Page 21 of In Dangerous Water

I smirked. “Digging up a pirate’s treasure sort of blew that out of the water for you, didn’t it?”

Arianna inclined her head. “Just like competing and medaling in the Olympics did for you, I imagine.”

“Touché,” I said.

“Would it be prying if I asked you what happened with you and Tim?”

I sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Tim is kind and brave. He’s a good man,” Arianna said. “I’m sure you two can work things out.”

“Let me ask you something,” I began. “Did Rafe ever get freaked out by your magick?”

“Yes,” she said simply.

“May I ask how?”

“He saw me banish a malevolent spirit from his home.” Arianna’s smile was a tad wicked. “It was an emergency situation. Caroline and Tim witnessed it as well.”

I tried to recall exactly what Tim had said about that a few years ago...but he’d been more excited to have experienced the entity. Tim hadn’t gone into specifics about her magick. Patting the dog’s head for comfort, I considered Arianna as she sat calmly across from me. This might be my only chance to ask another practitioner about this, but still, I hesitated.

“It’s okay,” Arianna said. “Whatever you tell me stays between you and I.”

“Tim is currently under the impression that I spelled him,” I said miserably.

“In exactly what way?” she asked.

“Tim believes that I used magick on him and took away his free will. That I bewitched him in order to make things more spicy, and for him to act more aggressive...sexually.” I blew out a long breath before continuing. “He flat out said—right before he dumped me—that if our roles were reversed, that it would be considered criminal.”

“Are you serious?” Arianna’s voice went up.

I nodded. “Very serious. He believes—for lack of a better term—that he was magickally roofied.”

Arianna shook her head.

“I swear that I didn’t use magick on him in that way,” I said. “But Ididtry and distract him from an argument with sex, and I pushed his buttons, knowing what would get...let’s say, the strongest reaction.”

“You won’t be the first, nor will you be the last woman to be accused of using witchery and sexual charms to encourage a man behave a certain way.”

I rolled my eyes at that. “For gods sake!”

“It’s insulting and hurtful, believe me I know,” she said. “But sometimes men will look to blame anyone but themselves for their own behavior and desires.”

While we weren’t touching, we were sitting close together, and that was enough to create an empathic link from one Witch to another. Searching her deep blue eyes, I realized that she spoke from personal experience. “Someone accused you of the same, once. Didn’t they?”

“Yes, he did,” she said. “As did his wife, the sheriff’s department of Ames Crossing, the entire village...as well as my own parents.”

Hearing that, I reached for her hand. “I’m so sorry, Arianna.”

“It was a long time ago,” she said, giving my fingers a squeeze. “But I do understand the hurt and shame that goes with that particular accusation.”

“I love him,” I admitted. “Last month we’d been talking about getting married…and now...” I trailed off and wiped away a tear that had fallen. “There’s a part of me that wants to shrivel up and die, knowing Tim thinks I’d be capable of that sort of exploitation.”

“I have a hunch that Tim will come to his senses and apologize,” she said. “He’s a decent man. Just give him a few days to calm down.”

“Maybe.” I nodded.

“Take the rest of today for yourself,” Arianna suggested kindly. “Some time away from it all would do you a world of good. Think of today as a magickal reset.”

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