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  “We’re not an item anymore,” I said vaguely. “Nothing bad happened. I just realized that my heart wasn’t fully in the relationship and he deserves someone who’s all in.”

  Bentley’s gaze flickered to the private office and back to me. “And are you all in?”

  “I think so. I don’t know exactly. We haven’t addressed it yet.”

  “If I were you, I’d get back there right now and have the conversation before word reaches him about Tatiana,” Tanya suggested. “Or he might slip right back into emotional paralysis.”

  She made a good point. “I was giving myself a little space after breaking up with Granger,” I said. “I didn’t want to rush straight into Alec’s arms.”

  “I would,” Tanya urged. “Go now. Get it in writing.”

  “Get it in blood,” Bentley added.

  I squinted. “I’m not getting a contract drawn up to solidify a relationship. He came to me and said he was ready. I’ll take him at his word.” All the same, I decided now would be a good time for the follow-up conversation.

  “You have fifteen minutes before his call,” Tanya whispered.

  I scooted out of the chair and hurried to the back of the room. Alec’s door was open. I hoped his vampire hearing hadn’t picked up any of our conversation.

  “Do you have a few minutes?” I asked, framed in the doorway.

  He smiled and flashed his fangs. “For you? A lifetime.” He waved me in.

  “This good mood is…weird,” I said. “I’m not used to it.” I sat in the chair in front of his desk. “I feel like we should talk.”

  “Yes, I’ve been waiting,” he said. “I thought it best to let things settle a bit before diving into that conversation.”

  “You mean you wanted to see whether I’d break things off with Granger.”

  He braided his fingers together. “And have you?”

  “You know I have.”

  “I knew nothing of the sort.” He paused. “I hoped the rumors were true, of course.”

  “They are,” I said. I ignored the butterflies in my stomach. Before I indulged the giddy, besotted girl inside me, I had to put on my sensible hat for a moment. “If we’re going to go full steam ahead with this…with us, I have a few ground rules.”

  His mouth twitched. “Such as?”

  “We’re going to start couples counseling…as a couple.” Duh.

  Surprise passed over his chiseled features. “Counseling?”

  “That’s right, and it’s a deal breaker,” I said. “We have to agree on the choice of counselor because that’s fair, but there’s no getting out of it. If you want to date me, we’re getting professional help.”

  “So you are telling me that dating you requires professional help?”

  I gave him the death stare. “Hardy har. You know what I’m saying.”

  He slotted his fingers together and rested them behind his head. “And what will we discuss in this session, given that we have not even embarked on a relationship yet?”

  “Your issues. My issues. How we can make sure they don’t destroy our relationship before it gets off the ground.”

  “This is very forward-thinking of you.”

  “I think we have a shot at being truly happy together,” I admitted. “Let’s not screw it up.”

  “Indeed.” He moved his hands to the desk. “Any other requirements?”

  “Marley,” I said. “She adores you, but until I know this is going to have a relatively smooth trajectory, I don’t want you at the cottage too often.”

  “You’re protecting her.”

  “Of course I’m protecting her,” I said vehemently. “She’s my child. I don’t want to parade you in front of her like a new father figure and then have you disappear when you decide you can’t handle us. She’s lost too many people already. We both have.”

  “As have I,” Alec replied. “You cannot be a vampire without suffering loss. It is, sadly, part of the package of immortality.”

  “She’s eleven. You’re ancient. It’s not the same.”

  “Do you really think I’ll decide to disappear?” he asked, studying me.

  “I don’t have a clue what to expect from you, Alec,” I said. “It hasn’t exactly been an easy road to get here.”

  “No, I suppose not.” He averted his gaze. “I do apologize for that.”

  “Apology accepted.” I couldn’t believe this was really happening. “You don’t object to my conditions?”

  “I told you I was ready and I meant it. I don’t want to spend eternity missing you.”

  My spirits soared. Alec Hale and I were going to be an actual couple. No more yearning. No more pretending. I wanted to throw myself across his desk right now, but I held firm.

