a child in their image. Your mama was smart enough, and strong enough, to parent each of you the way you most needed.”
She paused a moment, waiting to see which of the smart witches in the room would understand her first.
It didn’t surprise her at all when it was Devin. “Sierra was raised reckless. She wasn’t born reckless. And we’ve been confusing the two.”
Moira knew when to give credit where credit was due. “Isn’t that what you’ve been trying to tell us all along?”
“Yeah.” He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I think it is.”
Chapter 13
Lauren looked up from her desk as her office door chimed, not at all surprised to see her best friend. “Hey. You hungry?” She’d been pondering a donut run.
Nat held up a box. “One step ahead of you.” She grinned. “Sophie said Sierra’s nightmare was pretty rough on you, and you could probably use some extra sugar.”
The witch line of duty had been hard on a lot of people recently. “I’m okay. I have a lot more respect for Sierra, though. She’s a sweet kid, but I don’t think I was really giving her enough credit for how she’s held her life together without much help.” Lauren met her friend’s eyes. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”
“There are good people who will love her now.”
There were. And none of that explained the determined look in Nat’s eyes. Alarm bells went off in Lauren’s mind as her visitor sat down in the comfy chair on the other side of the desk. “What’s up?”
“You and a certain Sullivan brother.” Nat patted the box of donuts. “If you talk willingly, you can have two apple fritters.”
It was an excellent bribe. Unnecessary, but appreciated all the same. Lauren sighed. “What do you want to know?”
“He’s a good guy. What’s scaring you?”
Lauren laughed. “Got any easier questions I can start with?”
“Nope.” Nat patted her belly. “I could pop any minute. Or have to pee. I’ve learned to get right to the point.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “It’s hardly a new skill.” Nat had always zeroed in fast on the most important things. “I’m not sure he scares me, exactly. I’m just being careful.”
“Careful is fine.” Nat grinned. “But fast and spontaneous can sometimes be fun too.”
That idea shouldn’t be firing sparks in her belly. “Just because you had a whirlwind relationship with a witch doesn’t mean the rest of us should.” Lauren licked apple-fritter heaven off her fingers. “I’m pretty happy with my life the way it is. I don’t know that I need a guy in it.”
“Need, no. You never have. But it’s okay to want one.”
Lauren squirmed. Anyone who thought Nat was all soft and nice had never been on the receiving end of one of her inquisitions. “I want, okay? But he’s a tornado, Nat. Devin Sullivan doesn’t come into your life without turning it upside down. In another lifetime, he’d have been one of those Wild West gunslingers.”
“You ride tornados better than you think,” said Nat softly. “And Devin isn’t the Sullivan brother who created the biggest one in your life.”
Well, that was true. Jamie declaring her a witch had been pretty radically disruptive. “Don’t I deserve a nice, boring life for a while?”
“I ask myself that a lot these days.” Nat laid a hand on her belly. “And then I think about all I’d be missing if I’d chosen simple and safe.”
Trust Nat to hold her feet to the fire of honesty. “There’s a lot at stake here, including all the people we both love. I need to figure out what I want.”
“The people you love will be fine.” Nat smiled, eyes twinkling. “It’s not a real estate negotiation. You don’t have to figure it all out before you explore things a little.”
That sounded disturbingly like the little voice in her head. Lauren reached for her second apple fritter. “I don’t think Dev’s the kind of guy who explores. He dives in head-first and trusts himself to pick up the pieces later.”
“Yes.” Nat grinned. “Yes, he is.”
~ ~ ~
Moira settled into her hot pool with a sigh. The bliss of the warm water on her old joints hadn’t dimmed in the six months since the circles had created her wondrous pool.
She heard a matching sigh as Sophie settled in beside her. Pregnant mamas had plenty of aches and pains of their own—and Sophie’s day had been a busy one.
She opened her eyes, reaching for the nearby cup of tea. “Something’s on your mind, my dear.”
“Mmmm.” Sophie stretched for