Witch Confidential

by Lily Harper Hart

  Felix lifted the bag. “I got food for Ofelia and Dad.”

  That was exactly what Sully was worried about. “Well, I’ll still get dessert.”

  “You do what you want to do.” Felix glanced between Sully and Daisy and then shook his head. “I should probably get going. I want to get the food back before it gets cold.”

  Desperate to keep Felix from racing back to his sister and squealing about a date that wasn’t really a date, Sully grasped at straws to get him to stay. “You could sit with us a few minutes,” he offered. “Then we could walk back together ... and talk.”

  “I think that would be awkward.” Felix made a face. “I’m going to get going. I hope you two enjoy the rest of your date.”

  “Thank you.” Daisy waved gaily at his retreating form. “He’s nice, huh?”

  Sully could think of a few other words to describe him. “Yeah, he’s a peach.”

  Ten

  Sully was still fuming when he managed to extricate himself from Daisy an hour later. The woman refused to pick up on verbal hints — or eye rolls, heavy sighs, glances at the clock, drumming fingers, feigned sleeping, and even growls — and he’d finally had to lay it out in no uncertain terms. Only then did she realize he seemed restless.

  “I can go with you,” she’d offered as he hurried toward the door. “Wherever you’re going, I would love to see it.”

  “Sorry. That’s not going to work. Have a nice night, though.”

  The second he hit the street, Sully sucked in three gaping mouthfuls of oxygen before scurrying around the side of the building. The last thing he wanted was Daisy finding him and trying to strike up another conversation. He had nothing against the woman — she seemed perfectly pleasant — but he was in no mood for games. He had to get to Ofelia.

  The look on Felix’s face had been dark. Sully had no doubt he’d picked up dinner, immediately raced back to Krewe, and filled her head full of fanciful lies. Since Felix was the dramatic sort, they were probably exaggerated to the point where he wouldn’t even recognize the story.

  Even as he strode down the street, ignoring tourists and mulling over bad thoughts about Felix, a niggling thought in the back of Sully’s mind reminded him that this was all his fault. He was the one who had dinner with Daisy even though he had other plans. Felix was simply watching out for his sister. It was what big brothers were supposed to do for little sisters. Technically, none of this was Felix’s fault.

  Oh, screw that, Sully internally fumed. He probably did a little dance when he tattled on me.

  Sully wasn’t so far gone that he didn’t remember dessert. If he was going to smooth things over with Ofelia, he was going to need a bribe, which is why he stopped at a small sweets shop to get beignets and pralines. He had a big bag of goodies when he swooped through Krewe’s door ... and found the bar packed with faces.

  “What the ... ?”

  “They just came in,” Bastion Blessed said as he swooped by, a tray of drinks in his hand. He was one of Ofelia’s most trusted bartenders and he looked to have his hands full. “I think it’s going to be a rowdy night.”

  That was the last thing Sully wanted. How was he supposed to talk to Ofelia, plead his case, if she was busy behind the bar all night? He flicked his eyes in that direction, his heart giving a little heave when he found Ofelia. She was working behind the bar, her hands a blur as she mixed drinks, and Felix was right beside her.

  “Crap,” he muttered under his breath as brother and sister filled orders. He had no doubt Ofelia was aware of his dinner with Daisy. He had to make sure she didn’t believe it was a date. For some reason, that was extremely important to him.

  “Hey.” It took him a few minutes to cut through the crowd. There were no open seats at the bar — something that grated — but he was determined to get through this. “This is quite the crowd, huh?”

  “It is.” Ofelia didn’t meet his gaze, instead focusing on a computer screen. “Felix, I need more gin. Can you get it from the storage room?”

  “Absolutely.” Felix pinned Sully with a dark glare before skirting behind his sister and doing her bidding. For some reason he was in a helpful mode tonight, and Sully figured that was because he was afraid his sister was going to have some sort of meltdown.

  “Listen, about what Felix probably told you ... .”