  “One more thing,” I said.

  His brow lifted as if to say ‘yes’?

  I pointed. “I am not having sex on your desk.”

  He leaned back in his chair, confused. “I haven’t suggested it.”

  “I know, but I’m picturing it right now and I’ve decided it’ll hurt my lower back. It’s not happening.”

  Alec suppressed a smile. “If you insist.”

  “And no sex for a while, no matter how badly I want it.” Sweet baby Elvis, I needed to stop talking.

  The vampire splayed his hands. “I am at your mercy.”

  “Good. I’m glad that’s settled. I’ll let you know when our first counseling session is and we can decide whether we want a repeat visit.” I turned to go and heard him clear his throat.

  “Just out of curiosity, Miss Rose,” he said, “what constitutes ‘a while’ in your book?”

  I glanced over my shoulder. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

  Chapter Three

  “You didn’t tell Alec that Tatiana is in town?” My cousin Linnea stood in the large kitchen of Palmetto House, wide-eyed with horror.

  “I don’t want to be the messenger on that one,” I said. I leaned my elbows on the counter, careful not to smudge the part she just cleaned. “We had enough to discuss. I dropped the counseling bombshell. Pretty sure that was all he could handle from me.”

  “I think counseling is a fantastic idea,” Linnea said. “I wish I’d tried it sooner with Wyatt. Not that I’m convinced it would’ve helped. I guess it would’ve helped me recognize him earlier for who he really is.” She sighed and continued wiping down the rest of the countertop. “That would’ve saved me a whole lot of heartache.”

  “Wyatt doesn’t want to be in a committed relationship,” I said. “That’s nothing to do with you and I don’t think any amount of counseling would change that.”

  She eyed me curiously. “But you think it will change Alec?”

  “Not change him, help him,” I said. “Help his communication skills. Help him process emotions in a healthy way. I don’t know why he is the way he is.”

  “Maybe you don’t want to find out,” Linnea said, as she removed a tray and a teapot from the cupboard. “I told my guests I’d bring them tea. As they’re my only guests right now, I need to make an effort.”

  I skipped right over the tea. I was still stuck on her previous statement. “What do you mean about not wanting to find out?”

  “I mean, what if he’s this way for horrible reasons that you’re better off not knowing?” she replied. “He’s a vampire. Maybe he’s…done things he’s not proud of. Things that make him want to avoid those he cares about.”

  My heart began to pound at the thought. “He’s not a monster.”

  “Not now, but who knows what he was like before any of us knew him?” She added water and teabags to the pot and pulled her wand from the utensil drawer. She aimed her wand and said, “Adducam ad ulcus.”

  “If counseling goes well, I guess I’ll find out,” I said.

  “What has Mother said about the whole thing?” Linnea asked. “I’m sure she’s pleased to be rid of another Nash.” Aunt Hyacinth intensely disliked Wyatt and wasn’t too keen on werewolves in general.
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  “I haven’t told her,” I said. “I’ve been holed up in the cottage trying to sleep away my guilt.”

  “You’d better tell her before Marley’s party,” Linnea said. “You don’t want news like that spreading when Mother’s hosting. She’ll want the air cleared in advance.”

  “She probably knows,” I said. “It’s not like anyone in Starry Hollow has a working filter.”

  “Does Florian know?”

  “Yes.” He’d come to see me the very next day to get the juicy details of my night with Granger. The conversation was not the one he anticipated.

  “Then Mother knows. Florian has a huge mouth, especially when it comes to telling Mother things. It’s how he keeps himself swaddled in boats and cars.” She added two cups and a tiny pitcher of milk to the tray. “Would you like tea? I didn’t even think to offer. Some hostess I am.”

  “I’m good, thanks. I have to get back to the cottage for my lesson with Marigold. Don’t want to keep the magical drill sergeant waiting.”

  “Certainly not,” Linnea said. “What time is Marley’s orientation tomorrow?”

