Bewitching You (34 page)

“Yes. What was that all about? Have you always had those things?”

Nana waved her hand absently toward Laura. “Your mother will explain more about that later. What’s important now is that you know I took the liberty of casting a spell on you and Gray.”

“A spell?” Had Nana finally lost it? Sofia straightened her shoulders and tried to stay calm. What the heck was going on here?

“Well, actually, I had to do it twice. You were fighting it, you see. And all the energy I used gave me the worst migraine. Your mother and Herbert had to take me to the hospital. But the ghost helped you through that with the note. He’s a really great character. I wish you could’ve met him.”

“Mother,” Laura said through pursed lips, “you’re rambling. How is she going to understand any of this if you ramble?”

“Wait.” Sofia stuck her hand out to stop them. “What is this? Witchcraft? Spells? Ghosts? What are trying to tell me?”

Laura turned to face her. “Your grandmother is attempting to say that the love you and Gray feel for each other may not be real. It’s very possible that the strong emotions you’re feeling right now will fade when the spell fades.”

“Good chance it won’t though,” Nana added.

“You’re kidding?” Sofia pressed her fingers to her forehead to think for a moment. She wasn’t surprised Nana had come up with such a crazy idea…but her mother? “You believe this spell business, Mom? You believe it actually works?”

“Yes,” Laura said softly. “Unfortunately, it’s all true. You know how Nana and I explained that we all carry a gene that allows us our gifts?”

Sofia nodded.

Laura released a breath. “Well, we also have the added benefit of witchcraft to supposedly help us with our gift. Although
some
people get carried away and use it for personal matters, which then gets us into sticky situations like this. That’s why I haven’t told you before, Sofia. We hold a very powerful tool at our fingertips. It can either prevent or cause tragedies. And in this case, it’s
likely to bring heartbreak.”

Nana huffed. “Don’t be so dramatic, Laura. There’s no heartbreak here. All I see is love.”

“For now, Mother. What about one, two, three weeks from now when that man”—she pointed to the bedroom—“wakes up from the after-effects of the spell and wonders what the hell had gotten into him? He’s going to realize he’s not really in love with her.”

Sofia’s mouth dried up, and her heart pounded. “Gray doesn’t love me?” It was all very confusing.

“No, Sofia. Not really. The spell lured you together and gave you both very strong feelings for each other, only ending when you both admitted you loved one another.
However
, it takes a while to fade.”

“That’s not entirely true, Sofia,” Nana piped up. “The spell was only a boost to get you started. It could very well be that the love will continue indefinitely. You remember you were dreaming of him. He’s in your future. What was the point of waiting?”

“Oh, God. He doesn’t really love me.” Could it all be true? She’d been stupid to think that a man like Gray could have feelings for her.

“Sofia, dear, the love could be as real as you and I.”

“But what if it isn’t?” Her eyes stung. “He’ll think that I fooled him. He’ll hate me.”

“I’ll never hate you.” Gray’s voice rumbled from behind her, followed by the click of a door.

Sofia turned quickly to see him.

He frowned, anger in his eyes. “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” He walked around the loveseat and spoke to her mother. “May I sit by Sofia, please? The woman that I
love
.”

~ * ~

Gray had stayed in the room long enough. He’d listened at the door, not being able to help himself. It was obvious when he left that he would be the topic of conversation. He’d been right and what he heard had infuriated him. A spell?
Absolutely absurd
.

Laura glared up at him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Obviously, you’ve been listening in. You know what’s going on. For once, maybe it’s time to use your head instead of your dick. Let her leave here with us. You can talk to her later on the phone, if that’s what she wants.”

Gray stood his ground. “Sofia isn’t going anywhere other than to pack her clothes so she can move in here with me. Just as we were planning before you interrupted us.”

“You tell her, Gray,” the grandmother murmured.

“Gray,” Sofia said, tears in her eyes, “maybe we should talk about this.”

“No,” he said. “This discussion isn’t logical enough to give it any more thought. It’s comical. It’s a fucking joke. I love you because of who you are, not because of some bullshit spell.” If they thought his love would simply fade away, they were sorely mistaken.

Sofia stood and took his hand. “But what if it’s true? I don’t think my mother and grandmother would lie to me about something like this.”

“If it’s true, Sofe, then you don’t really love me. Is that the case?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then how can you believe them?”

Laura maneuvered in front of Sofia, forcing their hands apart. “Because the spell hasn’t weakened yet. And I’m not going to let my daughter stick around here to wait for you to come to your senses.”

Heat rose up his chest, gripped his heart. “Why is it so hard to believe I’ll love your daughter now and
forever
? I’m starting to understand why she’s never really had a man in her life—you won’t let it happen.”

Laura poked her finger into his chest. “You’re just as idiotic and stubborn as your thickheaded brother.”

Gray stepped back, shaken by her words. “How did you know my brother?”

~ * ~

Penny stood, thinking it was probably a good time for her to step in. Laura had muddled this meeting up terribly. What was she thinking, mentioning Hayes?

“Excuse me,” Penny said, setting a hand on Gray’s forearm. Strong young man, he was.

He looked down at her with narrowed eyes. “How does she know my brother?”

