“No.” She made a shy face. “But there is a winter dance coming up. I was thinking Miss Williams could take me to get a dress.”

“Does that mean you have a date?” A date. His little girl on a date. The world was coming to an end.

“No, but there’s a boy who might ask me.” She sat back. “If he’s lucky, I’ll say yes.”

Cole stifled a laugh. “That’s my girl.”

She gave him a long look. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“About?”

“Are you going to ask Miss Williams to marry you?”

“Maybe. Eventually.”

She crossed her arms. “Women don’t like men who can’t make up their minds.”

He stared at her. “Where is all this coming from?”

She shrugged. “I like having her around. It’s nice having another girl to talk to. And Lila’s never going to be a real mother to me, so…”

His gut knotted. Was that what this was about? Having a mother? The hiss of water hitting the stove got his attention. He spun around and knocked the heat back as he lifted the pan to keep it from boiling over a second time. He checked the clock. The pasta had cooked long enough anyway.

He drained it, added the packet of sauce and stirred. He could very easily see himself married to Pandora. He also couldn’t imagine himself with any other woman.

What if they tried bonding and it didn’t take? Did it matter? That wouldn’t change the way she felt about him, would it? He spooned the mac and cheese into two bowls and put one on the counter for Kaley. “Food’s ready.”

“Okay, in a sec.” She was on the floor with Pumpkin, swinging a fuzzy toy on a stick and laughing as the cat swatted at it.

He wanted Kaley to be happy. Hell, he wanted that for himself. But asking didn’t mean Pandora would say yes. Truth was, all this worry and concern could be for nothing if Pandora wasn’t ready.

Kaley put the toy down and came to eat. He took his bowl and sat in the chair next to her. “Look, about Miss Williams and what we were talking about, she and I still need to get to know each other, but we’re committed to each other. And if things go the way I think they will, then yes, I will ask her.”

Kaley nodded and took a bite, smiling while she chewed. “Cool. I can live with that answer.”

He picked up his fork. So could he.

Pandora woke with a start. She sat upright, heart pounding, trying to determine where she was. The space was pitch black. She blinked to get her eyes to adjust, then impatiently snapped her fingers. The lights flared on.

Her own bedroom. That’s where she was.

“Hey, what’s with the lights?”

She turned to see Cole’s lanky form sprawled in the dainty toile club chair she’d artfully angled in the far corner. “What are you doing here? What time is it?”

“Keeping an eye on you.” He squinted at his watch. “It’s nearly three in the morning. How do you feel?”

She rolled her shoulders. “Not too bad. A little tired. Maybe a little achy. Why? Should I feel worse?”

“I have no idea. Do you remember what happened?”

She thought for a moment, and it all came back to her. The old house. Lila. The ashes. Cole and her mother. She nodded. “I fought Lila, used a considerable amount of magic and passed out right after you and my mother showed up.”

He nodded as he shifted in the chair. “Then I brought you back here.”

“Who’s watching Kaley?”

“We are. She’s asleep in your guest room. Which reminds me, Lila didn’t have the real feather. Kaley found it stuck between the pages of her biology textbook.”

“That’s good to know. At least Lila’s spell wouldn’t have worked.” Pandora looked around. No sign of her cat anywhere. Panic tickled her spine. “Where’s Pumpkin? You didn’t let her out, did you? She’s not an outside cat.”

A half smile bent his mouth. “She’s also asleep in the guest room. On the bed with Kaley, actually.”

Pandora’s brows lifted. “My cat is sleeping with someone else?”

Cole pursed his mouth. “Kaley might have slipped her some mac and cheese.”

Pandora rolled her eyes. “Food traitor. Not surprising.”

He held his hands up. “I did tell Kaley she was on a diet, but—”

“Oh, Kaley knew that already. I’m not mad. But eating all those carbs has probably set her diet back to square one.”

Cole snorted. “Because she was making such progress.”

“Yeah, I know.” Pandora lifted up the covers. “I’m wearing a tank top and underwear.” She put the quilt down and gave Cole the eye. “You want to explain that?”

“Your mother undressed you when she and Stanhill came over to give me the update on Lila.”

So Cole hadn’t seen her naked yet. That was good. She relaxed. “Which is?”

“With Sheriff Merrow’s assistance, Lila was transported to the nearest ACW headquarters in Alpharetta. They have samples of the ash and your mother’s statement of events. I have to give one, and so do you, when you feel up to it. Then they’ll deal with her.”

She nodded. “That chapter is pretty much closed, then.”

He stood and stretched. “Yes. Thankfully. You’ll be happy to know I spoke with Stanhill, and he’s going to talk to the Ellinghams about work for me. Maybe a teaching position at Harmswood Academy. He also gave me the number for admissions so I can get Kaley enrolled whenever she’s ready.”