  “First thing in the morning,” I said. “I’m sure she’ll be up half the night, which means I’ll be up half the night.”

  Linnea stifled a laugh. “Worrying must run in the family.”

  “Not the whole family,” I said. “I can’t picture Florian worrying about much of anything.”

  Linnea pulled a face. “Great Goddess. What’s that like? I feel like all I do is worry. About Bryn and Hudson. About the inn.”

  “Why would you worry about the inn?”

  “Business is a little slow and I don’t know if it’s a downturn or a seasonal correction or what.” She shrugged. “I need to advertise more. I’m just not very good at it.”

  “Can you hire someone? There must be agencies in town.”

  “Florian suggested that, too. There is one place Rick mentioned. I’ll give them a call and see how expensive it might be.”

  “You don’t think your mother would front you the money to pay for it?” I asked.

  Linnea put a hand on her hip. “Do I look like her favorite child to you?”

  It was no secret that Aunt Hyacinth favored her only son. It was hardly a coincidence that Florian was so feckless.

  “If Florian doesn’t get his act together, one of these days he will disappoint her in a way that’s hard to come back from,” I said.

  “He seems to be doing all right with his work for the tourism board,” Linnea said. “Aster certainly loves bossing him around, that’s for sure.”

  “Consistency is the key,” I said. “Florian can doing anything for a few months, until he tires of it.”

  “Like Delphine?” Linnea said. She picked up the tray, ready to deliver the tea to her guests.

  “I appreciate that he made the effort with Delphine,” I said. The librarian witch had been hopelessly in love with Florian for ages, but she wisely recognized that he wasn’t ready to settle down and let him go.

  “Poor Mother. She was very excited about Delphine,” Linnea said. “She wants those Silver Moon babies that I failed to give her.” Bryn and Hudson’s werewolf gene dominated, so they didn’t inherit Linnea’s magic, much to Aunt Hyacinth’s dismay.

  “Your mother likes Rick,” I said. “That’s a pretty big deal.” Although Linnea’s minotaur boyfriend wasn’t a wizard, he was a step up from a werewolf as far as Aunt Hyacinth was concerned.

  Linnea smiled as she carried the tray toward the open doorway. “She does. And now that she has a merman suitor, she can hardly give me a hard time about a minotaur.”

  I laughed at the memory of Aunt Hyacinth being rescued from the rough waves of the ocean by a muscular merman. That was a sight I wouldn’t soon forget. “How’s that going?”

  “I don’t know,” Linnea admitted. “She’s been tightlipped about it.”

  “Then we’ll pry those lips open at our next family dinner,” I said.

  Linnea’s brow creased. “With magic?”

  I blew a raspberry. “No, silly. The old-fashioned way. With alcohol.”

  “You’re distracted,” Marigold said in an accusatory tone. We sat across from each other at the dining table in Rose Cottage.

  “We haven’t even started yet,” I objected. She’d only set out the Jenga box a second ago. The lid was still on.

  “Still, I get the distinct sense that your mind is elsewhere. It’s difficult to master psychic skills if your brain isn’t fully engaged.”

  I stared at her. “Is this a mood thing? Haven’t they sorted out your hormonal fluctuations yet?” Marigold recently began menopause and her hot flashes and mood swings had become a regular feature of our lessons.

  “This is not about me, Ember. This is about you.” She popped the lid off the box and scattered the contents on the table. “Anything you’d care to discuss before we begin?”

  I crossed my arms. “I see what this is. You heard a rumor and you’re looking for confirmation.”

  Marigold blinked innocently. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. What rumor?”

  “Nice try.” I swiped a group of Jenga pieces and pulled them toward me. “I take it we’re going to play a game of Jenga?”

  Marigold yanked out the chair and sat. “One does not simply play a game of Jenga.”

  “Okay then. What does one simply do?”

  “I am the Mistress-of-Psychic Skills,” she said. “What do you think we’re going to do?”

  I looked from Marigold to the game pieces. “We’re going to play using our psychic skills?”

