Charmed & Ready (24 page)

"Hi, Bronwitch," she whispered. Then she giggled.

The sound made me smile.

"Hello, my brave friend, Zoë. I see you've come to see Uncle Zane."

She wiggled to be put down on the end of the bed. She was dressed in a bright blue jumper and white blouse. With her black Mary Janes, she looked like a tiny fairy schoolgirl.

"Yes, and I'm going to get to stay forever." She drew out the last word with her arms opening wide.

Zane reached down and picked her up. He swung her in a circle. "That's right. Poppet and me, well, we're a full-time team now."

I couldn't help laughing. They both seemed so happy.

Zane's face turned serious. "Go home, Bronwyn. Heal. Then you can come play with us again."

Zoë held out her hand. "Wait, if the Bronwitch goes I can't see her."

"Don't worry, I'll still check on you, and remember when you wear that necklace all you have to do is say my name."

That made her smile. "Okay." She turned to Zane. "I think I want a pony."

Everyone in the room laughed.

I bet she gets the horse. That little girl is going to be a powerful witch one day.

So now, I'm packing up.

I can't wait to get home.

Thursday, noon

Sweet, Texas

Spells: 0

Potions: 2

There isn't anything like waking up in your own bed, with your stuff surrounding you. There's a completeness about it. And it's one of the things that makes me happy.

Kira stopped by with tea and breakfast this morning. She's feeling much better about her new abilities and says there are more dead people than live ones in Sweet.

"Thank God you taught me how to see auras." She laughed. "You'd be surprised how many dead people hang out at the Piggly Wiggly. It's hard not to talk to them, especially when they insist on talking to me, but I'm learning."

I pulled a muffin filled with blueberries out of the bag. The smell of fresh baked goods, yum. "Maybe you should hang a shingle out at the library and make appointments for all the dead folks."

She nearly spat tea, she laughed so hard. "Okay, the sad thing is, I actually thought about it. I feel like I'm supposed to be helping them. Most of them just have the oddest questions like, 'How's Eldon doing? I haven't seen him in years.' Of course I don't have a clue who they're talking about."

"Have you told Caleb yet?"

She looked down at her hands. "No. I will, though. Soon."

"Um, you might think about doing it really soon. He thinks you're having an affair." I bit my lip to keep from laughing. The whole situation was so absurd.

This time she did spit. She jumped up to grab a paper towel from the cabinet. "What would make him think such a thing?"

"Well, on the way home from L.A. yesterday, he told me you were in the bathroom whispering to someone. You've been coming home late, and you act like you're hiding something."

She sighed. "I'd laugh if it weren't so sad. I'll tell him tonight."

I wanted to ask her about Sam, but we never got around to it. She had to run off to the library. I'm so lame, I called and left a message this morning that if he wanted to talk, I was back.

Haven't heard a peep.

Friday, 2 P. M.

Soon to be fat witches without a boyfriend: 1

I'm going to become a lesbian. I bet Kira has a book about it in the library.

That's it. I hate men. They're fucked up in the worst way.

Sam sucks.

There. I said it and the world didn't explode. Though my stomach may if I eat any more of these Sno Balls. Why am I so passionate about pink, coconut-covered chocolate cupcakes? It's a sick obsession. Better cupcakes than men. Cupcakes don't rip your heart out of your chest and stomp on it with five hundred dollar shoes. Oh, that's Zane. Sam's shoes probably only cost a hundred.

I hate him. Did I mention that?

I decide to drive by his office. I'm a sick witch. I need to be checked out. I go in and his nurse says he's busy with a patient.

"No problem, I'll just sit out here." Normally she would have sent me back to the office to wait for him. That's okay. So, I wait and wait.

Finally, I see him crossing between exam rooms. He stops in the hallway and stares at me. Dressed in his lab coat, jeans and a light blue shirt, he looks amazing. I smile and wave.

His face is expressionless. But he nods and then turns and walks into the room.

A few minutes later, the phone rings. The nurse looks right at me. "Yes, yes. Okay." And she hangs up.

She smiles. That really nasty smile that people get right before they are going to say something mean. "Bronwyn, I'm sorry. But he really can't fit anyone else in today. I can make an appointment with Dr. Gray for you for tomorrow if you'd like."

I bit the inside of my lip to keep from saying what I really wanted to. I smiled. "No, thanks." I walked out.

Oh, I was so fucking mad at him. Too busy, my ass.

So, I go to Piggly Wiggly. A girl has got to have a Sno Balls cupcake when things like this happen. And my cupboards are really bare after being gone so long. I used to be addicted to iced sugar cookies, but I ate so many one day that they made me sick. Haven't been able to look at them since.

Margie's there at the grocery store. It's her day off. She accidentally pushes her basket into the canned green beans display and hugs me.

"I'm so glad you're home. Kira said you've had a rough time the last few weeks." She squeezed my hands in hers.

I couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine, Margie, but as always, very glad to be home. How's it going with your new man?"

She giggled like a little girl. "God, it's great. Like the most wonderful thing ever." Then she frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't go on like this with—"

"With what?"

Margie stared at her shoes. "Um, well. The trouble with Sam, and him seeing that girl and all while you were away."

There was a sudden rumble in the store, and the cantaloupes and watermelons fell to the floor with giant clunks.

