Page 10 of Crown of the Fae King

Charlotte glanced at the women waiting by the wall. “My posse? You bet. If it means three squares a day…and that my Café Gal doesn’t have to worry about me anymore.” She gestured for me to come close, then leaned forward and whispered, “I intend to make them regret pulling my social security number. That kitchen’s about to lose money.” She glanced past me. “I see you’ve met the man from the lottery. Isn’t he just the most gorgeous thing God ever set to music?”

I’d noticed. And it only made it more improbable he wanted anything to do with me. But then again, I wasn’t what he was after…

Our little reunion was brief and turned more tearful when I told her I was leaving town for a while. “But at least I know where to find you when I come back, right?”

“That’s right. I’m not going anywhere. I have paperwork.”

I wondered if that paperwork would be stored with her marriage certificate in an empty binocular case of stained leather. I didn’t dare ask if they’d allowed her to bring it into the building.

Five minutes later, we were back in the car and leaving behind a nice little chunk of my heart. It took another five before I could keep my face dry. Then I stuffed used tissues into my pockets and swallowed my pride. “Thank you for what you did for Charlotte.”

“Ye’re welcome.”

“I can’t imagine how much it cost you.”

“Money means nothing to me, lass. Dinnae fash.”

I smirked. “Money means nothing to you? But we needmycar to get around in.”

He smirked back. “For the now.”

“For the now,” I repeated, to show him how silly he sounded. But really, with that accent, the words hardly mattered.

We headed west again. I turned on the radio to feel less awkward, then I angled my phone away from him and leaned against the door. I wanted to pull up my accounts and check my balances, but I worried he wouldn’t take too kindly if I didn’t take his word for things. Now that I’d seen what he’d done for Charlotte, I almost dared hope he’d been telling the truth about the rest.

My power bill showed a zero balance, but without my spreadsheet, I couldn’t check to see if I’d already paid it. The coming month was going to be high, too, if I didn’t wear more layers and use my space heater less.

When I accessed my bank account, there was a notice that said my title would be mailed to… “Rena Wood nowowns my car?”

Wickham glanced at my phone. “Charlotte has no use fer it, aye? But if ye’d like to leave it with someone else—”

“Leave it?” I looked out the window and took a deep breath. “You don’t think I’ll need a car when I come back?”

“Auch, Lennon. If ye want honesty…”

“I do.”

“I cannot imagine ye’ll be comin’ back to Hazelton again. But if ye do, I promise ye’ll have a sound vehicle. Will that do?”

I’d had a love/hate relationship with that Honda for four long years. But I’d never imagined I could afford to trade it for something else. If he was right, and he’d paid all my bills, a world of possibilities just opened up for me. But first, I’d have to pay him back. And I was pretty sure I knew what would settle the score.

I should have kept my mouth shut, but I had no self-control. “What do you want from me?”

We topped a hill and my ears popped. He shut off the radio. “I don’t want, lass. Ineed.”

My imagination got the better of me and I blushed. I cleared my throat and asked the obvious. “Then what do youneedfrom me?”

“I fear we must learn that together. But for now, I need ye to collect yer things. Pack light but leave nothing behind ye wish to see again. Dinnae forget anything…important.”

Oh, so he was going to deny that the one magical item I possessed was the thing he needed?

Fine. I could play along. But his kitchen was about to lose money.

5

A Mortal’s Doing

My building was just one street south of Main. What had once been a carpet store was chopped up into a dozen small apartments with questionable plumbing and at least one large window in each, but only because of the fire code. When Neal and I had been stranded, the cheap rent seemed like a godsend, and we convinced ourselves we could turn six-hundred square feet into something charming.

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