  She beamed. “Exactly. There will be touching of the pieces. You play using your telekinetic skills.”

  “What do I win if I beat you?” I asked.

  “A sense of accomplishment,” Marigold said with an air of sweeping confidence.

  “Meh.”

  She balked. “Meh? That’s how you describe a sense of accomplishment?”

  “I have a sense of accomplishment when I remember to brush my teeth before bed. The stakes need to be higher here.”

  She drummed her fingers on the table. “I see. How about, if you win, I cook a romantic dinner for you and your significant other?”

  I laughed. Loudly. “You’re not subtle, are you?”

  She shrugged. “It’s never been my strong suit.”

  I tapped a Jenga piece on the table. “You really want to know what’s going on, don’t you?”

  She leaned forward expectantly. “I do.”

  “Tell you what. If you win, I’ll give you the inside scoop. If I win, you make dinner for Marley and me. She is my significant other, after all.” I flashed a triumphant smile.

  Marigold scowled before acquiescing. “Deal.”

  We built the tower and Marigold only smacked my hand away once when she wasn’t pleased with the alignment.

  “Do I go first?” I asked.

  “I’ll go in order to demonstrate,” she said.

  “You just want to show off your Carrie skills,” I told her.

  “Who’s Carrie?” Marigold asked.

  “Oh, she’s right up your alley,” I said. “I should introduce you one of these days.” Stephen King’s version of telekinesis would probably render Marigold mute for days. I mentally moved a viewing of Carrie to the top of my list.

  Marigold sat quietly with her gaze pinned on a Jenga piece. The wooden block slid out from its place, leaving the rest of the tower intact. “Your move,” she said.

  “You made it look far too easy,” I said. It was one thing to move the piece. It was quite another to maneuver it without knocking over the tower.

  “Practice makes perfect.” She clapped cheerfully. “Come on, Ember. You can do it!”

  And there was her cheerleader side. I’d been waiting for a glimpse of it today. Marigold never failed to cover both drill sergeant and cheerleader bases during our lessons.

  I concentrated on the piece I wanted to move and focused my will. I pulled
the wooden block toward me with my wand. At first it didn’t seem like it was going to budge, but then it suddenly jerked out of the pile and flew across the room, skimming the floor until it smashed into the wall. It clattered on the floor and PP3 leaped off the sofa to investigate the intruder.

  “Hey, the tower is still standing!” I proclaimed.

  Marigold shook her head. “A true miracle.” My phone buzzed in my pocket and Marigold shot me a reproachful look. “No phones during lessons, Ember. You know the rules.”

  “Marley is at school. I need to check if it’s an emergency.” I pulled out the phone and glanced at the screen. Tanya’s face smiled back at me. She didn’t call unless it was important. “Hi, Tanya.”

  “Ember, are you available?”

  “I’m in a lesson with a psychic menace. Is everything okay?”

  “You need to come quickly,” the fairy said. “There’s a problem.”

  “At your house?”

  “Yes, please hurry and don’t tell anyone.”

  I glanced at Marigold. “No one?”

  “Not yet. Please hurry.” She burst into tears before she hung up.

  “I need to go,” I said.

  “But the game,” Marigold objected.

  “I’ll explain later.” Maybe. Right now I had to get to Tanya’s house. The fairy never sounded distressed so something was definitely wrong.

  I dashed from the cottage and hightailed it to my car. I put the pedal to the metal and blared Bruce Springsteen as I sped toward Tanya’s house to calm my frazzled nerves. Whatever had happened, it was bad.

  I was cruising down Coastline Drive when lights flashed in the rearview mirror. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” I pulled over and slunk down in the seat. Please don’t be Granger. Please don’t be…Crap-on-a-stick. It was worse.

  I rolled down my window. “Good afternoon, Deputy Bolan.”

  The leprechaun’s scowl quickly morphed into a cruel smile. “This must be my lucky day, Rose. Do you know how fast you were driving?”

  “Speed of light,” I said.