Magic and Mayhem: When You Witch Upon A Star (Kindle Worlds Novella) (6 page)

Chapter Ten

M
y first day at the new job was much easier than any day at my old job. The tips weren’t nearly as good in Assjacket, but then again the meals were less pricey so the tips weren’t quite as nice as I was used to.

As the days flew by, I quickly fell into a routine. Gina and I were completely comfortable together, and our introductory phase was made easier by the ample space and separate bathrooms in the big house. We spent plenty of time together. There wasn’t much to do in the area, but we found ways to entertain ourselves. For example, we did get in the habit of having lunch near a construction project, or having a picnic in a park with a great view of the firemen washing their trucks. Watching hot shirtless guys was better than going to the movies.

  As far as listening for rumors about Shifters, we didn’t hear so much as a hint or a whisper on the topic. Rollan continued to smile at me and occasionally he’d say good morning, if he ever got a spare second. He was kept much busier than me.

Just those few brief encounters must have done something, though, because I had hot steamy dreams about Rollan two nights in a row. It was killing me.

I decided it was time to intensify the focus of my Shifter investigation on Rollan—for the advancement of scientific knowledge, of course. So, my second week included a change to my routine. We went into work a few minutes early. I’d hang out near the back kitchen door, waiting for Rollan. Guess what? It worked. I finally got some time to talk to him.

A few days into the new routine, we had an interesting conversation that went beyond the weather or news. “Good morning, Rollan!” I said, working my best pose.

“Bonjour, Jessica. I’m beginning to think you are waiting for me now every morning.”

“What?” My face which was probably exaggerated by fake disbelief and surprise. “Waiting for you? That’s funny. I have to… uh, um… yeah. Dee Dee asked me to come in and check to make sure the little clips are working.”

“Did you say clips?”

“You know, where the cook hangs up the orders we hand in? Yeah. It’s a major problem if they malfunction.” I pushed on the metal clips. “See, now that one is good. I check them every morning.”

Rollan’s playful smile and twinkling dark eyes spelled mischief. “Well, it was a sweet thought, that you came early to see me. I was nearly flattered. Too bad for my breaking heart. Go on, check the clips. I’ll be pouting by the dishwashing machine.” He feigned a sad face and turned away.

I wasn’t about to continue the charade. He was too damn cute. “Okay, okay. You got me. Yes, I come in early every day just to talk to you.” I didn’t expect to blush, but suddenly I did, and I couldn’t stop.

“I hoped so. You know, we have something in common. We both just moved here. We both seem to be drawn to each other, like magnets.”

“Nice line, Romeo.”

“No, I’m serious. I know you feel it too, or you wouldn’t be here.”

His honesty and openness were refreshing. “Yes. I do feel it.” I felt like giggling like an idiot but restrained it to a smile.

“Where are you living?”

“I’m staying with Gina. She has her grandmother’s big house to herself, so it works. You?”

“I had a hard time finding a place. Finally I found a housetrailer for rent, but it’s out of town. Do you know the place called Goosebelly Corners?”

“Not Goosebelly! It’s Gooseberry—and yes, I do. That’s where I’m staying, too, in the big yellow house. We’re practically neighbors!”

“Ah! I know where that is. Then we should visit with each other after work, Jessica. How does this afternoon sound?”

After my heart started beating again and I was done gasping for air, I nodded. “That would be nice. How about three?”

“I will be knocking on your door at three, Jessica. Time for me to work.” Rollan winked and headed into the kitchen, whistling an unfamiliar tune.

I hopped, or ran, or maybe both, excited to tell Gina the news. We collided in front of the drink fountains.

“Gina! Gina! I know I should have asked you first, but is it okay if we have a guy come over this afternoon?”

“Whoa! We? Did you include me in something kinky?”

“No, I meant to say I have a guy coming to visit, but we never talked about having people come over like that. You know, it’s your house and your space.”

“Oh! You scared me for a second. Yeah, of course. Rollan?”

“Yep. It’ll make it easier to examine him, to see if he’s a Shifter.”

“Oh, I have no doubt you’ll be examining him.” Gina winked. “I’ve got news, too. Look at the guy in the corner booth. His name is Greg and he’s been in here three days in a row. I can tell he’s been checking me out. Isn’t he just adorable?”

