Bettina grimaced. “You were hooking up with girls at fourteen?”
“No.”
“Just one girl,” Easton yelled in a mock whisper.
Timothy laughed. “Until I caught them at the beach—"
Tegan gasped. “In the water?”
“NO.”
Tim shrugged. “Lifeguard stand.”
Tegan pursed lips. “Okay, that’s fine. But we should try the water.”
“BABE. Your father is literally sitting next to me.” Tenn rubbed his temples. “How come every time we talk about Cooper needing a girl it comes back to me?”
Deacon grinned. “Guess you shouldn’t have hooked up in Lookout Tower.”
Riah chuckled. “I saw that.”
Everyone gasped and looked to him.
He shrugged. “I may have picked the wrong night to check on Saraphina.”
Easton threw his head back and cackled.
Royce narrowed his eyes. “You saw them?”
“I didn’t watch, but yes. So did Saraphina.”
I grimaced. “I flew away as soon as they started.”
Tegan blushed. “Okay, that one might be on me.”
Tenn buried his face in his shirt.
Kessler put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Look at you getting caught fornicating in public places.”
From under his shirt, Tenn yelled, “I hate all of you. I will strip all of your magic.”
They all laughed but then suddenly Mona gasped.
We all spun toward her.
She held up left hand, her eyes widened. “Our glyph…it finished.”
Kessler looked at his. Then he cursed.
Willow clapped her hands. “We have to do your soulmate ceremony!”
“We should do it now!” Chutney jumped to her feet. “We already did theirs.”
“NO.” Mona shook her head wildly. “No, I want it to be special. We’re all tired and it’s been a long day. And I want my family to be there.”
Easton tossed a garlic bread at Kessler. “Maybe you should do it during a wedding.”
Lily covered his mouth with her hand. “Easton.”
But Kessler just stared into the distance…then turned to face her. “Maybe we should.”
Mona gasped.
Tennessee cleared throat. “Ring, Dad.”
Chapter Forty
Riah
“Oh hey, Riah?”
I froze in the hallway on the second floor. Braison was standing a few feet down so I waved. “Yes?”
“I was just coming to find you.” He chuckled and ran his hand through his wild red hair. “Um, your dog is in my room. Come look at this.”
I followed Braison a few doors down and then into his room. His massive black puppy, Albert, was curled up in a ball on a giant dog bed…with Olli cuddled up with him. Both of them were sound asleep. I smiled and backed out of the room before Olli realized I was there.
Braison stepped back out into the hall. “I found them like that.”
“He can stay as long as he wants.” I chuckled. “We’re on the third floor, if you need us, assuming I can get her upstairs.”
“Tennessee usually just throws Tegan over his shoulder when she’s being like that. I hear it’s a successful tactic.” Braison gave me a thumbs-up then slipped back inside the bedroom.
I chuckled and hurried down the steps. It wasn’t terribly late, but the rest of The Coven had gone to bed. The house was cool and quiet. When I got to the main floor, I rounded the corner of the foyer then hurried to the stairs that led to the basement level.
When I opened Savannah’s door, I found Saraphina curled up in a ball in a sitting chair beside her bed. I was not surprised by this. But I was surprised to find Cooper Bishop asleep in the other chair. He had his feet propped up on the bed and his head leaning over the back. Savannah even seemed to be turned toward him. I wondered if there was perhaps something there I’d missed.
I walked to Saraphina and ran the backs of my fingers over her cheek. “Saraphina.”
She sighed and stretched but didn’t wake. I could not imagine she was comfortable all crammed up like that. Savannah on the other hand seemed perfectly comfortable.
“Saraphina,” I whispered and brushed her face again.
She blinked slowly then finally looked up at me. A smile spread across her face. “Riah.”
“Come, let us retire to a proper bed.”
She grumbled. “I have to watch her and make sure she’s okay through the night.”
“She is not on the edge. She is in no danger.”
“Still.” She pursed her lips. “Feels like I should be doing something. “For Kenneth, too.”
“They are both fine.” I pressed my finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at me. “Trust me, I know what I speak. I am the one who brought her back, afterall.”
Saraphina sighed. “I know, I know. And their spirits are both strong, I just feel guilty.”