She was in her element, absolutely thrilled to be a part of this. Sam stood back, a little overwhelmed as he looked at his life-long neighbors that he’d never known were magical.
“Now, for our first coven meeting, we have very special guests.” I clasped my hands in front of me. “Please welcome Ricky and Dana Johnson.”
Everyone knew what they’d been through, losing a son and then almost losing another. When they stood and waved, the entire group clapped, and slowly, everyone got to their feet as Dana buried her face in Ricky’s chest and sobbed.
I held one hand up and everyone sat back down. “Rick and Dana have graciously agreed to be our liaison with the shifters, which is something we’ve needed for a very long time.” I addressed the couple directly. “You’re always welcome in this coven, and if you ever have a need for a friend, you know where to find a bunch.”
“Thank you,” Dana mouthed as they took their seats.
Alfred grunted in the doorway, and I looked over to see he had his tuxedo apron on, and he nodded sharply at me when he caught my eye. “I’m being told dinner is ready. Please, enjoy.”
I stepped back as everyone got to their feet, nodding at my coven. All the witches who hadn’t been involved with the shifters and the murders had readily agreed to join the new, improved coven.
Alfred stood back with Larry, who had flat refused to be laid to rest. The ghoul grunted something to the skeleton and Larry ran over to the counter, grabbed a stack of napkins, and wedged himself between the people lined up on either side of my table to make a plate of the bountiful feast.
Larry brushed up against the twins, having darted between them, and they both jerked back with mirroring faces of horror at having a skeleton touching them.
I put my hand on my mouth and bit back a giggle. I had warned everyone about my menagerie beforehand.
“Now.”
Jerking around, I looked behind me for the person who dared speak to me like that. But nobody was behind me.
“Now.”
What the fudge? I looked in a circle, then Snoozer rubbed against my legs. When I looked down at him, he looked up at me with his big smoochy face. “Meow.”
“Geez, Snoozle,” I said, bending to scoop him up into my arms. “I thought you said now.”
As if on cue, his stomach gurgled. “Oh, it’s your dinner time, isn’t it?”
“Now.”
I stopped and stared into his too-intelligent eyes. “If you’re going to start talking, I’m packing up and moving back to Philadelphia, cause that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Meow.”
“That’s better.”
I handed him off to Alfred. “He’s hungry.”
Alfie grunted, then glared at Snoozle. “Now,” Snooze said.
“And demanding,” I added.
A couple of the coven members’ kids ran by, closely pursued by Sammie, who was having the time of his life.
“Uncle Drew is here!” he screeched as he ran onto the back porch.
Owen and I had made a big bubble for the backyard so that we could all go out back and enjoy the weather without being cold. I laughed at the kids and moved toward the front door to greet Drew.
But when I opened it, he was quickly walking back down my front walk. “Drew?” I asked.
We’d had one more date since the day Luci took the murdering Bevan and Penny to Hell. We’d been spending a lot of time together since we spent the entire day at the festival, just the two of us laughing and goofing off.
And it had gone very, very well.
He turned slowly and squinted at me. “I forgot.”
Cocking my head, I walked down the porch steps and met him halfway up my walk. “Forgot what?”
“That you were having your big meeting tonight. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“It’s one thing to give up a life of hunting, but that?” He shook his head rapidly. “I can’t be closed up in a house with that many witches. It makes my skin tingle.” He gestured to all the cars parked along my yard and driveway. “As soon as I pulled in, I figured out what was going on, but I wanted to come to say hi anyway.”
“And then?”
“When I got close, I got itchy. I had to back away from the house quickly.”
I laughed and grabbed his hand. “How about a kiss for the road and you come to dinner tomorrow night?”
A sexy smile lifted the corners of his mouth and he wrapped his arms around my waist, jerking me close. I sighed as he claimed my lips like he was starving. Pressing into him, I deepened the kiss. My body tingled all over and ached in all the right places.
The chime of my phone broke us apart. I pulled it out of my pocket and drew my brows together as I read the text.
“What is it?” Drew leaned over to read my text.
“That’s Uncle Wade, Clay’s uncle. He said the realtor has a buyer for the house and she wants to meet with me next weekend.” While I was thrilled that the house sold, it also meant one more thing to let go of. My entire life with Clay had been in the house.
Drew cupped my chin and lifted. “Are you okay?”
I nodded and pocketed my phone. “Yeah. I am.” He raised his brows. “Honestly, I’ll be fine. It’ll be rough letting go of the last thing I have of Clay’s, but it'll be okay.”
Drew kissed me softly on the lips. “Not the last thing. You have Wallie and your memories and your love. Clay will always be in your heart.”
How did I luck out with such a compassionate, understanding man? Twice.
“I’ll be going with you.”
“What? No. You can’t—”
He kissed me again to cut off my words, then said, “I’m going and Wallie will go. You’re not doing this alone.”
The man I was lucky to find was also bossy and completely wonderful. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me.” He gave me one more kiss before stepping back. “You better get back to your party.”
“See you tomorrow.”
He gave me a wicked grin and turned toward his car. I took a few minutes to enjoy the view. After he drove off, I sent Wallie a text.
House has a buyer. You need to come with me to meet them next weekend.
His reply was instant. Sure meet you there?
Yep.
Another chapter in my life was about to end. When I looked at my new family and the coven I was rebuilding and the new beau in my life, I knew everything was going to be okay.
Clay would be proud of me.
Sneak Peek into a New Series coming soon
A bunny bit me on the finger and everything went sideways after that.
That’s just the beginning of my insane life. The Fascinators, the local ladies’ club, suddenly are incredibly interested in having me join their next Bunco night, which is a thinly veiled excuse to drink and gossip.
I’ve been dying to get into that group for years; why now? I’m over forty, my daughter is grown, and all I do is temp work. What’s so special about me?
After I shift into a dragon, things become clearer. They’re not a Bunco group. The Fascinators are a pack of shifters. Yes, shifters. Like werewolves, except in this case it’s weresquirrels and a wereskunk, among others.