*Three weeks later
“Looks like you’re all settled in,” Lorcan said.
Fiona gazed around the apartment and nodded. “Yes. And I really like it here. Thanks for helping me with everything.”
He’d carried the heavier pieces of furniture, painted the place with her, and installed a washer/dryer in the bathroom.
He grinned. “What are demon strength and endurance for?”
“Want a glass of wine to celebrate?” she asked.
“We should have a housewarming party, not just a glass of wine.”
She shook her head. “I’m not much of a partier and who would we invite? Everyone from LAMB?”
“I suppose not. Is Rohese all moved into your old place?”
She looked away, but likely not before Lorcan caught the pain she felt. The fact Rohese was still seeing Jaycee hurt more than she wanted to admit.
Fiona knew Rohese was only with her so he could find out what she knew, but whatever the reason, he was still with her.
She sighed. “Yes. The restorations are done and he asked Timothy and me to come see the place. He’s made the shop look almost identical to how it was when I was there. He even found a fountain nearly the same.
“The MBs have begun visiting through the portal again. Apparently he’s hired a couple of women to run the shop. Timothy isn’t interested anymore. Rohese paid Timothy his half of the sale of the shop, but Rohese convinced me to remain his silent partner.”
“You don’t need the money?” Lorcan asked.
She shook her head. “I’m fine. Rohese says he believes the shop will be profitable. Who knows, with his elven magic and the way women are drawn to him, maybe it will. Plus, your rent for this lovely apartment is more than fair.”
“So why aren’t you pleased? I thought you’d be happy. You loved your shop and liked having it there for people who require healing or readings. I’m guessing Goldilocks thought it would please you, too.”
She shrugged. She was okay with the shop still being open. But LAMB had apparently already released Jaycee. Henry assured Fiona that the ruthless woman was wearing an ankle bracelet to monitor her movements and Kumar ensured she wasn’t skipping her meds.
Still, she didn’t trust her and Rohese was no doubt taking Jaycee back to Fiona’s old place—having sex with her there, in the same bedroom where she and Rohese used to make love.
Why should that even matter? The quick little hookup back in Scotland had only been out of necessity and evidently meant nothing to him even now that he didn’t seem angry any longer. He was male. It was just sex.
“Do you want wine or not?” She let out a sigh. “Or would you like scotch?”
“I’ll have wine with you to celebrate your new residence, but only if you’ll agree to come down to have dinner with me tonight,” Lorcan said.
She eyed him closer. “I thought the deal was we’d be friends and partners and nothing more?” she said.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Don’t friends and partners have meals together occasionally? How about…I’ll cook one meal a week and you cook one the next? It wouldn’t be like we’re in each other’s faces all the time.”
“What’re you plannin’ to cook tonight?” she asked, smiling now.
“Pasta?” he said. “Since you won’t likely be going to old Mario’s restaurant anymore.”
“You’ve heard about them, then?”
Antonio and Melissa had moved to Italy and were getting married. He’d sold the restaurants to his brothers and he’d given most of the money from the sale to LAMB.
Lorcan nodded. “That was a bloody shock.”
“Which part?” Fiona asked.
“All of it. I bet his brothers weren’t thrilled,” Lorcan said.
“No. But Antonio’s going to be runnin’ the vineyard with his aunt. I even got an invitation to their weddin’.” She looked at the fancy envelope on her counter. “Maybe they’ll be happy together.”
Lorcan took the glass Fiona passed to him and clinked it against hers.
“To new beginnings, old friendships—maybe some hot sex thrown in. What do you say, Boomer?”
She shook her head. “Dream on, Junior. I’m going to be the perfect tenant but no hanky-panky between landlord and tenant.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Now that’d be a great role-play fantasy. I could come fix your…plumbing and you could take care of mine!”
She made a face then turned when she heard a tiny meow.
“That’s not Charcoal’s spirit.” Her old miog was already making himself at home in the new place, but this was not him. “What are you hidin’, Lorcan?”
Lorcan went to the door separating her apartment and his games room. He opened it and a fluffy black kitten padded in.
She gasped. “Who is this? I thought that room was soundproofed?”
He grinned. “I don’t know if witches have to pick their familiars, or the familiars pick them, but I saw this ad for a Maine Coon and I think he looks like your old miog. The ears are even extra pointy. Well except that this little furball is a she.”
Fiona tapped her chin, excited and scared and desperate to touch the soft, dark fur. “I don’t know, Lorcan. It’s too hard when you lose them. I don’t think I’m ready. What will Charcoal think of having another feline and—”
“Methinks the woman protests too much.” Lorcan smiled as the kitten waddled over and lifted her sweet face. “Besides you haven’t really even lost him.” He pointed to the spirit-feline.
