by Amity Hope
It had to be the too-tight pink jeans.
He grinned.
I tried to smile back. This was not how I had thought things would go. I had to improvise. Quickly.
“I’m Sam, this is Riley,” I said as I closed the distance between us. “And you are?”
“Jude.”
“Nice to meet you.” I hoped my tone was flirty. I didn’t have a lot of experience with flirty. Judging by the way he grinned at me, I’d pulled it off just fine.
“So,” he said hesitantly as he turned back to Daphne and Tristan. “You two know each other?”
“Not really.” She looked disappointed to have to admit it. “It’s just such a small world! We met once. I had to visit some family out East. The trip didn’t go well. My mom and her sister got into a tiff. They haven’t spoken since. We just made the one trip.”
I could swear I heard both of the guys blow out an audible sigh of relief. If Daphne wasn’t on speaking terms with her relatives in Granite Falls, their cover likely wouldn’t be blown.
“But this one here,” she said as she affectionately rubbed Tristan’s chest, “he showed me a night that I still haven’t forgotten. If you know what I mean.”
Tristan flashed Jude a cocky grin, as if he was solely responsible for the fairy tale that Daphne was spinning.
“Do you live here now? If I were you, I’d be happy to get out of that crummy little town. What a bore,” she said on a sigh.
“Uh, yeah,” he said. “We just moved here not too long ago.”
“So,” Daphne said as she leaned in, “care to shoot some pool with us? Or,” she took a step back and glanced around, an innocent look on her face, “is there a girlfriend somewhere that I should be concerned about?”
“No. No girlfriend,” Tristan said.
“Fantastic,” Daphne cooed. She ran her hand over his bicep. The leather of his jacket squeaked. The sound was cheap. I started to wonder if it was really leather. It was probably pleather.
I found myself missing the soft comfort of Tristan’s cardigans and sweater vests.
Riley nudged me. I realized Jude was talking to me.
“What? I’m so sorry, I just kind of spaced out for a second.” I bit my lip apologetically.
“I just asked if you wanted to get a table and watch these two play?”
“Absolutely,” I said.
I followed him to a table. I took the seat facing Finola’s table and the bar.
“You know what,” Riley said. “I’m so thirsty. I think I’m going to go get us some drinks. I’ll be right back.”
I realized it was silly of me to worry for just a second that Jude would jump up to get our drinks for us. To do that, it would have to mean that he was a bit of a gentlemen. He clearly was not.
Riley made her way to the bar. I heard her order sodas. All she had to do now was slip the potion in, deliver the drinks to their intended targets, and wait until they took a sip. Should be easy.
“So, Sam tell me about yourself,” Jude commanded. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes dropped to my chest. Could he be any more obvious?
“Oh, I’m so boring,” I said with a wave of my hand. “Why don’t you tell me about you? Where are you from? What do you like to do for fun?”
Behind Jude’s head I spotted Riley stopping at Finola’s table. It looked as though she were just stopping to chat. I saw her place the sodas on the tabletop. She leaned to the side of the booth, blocking my view but I knew either she or Finola were adding a few drops of the potion to the drinks.
A moment later, she turned around. She clutched two drinks in her hand. She wore a determined look on her face.
“And you?”
My gaze snapped back to Jude. With Riley directly over his shoulder, he probably thought I’d been gazing at him the whole time. I realized he’d already answered my questions and I hadn’t heard a word.
“I’d rather keep talking about you,” I said. “Is there a girl in your life?”
“Well, now, I’m not sure. Why don’t you ask me the same question at the end of the night?” He grinned at me. It was an eerie feeling. I barely knew Jude—the real Jude—at all. What I did know of him was that he was sweet and fairly shy. This person wasn’t the least bit shy…and judging by his smile, he was rather cocky.
“Why, Jude, are you flirting with me?” I simpered.
He leaned forward. “Do you want me to be?”
I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Absolutely. To be honest with you, I cannot wait to see where this night leads.”
