AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No worries,” Abi replied, giving me a little smile. “I get it. Want to hear something crazy?”
“Sure,” I replied, glad to change the topic.
“Walter told me this morning that both the twinsandCody are due back today. Ack!” Abi threw her hands up in the air. “I’m going to have to talk to both Gilbert and Cody. Today.Today!You think I can just keep pretending I never heard that voicemail?”
I gave my friend a wry smile. “You could,” I said, “and Cody would be none the wiser…but I know it’s just going to keep bugging you if you ignore it.”
My best friend heaved a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I know,” she agreed, flopping backward dramatically. Abi kept talking with her hands. “How come I’ve never had two hot guys interested in me when my best friendwasn’tawakening her inner wolf or witch or whatever? I don’t have the bandwidth for a sordid romance triangle right now! What the heck, universe?!”
“Alternatively,” I said, wiggling on the bed to get in a better position, “we could just pit Cody and Gilbert against one another and watch them fight it out for your affection. You know, like sexy gladiators.” I paused and glanced over at Val. “Who do you think would win, Val? Shifter or vampire?”
“Oh, dear,” the older witch said, giving a gentle chuckle. “That certainly would be entertaining, though I’m not sure in the way Isla Lobo needs right now.”
Abi snorted. “No kidding.” She propped herself up on her elbows to look at me. “Hey, I sawhis lordshipstorming down the hall earlier. Trouble in paradise?”
I groaned, hoping we’d left the topic of Fenris behind. “Sometimes, having a…relationship with someone as powerful as the Lunar Lord is more complicated than I ever imagined,” I grumbled, realizing Fenris and I had neverofficiallyput a name to it.
Are we dating now? I guess we went on a date—a very nice date—wait, no, he was just a complete ass to me. Don’t get wishy-washy.
Fortunately, Abi didn’t seem to be in a prying mood. “It happens,” she said, turning her gaze to Val. I realized that, no, shewasin one, but I simply wasn’t the most interesting target right now. I tried not to grin as she smirked at Val. “So, how’s Walter?”
“He’s fine,” Val said primly, her cheeks going pink.
“Uh huh,” Abi said, sitting back up. She leaned in. “C’mon, you can tell us. How’s it going?”
“I really don’t think that’s important right now.”
I shook my head. “It sure is,” I disagreed. “Someone around here deserves a bit of happiness!” That person clearly wasn’t me, and I suspected Abi had a bit of angst to get through before her own life could blossom.
Val couldn’t hide her smile as she looked down, staring at her hands folded against her pale blue dress. “It’s going well.Slowly, which is a good thing. I’ve…been out of the game for quite some time, and now I find myself a little flustered over every little thing. It’s…invigorating, in a way.”
Abi and I sighed “aw” in tandem, and Val went even pinker.
“Walter said he is planning a little getaway for us,” she continued.
“Oh yeah?” Abi said, leaning in. “Where are you going? Somewhere gorgeous and tropical, I’d bet.”
“And quiet,” I added.
Val shrugged. “He said it was a surprise, and I don’t want to spoil it.”
“That is so sweet,” I gushed, beaming at the idea of Walter spiriting Val away to a little private island or a remote cabin so the two of them could spend some uninterrupted time together. If anyone deserved it, it was those two.
“It is,” Val agreed, standing. “Now, I just wanted to see how you were feeling, Celeste. I’m going to finish organizing my supplies so it’ll be easier to catalog everything that Morgan brings for me.” She paused on her way out. “Try to take it easy, Celeste, okay?”
I couldn’t help but smile back, always touched by the genuine care in her voice. “I will. I think I’m just going to go for a walk down the beach and stretch my legs. Maybe say hi to Piers and Gilbert when they get back.”
Val took her leave as Abi groaned dramatically at the mention of the twins. I smirked at her while I got out of bed, heading to the dresser to rummage around for a clean set of clothing. “Maybe I’ll tell Gilbert about Cody’s message,” I teased.
“Hey!” Abi huffed. “I’m supposed to be the instigator, not you!”
“I know,” I chirped, turning my back so I could change. It wasn’t as if Abi hadn’t seen all of that before; we’d been college roommates, after all. Sometimes, we’d been up so late the night before, we’d wake up mere minutes before class. No one had time for modesty then. “I just want a front seat for the drama.”
Abi rolled her eyes and made a shooing motion. “Get outta here before I regret telling you,” she said, though I understood she meant absolutely none of it.
Val must have let Walter know I was awake when she left my room because when I got downstairs, the smell of fresh coffee greeted me. He had a small plate of French toast on the table moments after I sat down.
I wrapped my hands around the warm mug and sighed blissfully. “If I don’t know better, I’d swear you were a warlock, too,” I remarked, grinning at Walter’s pleased expression. “This is literally a work of magic.”