Fiona picked the little one up. “Aren’t you a sweetie? I suppose we could see how we’d all get along.”
“I bought a litter box, a couple of different kinds of litter. Man there’s a ton to choose from. I got some hard and soft food, cat treats, a bed, some toys, a collar and—”
“Whoa, Lorcan. I haven’t said I’ll keep her and what would we do with her when we’re off on assignments?”
“Mrs. Jones next door is a cat lady. Not the crazy kind but she does love cats. She’d be watering our plants and your herbs anyway. We can make it work.”
She swallowed, her throat hot and tight. “Thank you, Lorcan.”
Then, to her surprise as much as his, she hugged him. The loud spark made the kitten jump.
She kissed his cheek. “That was kind and thoughtful of you.”
“Just trying to make you feel welcome, roomie!” He chuckled.
“We are not roommates.” She cleared her throat, glad to be back on more comfortable ground. “Let me make that perfectly clear. We are partners and friends. Sometimes I think you’re the only one I trust and count on here in this century, but we are not roomies.”
“If you change your mind.” He winked. “You know where my bedroom is.”
She took a cushion from the sofa and tossed it at him. The kitten raced after it and tumbled over. They both laughed.
This living arrangement might work. Despite all the uncertainty at LAMB, and how things were with Rohese, for the first time in a long time, Fiona didn’t feel so alone. She had Lorcan to thank for that. Who would’ve thought?
She saw him glance at her bedroom and she rolled her eyes.
“Take that lascivious expression back downstairs, Junior. By the way, you’ll be helpin’ change the cat litter.”
He snorted, finished his wine, and left. A few minutes later, he returned with a ton of cat supplies, then waved and left again.
She smiled at the kitten. “What should we call you? Magic? Midnight?”
Charcoal hissed and surprisingly, the kitten heard it.
“Okay, Magic it is.”
She looked through the cat supplies that Lorcan had bought. He must’ve spent a small fortune. Inside the bowl was an envelope. She opened it to find brochures for a European cruise along was a note that read:
After that last assignment we deserve to treat ourselves to a vacation. Separate cabins, Boomer (with an adjoining door of course). We’ll dine together and go on some excursions, as friends.
I’ll have the usual hookups. Maybe you’ll meet some guy who’ll make you want to…make the cruise ship rock. We could attend Mario and Melissa’s wedding in Tuscany. I’ll be your plus-one. We did introduce them.
What do you say, Boomer? Come on…let’s fucking live a little! We’d leave in two weeks and be gone for three. Early birthday present???
She took a long breath. Could she really go away with Lorcan?
She texted him. Do you think LAMB would let us leave the country?
Minerva had threatened to wipe their memories or kill them for what they knew.
Lorcan texted back. Already okayed it with Dalton.
She lifted her shoulders and took a breath. What the hell? Maybe she should live in the moment for once. Lorcan was good at that.
She smiled. The idea of the cruise, seeing some beautiful, historical European cities and lovely scenery, sipping fruity cocktails in the sun, relaxing without thinking of fighting off MBs or traveling through time, was damn tempting.
Her phone made a sound. She glanced at the text.
Well Boomer???
She took another breath, texted a happy-face emoji, a thumbs-up, an airplane, and a cruise ship, along with a fruity drink.
Hell yeah!!!! was his reply.
“Magic, it looks like you’ll be havin’ a kitty sitter for a while and I’d better go shoppin’ for some sundresses, a hat and a bathin’ suit. And definitely some sunscreen.”
*
Lorcan stood in his games room. He looked toward the door to Fiona’s apartment. It was soundproof to humans, but not demons and apparently not witches, for she’d heard the feline meow. He’d heard the excitement in her voice when she’d been talking to her new cat.
If she didn’t sense it, he’d soon tell her that the newcomer was a miog. He wasn’t sure he’d admit that Rohese had helped get it for her.
It had been Lorcan’s idea, but the elfae was glad to do what he could to make her happy…even though he was following Dalton’s orders and banging Jaycee on a regular basis.
Lorcan fist-pumped when he saw Fiona’s text agreeing to go on the cruise.
It would take all his willpower to resist her while they were visiting those romantic locations. Maybe he would have to use the spell he’d gotten from Mystique.
But he valued his friendship with Fiona and wouldn’t risk losing that…not for Dalton or anyone. Now, if she wanted to take it beyond friendship…he’d obviously have to reconsider. He’d cross that bridge if and when they came to it.
For now, what they had was enough. In fact, it was perfect.
The End