CHAPTER SEVEN
“Toto didn’t bite you, did he?” Dex asked, worried.
“The dog’s name is Toto?” I half-laughed. “Like from The Wizard of Oz?”
“Yeah,” he said grimacing. “He’s a miniature monster.”
“No, the dog didn’t bite me,” I assured him. “However, once they both were removed, I shut the door in your mother’s face.”
Dex reached out his hand and lightly rested it on mine again. “I’m so sorry, Kate.”
“How in the world did you come from those people?” I asked. “I could see the resemblance between you and your mother, but lord almighty she’s got the sort of hateful attitude that’ll rot your insides.”
“That’s a question that I’ll be forever chasing the answer to in therapy,” he admitted.
My lips twitched. “So long story short, you’ve been holed up at your uncle’s place in Mississippi, meeting with lawyers and trying to avoid most of the ugliness of your family?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been discretely drawing a small income on my shares of Poindexter Industries for the past two years—thanks to my uncle. But when my father died and his will was read, it was announced that his controlling shares were to be divided equally between my brother, sister and me.”
I blinked. “And none to your mother?”
“Correct,” he said. “She currently owns thirty percent, and expected to gain at least another twenty-five, so she would have controlling interest. She’s livid.”
“What will you do now?” I asked.
“I’m going to sell my shares of the company to my uncle. It’s not a quick or simple process, but it’s the best option. The shares can only be sold to a family member, and my uncle dislikes my mother enough that he enjoys the prospect of rubbing that in her face.”
“So do you plan to continue to work for Lorna?”
“That’ll depend on whether or not she’ll have me,” he said. “Right now my future plans are centered around you.”
I frowned at the declaration. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” he said. “I meant what I said to you that night, Kate. I waited a long time for you...to be with you, and I’m not giving up on us. Despite me leaving town for a few weeks, I’m going to put the work in until you realize that I’m serious about us as a couple.”
My eyebrows went way up at his declaration. “We’ll just see about that.”
Dex smiled. “Yes, we will.”
I pushed back from the table. “I need to finish putting these groceries away.”
“Let me give you a hand,” he said and rose to his feet to join me.
“That’s okay,” I said, trying to wave him off.
To my surprise he walked right over and got up into my personal space. I wasn’t threatened, only caught off guard. His eyes locked on mine, he gently backed me up until I found myself caged against the kitchen counter.
Once I came to a stop, he leaned in until we were practically nose-to-nose. “I’m not going anywhere, Kate. I’m staying put. You’re just going to have to get used to me again.”
“Well, I—” My words cut off when he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. My heart leapt at the tender gesture.
“I can be patient,” he whispered against my hair.
“You can be patient? How lovely for you,” I snarked as the canisters on the countertop behind me began to rattle and shake.
Before I could think of anything else to say or to do, Dex stepped back. The canisters stopped rattling and he looked from them and back to me. “Is that temper or something else causing your magick to slip?” he asked.
“Don’t push me,” I said, yanking my magick back in line and desperately trying to cover the fact that’d I’d been devastated by his kiss. “I mean it, Dex.”
In answer Dex flashed me an easy smile and proceeded to help with the groceries, like an old friend.
I tried to level out my breathing. But it wasn’t easy. Because I didn’t fully exhale again until he was on the other side of the room. Shit, I thought. Keeping him at arm’s length is going to be harder than I expected.
***
I was the one to call Lorna—once I’d put my groceries away, as Dex did not have his cell phone. I imagined it was still in his apartment above the bookstore. It took Lorna less than ten minutes to arrive at my apartment, and when I opened the door for her, relief was written all over her face.
She ran straight to him and grabbed him up in a big hug. Dex held on to her just as firmly. Abruptly Lorna pulled back from his embrace. “Don’t you ever do that again!” she shouted.
“Lorna—” Dex began.
“You pull another stunt like this, and your relatives will be the last thing you’ll have to worry about!
” And she was off. Lorna launched into a scathing lecture, and hearing that, I smiled and went to the wine rack on my counter.
Once there, I selected a bottle and poured myself and her a glass.
For Dex I snagged a can of ginger ale. I placed both on the kitchen table and moved back.
I had to hand it to her, Lorna Southern took no prisoners. Dex managed to get a few words in to explain what had transpired. Meanwhile, I took myself and my glass of wine over to my club chair and made myself comfortable.
Maybe I was more petty than I thought, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching Dex get his ass verbally handed to him.
Once she finally wound down, Lorna snatched up the glass of wine and drank deeply. Dex picked up the can of ginger ale, popped the top and sipped.
