Chapter Fourteen
I’d never received roses before. Well, unless you counted the time my date cut roses from the bush outside my front door. I took the vase from the man’s outstretched hand, then placed it on the counter for closer inspection. There was a note attached.
“Who are they from?” my mother asked with excitement.
I pulled the card out and read it while my mother loomed over my shoulder.
Dear Ms. LaVeau,
I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted since arriving at your beautiful home. Please allow me to take you to dinner to make up for my actions.
The note attached was signed from Nicolas. My mother had a huge grin spread across her face. He had some nerve. Did he think I could be persuaded to trust him with a few flowers? They would die in a few days anyway. Then what? If he couldn’t tell me why Liam must leave, if he couldn’t be truthful with me, then why would I want to spend any time with him? Except, I did want to spend time with him. I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to taste his lips…
The bell announced another visitor and snapped me out of my daydream.
“Oh, dear,” my mother said.
Oh dear, was right. Liam was walking toward me. A strange, eager look flashed in his eyes.
Liam looked especially handsome in his casual black slacks and olive green shirt. He had a smile on his face that looked devilish and sweet at the same time.
“Good morning,” he said softly.
His voice would make any girl’s heart flutter. What was he doing here? He looked at the roses and a slight look of disappointment fell over his handsome features.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes, everything is fine.” He looked at my mother and smiled. “Hello, Mrs. LaVeau. You look especially beautiful today.”
She blushed. “Thank you.”
Liam stepped close. “I wanted to ask you a question, if that’s okay?”
I glanced to my mother. She picked up a few items and pretended to go back to work, but I knew she was really eavesdropping.
“You look stunning today,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said, hoping that I didn’t blush.
He paused. He was making me nervous. What could he possibly have to say? Was it about the ghost that I knew he’d seen last night?
“I’m listening,” I continued, pulling items out of the box. Things needed to appear as normal as possible, although I didn’t know what normal was anymore.
“I know things have been strange since my arrival. I hope you’ll let me treat you to dinner to make up for my behavior.” His lips curved at the corners.
My mother giggled. This was unbelievable. What would I do? Although it was just dinner. I supposed I could let the men treat me to a meal, as long as it was separately of course. They’d kill each other if we all went to dinner together.
Liam stared at me expectantly.
Finally, I answered. “When did you have in mind?”
“How about tonight?” Liam’s voice was smooth and sexy.
Nicolas might be upset if I went out with Liam before him, so maybe I’d better make it tomorrow night.
“How about tomorrow night?” I asked.
He nodded. “Okay. Tomorrow night it is. ” His gaze was fixed on me as he reached out and grabbed my hand, placing his lips softly against my skin. “I’ll see you later,” he said, releasing my hand.
My mother and I watched as he disappeared out the door and down the sidewalk. When he’d turned the corner and was no longer in sight, I turned to my mother.
“Now what are you going to do?” my mother asked.
I shrugged. “I guess I have two dates.”
“You have dates with men who are staying in your home and who also seem to hate each other. You’d better figure out what is going on between them.”
“I intend to.”
My mother shook her head. So I’d gotten myself into another pickle. She shouldn’t be surprised. Nothing new.
“Well, you’d better find out about the book. Because you need to before I’m forced to tell the Coven about it.”
“I promise to look into it today. If you’d let me leave this shop, I could do some research right now.”
“You always manage to leave just when the work is getting fun.”
I snorted. “I thought the work was always fun?”