Witcher Upper - Amy Boyles Page 0,24

I had to check on Rufus first.

Growling, I flung open my truck door, started up the engine and headed over to Julie’s to see about him. Hopefully he hadn’t strayed too far away from the coffee shop.

When I reached Bender’s, I threw the truck into park and went inside. So Peachwood had an adorable main street called Peach Street. The light poles were painted a pretty peach hue, and the awnings of the stores were fun, springlike colors—robin’s-egg blue, lemon yellow, coral. It was simply a picturesque scene.

Bender’s sat slap in the middle of the street. The bed and breakfast rested atop the store. Colorful paint stripes ran straight down the brick face, making the business look whimsical.

I had just tugged on the front door when I heard a shout—something between a scream and a yell.

Oh no, Rufus had remembered his true identity and he had attacked Julie! That was my first thought, so I rushed inside, arms raised, ready and willing to take out the amnesiac wizard.

But when I got inside, breathless and absolutely panic-stricken, I discovered Rufus standing in the middle of the shop, a gaggle of children and their mothers surrounding him.

His arms were raised, and a sneer twisted his face. Fear rose in me, and I had my arm out, ready to touch him with a burst of magic. To heck with my secret being discovered. It didn’t matter if anyone knew.

I had never even told Sadie. When she asked about my past, my only response had been that I had made myself available to someone that I shouldn’t have, and had gotten involved in something I regretted. Which was why she had told me that night in the bar not to get involved.

But as I prepared to attack Rufus, he growled at the children and they…giggled? “That was when the hairy monster,” he explained, “got a horrible thorn in his foot. Do you know what happened next?”

One of the boys shouted, “He got a tummy ache!”

A little girl said, “His foot hurt.”

Rufus pointed at her. “That’s right. His foot hurt.”

I stared, stunned. Rufus wasn’t hurting the kids. Instead he was telling them a story—a children’s story—and they were eating it up.

He spoke with gusto and drama. The children laughed and clapped, happy at the entertainment.

I stiffened. This was only a facade. The real Rufus lay hidden deep inside that man.

A voice spoke beside me. “Morning, Clem.”

I smiled, the spell on me broken. “Morning, Julie.”

Besides Sadie, Julie Bender was the next closest friend I had that was my age. Her light brown skin always seemed to gleam under the lights, and her chocolate-colored eyes met me with kindness.

She handed me a paper cup. “Here’s your mocha. Chocolate, breakfast of champions.”

I tipped my head. “Thank you. What do I owe you?”

“Nothing.” She nodded to Rufus appreciatively. “He’s been entertainment and help enough.”

My jaw dropped. “Ru—I mean, John?”

She nodded. “Yep. Helped me serve the customers this morning, and now he’s entertaining the kids. Look at how they’re smiling. They all love him.”

I glared at Rufus. Yes, they loved him, but they didn’t know the real man behind the face. Underneath that skin lay a stone-cold villain, one that I had to keep the town safe from.

Chapter 10

I eyed Rufus as he finished up the story. The children, bless them, loved him. The moms, naive as all get-out, loved Rufus as well. Several approached after he finished, batting eyelashes and touching his arm gingerly.

Rufus, for what it was worth, glanced up and met my gaze. Hopefully he enjoyed the glare I threw him thanks to the deep hatred that I felt in my heart.

As one of the mothers spoke to him, he nodded absently, his gaze lingering on me. A tightness in my chest uncoiled, and heat rushed to my cheeks. I glanced away, annoyed.

“You might have a hard time getting John away from all those women,” Julie said. “I’m sure they’ve heard of his predicament and how he’s lost his memory.”

“I’m sure,” I nearly growled.

Julie lifted her brows. “Jealous?”

“What? Me?” I spat. “You’re kidding, right? Of him? A man who wears leather pants in a small town?”

She winked. “Very rock star, don’t you think?”

I sputtered, annoyed that I’d even mentioned it.

“Clem, I’m glad I found you.”

Shane Prader strode up, concern washing over his face. Before I could greet him, he wrapped me in a hug. It took all my balance to keep from sloshing hot mocha on him.

“Ooh,” I said.

He crushed me against his rock. Hard. Body. Wow.