Beauty and the Beastmaster - Linda Winstead Jones Page 0,23
a second date! Even if the first one was less than perfect…”
“Less than perfect?” Gabi interrupted with a laugh. “It was like the universe was warning me that dating was not for me. And let’s be clear, you didn’t set us up, it was an ambush. No wonder we were both so uncomfortable.”
“I should’ve been more subtle, I suppose,” Marnie mused. “But I am glad you two are trying again. And without my assistance!”
“It’s nothing, really,” Gabi said, trying to sound casual. “I got a dog from him, and I think he wants to keep an eye on things to make sure I’m a responsible pet owner.”
“Yeah, right,” Marnie said with a disbelieving tone. “He’s taking you out to dinner in order to check up on the dog.”
She was right. It didn’t make a lot of sense. “Well, Mia and Judge will be with us, so…”
Marnie almost lunged forward in her chair. “No! You can’t take a child and a dog with you. That’s not a date, that’s… I don’t know what that is, but it’s definitely not a proper date.”
Did she want it to be? No. Child and dog would be the perfect buffers. “Cindy has been watching Mia all day. Judge, too, since my child and her bloodhound refuse to be separated. I can’t ask…”
“I’ll babysit,” Marnie interrupted. “I need the practice, and Clint is on deadline and stuck in his office all day, so I can also use the distraction. It seemed like a good idea to hire a part time helper at the library, but there are days when I don’t need any help. Being pregnant makes me feel like I’m constantly on a caffeine drip. I need something to do until Clint finishes this book. Babysitting is the perfect solution.”
“That’s really not necessary,” Gabi said.
Marnie smiled. It was an openly conniving smile on an otherwise cute face. “I’ll stalk you until you say yes.”
It was a tease, a light-hearted jibe, but the very word “stalk” made Gabi’s heart leap.
If she was going to tell anyone what had brought her here, if she was going to spill her secrets to anyone, it would be Marnie.
But she couldn’t. She couldn’t do it.
“Fine,” she said. “Be at my house around five.” Silas was going to pick her up at five-thirty, so that would give her time to show Marnie where the diapers and wipes were, time for Mia and Marnie to bond, a bit. And if Mia pitched a fit when it was time for her to leave with Silas, plans could change. She could still take her daughter and their new dog with her on her so-called date.
She might need a distraction of her own.
Gabi’s house didn’t have a garage, just a single car carport. Her white Toyota Camry, which looked to be no more than four years old, had been backed in for some reason. Instead of stopping at the curb Silas pulled into the driveway, parking nose to nose with Gabi’s small, rarely used, car.
It was almost dark but the town was well lit, with street lamps and porch lights. His plan was to walk from here to Eve’s. It wasn’t far. He’d offer to carry Mia. Maybe that way he’d have a chance to probe a bit, to see if he could duplicate that startling, unexpected mine he’d caught from her yesterday.
If she had Springer blood he needed to know.
There were people he could ask. Ginger Paine at the Mystic Springs’ retirement home, known as The Egg to town residents, could likely tell him. She’d once been the most powerful witch in town, but her powers were fading. They’d been fading for years. Several others had abilities that rivaled Ginger’s, but he didn’t know them all that well. He should, but he kept to himself and his dogs, and was close to only a handful of people. The logical solution, from anyone who didn’t know about the isolation spell, would be to wait and see what happened. He didn’t have any idea who else was in on the plan, and he could hardly explain why he needed answers now.
Jenna might be able to tell him. He wasn’t sure exactly how powerful she was, wasn’t sure what her gifts were beyond being capable with spells. But even though he was in on her scheme, for now, he didn’t entirely trust Clint’s ex-wife. He wasn’t sure he wanted her to know about Mia, not until he had a few answers.