“What d’you mean, you guess? Quit worrying ‘bout what your mama thinks—cause it don’t amount to a hill of beans—and live the life that you want to. Girl you ‘bouts to be forty in a few years and I still don’t see none of them chil’ren you fittin’ to be havin’ soon. I gots lots of spoilin’ left in me, and I’m not about to use it up on Hunter. You best find a way to break that spell before that mighty fine officer breaks him first.”
“Yeah, that’s a problem. Hunter was really great to me?—”
“What you mean…was?”
“He was kind and caring and thoughtful. But once Graham came back… he changed.”
“How so?”
“He’s jealous of Graham.” I fidgeted with the wrapper on another cupcake. “So jealous… that he doesn’t want me to even be alone in the same room as him.”
“Does he got anything to worry ‘bout?”
“No. I mean. I don’t know.” I fell back into the cushion. “I’d never intentionally cheat on him, or on anyone. I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that, and I just can’t.” I sighed. “But I almost did. Twice.”
Annie blew out a breath and sat back with me. “Alright, let me have it, git it off your chest.”
I hesitated. “At the awards in the alley… Graham and I… we got close… too close.”
She adjusted in her seat. “Mmkay?—”
“And… Hunter and I invited him into our bed with us.”
“Lord—child.” She grabbed a pillow and fanned herself.
“Let’s just say there are certainrulesHunter has… and Graham was about to break them… and I wasn’t going to stop him.”
She sat forward. “Looks to me like you’ve got yerself quite the problem then, don’t ya?”
The paint flaked off the edge of my thumbnail as I picked at it.
“Lemme tell ya sumtin’, sugs.” Annie took my hands in hers. “Yer just going to have to tell Hunter the truth. No sense in torturing all three of ya. When really, you and Hunter need a break.”
“That’s just it, Annie. He can’t give me a break. He can’t back off. Just like all the other men, he can’t let go. He’s bound to me, and I can’t find a single thing in any of the books Uncle Silas or the Aunts have. Even the old witches over in Salem haven’t a clue about it either. It’s hopeless. I’m royally fucked.”
“Don’t you worry, girl. We’ll git ya sorted out. I can stay a few extra days if you need me to.” Annie patted me on the knee, got up, and opened the door—her signal for me to quit wallowing and move on. “I’ll give you five more minutes to wipe that cake off your face and get back out there. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, and I’ll be fit to be tied if I end up stuck between your parents and Miss Gemma.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Dammit, girl.” She scowled at me.
I sighed. “Annie, it’s been over twenty years… unfortunately… you’re a ma’am now.”
“Oh—hush. I ain’t never had this much trouble gittin’ my point across. I ain’t no ma’am ’til I’m dead in the ground.”
chapter 17
DICK, IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER
Maggie
By the timeI got back out to the kitchen, the glass of whiskey I swiped from Hunter for liquid courage had started to kick in. I’d wanted another, just to dull any emotion that could come from dealing with my family. But I was pretty sure I needed something in my stomach unless I wanted this to become a night involving me praying to the porcelain gods for forgiveness.
Annie, Graham, Katie, and Derek were the only ones in the kitchen, while my family clung to Hunter, telling the horror stories of my childhood and trying to pry into his.
“Heyyy girl…” Katie ran up to me and practically squeezed the stuffing right out of me with her death grip.
“Hey, honey, I’m glad you made it.” I eyed her up and down.
