Sophie flopped back on her pillow and pulled the blankets up to her chin. “Can’t I just stay home today? I… I think I’m coming down with something.”
Olivia held her hand to her daughter’s forehead and nodded solemnly. “Yes, I do believe you’re developing a bad case of spring fever.”
“Please, Mom?” Sophie whined even as she rolled her eyes. “I haven’t missed one day of school since Christmas vacation. And Henry’s getting out of his room this morning, and I haven’t seen him for three whole days. Mr. Sam said when Henry’s done doing hard time that he’d take us riding so I can show him some of the trails.” The girl even went so far as to bat her eyelashes. “And you and I could go on a picnic, just the two of us, before Gram and Grampy get home today.”
Olivia sighed, wishing Henry were here to see another pro in action. She tucked Sophie’s blankets snugly around her, then used them to pin her in place. “I’ll let you miss school just today, just this once.” She canted her head. “In fact, I hereby declare two days each year—one in the fall and one in the spring—as official Sophie Gets to Skip School Days.”
The girl’s eyes widened. “Honestly really? I can skip school twice a year without even being sick?”
“Yup. And you get to pick the days, and we’ll do anything you want.”
“Um… since I didn’t get a free day last fall, can I have another one this spring?”
Olivia stood up with a laugh. “Sorry, only one official skip day a semester. So decide if you want it to be today or not. If you do, we can take a couple hours to go on a picnic, and Carolina and Henry can go with us if you want. But I’m expecting some mystery guests to arrive this afternoon, so we need to be back by… oh, I’d say by three at the latest. Gram and Grampy should get home around then, too.”
“Then I declare today my official Sophie Gets to Skip School Day,” the girl said, snuggling back under the covers. “And so is it okay for Henry and me to go riding with Sam this morning?”
“Yes, as long as you invite Carolina to go with you.”
“Mom,” Sophie said, stopping Olivia at the hallway. “I declare that you’re the best mom in the whole wide world.”
Olivia’s heart started thumping so hard it hurt. “Thanks, sweetie. That means a lot coming from the best daughter in the whole wide world.”
She picked up the jacket she’d shed in the hall and headed to the kitchen, Sophie’s words making her feel warm and fuzzy and prickly all over—much the same way she felt in Mac’s arms. Olivia stopped in the middle of the kitchen and slipped on his jacket with a shiver, being careful not to zip it as she remembered how she’d gone on the Internet last night and looked up marita.
Then, somewhat dazed by what she’d found, she’d typed in theurgist.
Sweet Prometheus and Athena, she was in big, big trouble, because she had absolutely no business falling in love with an honest-to-God seat belt- and zipper- and tide-commanding supernatural agent of human affairs—better known as a wizard.
Except she already was so deeply and passionately in love with Mac, Olivia didn’t even care if he could only just like her enough to get married, because she had more than enough love for the both of them.
And that was a good thing, seeing how Mac was already calling her wife—which, come to think of it, was really quite arrogant of him since she couldn’t remember his ever proposing. But she did remember telling him—twice, actually—that she wasn’t interested in being another man’s means of getting a demanding parent off his back.
So now what was she supposed to do? Should she pretend to keep her promise not to fall in love with him, and hope he didn’t hear her heart shattering when he left in September? Though she was pretty sure she’d spend the summer making a complete fool of herself by wearing her big old sappy heart on her sleeve. She really wasn’t much of an actress and Mac was a theurgist, so if the man couldn’t even figure out she was passionately in love with him, then he might want to start looking for a new profession.
Oh yeah, she was in really big trouble, because if Mac asked her to marry him and move to Midnight Bay… well, she was going to say yes.
After all, there wasn’t any reason she couldn’t open up a family camp on the coast, was there? And when push came to shove, wasn’t she what constituted a home for Sophie, not some tract of land and a bunch of crooked old buildings?
Only she couldn’t leave unless Ezra was willing to sell his store and move to Midnight Bay with them. But if picking up and starting over again at his age was going to be too much for the old poop… well, she’d just have to—
The bell at the gate clanged loudly, making Olivia jump in surprise. She ran to the door and looked out the window, then turned to press her back up against the wall with a gasp. “Ohmigod,” she whispered, clutching her chest. She leaned over to peek out the window again and groaned. That had to be Mr. and Mrs. Oceanus, because only Mac and Carolina’s parents could be that beautiful.
What in hell were they doing here at the crack of dawn?
She stilled. That hadn’t been a sonic boom; that had been her guests arriving!
Olivia flinched when the bell clanged again, only louder and for a really long time.
Since she couldn’t very well leave them standing out there, she opened the door, stepped out onto her stoop with a welcoming smile, and calmly walked toward them.
God, they were beautiful. And if Mac was tall and imposing and commanding, Titus Oceanus was flat-out scary. Rana, however, was simply drop-dead stunning.