“Here you go!” Riley placed a soda in front of Jude.
He started to slide it my way. “I’m good. Ladies first.”
I put my hand out, keeping the soda on his side of the table.
“Is this diet?” I asked Riley.
She scrunched up her face in mock apology. “Darn it! I forgot.”
I pushed the drink back toward Jude. “That’s so sweet but you keep it. I don’t drink regular soda. Too many empty sugar calories, you know?”
“I hardly think you need to worry about calories. Your body looks damn near perfect to me.” His eyebrows twitched up suggestively.
I bit my lip, pretending to bite back a pleased smile.
Riley sashayed over to Daphne and Tristan.
“For you,” she said as she held the drink out to him. “Please take it. I ordered without thinking. I meant to get Daphne a diet soda. This is a regular one.”
“Oh. Thanks.” He took it from her and promptly set it down on the table closest to the pool table.
My heart plummeted to my stomach.
This was not off to a promising start. The potion could only work if they actually drank it.
Riley headed back to the bar where she ordered three diet sodas.
I jumped when Jude’s fingers wrapped around mine.
“So, what were we talking about?” he asked.
“I was just saying that I’d like to get to know you better. Is this a usual hangout for you guys? I’m new to town. So I’m just wondering what there is to do around here.”
He nodded. “Yeah, we come here to shoot pool. Do you play?”
I shook my head regretfully. “No. Not well.”
“Maybe I could give you a few pointers,” he offered.
“I’d love that. But I’ll warn you now, I’m not very good.”
Riley came back with the obligatory diet sodas. A wedge of lemon rested on the rim of each glass. Smart girl. It just wouldn’t do for us to get our drinks confused with the potion-laden concoctions.
She placed mine in front of me. When she put her hand on a chair to pull it out, Jude glanced at her with raised eyebrows and a look that clearly implied she was intruding.
She snatched her hand back. I felt bad for her as she nervously glanced around. I wanted to tell her to take a seat but didn’t want to annoy the target of my attention.
“I’m just going to…” Riley faded off when Jude gave her a dismissive nod. She skulked away to Finola’s table. Neither Jude nor Tristan noticed her go.
I took a sip of my soda. “It’s so warm in here. Dry. Don’t you think?” I took another long sip.
Jude’s drink remained on the table directly in front of him.
I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could take. I wasn’t good at small talk, especially not when something so massive was at stake. I was silently cursing Jude for being rude to Riley. I could’ve used her help in keeping the conversation moving.
My head snapped around when I heard Daphne shriek. For a split second, fear burned through my body. She was, after all, dealing with a powerful Striga. That fear was quickly replaced by another emotion, equally as intense, but of an entirely different nature.
Tristan—who was not Tristan, I had to remind myself—had hoisted her onto the edge of the pool table. Her long legs dangled, not quite touching the ground. His hands were firmly on her waist, his mouth voraciously devouring hers. I saw her hesitat
e for just a moment…then she quickly slid back into the part she was supposed to be playing. Her fingers tangled into his hair, urging the kiss to continue on.
Jude chuckled as irritation surged up and down my spine. I tamped it down. It didn’t matter what was going on. Daphne was determined to do what she needed to do. It was just so surreal, like stepping into an alternate universe.
Daphne and Tristan had never gotten along. They could barely speak to each other civilly. Now to see them…well, doing that? Mind boggling.
“Looks like those two are definitely reconnecting,” Jude said with a smirk.
“Looks like,” I agreed. I took another sip of my drink, silently willing, begging, pleading for Jude to do the same.
Curse him.
Magnolia’s power of persuasion would really come in handy at the moment. For the first time I found myself wishing that it hadn’t gone up in a swirl of mist.
“Maybe we can all head back to our place in a while,” he suggested.
“I’d love to do that,” I said with a smile. If we failed with our plan here, Daphne and I would have another opportunity to carry it out later. I felt myself relax just a bit.