I looked, but the guy I saw wasn’t adorable—he was big and goofy. I suppose he was kind of cute, and about our age. If I had to guess I’d say he was one of the frackers. He’d probably just come off a farm in Iowa.

“Yeah. He is. What’s your plan?”

“Flirt, flirt, and flirt some more until he asks me out.”

Gina and I high-fived each other and went back to work.

The rest of the morning was rough. Every time I looked at the clock it seemed wrong, like it had stopped or even turned backward. I had a reason for suggesting Rollan stop by a few hours after I got home. Not only did I want to make sure I was dressed in something cute, but I needed the time to get some of my equipment set up. It was critical to have a plan in place to discreetly analyze Rollan’s humanoid spectrum while trying to detect traces of raccoon in his aura.

I was never happier to be leaving work than on that day. After a quick stop at the market for Gina’s copy of the latest Cosmo magazine, we were home by 12:30. I had plenty of time to get ready.

The first order of business was to get dressed. I wanted to look casual, but not frumpy. I needed to appear attractive, but not dressy. I settled for a light summer dress and sandals. Easy enough.

Next was the gear. Gina gave me a hand unpacking it.

“Hey Jessica, what are these for?” I looked up. Gina sat on the bed, my spectrum analyzer goggles strapped around her head. “You should wear these for Halloween. You’ll look just like a giant bug.”

“Ha, it looks like you have boobs on your face. Those are for analyzing the spectrum that makes up the aura around every living thing.” I reached out and turned the unit on. “Now look at me. What do you see?”

“You’re glowing! So we all have auras?”

“Yep. The processor will analyze it. Pretty soon you should see the results.”

The complex lenses were huge, like two small bowls made from pink glass with a reflective coating. The headband was a heavy-duty nylon strap which also supported the power pack and processor. It was bulky and heavy, but a required accessory for every cryptozoologist.

“Okay, yup. It says you’re human. That’s comforting. Female—again a good thing to confirm. Oh, wait a minute, what’s this? It says you’re as horny as a rabbit in heat.”

“Funny,” I said as I went back to work assembling the infrared heat analyzer.

“Whoa! Vibrator ahoy!” Gina had just opened the box containing my training wand. “Hey, I think I saw this online. Isn’t this the new Ten Speed Impaler?” I noticed her interesting smile, closed-lipped—the kind of smile she made when she had a whole lot more to say but held it back by nibbling her lip. It amused her, greatly. “Funny you should have one of these. Do you like it?”

“Oh damn. Sorry, I forgot it was in there. It was a gag gift from my cousin. And honestly I don’t know. I’ve never taken it out of the box and I don’t plan to,” I replied in a subdued voice. It was a subject I preferred to avoid all together. I couldn’t tell her that she’d found my training wand, and I had no desire to talk about sex toys.

“No worries. I’ll leave it right here.”

Tiago’s eyes zeroed in on the phallic wand. A memory surfaced in his tiny brain, triggering him to perform a treat for us, Tiago’s Porno Fortissimo. 

“Oh my God. Gina, what do I do if Tiago starts this up when Rollan comes over?”

“I’ve got it covered. Hey, Tiago. I have a fresh bunch of grapes in the fridge. Sort of fresh anyway. You can have them when Rollan comes over.”

“Okay, that should keep him quiet. So, here’s my plan. I want to at least use the spectrum analyzer on Rollan. At some point I’m going to excuse myself. I’ll pass your room and that’ll be your cue to come out and keep him occupied while I get the goggles and sneak up around the corner. I’ll only need a minute to confirm that he’s a raccoon Shifter.”

“Sounds like a plan!”

“After that, I’ll just hang out and hopefully get a spark going between us. If you know what I mean.”

Chapter Eleven

L
ike a dog waiting for the mailman, I stared at the door for a half hour. Gina had lured Tiago to her room with the almost-fresh grapes. That would keep the little pervert busy for a while.

Three sharp knocks resounded through the foyer. I fought the urge to open the door too quickly, counting to fifteen in order to delay myself.

“Oh hi, Rollan. Come on in.”

“Thank you, Jessica.” Rollan stepped inside and handed me a single yellow daisy. “It’s such a beautiful day, I was hoping you would like to go for a walk. There is a very nice country road with an old stone bridge. We can walk to the waterfall. It’s only a couple of miles and we can take our time.”