  Ofelia was distracted and only briefly held his gaze. There was no warmth there and Sully found himself suddenly bereft at the thought she would never smile at him again. He swallowed hard.

  “I’m sorry,” he blurted out, giving no heed to how it would make him look. “It wasn’t a date. No matter what Felix told you, I wasn’t specifically out with her. I ran into her on the street and she wanted to talk about the investigation — honestly, she’s still rattled and has daddy issues, but that’s another story — and she invited me to eat with her. I felt put on the spot, but I agreed because I didn’t want to be rude.”

  Ofelia stared at him for a beat. “Okay,” she said finally.

  “I don’t want you to think it’s a date,” he repeated, miserable. “The only one I want to date is you.”

  Ofelia licked her lips and glanced back at Felix as he returned with a bottle of Tanqueray. “Did you see Sully earlier? If so, you failed to mention it.”

  Felix scowled. “I saw him.”

  That’s when reality hit Sully over the head ... hard. “You didn’t tell her.”

  “Of course not.” Felix made a face. “I have no interest in hurting my sister, and telling her what I saw would’ve crushed her. Besides ... I thought maybe you would come to your senses at some point. I didn’t want to turn Fe into a man hater for the rest of her life.”

  “Oh, geez.” Ofelia briefly rubbed her forehead and then grabbed the gin. “Now is not the time for this discussion. We are well and truly slammed. I need to get through this rush before I do anything else.”

  Morose, Sully nodded. “I really am sorry ... but it wasn’t a date.”

  “So you’ve said.” Ofelia mustered a smile but it was remote. “Why don’t you go up to my apartment. You remember where it is, right? The door is unlocked and the cat is in there. You can keep him company while I deal with this. Then we’ll talk.”

  Sully was almost hopeful. “Seriously? Do you promise?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. I have to get through this first, though. I ... this is my business.”

  “It’s okay.” He held up the bag of treats. “I brought dessert.”

  “Great. Then I guess we’ll have something to stuff in our mouths to prolong that awkward conversation later.”

  That was enough to elicit a genuine grin from him. “That’s exactly what I was going for.”

  SULLY AND THE KITTEN PLAYED FOR A FULL hour before Ofelia climbed the steps and joined them. At first she thought he’d grown bored waiting and took off. When she moved around the couch, though, she found him stretched out on the floor stroking the tiny kitten.

  “You’re still here.” She let out a relieved breath. “I wasn’t sure if you got sick of waiting.”

  Sully rolled to a sitting position, the kitten cradled in his hands. “Nothing could’ve dragged me out of this apartment. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Well ... okay.” She dropped to the floor and stroked the kitten’s head. “I need to get him into the vet and have him checked over. He could have a disease or something.”

  “He’s fine.” Sully’s gaze remained fixed on her. “He might’ve been a stray for the first six weeks of his life, but he’s okay. You don’t have to worry.”

  “Do you know that because of the panther thing?”

  “I know it because I have faith.”

  “Oh.”

  “And because of the panther thing.” He grinned at her as she rolled her eyes. “He just needs his vaccinations and food. He’ll be fine.”

  “Well, that’s a relief.” She dusted off the knees of her jeans as she sat across from him and rested her hands on her thighs. “So ..
. you wanted to talk.”

  Of course she would take this tack, he internally mused. It would be easier for him if she tackled the problem — he was certain she’d forced Felix to fill her in after he departed the bar — but she wanted to make him clean up his own mess.

  “I ran into Daisy earlier,” he started.

  “So I heard. Did you guys have a nice dinner?”

  Ah, so she was going the passive aggressive route, Sully noted. That wasn’t what he envisioned for her plan of attack, but his mother was a master when it came to that tactic so he was well-versed in how to deal with it. One look at Ofelia’s sad face, though, and all strategy went out the window.