Riley waved at me. The action caught my eye over Jude’s shoulder. She motioned toward Daphne and Tristan with her head. It was immediately followed by a grin and the thumbs up sign.
I nonchalantly looked over my shoulder.
Daphne was hanging on Tristan’s arm.
Tristan was downing his drink.
I was happy I was sitting. The feeling of relief that flooded over me would’ve been enough to bring me to my knees.
Daphne caught my eye. She gave me a confident smile before returning her attention to Tristan.
Jude shifted in his chair.
“Maybe we could go now?”
“Hmmm?” With difficulty I returned my attention to Jude.
“I said,” he reached across the table and took my hand, “maybe we could go now? Back to my place.”
I flicked another glance over my shoulder. I couldn’t help it. I knew I needed to concentrate on Jude, but Tristan was my ultimate concern. His half-emptied drink was resting on the table again. He leaned against the pool table. Daphne was on her tiptoes, her body draped against his. She was whispering in his ear as his hands roamed over her back.
It was easy to imagine the nature of her murmurings. If I had any doubts, the big, dopey grin that slid onto Tristan’s face said it all. He nodded and she giggled. She slid away from him, seductively biting her lower lip as she tugged at his hand. She towed him behind her as she neared our table.
“We need a bit of privacy.” She winked at Jude. “Why don’t you two continue to get to know each other? We’ll be back in a bit.”
Tristan smirked at Jude as he let Daphne lead the way.
I could see Alex, Finola and Riley in the background. The trio blatantly ignored the pair as they walked by.
The door clunked closed behind them. I lost sight of them then but I knew Daphne was leading him across the parking lot. In moments she’d have him inside of the van. A few moments after that, she’d give him a potion that would knock him out cold. If Daphne had any difficulty, Caleb would surely act as back-up. Given the sappy, happy look on Tristan’s face, I didn’t think he would give her any trouble at all. We were almost in the clear.
Almost.
“Daphne’s right,” I said to Jude. “We should spend a little more time getting to know one another. I’d love to go to your place but I can’t leave Daphne here.”
“Sure you can,” he urged.
I shook my head and laughed. “Don’t be so impatient. As soon as they come back I’ll run it by Daphne. I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it.”
“Aw, come on. They can catch up with us later,” he pressed.
I shook my head. “The night is still young. Besides, didn’t you promise a pool lesson? The table is open.” I nodded my head toward the pool table that Tristan and Daphne had vacated.
“Guess I did,” he grumbled.
He got to his feet. My heart sank when he headed toward the pool table leaving his drink behind.
Chapter 14
Twenty minutes later I was ready to pry Jude’s mouth open so I could pour the drink inside. He still hadn’t taken a sip.
Considering we hadn’t seen Daphne and Tristan again, I assumed Tristan was knocked out. Unfortunately, I had no idea how long Finola’s potion would last. I hadn’t thought to ask. I could see her shifting nervously in her seat. The fact that she was nervous made me nervous. If Jude didn’t drink soon we were going to have to leave Charlie’s without him.
“Can we take a break?” I asked.
“Uh, I guess.” He placed his pool stick on the table.
I went back to the table we’d been seated at. Our drinks were still there. I took another long sip, hoping that seeing me do so would convince him to do the same. I wanted to scream in frustration when he leaned against the pool table.
“Aren’t you parched?” Parched? Who said that? Apparently I did when I was desperate.
“Nah, I’m good.”
Movement across the room caught my eye. Finola and Alex were sliding out of the booth. Alex gripped her hand tightly in his. Riley caught my eye. The look she gave me was grim. Alex hustled Finola toward the front of the bar, toward the emergency exit.
“Hey! That’s for employees only!” The guy behind the counter called.
“Sorry!” Alex didn’t look sorry. Nor did he slow down. He pushed the door open and shoved Finola thought it. He followed Finola as Riley darted from the booth. Her eyes were wild.