“You brought me a flower!”

“Just a wildflower I spotted along the way. I didn’t have water for it in the car, but it seems to have held together.”

“Thank you.” I’d never been given so much as a dandelion by a guy. “Waterfall? How can I say no to that? Excuse me for a minute. I’d like to keep this flower in a vase. I’ll be right back.” I hurried down the hall to Gina’s room.

“Psst! Gina!”

“Is it time for me to keep him distracted?”

“Yes. We have to hurry, he wants to go for a walk. And he brought me a flower! Can you believe him?”

“Okay, I’ll put your flower in a vase, then I’ll talk to him while you get your goggles.”

“Thanks!” It only took a minute to put the goggles on and peer over the bannister. Nothing. They were gone. I’d never tried to walk down a set of stairs wearing the goggles, otherwise I would’ve reconsidered my action. I quickly found out my depth perception was about as good as a drunken snail’s.

I missed the first step and half-cartwheeled, half-bounced on my ass down to the bottom. Ruffled and dazed but miraculously unhurt, I leaned against the wall. Then the front door swung open.

Gina’s head popped out from around the door. “Jessica? Are you all right?” I nodded my reply and she took a quick look over her shoulder. “Quick, take them off! Hurry, he’s coming back in.”

I hid the goggles under a jacket hanging from the coatrack, making sure Gina saw. “Put them on and follow us. I have it set so it will record his aura. Just don’t let him see you.”

Rollan came through the door. “Everyone okay? It sounded like someone fell down the stairs.”

“Yep! We’re good. I just bumped into the coatrack. Let’s go see that waterfall.”

Rollan’s proposal for a walk really was a good idea. The azure sky made the perfect background for the wooded hills and the sun was slightly behind us.

Gina wasted no time in carrying out her mission. I caught a glimpse of her small body and bulky headgear rushing though the tall grass on the side of the road. It seemed to me she had many opportunities to capture the necessary data.

“So Rollan, tell me why you’re so far from home.”

“To see the world. I’m an artist. I paint.”

“Wow. That’s awesome. What are your subjects?”

“Nature, animals.”

“Hmm, that makes perfect sense to me.” What else would a raccoon Shifter paint?

“I’ve never painted portraits but I might try. An artist can make an easier living painting portraits. Maybe I’ll paint one of you.”

“Just so we’re clear: If I have to be nude for it, so do you,” I teased.

Rollan laughed. “I think we could make that happen. But, I don’t think much painting will get done.” He took my hand and gave it a little squeeze. It surprised me that he didn’t let go of it. It felt great.

His answer was a tease, yet I had the feeling he was serious. It made me blush, and made me want to kiss him right then and there.

“Do you miss France?” I was curious if he was hanging on to some long-distance relationship.

“Sometimes. I’d like to go back to visit but I would rather live in America. I want to see the western states, the Rockies, Yellowstone. Look, we’re already to the old bridge.”

“Be careful, a troll could be hiding under it.”

Rollan tossed a stone over the side. I expected a splash, but there was a thud followed by a shrill squeal. “I think I hit an animal. Did you hear that squealing noise?”

I got worried, of course: Gina had been following us, but we had stopped to admire a beautiful patch of wildflowers, and I’d watched in my peripheral vision as she’d tiptoed past us. She had probably hidden under the bridge, and now I pictured the rock hitting her square in the head. “Yeah. I mean, I heard a noise but I don’t think it was a squeal. Maybe you hit a wet log or something.” I had to take a look. Leaning over, I shouted, “Is anyone down there? If you’re okay, give me a sign.”

Rollan laughed at what he perceived as a joke on my part. Thank God he didn’t look over the edge along with me, because I saw Gina’s hand poke out from the shadows to give me a thumbs-up.

“Were you wondering if I hit a troll?” Rollan teased.

“You never know what could be under a bridge. Why don’t we keep walking? I’d love to see a waterfall.”

Once again, Rollan took my hand. “What are your plans, Jessica?”

“Whatever you want to do is fine with me.”

“No, I meant when are you going back to Chicago?”

“Around the end of August. I promised my little sister I’d be back before school starts. What about you? When are you heading out west?”

“I was thinking July, but now I’ve changed my mind. I’ll leave around the end of August, too.”

After he said those words, I discreetly pumped my fist and whispered, “Yes.”