Olivia’s smile faltered under their intense scrutiny, as she figured Titus probably already had her pegged as a gold digger, and Rana was trying to find out if Olivia was worthy of her son. Why in heaven’s name had she asked Mac’s father if he knew why his son called her marita? No wonder the man had dropped everything to be here today; he needed to check out the woman Mac had obviously chosen to replace his hand-chosen bride.
“Good morning,” she said, extending her hand. “I’m Olivia Baldwin. And I can see by the resemblance that you are Mr. and Mrs. Oceanus.”
Mr. Oceanus didn’t so much as move a muscle, his arms remaining folded over his chest as he merely arched a brow—rather like Mac did way too often.
Mrs. Oceanus grabbed Olivia’s hand, only instead of shaking it she clasped it between her own. “Please call us Rana and Titus, Olivia,” she said warmly, her smile genuine. “I’m so glad you invited us to visit. I’m really excited to meet Henry.”
“You’re in for quite a treat. Your grandson is positively precious.”
“Where is he?” Rana asked, still clutching Olivia’s hand as she looked around.
“Over there, in cabin ten,” she said, gesturing through the trees. “Probably still sleeping.” She slapped her forehead, looking directly at Titus. “What am I saying; dawn just cracked loud enough to wake the dead.”
And there was it was: that distinct Oceanus gleam in those vivid green eyes—despite his attempt to give her a threatening glower. “Please have someone get our luggage,” he said, turning away. “It’s sitting on the front steps of your main building.”
And why was she surprised it wasn’t sitting in the trunk of a car?
Olivia shot out through the gate to cut him off. “We don’t have bellhops at Inglenook,” she said, having to walk backward when he didn’t stop.
But just as she lifted her hand to physically stop him, Olivia cried out when her foot landed on a sharp pebble, and she would have fallen if Titus hadn’t caught her. “Ohmigod,” she squeaked when he swept her into his arms and plastered her up against his big broad chest.
He sighed hard enough to actually move her hair. “Do you not have the sense to put on shoes before coming outside?” He reversed direction and started carrying her back toward her house. “And what is this you’re wearing?” he asked, his gaze moving over her flannel pajama pants to Mac’s jacket—which she’d nervously zipped up as she’d walked out to greet them.
“This old thing?” s
he said, plucking at the leather. “It’s your son’s jacket. He’s letting me… um, borrow it while he’s gone.”
He stopped, presumably because he couldn’t walk and talk and lift a brow at the same time. “It would appear you’ve been enjoying Maximilian’s generosity.”
“Oh yeah, your son’s the gift that keeps on giving even when he’s not here. See,” she said, straightening her right leg to pull up her pajama pant. “He gave me this on our first date. You don’t happen to know how the clasp works, do you?”
Olivia felt him stiffen, and half expected a bolt of lightning to shoot out of the sky and strike her dead. But really, having lived practically in Eileen’s pocket for eleven years, she had no intention of ever tiptoeing around another in-law again.
Titus demanded her attention by giving her a good squeeze—only now his dark, imposing green eyes were completely unreadable.
Olivia lifted her leg again. “Would you happen to know why it hasn’t got a clasp?”
It was Rana who finally gave her an answer. “It’s a symbol of Maximilian’s protection,” she explained with a warm smile. “As long as you’re wearing it, no one would dare harm you.”
Oh God, Mac had enemies? “Thank… thank you for telling me.”
But then Olivia became contrite. This poor woman was dying to meet her grandson, and here she was trying to get a handle on Mac’s father. “You can put me down now,” she told Titus, drawing his scowl away from his wife. She smiled. “I know you’re big and strong like your son, but I also happen to know I weigh slightly more than a feather.” She sighed when he didn’t move. “Or you can finish carrying me home and I’ll toss on some boots and take you to your cabin so your wife can finally meet Henry.”
“Titus,” Rana said quietly.
He started walking again, only instead of heading toward her house he turned and headed for the cabin.
God, she hoped Mac’s father didn’t throw out his back carrying her.
“Olivia. Wait up.”
Titus stopped and turned again, and Olivia saw Sam making his way toward them at a limping run. “Please put me down,” she asked. “I’ll watch where I’m walking.”
He finally set her on her feet just as Sam reached them. “You need to get everyone to the lodge,” Sam said, surprisingly not the least bit winded. “It seems to be the sturdiest building here and it’s on the highest ground. Don’t let Sophie go to school, and call Peg and tell her to bring all her kids to Inglenook. Then call Ezra and tell him to forget about opening the store and just come here.”
Olivia grabbed his sleeve. “But what’s going on?”
“I was listening to the radio in the barn and it seems there’s a bad storm headed this way. The weatherman said it slammed into the coast around midnight last night, and is already about fifty miles north of Bangor. They’re saying it’s the most powerful nor’easter they’ve ever seen, and it’s moving inland at about thirty miles an hour. That gives us only a few hours to prepare. When you get to the lodge, turn on the television and see what they’re saying on the news.”