  “Honestly, I was standing outside the restaurant looking at the menu because I planned to get dinner for you and me,” he offered. “I thought if I fed you then you’d be more likely to agree to go out with me. Plus, well, dinner at the bar is kind of like a date.”

  “Except it’s not because there’s always a bunch of people there,” she pointed out.

  “Yeah, it’s a lazy date,” he acquiesced. “That way I don’t have to risk you saying no, though.”

  “What makes you think I would say no?”

  He rested the kitten on his thighs and held out his hands as he shrugged. “I don’t know. My head goes all wonky when you’re around. I think ridiculous thoughts. Every time I gear myself up to ask you out, the fear takes over and I act like an idiot.”

  Ofelia was amused despite herself. “Is that what happened tonight?”

  “No.” He fervently shook his head. “Honestly, tonight was nothing ... and I’m not just saying that to get you to give me a chance. Like I said, I was looking at the menu, debating what to get you, and then Daisy just happened to appear on the corner.

  “She asked about the case, I told her what I could, and then she started speaking about her plans for the space,” he continued. “That was my mistake. I remembered what you said about other businesses failing in that building and I asked her what she had planned. That’s when she suggested dinner ... and mentioned she would be eating by herself if I didn’t agree.”

  Ofelia’s eyebrows hopped. “So, she manipulated you into dinner?”

  He hesitated before answering. “I don’t know that I would phrase it like that. She just seemed lonely. I honestly was interested in hearing about her plans for the building. It turns out that she might be on to an idea ... although talking to her has all the appeal of eating stale beignets.”

  “I see.” Ofelia tapped her bottom lip as she regarded him. “So ... basically you want me to know that tonight was business and not pleasure. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

  “Pretty much,” he confirmed.

  “Well ... okay.” She flashed a smile. “If that’s all, I need to get back down to the bar.”

  On a whim, Sully reached out and loosely wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “That’s not all.” His voice was low, husky, and his eyes were filled with an emotion Ofelia couldn’t quite identify.

  “What else is there?” she asked, her mouth going dry.

  “I was hoping we could come up with a plan for after this investigation.”

  Bewildered, she chewed on her bottom lip. “What sort of plan?”

  “A dating plan.” It was now or never, he realized. He had to get through this. Delaying what he wanted wasn’t going to help anyone. “I’m not suggesting we make definitive plans right now. I really do have to solve this case. After that, though — and I’m talking like the night after — I want to go out on a date.”

  Ofelia heaved out a sigh. And there it was. He’d finally done it. She’d been wondering when he would get up the gumption. Now that he had, she felt ridiculously relieved. “I can probably manage a date,” she said finally, averting her gaze. “I mean ... I like dates.”

  “Good.” He grinned at her, his breath coming easier now. “We can discuss what we both want to see on a first date and go from there.”

  The look she shot him sparked with amusement. “That sounds kind of ... weird. Why can’t we just do the normal thing of going to dinner, maybe a walk on the riverfront, and fumble through awkward conversation until we hit on the right mix like everybody else?”

  Oddly, his heart did a long, slow roll. “Actually, that sounds like the perfect date.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” She beamed at him as he let out a sigh. “So, as soon as we find our killer — or monster, if that’s what we’re dealing with — we’ll go on a date. We’re agreed.”

  He laughed and nodded. “We’re definitely agreed.”

  SINCE THEY WERE STILL WORKING ON THE case together, Sully arrived at Krewe shortly before nine the next morning. The dessert was a nice break from reality after their heavy conversation the previous evening, but it was over too fast because Ofelia had to return to work. It was for that reason Sully decided to try breakfast again, and he was rewarded with a smile when Ofelia realized who was sliding through the door.

  “Twice in one week,” she noted as he carried the bag toward the same table they’d sat at before. “To what do I owe the occasion?”

  “I thought we could talk about things, break them down.” He smiled at her in such a way her stomach turned liquid and her heart fluttered. “Plus ... I just wanted to see you. I figured breakfast and murder talk would distract from what a geek I am.”

