The bungalow was bigger than I realized as we walked into a wide, sunny room. A jute rug separated the living space from the kitchen and dining nook. Gray-blue sofas mirrored each other with a scratched up trunk in the center as a coffeetable. Everything felt lived in and comfortable.
“You have a lovely home,” I said, giving my most charming smile.
“Of course I do,” her grandmother said. “Now I’ve got some lightbulbs you can change for me, handsome.”
Shaking my head, I smiled wryly and followed her into a small laundry room. She handed me a box of lightbulbs and pointed at a stepladder before rattling off a list of what needed my attention.
“I’m on it, ma’am.”
“Good boy,” she said, patting my hand. “Now leave us girls alone to talk about important stuff.”
She shuffled to the kitchen and accepted the mug of tea Juniper had prepared her.
I kept one eye on my witch as I moved through the home, flipping light switches on and off to figure out what needed replacing and then doing so.
Snippets of their conversation drifted to me, like the word “selkie”. My stomach lurched, my heart racing.
Hopefully her grandmother doesn’t know too much about selkies.
I mean, my brothers’ home was only a block away, so who knows? Maybe she was friends with my mother before they moved away…
Before I could hear any specifics, their conversation turned to more mundane topics, particularly the upcoming family reunion.
Juniper seemed frustrated when she finally stood up. I’d finished my job and settled into a chair by the door, trying to give her some privacy. I grabbed my coat, reaching to get the door for her.
“Goodbye, handsome!” her grandmother called from the kitchen.
“Goodbye, Mrs. Beck,” I replied, my eyes never leaving Juniper.
Her shoulders scrunched up as she walked past me, like she didn’t want me to touch her again.
Sighing, I waved at her grandmother and then followed my witch outside, closing the door securely behind us.
Chapter 5
Dream Guy
Juniper
Our trek across town was quiet, even when we stopped and grabbed fried clams, scallops, and French fries to eat as we walked. It was a relief to see the rental condo.
When we climbed the steps, a slim black suitcasewaited by the door.
“What the heck?” I said, reaching for the paper tucked under the handle.
Caspian stood back and let me read the note.
“Oh, it’s for you,” I said, holding the paper out to Caspian. “I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine,” he said with one of those charming half-smiles as he took the page and read it. “What’s mine is yours.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” I said, punching the code into the door’s keypad. Caspian reached forward, suddenly way too close against my back, and picked up the suitcase. My breathing stuttered.
The door lock clicked, and I shoved it open, almost leaping inside to get some space between me and the selkie. I was too aware of the heat of him and the feel of my silky blouse on my skin. Every inch of me was sensitive.
“So my gran didn’t know anything about selkie magic,” I admitted. “So unless I go for a walk and accidentally drop your coat, I think we are stuck together tonight. But it looks like you got asuitcase of your stuff!”
My voice was way too high-pitched to sound remotely normal.
