Just when Joshua had her attention, Bill had to throw in tidbits of truth to ruin any chances he might have had with their one-of-a-kind neighbor. Her father was still looking to him for answers, but Joshua couldn’t pull his gaze away from the crestfallen expression so obvious in her eyes, her breathing, the way her shoulders fell in defeat.
“It’s not like that. Bill’s exaggerating.” He lied, a little white one, but a lie still the same. If he was sitting closer to her, he’d pat her shoulder, give her some reassurance. But truth was, they still barely knew each other. “So, Mr. Von Zuzle, what can I tell you?”
“Johnathan, please.” He waved off the formalities. “Obviously, from what I’ve read about you and your father, you don’t live like we do. You’re out in the mortal world. What’s that like? How do you blend in without any issues? I’ve always been curious about those immortals who have the talent to do so.”
“Sir—”
“Johnathan, please.”
He smiled at the older warlock. It was apparent where Jenny’s soft heart had come from. The two had so much in common. Even the softness in their voices matched each other. He was jealous in that split second. Having everything money could buy suddenly made his own world even colder and lonelier. The kindness and love these people shared was so much more valuable.
“Johnathan, sorry.” He couldn’t help but grin. It felt off to call her father by anything but his formal name. “It doesn’t really have anything to do with talent as much as discipline and just plain remembering where you are and who is around you at every moment. I was raised that way, so for me, it’s a way of life. But hearing stories of my own parents, it’s been hard at times. Now, would it be easier to live completely in an immortal town such as yours? Hell yes. Just in the short time I’ve been here, I realize how much I’ve been able to relax and not feel so on every minute of the day and night. But my career, unfortunately, doesn’t lend itself to this environment. I will confess I’ve been a bit worried I’ll screw up after I’m back in Vermont. I’ve been trying not to think about it too much.”
Joshua dared a quick peek at Jenny. Her gaze was fixed on him, and, if he had to guess, it was worry lining her face. Her sweet heart was definitely worn where anyone could read her feelings. For him, it was completely out of the ordinary for someone other than his parents to care about his thoughts, his worries, or to think about him in any way other than what he could do for them. He appreciated it, and it was better than the hurt look she’d had moments prior to hearing of other women who wanted into his life.
“This is fascinating. Can I ask more?” Johnathan pressed on, his chin resting in his palm as he stared at Joshua.
“Of course. Ask away.”
“I can understand the day-to-day tasks. But how do you work? How do you do your job? And no one knows?”
He thought about a few scenarios that would help the two Von Zuzles understand. Especially Jenny, since he’d witnessed her transporting for one of her very first times. She was being bit more discreet than her father, who was soaking up every word he spoke, but Joshua had caught the wide-eyed, shocked expression, the furrowed brows, and confusion all crossing her face at various moments, while she tried not to get caught looking at him.
“I have a better idea. What if I show you instead? We could all buzz over to Hilton Head for the day, walk on the beach, have a nice dinner, and be back by dark. In that case, I’d make a reservation at a resort I use all the time.”
“No way, seriously?” Lessy clapped as Bill smiled, patting her back.
“You’ll have to walk me through how you do this, Joshua. But I’m definitely intrigued,” Johnathan answered.
Jenny’s face was void of any emotion. If he had to guess, she registered somewhere between wishing she was anywhere else but involved in this conversation and plain scared out of her mind.
“It’s very simple, really, I promise. Instead of just transporting to the lobby and making a very obvious spectacle, I make the reservation ahead of time. I’ll use magic to get the key cards before we leave so we know what room to go to. Then we’ll transport straight into that room from here, where no one will see or be the wiser. Once in the room, we can each have whatever we want zapped there, say, swimsuits and a change of clothes. Much easier than hauling baggage like poor mortals have to deal with.
“From there, you come and go with regular mortals. Walking, catching cabs, renting bicycles, you get the idea. The Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort is exactly as the name says, it’s on the beach, so we could walk out along the water’s edge and watch the waves for a bit. We could even build a sand castle. And they have an exquisite restaurant right on the property. We could eat while watching the sunset over the waves.
“When it’s time to come back, simply go back to the same room, transport from that hotel room to here, and we’re done. As long you don’t zap a towel into your hand or make a drink appear, or, for Goddess’s sake, appear in and out of places full of people, everything runs smooth as can be. It’s pretty simple once you have a few tricks under your belt to help.”
“It definitely sounds easy enough. Jenny, we should try it.” Her father glanced her direction.
Joshua tipped his head. “I’d love to take you all. It’d be fun. I gather you’re just getting the hang of this, but if we all went together, it’d be less stressful for you, and I think we could all enjoy the day. What do you say?”
“Oh gosh, I don’t know. I’d have to check with DeeDee and Wanda, see what the diner’s schedule is like. And what about you, Lessy? Could you and Bill just up and leave the store?” Jenny asked.
She was backpedaling, clearly hoping for a safety line. But Bill stepped in.
“Come on, Less, we haven’t had a day off in months. Let’s close tomorrow, even just for a few hours in the afternoon? What do you say?” Bill reached for his wife’s hand.
“I am totally in. This is going to be so much fun. And you know DeeDee and Wanda have been telling you forever to take time off. We can do this, Jenny. You can do this. If we all go together, there’ll be no way to make any mistakes, and it’ll give you the courage you need to get to Hawaii.”
“Johnathan?” Joshua looked toward her father.
“As much as I should tell you young folks to go ahead, I really don’t think I can pass up the opportunity to see the beach myself. I’d love to join you, if y’all don’t mind an old fogey warlock such as myself tagging along like a fifth wheel?”
“Are you kidding me? I’d be honored to have you travel with us. It’s all up to you now, Jenny. What do you say? Do you trust me?”
Her light-brown eyes caught the sun, the specks of bronze in them shining brighter. Her brown hair fell in ringlets around her arms and down her back. She was the epitome of beauty, even if she was staring at him like he’d grown a second head in the last few seconds. Joshua didn’t want her to feel unsafe and pressured, but with all his being, he did want to be the one to show her the world, show her that travel could be fun, safe, and exciting. He wanted to be the man to change her life. Then he realized in that moment, he’d never been this excited about anything. Again, his mother was correct. He told himself he barely knew Jenny. They’d had only a handful of conversations between them, if that much. She knew how he liked his coffee; he knew she was an excellent baker. She knew he sported material labels, and Joshua knew she was trying to work up the courage to get to Hawaii.
He’d have suggested it, but this was a quick and easy trip that wouldn’t take very much time, and they wouldn’t be so sad to leave after only a few hours. If she would say yes, then it would give him more time to get to know her. And, if he was honest, he wanted to see her face when she saw the waves lap at the sandy beach for the first time in her life. All she had to do was trust him.