Page 21 of Seven Secret Spellcasters
He grabbed her hand and squeezed. “It wouldn’t be trouble if you knew when to expect it. I’m being cautious. I’m ecstatic you’re taking the rest of the week off. I was going to try to talk to you about that.”
“Life was a lot easier when all I had to deal with was a job that needed me fifty or sixty hours a week and a cheating fiancé. Oh, and a grumbling Christina. The girl was never happy growing up. So much different than she is today.” Mia smiled at the memory.
“As long as you get her after ten in the morning. Levi had to wake her up to go do deliveries with Mom and Finn today. She almost bit his head off.”
Mia chuckled. “Christina needs a very loud alarm or Levi to make sure she’s awake before he leaves for work. Has he found anything in Portland yet?”
“He’s on a hiring list as a temp for an EMT service. He wants to get in with a fire station, but he has to test for those positions. He’s got tests and interviews set up for the next month. He might be going back sooner than Christina.” Trent pulled the truck into the parking lot. “I’ll be the last kid in the family standing here in Magic Springs. I didn’t plan on staying here.”
“I thought you wanted to live here.” Mia unbuckled her seat belt but didn’t move. “Do we need to talk about future planning? Like, where we see ourselves in the next five or ten years? I could do the business anywhere.”
“I’m sure Seattle or Los Angeles would be a perfect place to raise a dragon.” Trent pointed out as he nodded to Buddy, who had dropped out of the tree where he’d been sleeping and waiting for Cerby to come home.
“I think he might fit into those towns. In Los Angeles, people would think it was a promotional event if they saw him. Now, if we’re looking at Houston or Boston, we might have a problem.” Mia rubbed Trent’s arm. “Seriously, if you want to live somewhere else, we can make it happen.”
“Then who watches out for your grandmother or my parents when the time comes?” he asked. He picked up Cerby and opened the door. “Don’t mind me. I’m just feeling a little trapped here with my circumstances. Being around Steve always brings out my grumpy side. He makes me feel like I chose a smaller life. It has nothing to do with us. Come on, Mom probably has dinner ready for us. Everyone’s here again.”
That must have included Trent’s older brother Steve because his BMW was parked on the other side of the lot. Under the tree where Buddy liked to hang out. She wondered what dragon poop would do to a car’s paint.
Trent put his arm around her, then looked her in the eye. “For someone who was in such a serious conversation, you’ve got a huge smile on your face. Want to share the joke?”
“Nope.” She leaned on his chest as they walked. “So, did you talk to Mark?”
Trent unlocked the door and called Cerby to come inside. The little Maltese was talking to Buddy at the side of the yard. “Not yet. I called, but he said he’d told the coven he’d wait for their investigation, so he’s waiting. Badly waiting, but waiting.”
Steve Majors was coming downstairs. “There you are. Mom sent me down to tell you that dinner’s ready. You’re not talking about Chief Baldwin, are you?”
“No. Just pillow talk.” Mia took Trent’s arm, then kissed him.
The public display of affection made Steve squirm. “Well, anyway, food’s ready.”
He turned and almost ran up the stairs.
“Huh,” Trent said, smiling at Mia. “You figured out how to get my older brother out of my business. And it’s a fun way too.”
“It won’t always work, but he is a little squeamish around PDA, so I thought I’d use it.” She smiled at Trent. “I know he’s your brother, but he bugs me. Too much like the guys Mom was always trying to hook me up with during college.”
“Tall and ruggedly handsome?” Trent asked.
She laughed. “No, arrogant and unable or unwilling to listen.”
“Okay, I’ll give you both points.” He opened the apartment door, and Cerby went tearing inside. “Time for the madhouse. Welcome home.”
Christina and Levi sat in the living room, looking at something on her laptop. From the glaze across Levi’s eyes, it was either wedding venues or dresses. Cakes would have at least gotten a bit of a spark from him. Cerby jumped on the couch and cuddled into Christina’s lap.
As Mia walked farther into the apartment, she heard Thomas and Steve talking to Abigail. The only person she didn’t hear was her grandmother. And Finn. Was she still in the building?
“Mia, I’m so glad you’re home safe. I started worrying as we finished off our deliveries. I can’t believe I didn’t think of the problem sooner.” Abigail was stirring something on the stove. “Sit down, we’re going to have to eat in shifts. Maybe when it’s all of us, I should cook in the downstairs kitchen.”
“Whatever you want.” Mia nodded toward the hallway with the bedrooms. “Grans in her room?”
“No, she’s in the library. I was going to go get her as soon as you arrived.”
“I’ll do it. What about Finn?”
Abigail sighed. “She went to eat with her cousin again. I think she’s afraid she’s interfering with our lives. I tried to tell her she was invited for dinner. I hate to think she’s wasting her money on food when she should be saving for an apartment.”
“I think it’s a bad week to look welcoming around here.” Mia looked around the room. “Why do we have so many bouquets? Are these for Friday’s party?”