  Ofelia chuckled, genuinely amused. “Well, at least you’re honest.”

  “I am,” he agreed. “That’s why I was so worked up when I thought Felix was here telling tall tales. I figured he was an exaggerator of the highest order.”

  “Oh, he is.” Ofelia snickered as she moved from behind the counter. She could smell the eggs and potatoes inside the bag from halfway across the bar. “He would never embellish about something that he thought would legitimately upset me, though. That’s not who he is.”

  “Well ... I guess I’m glad for that, although I pretty much gave myself an ulcer while I was trying to get Daisy to pick up on social cues and say goodbye so I could get to you.”

  “Is it wrong that I’m amused picturing that?”

  Sully shot her a look as she moved closer to the bags, grinning at the way her eyes sparkled with flirty intent. “I guess I deserve that.”

  “Just for the record, I probably won’t be as forgiving after we’ve gone on an official date, so if there’s someone else you want to have dinner with ... .”

  He immediately started shaking his head. “Trust me. There’s only one person I want to have dinner with.”

  The air sparked between them as they drew close. Sully’s fingers were gentle as they brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead. Honestly, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She had a way about her that he couldn’t describe, but it made his stomach jittery and his heart pound. Just being this close to her was enough to fill him with nerves ... and desire ... and happiness. He was fairly certain she felt the same way because the expression on her face was one of joy ... until the sound of a throat clearing behind them filled the room.

  Sully didn’t have to turn to know who had joined them. “Good morning, Oscar,” he called out as he slowly dropped his hand. The moment was gone. If he’d planned to go further — like planting his lips on hers — it was well past that time now. He would be damned if their first kiss would go down in front of her father.

  “Good morning.” Oscar rustled his newspaper as he trudged into the room, his eyes immediately going to the bag of food. “What’s that?”

  Sully let loose an exaggerated sigh. “Eggs, potatoes, toast, and sausage from Cafe Conti.”

  “Oh, nice.” Oscar’s smile widened. “I love breakfast. I think it’s my favorite meal of the day.” He planted himself in the chair between Ofelia and Sully, a clear message being sent.

  For the first time since he came into their lives, Sully didn’t let Oscar dictate the seating arrangements. Instead, he held out a chair for Ofelia so she could sit and then immediately took the seat to
her right, grabbing the bag before Oscar could start rummaging through it.

  “I’ve got this.” Sully shot the other man a dark look. “I paid. I get to dole it out.”

  Oscar rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He was curious as he glanced between his daughter and her paramour. He was convinced he’d interrupted an important moment ... and he wasn’t sorry about it in the least. He’d resigned himself to the fact that Ofelia and the detective were going to get involved. That didn’t mean he had to help them along when he thought it was a bad idea. “What did I miss?”

  “Sully and I are going to date,” Ofelia replied, refusing to mince words. “We’re going to wait until after we figure out who killed all those girls, though. We figure that’s the best course of action.”

  “The best course of action is not to date a cop,” Oscar countered, his eyes heavy when they locked with Sully’s conflicted orbs. When neither party budged, he sighed. “Since you’re going to do what you want to do, though, let’s talk about the case so we can get it behind us and you guys can start making me want to kill you because you’re so cute. How does that sound?”

  Sully visibly relaxed. “I think that sounds like the perfect breakfast.”

  “Son, if you think that’s the perfect breakfast, I’ve got a million things to teach you. It’s an okay breakfast, though, so we might as well start there.”

  That was one thing they could all agree on.

  Eleven

  Oscar found that breakfast was an enjoyable time ... even if he spent the bulk of the meal pretending he didn’t notice the sparks flying between his daughter and the detective. They thought they were being coy, catching each other’s eyes and laughing when they thought he wasn’t looking. He had news for them: they weren’t nearly as sly as they thought they were.

  “So, what’s going on with your case?” Oscar asked after Ofelia’s cheeks turned bright red for the fourth time. “Any new leads?”