“Hayes visited us in his afterlife, dear.” Only partially true, but Gray didn’t need to know Laura’s part in Hayes’s death. Not now. “He’s a wonderful young man.” Gray’s face grew pale, but she continued. “Apparently, he had business to do before he was able to cross over. He needed to see to your happiness and thought Sofia would do the trick. I completely agreed, so we worked collectively to guide you two together. As you can see, it worked. You fell in love. You’re happy. Hayes was able to move on. All’s well that ends well, right?”

“This isn’t funny,” he said in a low voice. “This is my brother you’re talking about.”

“I’m not trying to humor you, dear. Did you and Sofia wonder where that love note came from, Gray? Did you recognize the handwriting?”

Sofia pressed her hand to her heart. “Oh, my. It was his spirit in the kitchen, wasn’t it? Right before I found the note, I felt him, the cold breeze on my arm. It was him, wasn’t it?”

“Most likely, dear.”

Her eyes grew wide. “And the condoms? Did he leave those?”

“No, that was my idea. Definitely my idea. You can’t be too safe these days.”

Gray broke away from Penny’s grasp. “Sofia, why do you believe all of this nonsense?”

“Nonsense?” Laura’s face flushed red. “Sofia does not need or want a man in her life who doesn’t accept and support her and her family’s gifts.”

“I support her just fine. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand here and let you feed her this garbage. None of it makes any sense. Why would Hayes, alive or dead, go to you all to find happiness for me? He didn’t even know Sofia.” Gray stopped and looked to Sofia. “Did he?”

She shook her head. “I would’ve recognized him if you two are identical.”

Gray clapped his hands together once. “Ladies, your ghost story has a hole in it. Care to explain?”

Penny sighed. Seeing no other choice in the matter, she began to clarify. “Hayes knew Laura.”

“What?” Both Gray and Sofia said, and then looked to Laura for an answer.

“Mother, do you think this is necessary?” Laura asked.

“You made your bed, Laura. The young man needs an explanation. You need to give it to him.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “I didn’t really know him. He came to me for a reading one time, that was all.”

Sofia turned to Gray. “My mom is a psychic palm and tarot card reader,” she explained. “She works out of our home. And she—” She gasped. “Mom, did you foresee that Hayes was going to die?”

“He wouldn’t have believed me, Sofia. You know that. You’ve seen how people react when I tell them their fate is anything less than perfect.”

Penny noticed Gray’s hands begin to shake at his sides, but he remained quiet.

“But Mom, you could’ve warned him.” More tears welled in Sofia’s eyes. It broke Penny’s heart.

“I told him to be careful.” Laura’s eyes brimmed with redness as well. “It’s not my fault,” she said to Gray. “He was careless with his life before he even stepped in my door. He wouldn’t have listened to me.”

Gray cleared his throat, obviously upset. “You saw that my brother was going to die, and you didn’t think it mattered enough to tell him? To give him a warning?”

“Like I said, he wouldn’t have listened.”

“Maybe he would’ve checked his goddamn parachute then. Maybe he wouldn’t have gone up in that airplane. How could you be so heartless?”

“You don’t know anything about me,” Laura said.

Gray paced the floor until he eventually dropped onto the loveseat, closing his eyes and pinching his nose. “He was my best friend and only family. Do you understand what it felt like to lose him?”

Sofia sat beside him, but didn’t seem to have the courage to touch him. “I’m so sorry, Gray.”

Laura shook her head. “It wasn’t my fault.”

“Get out,” Gray said, covering his face. “All of you, just get out.”

Sofia’s face paled. “I’ll get my things,” she whispered, and hurried into the bedroom.

“Thank God,” Laura said.

Penny stepped toward Gray and ran her hand over the top of his head once. “Sofia wasn’t a part of this. She loves you.”

“Mother, don’t tell him that.”

“He needs to hear it, Laura. He’s not alone in this world.”

Gray stood, flushed and trembling. He didn’t look at anyone in particular as he disappeared into another room and slammed the door behind him.

Sofia returned, wearing her jeans and holding all of her other items. “Let’s go,” she said with a sob.

“Go ahead,” Penny said. “I’ll be right out.”

“Nana, just leave him alone, please.”

“Don’t you worry. It’ll only be a minute. I’ll meet you at the elevator.”

Penny waited until Sofia and Laura left, and then tapped lightly on the door through which Gray had escaped. The poor thing. He’d had so much heartache and now this.

He didn’t answer. Penny thought about reading his mind, but wasn’t sure she really wanted to know what the young fellow was thinking. Had she done a bad thing here? Putting them together too soon?

“Gray, it’s Penny. I don’t mean to bother you anymore. I want you to know, if you want to contact Sofia, she’ll either be home or maybe at my house. I’ll leave her house number and cell phone number. She had these cute little business cards made up. Just for fun, I guess. She actually designed them herself. She’s very talented. Anyway, I’ll leave that card for you. Here”—Penny pulled one from her wallet—“I’ll slip it under the door.”

Silence. She bent down and slid the card through.

“If you’re worried about the spell, don’t be. It’ll wear off completely within a week or two. I’m positive Sofia will still be in love with you as you will be with her. And I’d very much like to have you as part of
our
family someday. Whenever you’re ready. I know we can’t replace your brother, but we’ll love you all the same.”

Nothing.

Penny couldn’t stand it any longer. She opened up her mind and found his thoughts. They were powerful, causing Penny to limit some.