Page 5 of Bewicched

He pulled a fist out of his pocket to wave off the offer. “I don’t want to be a bother. I’m fine.”

“Nonsense. How am I supposed to explain to Lili that I left her brother hungry when I have a tray of brownies in the next room?” I gestured to the table and chairs while making my way to the studio door. “I’ll be right back. What would you like to drink?”

“Uh, water’s good.”

I ducked back into my studio and found Declan leaning over the table, drawing. “What are you still doing here?” I hoped this wasn’t a feeding-a-stray-dog-and-they-never-leave situation.

“I can get started today. I’m sketching my plan for the deck. I want to make sure you approve before I begin.”

“Oh, smart. But in general, if a woman tells you to go away, you should.” I grabbed a couple of paper towels and then plated a brownie for Rob, who had yet to introduce himself, and a lemon square for Declan. I wasn’t rewarding bad behavior. I was demonstrating my awe-inspiring baking skills. After pouring a glass of water, I pulled beer from the fridge. I couldn’t stand the stuff, but I had friends and family who liked it, so, you know.

“How come I wasn’t offered a beer?” Declan glared at the brownie and beer and it was so hard not to laugh.

“I have my reasons.” Let him wonder. I left him the lemon square, which softened his expression, and then headed out.

Rob was staring out the window. “I’m not sure, but I think a seal just tossed a ball onto your deck.”

I left his beer and brownie on the table and then took off out the back door. Declan was already there, picking up the tennis ball. He raised his eyebrows, waiting for the go-ahead.

“Chuck it!” I knelt at the edge of the deck, waiting. Declan could throw three times farther than I could. Okay, fine. It was at least ten times farther than I could. Shut up.

The ball hit the water with a splash and gray streaked out from under the deck. “I see you, Wilbur!” The seal had been arrowing through the ocean, but at my shout, he rolled over and over before doing a flip. I won that round and we both knew it. “Thanks for the assist.” I nodded at Declan before returning to Rob.

“Sorry about that,” I said, closing the back door.

“You have a pet seal?”

The wonder on his face finally made those tense shoulders come down. “Not a pet. Just a friend.” I walked to the table and sat down. “I know you said water, but I thought you might want a beer.” I pointed at the plate. “And if chocolate isn’t your thing, I have lemon too.”

“Uh, no. Chocolate’s good. Thank you.” He sat down and some of the wariness returned.

“Go ahead and eat. We can get started in a minute.” I paused, waiting for him to pick up the brownie. When he reached for it, I began to ramble. The poor guy was wound so tight, I’d never get anywhere with him.

“Did Lili tell you I lived in a converted cannery?”

He shook his head.

“Yeah, I used to play here all the time when I was little. You could smell the fish a half mile away…” He didn’t look bored as I droned on. He seemed genuinely interested in my story about the cannery. Nice guy.

When he finished, he wiped his fingers off on the paper towel and tipped back the beer bottle. “Thanks for all this. This psychic stuff makes me uncomfortable.”

Something dropped in the studio and poor Rob flinched.

“That’s just the construction guy who’s rebuilding my deck. Let me just check nothing was broken while you finish your beer.” I stood up.

“Oh.” He shook his head, laughing. “I thought the place was haunted.”

“Nah. No ghosts here.” My sneakers were silent across the floor. Nonetheless, when I opened the studio door, Declan was staring at me. Closing it behind me, I stared right back. I knew that look. It was the look of disbelief and disgust. Whatever. “Can you please go sketch in your truck or something? You have excellent hearing and his business isn’t yours.”

“You’re a psychic?” The flirty interest in his eyes was gone. “I thought you were an artist.”

“I am.” It shouldn’t have hurt. I barely knew the guy. “But what I am or am not is none of your concern. I’ve asked you nicely twice to go.” I wriggled my fingers. “If I have to ask again, it won’t be nice.”

He ripped a page out of my sketchbook and tossed it across the table. “I’ll be back in the morning to get started. If you want changes, you can tell me then.” He walked out without a backward glance.

I let out a breath, watching him go. They always go, don’t they? Didn’t matter. Rob needed my help. What Declan thought of me was irrelevant.

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