“Use it. I’ll grab a robe,” Vivien said, nodding toward Heather’s wet clothes. “Borrow whatever you want. Comfy clothes are in the bottom drawers.”
Heather blotted herself with the towel. Vivien turned off the shower and stepped out. It had warmed her, but she still felt weak. She cleared her throat a few times. It felt scratchy and sore.
“I have tea,” Lorna announced.
“Turn around if you don’t want an eyeful of my lady parts,” Vivien warned, pushing her wet panties from her hips and wiggling out of her bra. Heather averted her attention as she left the bathroom. Vivien grabbed the terrycloth robe from a hook and slipped it over her body.
Lorna set the mug on a coaster on the nightstand. “Your color is looking better.”
Vivien made her way to the bed, not bothering to take off the robe. She crawled under the covers. Heather took a change of clothes to the bathroom and shut the door.
“What happened tonight?” Lorna asked.
“I heard the motion sensor go off. It woke me up. I thought it was William coming over.” She looked at her nightstand. The phone charger was still there, but her dead phone was in the kitchen. “But it was Sam. I know it.”
“I don’t see anyone here with us now.” Heather came from the bathroom.
“I think we all should try to sleep,” Vivien said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”
Lorna nodded and started walking toward the bedroom door. She waited as Heather crawled into bed next to Vivien. She let her hand hover near the light switch. “No more adventures tonight.”
“Yes, Mom,” Vivien answered with a small smile as she leaned up to take a sip of tea. When she lay back down, Lorna turned off the lights and shut the door.
“You have to be more careful, Viv,” Heather whispered. “I don’t know why Sam would lead you into danger, but I can’t lose you. I need you to be smarter.”
Vivien sighed and nodded even though it was dark and Heather couldn’t see her. “I will. I promise.”
Chapter Seven
Morning brought with it a clarity she hadn’t had the night before. Correction, the late morning brought with it a clarity Vivien hadn’t had the night before. Walking into the ocean after a spirit—even if that spirit was Sam—had been incredibly stupid. She knew the dangers of the ocean current and cold temperatures.
After the late-night adventure, they’d all ended up sleeping in. Well, everyone except William. He got up early enough to leave, buy donuts, banana nut muffins, and lattes, and then return before the rest of them awoke.
“You are a keeper,” Lorna murmured against William’s mouth as he leaned in for a kiss. She held a latte in one hand and a donut in the other. As a couple, they were adorable.
“Deal. You have to keep him,” Heather said, teasingly giving her brother away. “No take backs. He’s yours. Pleather couches and all.”
“Why do you always have to make fun of my couches?” William protested. “They’re cool.”
“Because they have cup holders built in,” Vivien answered.
“So? Your decor looks like it’s from the nineties,” William countered. He worked as a contractor, building houses in a new development. Despite the fact he hung framed football jerseys on his wall, he wasn’t at a complete loss when it came to an understanding of interior design.
“Shows what you know,” Vivien countered. “Early two-thousands.”
“I stand corrected.” William chuckled. “But it doesn’t make it cool.”
“I get your point. It’s high time I redecorated. I’m thinking reclaimed wood, farmhouse style,” Vivien said, glancing around as if the space would give her some indication what she should do with it, “or maybe shabby chic? Beach cottage might be too obvious, but then again, it could be fabulous. What do you think, roomie?”
“I think this is your house and you should design it however makes you happy,” Lorna answered.
“So posters of half-naked guys and bar darts?” William inquired. “Maybe some neon signs?”
“I do like where your head is at,” Vivien joked with a serious nod. “And maybe a full-size replica of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ for the front lawn.”
“Classy,” Heather drawled, pulling the lid from her latte and setting it on the counter. “I’m sure your friend Troy will enjoy walking out to a naked statue every morning.”
“Sure he will. He’s an academic, and Michelangelo is popular with that crowd.” Vivien grinned as she pulled a glazed donut from the box. “The naked guy is serious art.”
“Classy and classical,” Heather amended.
“Does anyone else feel like they have a hangover this morning?” Vivien suppressed a yawn. Her mind and body felt sluggish.
“No,” Lorna set down her latte and reached the back of her hand to touch Vivien’s forehead to test her temperature. “Do you feel sick from being in the water last night?”
The tingling of the touch didn’t surprise Vivien, but as her thoughts began to clear, she realized Lorna was trying to take some of the fatigue for herself. She slapped Lorna’s hand away. “Stop that.”
Lorna swayed on her feet and touched her head. “I see what you mean. Did you take anything last night? Sleeping pills? This reminds me of being pill drunk.”
“Pill drunk?” William inquired.
“When you take cold medicine or painkillers or whatever and you feel,” Lorna shrugged, “kind of drunk. Woozy.”
“High,” Heather clarified.
“I’ve never heard that phrase before,” he said.
“That’s because you’re a boring fuddy-duddy,” Vivien teased.
“Not everyone can be a party animal like you, Viv,” William answered. “What were you thinking last night when you went swimming with Troy?”
“I wasn’t swimming with Troy.” Vivien frowned, studying her donut as she pinched off a small piece and brought it to her mouth.
“Making out by the shore, then?” William scrunched up his face. “All I know is you looked flushed, wet, and were mumbling some strange excuses when we caught you.”
“You didn’t catch me, you found me.” Instead of eating, Vivien threw the piece of food at his head.
William snapped his mouth to catch it and then grinned with victory as he chewed in exaggeration.
“Troy just happened to be walking by, and he pulled me out of the water. I was…” She didn’t want to tell him. “I was following Sam.”
“I take it this has something to do with the séance you ladies were planning last night?” William’s tone revealed that he still wasn’t too pleased with the idea of them dabbling in magic. He looked at Lorna. “I thought you said everything was fine?”
“It was,” Lorna answered guiltily. “No reason to think there are demons.”
It wasn’t any secret that until a few weeks ago, when William had been knocked unconscious by the same demon that had gone after Lorna, he’d spent his entire life denying the existence of the supernatural. He’d been raised by a mother who’d hated the Warrick family legacy she’d married into, and by nature, William usually came at things from a logical perspective.