped onto it, putting back his arm and stretching his tricep. The move looked funny since they would be doing yoga not MMA fighting, but she didn’t want to say anything.

  Gary and the girl, who B.C. called Kardashian when he wanted to shut her up, walked toward them down the path.

  Ignoring his question, she took herself inside her brain and went to the front of the grassy area and eased into Warrior One pose.

  A couple of more people trailed in and they all fell into synchronicity, copying the moves she did. This was the part she loved about yoga and meditation. She could just direct them a tiny bit and take them into the moves. They focused more on breathing then talking. She had to be more in tune. This morning, they just went through the poses and she felt herself relax, inch by inch. Except for those inches when she would think about stupid Spence or look at B.C.

  It actually wasn’t that relaxing. Dang, the man was attractive. It was like she could feel his eyes on her. Could feel the pressure, the zing between them. If truth be told, it was more then that. It was the way he seemed to see her, the real her, and still like her.

  Not just the blatant flirting, but the casual way he asked how the potions were coming along. How he encouraged her. How he kept offering to help endorse her products. The truth was that he was kind of a cheerleader for her. She hadn’t had a cheerleader since Nana was gone.

  Kevin was such an amazing cousin and friend, and she’d thought Spence was a good boyfriend. Up until all the crap hit the fan this summer.

  As usual, Gary tried to chat her up after.

  B.C. didn’t put up with it today, walking over and nudging him with his shoulder. “Dude, not today.”

  Gary grimaced and pushed his hand down his very seventy-ish mustache. “I get it.” He walked away.

  B.C. smirked when they looked at each other and she hated how, even though she wasn’t trying to have inside jokes with him, they did.

  She smiled.

  “Hey,” he said.

  "Hey,” she said back.

  She didn’t move and neither did he.

  He crossed his arms and looked oh so military movie. Body builder. Pure—sigh, she couldn’t think about that.

  “Are you okay?" he asked.

  Not feeling okay, she turned away from him, feeling nervous. “You’re the one in the drug rehab. I think I’m okay.” It came out harsher than she’d meant it.

  He laughed. “Ouch. The truth hurts.”

  Guilt assaulted her. It wasn’t fair to take out her angst on him. She turned back. “Sorry, it’s just…” she wasn’t supposed to feel this way about B.C.

  His eyes were serious. “You’re feeling vulnerable.” He winked at her. “It’s okay, because I have it on good authority…we all go through it.”

  At his slight throwing her words back at her, she relaxed.

  “C’mon, Yoga Master, what’s going on? I’m bored here. No drugs. No phone. Give me some drama. I love drama.”

  She scoffed. “I’m sure.”

  “No social media. C’mon, give me some of you and your ex-boyfriend’s drama." He cocked an eyebrow. “He is still the ex, right?”

  She couldn’t believe she was talking to him. That wasn't all true, part of her wanted to talk to him. “You need my ex-boyfriend drama?"

  “I’m asking, aren’t I? Yes, I’m pathetic, don’t rub it in.” He gave her a pointed look.

  She let out a light laugh, thinking of how funny it was that B.C. Yes, B.C. Knight wanted to hear about her life drama.

  He started walking down the path, waving for her to come. “Tell me about your conversation with Spence."

  Hesitating briefly, she did follow. “I shouldn’t be talking to you, I’m going to get fired.”

  He hesitated. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about that tacky little detail for you. Tell Dr. Schneider, the loophole in your contract is that we were friends before we came into the facility.”

  She laughed. “That’s the loophole.”

  He nodded. “Everything’s about the contract, believe me.”

  She sighed, hating that she wanted to talk to him. “I don’t know if friend would be the right word.” She thought of that crazy night.

  A wicked look flashed into his eyes and he closed the gap between them. “I’d be open to other definitions. What would you like to call us then?”

  Butterflies exploded into her gut. Dang, all this chemistry between them. She took a step back. “Don’t do that.”

  He didn’t move. “What?”

  She ignored him and re-focused on their conversation, opting for talking about the ex instead of talking about them. “Spence has left a million messages and when I answered this morning to tell him to quit calling, he offered to pay for Julliard.” It felt even more ridiculous when she actually said it aloud.