“Feel better?” he asked her.
Lorna’s silver eyes narrowed.
Before she could launch into another round of ass chewing, Dex said, “I’m sorry that I worried you, Lorna.”
“I hired a private detective to track you down,” she said, and pulled him close for another hug. “You asshole.”
Dex laid his head on top of hers and sighed. “I heard about that.”
“I’m going to forward the bill straight to you,” she warned him. “Especially now since we both know you can afford it.”
“The least I can do.” Dex chuckled as they released each other. He glanced from Lorna and over at me. “It’s good to be home.”
***
I didn’t tell Circe until a few minutes before opening the next day. While I poured apple cider into my big crock pot, and added the mulling spices, I filled her in. She listened and then once I finished, she simply inclined her head.
“What?” I asked, wondering over her uncharacteristic silence and stillness.
“And yet he lives?” she asked me quietly.
“I didn’t lose my temper,” I was quick to say. “He’s fine. I haven’t lost control of my magick since I was a teenager.”
“Seems to me that boy needs karma to bite him in the ass.”
“Circe!” I pressed a hand to my chest, horrified. “Don’t even joke about that.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you. There, there,” Circe said, giving my face a friendly pat. “So, how are you feeling about all of this, cousin?”
“Confused,” I said, turning the crock pot to low. “I’m relieved that he’s back and okay, but I’m a tad suspicious of his intentions going forward. Despite him saying he wants to work things out. But still, I don’t want to make it too easy for him.”
“You shouldn’t,” Circe agreed.
I stacked up some insulated disposable cups beside the crockpot. “Whenever he gets physically close to me...my brain sort of scrambles. Circe, I’ve never been attracted to someone, like I am to him. It’s intense and embarrassing. He’s like my kryptonite.”
Circe hissed. “And with him being a psychic he can probably sense your physical reactions to him.”
“He has me at a hell of a disadvantage,” I agreed, placing the lid on the pot.
“I’m going to want a word with him,” she said, and proceeded to march right across my sales floor and over to the bookstore.
“That’s not necessary—” I began to say, but it was too late. The connecting door swung open—untouched.
Circe was hopping mad and her magick was out and on full display.
“Aw shit,” I muttered and scrambled to follow.
“There’s the pretty boy,” Circe said, spotting Dex standing at the front counter of the bookstore.
“Circe.” Dex turned to her with a friendly smile.
Circe struck, punching Dex right in the solar plexus. His breath whooshed solidly out, and he bent over, gasping in surprise.
“You’re damn lucky I didn’t use my magick on you,” she said.
Dex wheezed.
“You made Kate cry!” Circe snarled at him.
Dex held up his hands in surrender. “I’ve spoken to Kate. I’ve apologized, and we’re going to work it out.”
“Oh, is that right?” She sneered, getting right up in his face. “I don’t give a fuck who your people are, or how much influence the Poindexters have. Nobody treats my family badly and walks away from it easy. You hear me?”
Dex looked over to where I stood in the connecting doorway. “Yes,” he said. “I understand.”
With that, Circe tossed her head. “Lorna,” she said politely to Lorna, who’d appeared from out of the stacks about the same time that Circe had punched Dex.
“Circe,” Lorna returned with a straight face.
My cousin nodded at them both. “Excuse us,” she said. Taking me by the elbow, Circe led me out, firmly shut the connecting door between the apothecary and the bookstore. Then she flipped the locks.
“Wow,” I said. “You have such style, cousin.”
“My advice?” Circe said, steering me back to my front counter. “Stay away from him for a few days. Try and rebuild your psychic shields. Let’s see how he handles himself and how he treats you going forward.”
“I’ve thought the very same,” I confided to her.
“Good.” She nodded.
“I really love you,” I said. “And that picture of you punching him in the gut is going to help me get through the rest of my day.”
“He let me,” Circe confided. “I saw it in his eyes. He knew I was going to punch him, and he didn’t try and counter it in any way.”
Before I could say anything else, the alarm on my phone chimed. It was time to open the doors.
“Let’s get to work,” I said to Circe. “Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and I expect to be very busy this weekend with culinary herb sales.”
She nodded. “Taylor and Toni are coming in at eleven. If things get crazy over here, I’ll send Toni over to help.”
“I appreciate that,” I said, as two customers walked up to the front door, waiting for me to open.
“You built a hell of a business here, Kate,” Circe said as I pulled my keys from my pant pocket. “That’s something to take pride in.”
“Thanks, Circe,” I said.