pisses me off, and because of that I’ve basically given up on witchcraft.
I’ve tried to repay the Candlers for what they’ve done for me by working in the Candler family business, run by Joe, his brothers Chuck and Tony, and their father George. The Candler rules are that before working in the family business, everyone has to go work for another company for five years, so after college I did that. Now I work for Dream Homes Construction.
I can see so many opportunities to improve the business by modernizing our practices and using new ideas, but they’re all kind of stuck in their ways, and since I’m not really family, I don’t push very hard. It’s frustrating, but I love working there and I love the family.
Now I suck in a breath, preparing myself to hear that one of them has cancer or some other terminal illness, or they’re selling the house and the business and moving to Florida. Jesus, I can’t lose more family. Sweat breaks out on my forehead and under my arms.
“Felise has been communicating with a woman,” Joe says slowly, his voice low.
I frown. My glance slides over to her. She’s still chewing on her bottom lip. For some reason I take Joe’s words to mean she’s in love with another woman. That would be surprising since I’m pretty sure she’s straight, but you never know. But that wouldn’t be enough to have everyone sitting around, looking like they’ve just learned Cassie has a week to live. Especially considering that their cousin Wendell is marrying a man next month.
“Apparently through DNA testing we’ve learned this woman is related to us,” Joe continues.
Oh.
“You took a DNA test?” I ask Felise with a what-the-hell look.
“Yes. I don’t even know why.” She waves a hand, frowning. “I just… had the idea I should do it. Stop asking me why. I just don’t know.”
I give her a long look. Felise does tend to do things on a whim, but that’s kind of… random.
“Okay. So… how is she related?” I look back at Joe. She’s probably a third cousin once removed or something, but honestly, this family is so big, with aunts and uncles and cousins, why would this be so upsetting?
“I knew her mother,” Joe says, hastily adding, “before I met Cassie.”
I blink. My jaw slackens. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? “You… knew her.”
“Yes. Okay, we had a relationship. Let’s just be frank. No good will come of dancing around things.” He squeezes Cassie’s hand, and she grips it tightly, reassuringly. Okay, that’s good. “She’s not… I mean, she wasn’t… a witch. Apparently she passed away just over a year ago. I was young and foolish, and I wanted her to know the truth about who I am.”
I nod, my thoughts twisting and turning like a washing machine agitator. I get that. This is why relationships with Ruckers—regular humans who have no magical powers—are discouraged. I’m sure telling the woman that he was a witch, a member of the Orb of Night coven, shook her.
“She… didn’t handle it well,” Joe continues. “She basically accused me of being insane. When I tried to show her I wasn’t, to prove to her who I am, she was terrified. She took off. I could never get ahold of her or find her, even with a spell. Eventually I gave up, figuring it wasn’t meant to be. And…” He meets Cassie’s eyes. “It obviously wasn’t. Because then I met you.”
They share a few seconds of potent eye contact. I’ve always known these two are crazy about each other. Felise and Magan give them grief about their PDAs, but it’s loving and teasing. I’ve always admired their relationship and the way they’re equal partners in life. This could certainly throw a spanner wrench into their marriage.
“So you’re saying this woman is… your daughter?” Again, I look to Felise and Magan, and they both slowly nod.
“Yes.” Joe clears his throat. “I had no idea Ilena was pregnant.” He bows his head and mutters, “Odin’s blood.”
I know this is serious when he’s using witch curses instead of Rucker language.
Cassie sets her hand on his back. “You had no way of knowing.”
“I should have known.” He lifts agonized eyes and looks around. “I should have felt it. She’s my daughter.”
Felise and Magan’s eyes are red-rimmed and damp.
“It’s okay, Dad,” Magan says softly. “She didn’t want you to know. Ilena, I mean. But it sounds like maybe this woman does want to know you.”
“That’s why we’re