The Professor Woos The Witch

“So bossy.” But Kaley was grinning. “Okay, here goes.” She stared at the pencil on the kitchen table, and her smile drifted away into a sea of concentration.

The pencil trembled.

“Very good,” Pandora whispered. “Move the air, not the object. Think light thoughts.”

The pencil lifted off the table and hovered a few inches above it. Then it went a few inches higher.

Kaley whooped, and the pencil fell back to the table. “I did it!”

Pandora swooped in to hug her. “I’m so proud of you!”

Kaley hugged back. Hard. Then her slim frame started to shake.

Pandora pulled back to look at Kaley. She was crying. “Hey, what’s wrong? Don’t cry.”

Kaley wiped at her face. “I’m just happy.” She sniffed. “And a little sad.”

“Why, honey?” Pandora brushed the hair out of Kaley’s face.

“You’re so nice to me. And you’ve only just met me. And my mom’s known me for years and…” Kaley shrugged. “You’ve been a better mom in a week than she’s been all my life.”

Pandora held Kaley’s face in her hands as she fought back tears of her own. “Your dad’s not the only one I’ve fallen in love with.”

“You mean me?”

“Yes, silly girl, I mean you. And Pumpkin’s crazy about you.”

“That’s because I have beef jerky.”

They both looked at Kaley’s backpack. Pumpkin was currently curled up on top of it. Snoring. “There might be some truth in that,” Pandora said.

Kaley laughed and rubbed at her eyes. “I hope that Lila doesn’t hurt my dad.”

“She won’t. We won’t let that happen. I promise.”

Pandora’s phone chimed. She grabbed it, hoping there was news at last. She read the text. “Speaking of your dad, he wants to know if you’re in bed yet.”

Kaley rolled her eyes. “It’s only nine thirty.”

“Go brush your teeth and put your nightgown on.”

Kaley made a face. “A nightgown? Really?”

“Whatever you wear to bed. Go get ready. Or I’ll turn you into a catnip mouse and let Pumpkin torture you.”

Kaley snorted. “Could you do that?”

“No. Remember, animate to inanimate is a high-level skill. I could turn you into a real mouse, though.”

Kaley shrieked. “Ew!”

Pandora flicked her fingers, and the hall light came on. “Teeth. Now.”

Kaley held up her hands. “Going.”

Pandora grinned as she took her phone to the couch to text Cole back. She’s brushing her teeth now. How’d it go with Lila?

She never showed.

What? You think she saw the sheriff and knew the gig was up?

Not sure. Your mother thinks she didn’t have the spell ready.

Could be. But Pandora didn’t like that the loose end of Lila remained untied.

How’d it go with Kaley?

Great. Taught her how to shoot lasers out of her eyes and how to turn straw into gold.

O_o

Just kidding. She practiced levitating a pencil.

So much better. Wish you were here.

Ditto.

Maybe the next sleepover should be you and me.

A shiver of wicked anticipation rippled through Pandora. She bit her lip. Before she could answer, he texted again.

When the time is right of course. How about lunch tomorrow?

That might be a little soon for a sleepover.

Haha. I meant for actual lunch. Mummy’s?

It’s a date.

See you at noon. Love you.

She grinned and then texted words she’d only ever sent to her sisters and mother. Love you too.

At eleven forty-five the next day, Cole found himself wandering on Main Street. He stopped in front of a store called Illusions. The windows were full of sparkly things, but also watches, and he’d always had a weak spot for a good-looking chronograph.

He’d left the house early to get to Mummy’s in time to snag a table before the lunch crowd descended, but as he’d parked, he’d gotten a text from Pandora telling him she’d had an eager seller call about listing their house.

He’d told her to take her time, but she insisted she’d meet him at twelve thirty, no later. Truth was, he loved how successful she was, how she was very clearly her own woman with her own life. It was incredibly sexy to have a woman like that want you.

Because if there was anything Cole knew about Pandora, it was that a woman of her caliber could have any man she wanted.

Being with her was an honor and a privilege. With that in mind, he slipped into the jewelry store. There were two women behind the counters waiting on a smattering of customers. He had no purpose in mind other than killing time, but the thought of buying Pandora a little something had merit. If he found something that seemed like her.

He worked his way around the store until he came to a display case of engagement rings. He paused there, lost in the idea of putting that sort of ring on his sexy redhead’s finger.

“Can I help you?”

He looked up. A pretty blonde woman smiled at him, her aqua eyes bright. “Just looking.”

She nodded, then canted her head and, with a coy look in her eyes, said, “You wouldn’t be looking if you didn’t have a reason.”

He laughed. “True.”

“What’s her name?”

“Pandora.”

“Pandora Williams?”