CHAPTER 4 #2
“Not true. I like her. Especially when she thinks I’m watching her because she did something wrong.
She gets so flustered.” He climbed into the truck cab and started the engine.
As he rolled down his window, the look on his face turned serious.
“What I don’t like is having politics interfere with my investigation.
Can you tell your friends at the coven to back off and let me do my job? ”
“One, not my friends, and two, what makes you think they’ll listen to me?” Mia pointed at him. “You might want to chat with your wife.”
He rolled his eyes and turned his wedding ring back and forth.
“Like that’s going to do any good. Sarah’s either all about the baby right now or touting the advantages of coven life for our family.
She wants us to join, so naturally, whatever happens, Sarah agrees with the coven.
I haven’t won many arguments in the last six months.
Now that I know about magic, she thinks I should fall in line with whatever that group wants. It’s not going to happen.”
Mia watched as Mark pulled out of Trent’s driveway.
She knew the pressure the coven could put on someone.
In fact, she was pretty sure the only reason Mia’s Morsels got the contract for the Halloween party was because they wanted to show her what they could do to help her.
Instead, the gesture made her feel icky, like they were trying to buy her allegiance.
It was exactly how she’d felt about the offer from Isaac to cater to Christina’s upcoming engagement party.
Of course, it was only the party in Magic Springs Isaac was giving Mia’s Morsels.
The Boise event would be held at the family mansion on Warm Springs Avenue and be attended by Boise’s upper-crust society members, as well as any clients or potential clients Mr. Adams thought would enjoy it.
Levi would find his engagement party to be a work event for his new in-laws. Hopefully, Abigail and Thomas would keep it together during the party. She and Trent would be there and try to keep the peace. And if this Steve was still in town, she guessed he would attend as well.
She turned back to the house, wondering if Steve had a girlfriend. From his manners, she assumed not, but sometimes women liked pushy, overbearing men, especially when they had a big bank account.
Trent met her at the door. “So that was fun.”
“You and your family have an odd idea of fun.” Mia glanced inside. “Are your parents still fighting?”
“Yep. But now it’s transitioned into the silent treatment. Mom wants to gather around the firepit here with her boys, so I guess I’m stuck here for the night.” He pushed a strand of hair out of her face. “How’s Mark?”
“Frustrated with the coven. I don’t blame him. It’s like he’s trying to investigate Kennedy’s assassination. He’s getting stonewalled.”
“Mia, Howard was a magical creature. They die for all kinds of reasons.” Trent glanced toward the side yard, where Buddy was now jumping from tree to tree, making the branches bend and almost hit the ground from his weight.
“I thought having squirrels was interesting. Buddy’s going to break all my tree cover. ”
“Maybe not now, but we probably need to talk about the long term. What do dragons eat? Is he magical and doesn’t need to eat?
Why is he invisible to most mortals? Is Christina the only human who can see him?
” Mia rolled her eyes. “And that’s only the beginning of my questions.
I’m not sure I’m ready to take on the kitchen witch role. I’m pretty sure I won’t pass any test.”
“You’ll be surprised at how much you’ve learned. Relax and let your intuition help you if you get stumped. Guessing is usually your subconscious telling you the right answer.” He handed her a tote. “I’d better get back inside. Steve wants a complete blow-by-blow of the Cerby delivery.”
“Do you want me to take him home with me? Will having family around upset him? He didn’t like Mark even suggesting that Buddy could have hurt Howard.
” Mia dug her keys out of her bag. You would think that the bag had a magical extension charm on it, as hard as it was to find things inside.
But that was the nature of a large tote.
“No, I think Buddy’s having fun in the forest. And there’s a lot of acres of federal land behind me. He can run and fly for miles.” Trent pulled her into a hug. “One more reason for us living here when we move in together. Buddy needs a lot of room.”
She touched his face in the gathering darkness. “I’m going to have to learn Grans’s wellness spell, then, and ward your house.”
“Who says it’s not already warded?” he asked as he kissed her goodnight. “Thanks for coming tonight. Mom, Levi, and I will all be over in the morning. But if you need us before that, call.”
“And Steve and your dad?” Mia stepped off the deck. She hoped they would be otherwise occupied.
“Fishing in Hells Canyon for the weekend. Dad convinced him that until the coven is done with their investigation, there’s no need for him here.”
Mia walked over to her car after saying goodnight. At least she had the weekend to figure out who killed Alfred Howard. At the car, she felt the wind from Buddy flying over her to say goodnight. She called up to the dragon, “Be safe, Buddy.”
A chortle answered her. Dragons didn’t worry about safety. She wished she had that luxury.