Sam then looked at Titus and Rana, Rana now clutching her husband’s arm as Titus had grown unusually still. “You’re Mac’s parents,” Sam said in surprise. He looked around, then back at Titus. “How’d you get here? I’ve been in the barn since before sunrise and I didn’t see or hear anyone drive up the road.”
“You must have been occupied when we arrived,” Titus said quietly. “This storm, was it not predicted?”
Sam shook his head. “The weatherman said it just suddenly appeared on their radar, forming in the Gulf of Maine instead of farther south like usual.” He looked at Olivia. “I’m going to make sure everything’s battened down, and I’ll put the van in the garage. There’s a good chance we’ll lose power for several days if it’s as bad as they’re claiming. Most of the downeast coast has been without power for hours now.”
“Sweet Athena! Mama! Father!” Carolina cried from the porch of her cabin. She ran down the stairs as she belted her robe. “What are you doing here?” she whispered when she reached them. She clutched her mother’s arm. “Why didn’t you war—tell me you were coming?”
“We wanted to surprise Henry,” Rana explained. “Is he awake? Oh, please, take me to him, Caro.”
“Wife,” Titus said as the two women started off. “You will not dally. Get the boy up and just as soon as he and Carolina are dressed, you go to the lodge as Olivia’s father has instructed.”
Olivia gave a startled laugh when she saw Sam go deathly pale. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she told Titus. “This isn’t my father; he’s our horse wrangler, Sam Waters. Sam, this is Mac’s father, Titus. And… um, that’s his mother, Rana,” she said, waving toward the cabin just as the two women disappeared inside.
“This isn’t your father?” Titus asked tightly, his gaze narrowing on Sam.
“No,” she said. “I’ve been an orphan since my mother died when I was four.”
Titus slid his gaze to her, his eyes unreadable again, and gave a slight bow. “If you will excuse me then, I believe I will go hurry my family down to the main house. Mr. Waters,” he added with a nod before turning away.
“Sorry about that, Sam,” Olivia said, giving his arm a playful nudge. She started toward home. “I wonder if John and Eileen will be able to make it back from Boston ahead of the storm,” she said conversationally when he merely fell into step beside her.
He glanced over at her. “They told you they were going to Boston?”
“Eileen went there looking for interns. She and John usually check out different universities every year around this time.”
He stopped at the gate. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go use the lodge phone and call Ezra and give him a heads-up on the storm. But you can call Peg.” Sam shook his head. “After seeing her house when we took her home the other night, I’d feel better if she brought her family here.”
Olivia looked through the trees toward the upper parking lot, trying to see the horizon. “Do you really believe the storm is going to get that bad?”
“I have no idea, but I’m in the habit of preparing for worst-case scenarios. You really think your old man is dead?”
She looked at him in surprise then shrugged. “I figure he must be, since I haven’t heard from him since I was five.”
“But you told Titus you’ve been an orphan since you were four.”
“My mom died when I was four, and I was raised by foster parents.” She grinned. “And by Ezra and Doris Dodd. They’ve been more like parents to me than anyone else for as long as I can remember. In fact, when I turned eighteen and was no longer a ward of the state, they opened their home to me. Doris decorated a bedroom up all fancy and girly, and I spent every Christmas and Thanksgiving and all my school breaks with them. And then, because they just couldn’t live without me, they sold their home and moved to Spellbound Falls when I married Keith Baldwin.”
“Ezra mentioned you’ve been the apple of his eye all your life.”
“And he’ll be mine until the day he dies, just like Doris was,” she said thickly. She looked around and blew out a heavy sigh. “He’s the only reason I’m staying in Spellbound Falls.”
She saw Sam stiffen again. “You’re here for Ezra? Not for Inglenook and Sophie and your in-laws?”
She snorted. “Yeah, I just love living a stone’s throw away from my mother-in-law.” She shook her head. “Look, don’t let my bias influence your dealings with Eileen, okay? I simply don’t see eye to eye with her on several things.”
“Is that your late husband’s jacket?” he asked, nodding at her.
“No,” she said with a surprised laugh, “it’s Mac’s. And I swear I’m going to return it the minute he gets back. I just grabbed it off the peg when I ran out the door this morning.” She started toward home, walking backward. “Oh, and just so you know, Sam: You don’t need to stop at the gate. That’s for guests. You want to see me, you come to my door. I’ll get Sophie up and go st
art breakfast right after I call Peg. The keys are in the van ignition. And thanks for caring about Inglenook enough to batten down the hatches.”
“I’m not doing it for Inglenook,” he muttered, waving over his shoulder as he limped away.
Chapter Twenty-three
The storm slammed into Inglenook with the force of a small hurricane around midmorning, but the earthquakes were what really had everyone rattled. Up until half an hour ago when the power had gone out, the small band of refugees had all been sitting in the main room of the lodge watching the news. Everyone, even the children, had listened in shock to the reports on what appeared to be one long series of earthquakes that had started at the coast and were slowly rumbling inland toward the mountains. But for some unexplained reason, the newsman had said, the only shifting the scientists could detect was deep underground.
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