Closed my eyes and brought myself under control.

Margie had grabbed one of the shelves. "What the hell was that?"

I pretended I didn't know and shrugged my shoulders. "Well, I better be going. It was great to see you, Margie. Let's catch up soon." I ran to the checkout.

The cashier, being the intelligent woman that she was, didn't say a word about the six boxes of Sno Balls cupcakes, two gallons of rocky road, bottle of chocolate milk or the five bottles of wine that lined my basket. I did manage to remember cat litter and cat food, which in retrospect makes the whole thing even sadder.

So I go home and unload all the groceries. I stuff six cupcakes down my throat while I put it all away. If it hadn't been eleven in the morning I would have opened the wine.

Then I remembered what Azir said. That if I wanted Sam and if I really loved him, I had to fight for him.

I ran upstairs and changed clothes. But before I could start my plan, I needed some fried chicken from Lulu's. There's nothing better for a troubled mind or heart than fried chicken.

I felt so good when I stepped into Lulu's. I wore my gorgeous new jeans, and a Dolce and Gabbana scarf blouse with the Marc Jacobs Mary Janes. Okay, so I was a little overdressed for Sweet, but I didn't give a damn.

I'd even managed to get my hair to curl in a semblance of the same style Sir David had done. I looked damn good.

I saw Sam in the corner booth. He looked up when I walked in. His baby blues raking me from head to toe. I saw the lust in his eyes first, and a hint of love. I know the look, and it's one of my favorite things in the world. I adore turning him on.

When the woman across from him turned around, I wanted to throw up. She was beautiful. Long straight blond hair, and a face that was angelic. I hated her instantly.

Turning tail and running sounded like the best idea. But Ms. Johnnie, who had taken in the exchange from behind the counter, yelled, "Helen, get out here. The most beautiful girl in the world just walked in the door."

Helen came around the corner with a spatula. "Well, darlin', you are a sight for this old woman." She hugged me. It took everything I had not to sag in her arms and sob.

"You stand strong girl, and show what you're made of," Helen whispered in my ear. She may have been in the kitchen, but she hadn't missed anything.

"Oh, it's so good to see you both." I smiled. I'm sure my eyes were shiny with tears, but none fell. And I'm damn proud of that.

"You're here to pick up your order of fried chicken? Kira called and said you might be by. She says she can't get away for lunch and would you bring her some?" Johnnie had given me an out. A way I could run away and not look like the big loser I was.

"Yes, I'll take Kira her lunch. And you guys are going to have to start overnighting this chicken to me when I'm gone. Every time I leave town I go through withdrawals."

They both cackled. In a matter of seconds they had a giant bag of food ready to go.

"Don't be a stranger." Ms. Johnnie hollered as I was walking out. It took everything I had not to look back at Sam.

I didn't imagine Kira had called, but she was grateful for the meal.

"Bron, I saw him the other night with her, but I—" she touched my arm. "I didn't know what to think. Maybe she's just a friend. She doesn't live here, I know that."

We sat behind the large desk where she's set up her office in the library.

"I don't know what to do. Maybe I should let him move on. Azir said it best—it isn't easy being in a relationship with me."

Kira snorted. "That's bullshit. You are one of the kindest, most loyal people I've ever met. Yes, you do have habit of almost getting killed every few weeks, but you know we all have our faults."

I laughed out loud and hugged her.

"Thank you for being my friend."

"Well, what are you going to do?" She sipped her tea. "You gonna let that blond bimbo steal your man? She's the rebound girl. It'll never last."

I shook my head. "I don't know. But the way he looked at me—he wanted me."

"Fight for him, Bron. He hasn't been himself since you left the first time to go to London. Something's up. Maybe if you just sat down and talked, hashed it all out, you two could make it work."

"Maybe." I could just kill the bimbo. Well, maybe kill is too strong of a word. Serious maiming. Now that could work.

So now I'm at home stuffing my face. But I have to stop. Kira's right, I'm not going to let some blond bimbo ruin the best thing that's ever happened to me.

I love Sam, and I know we belong together.

I bet that's exactly what stalkers say. But I owe it to myself to at least give it a try.

Watch out, Sam. Here I come.

Friday, 10 A. M.

Charms: 1

Battle-ready witches: 1

I spent the morning preparing for battle. That's right. I made a list of all of Sam's favorite things. From my pink lacy Victoria's Secret panties to the red shirt with the V down to there. He loves vanilla, I'll bathe in it. High heels are huge turn-ons. I'll wear them.

This is a war of seduction, and I will win. I'll make him forget all of the crap
of
the last few weeks. He'll know there's no other man for me, and that I'm all the woman he ever needs.

He will be mine.

Okay, that does sound a lot like a stalker, but there's a bucket-load at stake here. And I refuse to give up.

I'm going to break into his house. That's one of the pluses of being a witch. It's really hard to keep us out if we want in.

I'll set up dinner, have candles going, the whole bit. He won't know what hit him, and when he sees what I'm wearing, the red shirt, the black leather mini, and four-inch heels, he'll drool. He may still throw me out, but he'll drool when he does.

God, I'm so nervous, it's sick. Fingers crossed.

I better start now if I want to look good by five. What if he has a date with her? He'll still have to come home and change, hopefully. And when he stands her up, well there ya go.