  B.C. visibly tensed. “Really?”

  “I’m not letting him.” She said quickly, thinking of all the conversations she’d had with B.C. about paying for things for people.

  B.C. narrowed his eyes. “Why would he offer that?”

  Tossing her hands into the air, she shrugged. “Exactly, he has been such a jerk.” She found herself rambling. “Like sure he comes from money, his parents have money, but the last year while I’ve dated him he’s always been like ‘I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable by paying for everything.’”

  “Making me like him more and more.” B.C. narrowed his eyes.

  “He wouldn’t come to St. George when I really needed him but now he’s offering to pay for Julliard?” Truly, she was flabbergasted by all of it. She was trying to sort it all out in her brain too. “Then he dares to even ask if we’re selling the ranch or not?” She was mystified. “Why would he do that?”

  B.C. let out a breath. “Because he still wants you.”

  She knew this, but … she hadn’t thought about it so plainly. She scowled. “He … doesn’t even understand me.” She protested. “If he thinks I would sell the ranch, he’s just … he’s never even known me.”

  B.C. didn’t comment.

  Which made her more uncomfortable. “What?” She demanded.

  B.C. shrugged. “Nothing.”

  She continued. “Kevin wants to keep the ranch. He needs it and Nana gave it to both of us so we’re keeping it.”

  B.C. frowned.

  “What?” She didn’t like the CIA way he looked at her, like he could extract government secrets by only giving her one look.

  “What do you want?” B.C. asked it so plainly, like it was so obvious.

  She laughed. “Of course a man would say that with such straight forward zeal.”

  “Well?” he said, waiting. “I’ve been hearing you say the idiot doesn’t even know you, then you say Kevin wants the ranch … but what do you want.”

  For a moment she wasn’t sure, then she thought of the old swing behind the house and how she loved to go out there at night and just … feel peaceful. It was one of the only places she’d ever felt so at home. She blinked. “I … I want to keep it,” she said, feeling more sure about it. “It’s just, the numbers aren’t really working out.” She left off the whole could she pay for Julliard problem. “I don’t know how Nana made it al
l work.”

  He frowned, then lifted his eyebrows. “How much do you need?”

  Annoyed that he would even offer that, she pushed him in the shoulder. “Seriously? We’re back to—let me buy you off?”

  Rolling his eyes, he pumped his eyebrows. “I have money, you need money. What’s the big deal?”

  It baffled her that he was so … giving. It wasn’t just that. It was the fact he almost just assumed she would take it. She gave him an incredulous look. “You deserve more than that. You don’t need to buy people flights to Paris. You don’t need to pay for your mother’s house. You don’t need to offer to help me with my money problems. I was really just venting to you.”

  His features clouded and his lips pinched. “I’m glad you feel you can vent to me.” He sighed. “You’re right, I shouldn’t feel like I have to trade money for people to like me.” He pointed at her. “ I do think it’s interesting your ex boyfriend thought he could buy you off, didn’t he?”

  His words hit her like a ton of bricks. “I…” she faltered. “I don’t know why he would think that?”

  For a few moments she and B.C. didn’t say anything.

  All she could do was feel so confused. She wasn’t that woman, demanding men pay for things. Wanting a man for that. Yet, B.C. was right. That was the tactic Spence was using. She put her hand to her head, feeling a sudden headache. She made a command decision. “I have to go home.”

  The next day, Kira didn’t know how to act around B.C. It wasn’t just that he’d drawn her attention to the fact that her ex boyfriend thought he could buy her off so easily. It was also the fact she wondered why Spence really thought he could. In between classes, she purposefully went and hung out with Clark at the desk, which was painful, especially because Tricia was sick.

  After the sunset meditation class, B.C. stayed and even though she tried to say goodnight and walk away, he had blocked her path. “Talk, Moonwater, and don’t go hide behind Clark.”

  It made her smile that he’d obviously been a bit annoyed by the fact she’d been hanging out with Clark. She exhaled and half-way wished she could hide from this man. Unfortunately, the other half of her didn’t want to hide from him at all.