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“Except it’s not real, Damon.” She crossed her arms. “No way. I won’t be part of such a sham.”
“Yet you were more than willing to do it to land a guy. I’m not sure how my reason is so different.”
“Because you’re monetizing it! Scamming people.”
“Entertaining them,” Damon said. “Nobody pays to watch my shows. I get money from advertisers.”
“I won’t lie.”
“Fine. We don’t have to call it a reality show.” He gazed out at the shoreline as they crossed the bridge to the island. The fiery colors of the trees were reflected in the water and provided a beautiful scene. He had expected Kay’s reaction and decided it was time to approach things from a different angle. While Damon would like to have more control, he was going to have to let Celia take over the haunting side of things. He’d let her know he couldn’t be a part of it and that if she wanted to be a star on his show, she’d have to round up a few spirit friends and tell them to go meddle. He’d be as unaware of what was going to happen as everyone else, and then the ghost hunting could be real.
He said, “You know, you’re right. This is a crazy idea. We’d be doing the magical community a disservice if we fabricated hauntings. I’m sorry I brought it up.”
“Good. I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“With any luck, they’ll begin to happen on their own.” Damon let out a sigh as if he were resigning himself to the trouble ahead. “I think Celia enjoyed herself this week.”
Kay let out a sigh that was real. “She did. And yeah, it wouldn’t surprise me if she showed up at someone else’s house in the near future.”
“If she did, would you be agreeable to me filming some of what we do?”
Kay chuckled. “You don’t quit.” She shook her head as she stared at him. “I don’t understand this need of yours to be in the public eye.”
“Many people don’t.” He turned off the main road and slowed as they bounced through the potholes on the dirt road that led to Kay’s house. “It’s more than fame, Kay. I’m trying to open up the world of magic for people. Help them understand what we really do so that we are no longer frightening. So people like Tucker can be comfortable around us.”
Kay squinted at him skeptically.
“My videos are also educational for a lot of young witches. Don’t you remember how much we didn’t understand when we were younger? Imagine if you could have seen actual footage of spells in action.”
Understanding relaxed her face. “I can see how that could be helpful.”
“We can make the show documentary style. No theatrics.”
“No theatrics?”
“Well, none that are manufactured anyway. We are dealing with spirits, after all. But—” He held out his little finger. “Pinky swear. I won’t encourage it.”
She looked at his hand and chuckled. “I’ll think about it.”
Damon kept his finger out and raised his eyebrows at her.
She linked her little finger around his. “Fine. Pinky swear. I’ll consider your idea.”
“That’s all I can ask.” Coins rattled in the console as they traveled over the bumpy road in companionable silence for a while.
Kay spoke first. “Does your father know you came to see me today?”
Damon’s blood chilled, and he hated that his instinctual reaction to her question was fear. He’d stopped letting himself be afraid of his father years ago. “I don’t clear my every move with him.” But he did know the value of not angering him unnecessarily. “Why? Are you going to tell your mother I did?”
“I bet she already knows considering Tucker probably mentioned you to Jeannie at the hardware store.”
“Right.” They pulled into Kay’s driveway, and Damon clicked the gear shift into park. He had realized coming to the island would eventually get back to his father and that he’d have to deal with the man’s displeasure. But it was time for things to change. He needed them to if he was going to be with Kay. He turned to face her. “Please let your mother know that I believe our families have been estranged for too long, and it is my sincere intention to change that.”
Kay took a moment to look at him before she spoke. He wondered if she was trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. “She’ll be happy to hear it. I am too.”
“So what I’m hearing is that you’re looking forward to seeing more of me. Same.”
Kay let out a huff, but there was a smile on her face.
