Chapter 8
Chapter
Eight
Magnus was relieved that he and Mercedes were going to be friends, but also, he wasn’t too keen on the idea of being just friends. Part of him still wanted more. It was fun to joke around with her. There was so much he liked about her. And there was still that part of him that wanted her.
He wanted to know what it was like to kiss those ruby lips, to run his hands through her burgundy hair.
She works for you now. You can thank Sven for that.
Annoyed he was thinking about her again, he finished chopping the lettuce, cucumber, and dill for the special sandwich he was making for Phineas, who was in the old pond out in the back of the dead-and-breakfast. It was a deep koi pond, but some of the pipes that used to run its fountain had rusted over.
Phineas was underwater, fixing the old system and cleaning up.
They had just bought a lot of peat moss from him to prep all the intricate flower beds that Dazy and Feydin had planted and laid out for them this past summer, for their winter slumber.
It had been a huge investment. Sven hoped that there would be weddings at Room with a Tomb, and those flower beds would make for a beautiful space.
Magnus was hopeful for that too.
And he hoped the first one would be Margaid and Finn’s, although Finn had yet to formally ask her.
Thinking about a wedding, his mind wandered to Mercedes.
He was picturing her in white, her dark hair down, the sun shining, and him waiting at the end of an aisle.
Mercedes smiling at him with love and warmth. Not uncertainty.
What is happening to me?
When did he become a crazy romantic? After centuries without having his curse broken or ever feeling more than the occasional infatuation or lust for another woman, he didn’t think it was possible to imagine a happily ever after.
So, envisioning Mercedes in a white gown and thoughts of weddings creeping into his mind completely threw him off guard.
I need to focus on the opening and my menus. That’s what I need to do.
Magnus fully admitted that lately, he was completely distracted and Sven seemed to be doing all the heavy lifting for the business. He finished making the sandwich as the door opened and Mercedes walked in.
Her hair was smoking again and there was fresh grease across her face. It was clear she was trying to fix it, but couldn’t. “It’s the dryer. Again.”
“Again?”
She nodded. “I swear, I didn’t even touch it. You said you fixed it.”
Magnus cursed under his breath. “I did. Just let me take this lunch out to Phineas, then I’ll go down and take another look at the dryer.”
This was the last thing he needed.
They were days away from the opening and Sven would definitely blow a gasket if he knew the dryer was on the fritz again. Magnus stepped outside, aware that Mercedes was following him.
He could smell her.
She smelled like that meadow-fresh scent the possessed dryer seemed to like to belch up and jasmine. All he wanted to do was pick her up, throw her over his shoulder, and spend the rest of his days wrapped in her arms.
Thinking about that made his cock harden.
What is wrong with me?
The last thing he needed was to deliver Phineas his lunch with a hard-on. Magnus closed his eyes and tried to think about something else, anything else.
His old buddy Olaf, who was hairy like a Sasquatch, in a sauna.
That did the trick.
“Where is Phineas?” Mercedes asked as they stopped in front of the koi pond.
“Down below. See the bubbles?”
Mercedes leaned over and he got a nice view of her particularly round behind in her tight jeans, not that he could admire it long as she got too close to the edge and teetered.
Without thinking, he reached out with one arm and scooped her up.
Her breasts resting on his forearm, her body pressed closed to him.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Sorry. I’m a bit accident-prone.”
“Obviously.” He still held her there, under one arm, with Phineas’ sandwich in his other hand.
“Uh, you can let me down,” she said quietly.
Phineas surfaced at that moment, his yellow eyes widened, looking up at them. “Did I interrupt something?”
Yes, he wanted to say, but didn’t, handing Phineas the sandwich while still holding Mercedes. “Your lunch.”
Phineas took the sandwich. “Um, thanks.”
“Magnus, seriously you can set me down,” Mercedes said haughtily.
“Right.” Magnus gently lowered her and she righted herself, resting her hand on his chest. Just the simple touch from her, even though the thin fabric of his white cotton shirt, made his body heat.
She lingered and then stepped away, her cheeks blooming with color. “Um, I think I’ll head back inside and check on the dryer.”
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Magnus said. “You might cause it to explode again.”
“Again?” Phineas asked, leaning over the edge of the koi pond, eating his sandwich.
Mercedes’ eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. “I didn’t do anything this time. I don’t think I did anything last time either. Maybe the witch from The Clothes Spin did something to it.”