“What the hell’s going on with them?” Jude hadn’t appeared to notice Alex and Finola until now. The way they’d rushed out of the place was impossible to ignore.
“She just got a text message with some troubling news,” Riley said. She gave me a look that conveyed trouble. I just wasn’t sure what kind of trouble she was implying.
I figured it out the moment the front door of Charlie’s opened. Lebeau took a purposeful step inside. Her steely gaze zeroed in on us immediately. I glanced out the bank of windows that lined the parking lot. Finola and Alex were hopping into the van.
I willed them to leave. The van just sat there. Why couldn’t I have inherited just a dab of magic from my dad’s side of the family? Was just a tiny thread of the power or persuasion too much to ask for?
If they weren’t going to leave, I was just going to have to distract Lebeau. There was no way I was going to allow her to find Tristan. Not now. Not when we were so close.
I crossed the floor to her, putting some distance between Jude and myself.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded.
She blinked at me even as her mouth twisted into a frown. “I could ask the same of you.”
“Jude’s here, obviously,” I pointed out. “For the past half hour I’ve been working on him. Trying to get him to tell me where Tristan is,” I lied. “But if you’re here, you’re going to ruin everything. You have to leave!”
The last thing I wanted was for her to exit the building. That would put her in close proximity to the van. I also knew she’d never do as I requested.
She laughed at me. It was an unpleasant sound. “I will do no such thing. This boy needs to be returned to his family. But first he needs to be,” her cool appraisal was aimed over my shoulder, “taken care of.”
The moment she was distracted I glanced out the window again. The van was cautiously edging out of the parking lot. Caleb had obviously sent the warning text. He was smart enough to not stick around.
Lebeau leaned in. I could feel her fury radiating from her. “I had a hunch I would find you here. There will be consequences for defying The Council.”
“What? I never defied them.”
“You’re here, when you should be back in Granite Falls, minding your own business,” she coolly stated.
“Tristan is my best friend. He’s very much my business,” I said
as I crossed my arms over my chest. “Nobody ever told me I couldn’t look for him.”
“Tristan is at the center of an open case. Did it not occur to you that meddling in an open case would not be wise? Do you not have any common sense?” she scoffed.
I reigned in my frustration. I had to. She wasn’t the type of woman who would tolerate anyone questioning her authority. I didn’t have any desire to anger her. I simply wanted to stall her.
“I’m sorry,” I said contritely. “It’s just that I feel like I’m losing my mind. Tristan is my best friend. And now, thanks to Jude, I’m so close to finding out where he is. Will you just let me finish my conversation with him? If you think about it, it’s really in your best interest as well. I know you want to find Tristan, too. Jude’s our best chance.”
She smiled grimly at me. “I have my own method for making people talk. I’ll get the information from Jude. Don’t you worry.” She shoved past me.
I spun on my heel and found myself facing Riley. She gave me a triumphant smile. Jude’s arm was around her shoulders. An empty glass was in his hand.
Now? Now he downed the drink?
“Hey…hey…who are you?” he asked Lebeau.
She whipped an ID out of her purse.
“I’m Head Councilwoman Eleanor Lebeau, of the Granite Falls Council. I need you to come with me. Do not even think of trying to get away. I have several members of the Crescent City Council waiting for us in the parking lot.”
A shiver raced down my spine. Had they already been in place when Daphne escorted Tristan from the building? Had one of those members followed the van? Was Lebeau aware that I’d been lying to her this entire time?
I caught Riley’s eye. She wore a worried expression that matched my own.
“Am I being arrested?” Jude sounded more curious than concerned.
He obediently held out his wrists as Lebeau slapped on a pair of charmed handcuffs. “You tell me, Calvin. Have you participated in illegal activity as of late?”
He hung his head, looking ashamed. “I’m afraid I have.”
Her expression twisted into a look of disbelief at his easy confession. “Then I’m afraid your suspicion is correct. You are under arrest.”
