Charmed Spirits (6 page)

Ally
was a widow who had lost her husband a couple of years before and had fallen on
hard times. She’d done everything she could for her children, but sometimes it
didn’t seem like enough. Jordan was happy to see her new friend smiling since
it was such a rare occurrence when she wasn’t around her children.

“I
love hearing about them so keep talking,” Jordan said honestly. That little
pang in her heart that she wasn’t a mother beat louder whenever she was near
Ally, but she ignored it.

“Oh,
I could go on for hours, but I still have a job to do.” She tilted her head
toward Stacey, and Jordan suppressed a groan.

“Okay
then, I’ll have the club with baked chips on the side and a Diet Coke,” Jordan said.

“And
I’ll have the chef salad with the vinaigrette on the side,” Abby said. “Oh, and
a water with lemon.”

Ally
nodded but didn’t write the orders down. Jordan suspected she didn’t need to as
a mother of three. She could remember more than most. “Okay, I’ll put that
right in.” She hurried off, deftly avoiding the bleached bimbo from hell.

“A
salad?” Jordan asked. “I thought you said you’d try a burger next time.” Jordan
wanted her friend to be happy and not worry about her weight.

Abby
shrugged. “I’m fine.”

Jordan’s
eyes shot daggers toward Stacey, or at least that’s what she wanted. If that
bitch hadn’t been there, there wouldn’t have been a problem. Stacey was always
harping on Abby over some small infraction considering a perceived weight
problem.

Stupid
blonde bitch.

Okay,
maybe she needed to tone down on the name-calling. Karma, and all that crap.

“Is
there a space for me?” Matt asked as he walked up to their table.

Jordan
raised a brow and ignored the rapid beat of her heart at his presence. “I
thought you were here with Stacey.” She inwardly winced.
God, petty much?

Matt
shuddered then sat in the booth next to her, his body warming her side with an
electric current.
Down, libido
. “God, no. She cornered me when I got out
of the Chevy. I saw you two walking in here and thought I’d join you, if you
don’t mind.”

“Well—”
She didn’t want to be near Matt because every time she was, she started to want
something more.

Abby
cut her off. “We’d love to have you.”

Jordan
glared, and Abby gave her an innocent look.
Yeah, right
.

“That’s
good since I told Allison that she could bring my lunch here. Talk about
awkward if you’d have said no.”

“Matt,
your whole life is awkward,” Jordan grumbled, but smiled as he kicked her foot
playfully under the table.

“True,
but that’s why I’m glad I have you two to make me feel better.”

Jordan
rolled her eyes. “Yes, of course. It’s our reason for existence, you know. I
mean, if you felt poorly, what on earth would we do?”

They
broke into laughter as Ally brought their lunches and drinks.

“Sorry
again that it took me so long,” Ally said as she set down their food. “I swear,
sometimes I just want to… And I should stop right there if I want to keep my
job.”

Matt
leaned over his beef stew and winked. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

“You
are a dork, Matt Cooper. And be sure to tell your brother, Brayden, to stop
leaving so much of a tip, will you? People will start to talk.”

Matt
shook his head. “Hey, he likes the coffee.”

“Enough
that he comes in every day?”

“Something
like that.”

Ally
rolled her eyes and walked off to help another table.

“You
think she knows Bray is in love with her?” Jordan asked.

“How
did you figure that out?” Matt asked, his brows raised.

“It’s
easy to tell with the way he looks at her.” She’d seen it every morning she
came in for coffee when she wanted to talk to Ally and get to know her more.

“I
wouldn’t go that far,” Matt answered. “But no, she has no idea. It’s kind of
fun to watch.”

Jordan
let out a breath. “Men.”

Abby
shook her head. “Men.”

“Hey,
man
right here.”

“You’re
not a man; you’re our friend,” Abby teased.

“Ouch,
kitten has claws.” Matt laughed.

“Meow,”
Abby said with a completely straight face that had the three of them rolling
with laughter.

“You
see why I joined your table? You two are great company,” Matt said after they
caught their breath.

“Thanks,”
Jordan said dryly. “I’m so glad you think that.” She felt all gooey inside at
the feel of his body next to her, even with Stacey sitting at the counter,
glaring at the three of them. She resisted the urge to wave at the bimbo,
barely.

“Any
time,” Matt said. “As for Stacey, you know I don’t beat women, so there is only
so much I can do.”

Jordan
blinked at that statement then burst out laughing again. God, she loved him.

No,
bad thoughts, Jordan, bad thoughts.

“Oh,
Abby, I forgot. Tyler wants you to call him when you had a chance,” Matt said.

Abby
paled and dropped her fork. “Wh-why?”

Matt
tilted his head, and Jordan furrowed her brows. What was with that reaction?

“He
had a question about the upcoming Halloween play and security and thought you’d
know the answer.”

“Why
is there security at an elementary school play?” Jordan asked.

“Because
Tyler is paranoid and wants to make sure the kids are okay. Since Justin is the
principal, he allows it.”

“Then
why didn’t he just call her himself?” Jordan asked.

“Because
he doesn’t remember my number,” Abby whispered, her head low.

What
the hell?
“Isn’t it in the
directory?” she asked.

“Yes,
but he never remembers to look there,” Abby mumbled. “It’s okay; I know what
he’s going to ask anyway, so tell him that I took care of it, okay?” She looked
at Jordan and Matt. “I’m in charge of setting the play up since I’m one of the
only teachers who doesn’t mind staying late these days.”

Matt
nodded, a frown on his face.

What
was going on?