“Mona would never do anything to her machines,” Phineas said, between bites. “She’s not a bad witch.”
“Are you saying I am?” Mercedes asked, amused.
Phineas physically gulped. “No way.”
“She’s just teasing you,” Magnus said. “Eat your sandwich.”
“I’m almost done and I’ll get back to work. Your koi are much more chill than you two are,” Phineas stated, eating the last bite and then disappearing again under the murky depths of the pond, leaving behind a trail of bubbles.
“I hope I didn’t upset him,” Mercedes said, running her hand over her frazzled hair. “I was only teasing him.”
“He understood. He’s just a bit nosey sometimes.” Magnus scrubbed a hand over his face. “What’re we going to do? We can’t run the dead-and-breakfast efficiently if we can’t clean the linens because the dryer is possessed and throwing up mountain-fresh scented lint.”
Mercedes giggled. “It’s quite comical, but you’re right. We can’t. Maybe it is me. I really need the job, but I don’t want to make this any more difficult for you or your brother.”
“I won’t let you quit,” Magus said fiercely.
Pink bloomed in her cheeks again and she tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “Oh?”
Magnus rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “We don’t have time to train anyone new.”
Nice going, dunderhead. Way to make her feel good.
“I see. Maybe it’s time we head to that blood-cursed place,” Mercedes said nervously. “Maybe I can see what’s up, because we can’t keep having these issues.”
“Well, we can go now. I’m sure we can rent a boat from Finn.”
Mercedes nodded. “I’ll grab my coat.”
He watched her as she scurried back inside. He was kicking himself internally for being such an idiot, which he promised her he wouldn’t be, but he panicked when she said that maybe it would better if she quit for the sake of the business.
A few weeks ago, he would’ve agreed to that because he was still pretty convinced that she was Yrsa reincarnated. Now it was clear she wasn’t. Even though he was fighting the urge to take her in his arms and make her his, he didn’t want her to leave now.
Things had seemed a bit lighter since she came to work at the dead-and-breakfast. It was like something new and exciting was expected every day and he looked forward to seeing her.
Except, he couldn’t tell her that.
No, he had to be a jerk and say it’s because they didn’t have time to train someone new.
This is why I’ve never been able to fall in love. I have foot in my mouth disease.
They didn’t talk much on the quick walk down to the harbor. They found Finn working in the bait shop, counting reels from a box, because his busy season was winding down and he was doing inventory. The bell over the door rang as Magnus opened it and held it for Mercedes.
The moment they stepped inside, Finn was watching them with a curious expression on his long, paint-colored horse face.
“Hello,” Finn greeted cautiously. “I’m surprised to see you two.”
“Together?” Mercedes teased softly.
“Something like that, but also, I know you’ve all been busy prepping for the opening. How can I help you today?”
“I need to rent a boat,” Magnus said.
“Okay.” Finn’s thick brown mane fell to one side as he inclined his head. “Just a motorboat?”
“You’re not going to ask me why?” Magnus asked.
“No,” Finn said. “It’s not really my business unless you’re running something illegal in my boat. Then I’d be mad.”
Magnus rolled his eyes. “Nothing illegal.”
“He’s taking me to a blood-cursed spot,” Mercedes said.
Finn’s eyes widened. “A…what?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Magnus interjected. “Just need to borrow a boat for the afternoon.”
Finn’s eyes darted between the two of them, and then he reached behind him and grabbed a set of keys, dropping them into Magnus’ hand. “If the store is locked when you get back, just put the keys in the lockbox.”
“Thanks,” Magnus grunted.
Finn nodded. “Be careful out there. There are some reports of a storm for later this afternoon. Maybe keep the radio on the marine weather news.”
“Aye aye,” Magnus acknowledged.
“Thanks, Finn,” Mercedes said sweetly.
Finn nodded and went back to his work. Magnus led the way out the side door of Monster Catch Bait and Tackle and down the pier to where all the rentals were kept. He knew the boat that Finn had lent them because it was the one he took out after the date, when he tried to curse her.
It was the one he often used when he was out and about on the lake.
The water was a bit choppy, but the sky was still blue, though there was a chill in the September air. He glided down and held out his hand for Mercedes. “It’s a bit rough and you don’t seem to be so steady on your feet.”
Mercedes glared at him but took his hand. Her skin was so soft. He wanted to just scoop her up and float her down into the boat, but he knew he probably wouldn’t get away with that.
“Thanks. I’m not that bad.”