“I
should go take care of that now, then.” Her friend put some money on the table
and stood stiffly. “I’ll see you both later, okay?” She didn’t wait for them to
say anything back and left the diner in a hurry.

“Okay,
what just happened?”

Matt
shook his head. “I have no idea, but I think Tyler fucked up.”

“If
he hurt her…”

“No,
I don’t think he did it on purpose. In fact, I think he doesn’t realize how
amazing Abby really is.”

A
small kernel of jealousy took root, which was ridiculous.

“So
he’s just an ass?”

“He
dates. It’s not an issue, but I don’t think he’s dated Abby.”

“Oh…
oh.
”

“Right.”

“Huh,
well, then.” Poor Abby.

“The
place will be taken down soon. Don’t worry,” Prescott St. James bellowed over
the quiet conversations of the diner. Stacey wrapped her arms around him and
hugged tightly. Jordan almost gagged.

“What?”
Ally asked, her eyes wide. “You can’t destroy the old Marlow place; it’s
history.”

Matt
froze beside her, his face going pale.

“Matt?”
she asked, worried.

“I
can do whatever I need to get done. That place and the old Cross place need to
be taken down.”

“Excuse
me?” Jordan asked, and pushed Matt out of the booth so she could stand. “You
can’t destroy my home.”

“Ah,
Ms. Cross. I’m glad you’re here, as this will make it easier. Your home is
ruining the property values around town. I am making it my personal mission to
see that both it and the old Marlow place are destroyed.”

“You
can’t do that.” Rage filled her, and she stepped forward to slap the bastard,
but Matt held her back.

“She’s
right, Prescott,” Matt stated, his voice a little too shaky for Jordan’s
comfort.
What is going on with him?
“You can’t take down a building
because you have a grudge.”

Prescott
lifted his nose as Stacey gave a trilling laugh that sounded like cats on a
chalkboard. “Oh, I can do anything I please. And I will.”

“You’ll
need the council’s vote,” Matt warned.

“And
I’ll get it.”

“We’ll
see,” Matt and Jordan said at the same time.

“Let’s
get out of here, Jor. I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.” Matt gave Ally a couple
of twenties, far too much for their lunch, grabbed their coats, and dragged her
out of there.

Lucky
for Prescott because Jordan’s magic wanted to kick some ass.

“I
don’t feel like driving right now. Do you mind if we walk?” He still held her
hand, and she clasped it tightly, not wanted to let go.

“Whatever
you want.”

“Don’t
say anything you don’t mean, Jor.”

“What
do you mean by that?”

He
shook his head. “Never mind.”

They
walked in the cool sunlight as the wind danced around them. He let go of her
hand, only to wrap an arm around her back and bring her closer. She burrowed
into his side, grateful for his warmth.

They
walked in silence until they ended up by the lake, its water churning in the
cool breeze.

“Are
you okay, Matt?”

He
nodded, but she didn’t believe him.

“They
won’t take your home, Jor.”

“I
know. But I also won’t have any say once I sell it.”

Matt
didn’t answer.

“I
am
selling, Matt. I’m leaving.”

“I
know.” He turned her in his arms, his hands running smooth strokes up and down
her back, making her want to purr. “I know.” He lowered his head, his lips
barely brushing hers in a question.

She
closed her eyes and moved the fraction of an inch closer to answer. He tasted
of stew, home, and Matt, that heady taste she’d thought long forgotten. He
licked the seam of her lips, and they parted. His tongue danced with hers as
their grips tightened. She rocked against him, wanting.

He
pulled away, leaning his forehead against hers. “I know.”

She
closed her eyes, lost in the sensation of his touch and the fact that it had no
future. Oh God, she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to be selfish and stay
with him. She wanted to watch Abby bloom and be happy, and she wanted to grow
closer to Matt and be a Cooper….but she had to leave. It wasn’t her choice, but
it had to be done—for the both of them.

Chapter 5

Matt
rubbed his palms on his jeans and tried to slow his heart rate. It wasn’t as if
this was his and Jordan’s first date. No, they’d dated plenty of times in the
past. That was the thing though. The past. They weren’t teenagers anymore
running on hormones and sneaking around after curfew.

He
didn’t know this Jordan, the independent city girl with the grace of
confidence. He could still see, though, where she frayed at the edges, particularly
whenever Stacey or Prescott happened to be in her presence. He wanted to know
more about her. Her hopes, dreams, fears…everything. Right now, it felt as
though he were basing his attraction solely on memories. Though he’d had almost
a month to get past her defenses, it was only the beginning.

And
Jor didn’t know anything about him. Not really. She knew the surface, what
other people knew, but he wanted her to know more. He didn’t know if she could
deal with what he turned into every month…and in two nights, he’d have to lie.

He
hated lying

Sadly,
though, he was becoming very good at it. Just ask his brothers.

Matt
sat in his Chevy outside Jordan’s home and tried to put on that smooth
confidence that so many said he possessed. It sure didn’t feel like he had any
at the moment. When she’d come back to town, he’d promised himself he wouldn’t
fall for her again…
as if he’d ever lost those feelings
.

When
Prescott had said the afternoon before that he was going to tear down the old
Marlow place, Matt thought he’d died on the spot…again. If he really was dead;
he wasn’t quite sure on that point.

What
was he going to do if they tore down the place? If he wasn’t in that house at
sunset on the evening of the full moon, and the four nights surrounding it, he thought
he might be lost forever. Without the house…he might not be found.

And
didn’t he sound like a pansy? God, something was definitely wrong with him.
They were just going on a date. A date that could lead to sweaty, good things
if he had anything to say about it.