Bewitching You

chapter Fifteen



Penny kept her eyes shut tight as she lay in the hospital bed with Laura and Herbert sitting nearby. They’d been whispering small talk for the past hour, and Penny had no intention of interrupting.

Her migraine had settled down after the doctor ordered her MRI, gave her medication, stuck an IV in her, and admitted her into a room to sleep for the night. But Penny knew none of this had cured her.

Her true champion had been Hayes.

He’d come to her and told her of his plan to concoct a love note for Sofia and sign Gray’s name. Hayes had been certain this would bring Sofia around. Obviously, it had. The migraine was gone, and Penny felt renewed. Ready to take on the world.

But not yet. Sometimes it was best to let the world spin on its own axis while you sat back, relaxed…and listened a little more closely.

“Thank you for all your help, Herbert,” Laura said, for the third time since they’d sat beside Penny’s bed.

Penny had closed her eyes and faked sleep the instant she’d heard them walk into the room.

Not until now did she allow herself one peek, only to notice Herbert held her daughter’s hand. He squeezed her palm and smiled. A warm, gentle smile.

Laura didn’t pull away. Tears welled in her beautiful eyes. “You were the first person who popped into my head to call.”

Penny did a mental cheer.

“I’m glad you thought of me,” Herbert replied. “I was convinced you didn’t like me.”

“I do like you.” Laura wiped a tear from her cheek. “I suppose that’s why I’ve treated you so poorly.”

“Oh.” Herbert bunched his forehead.

“But I’m sorry. I really am, and I promise I’ll try to be nicer from now on.”

He smiled again. “That would be wonderful. And I’m glad to help. If there’s anything you ever need or want, feel free to call me…or come over.”

“Thank you,” she said a fourth time. A blush colored Laura’s cheeks and she glanced Penny’s way, forcing Penny to shut her eyes.

Which was fine with her. She’d seen enough to allow herself some real sleep. Just for a bit. A mother’s work had to end sometime.

~ * ~

Sofia lurched up in bed and searched for the clock, taking a moment for her eyes to adjust.

Come on, come on. Okay, it was past eight in the morning. She’d slept in too late. Dang it. She threw a robe on and noticed for the first time that Gray wasn’t in bed with her.

“Gray,” she called out, probably a little hysterically. “Gray!”

What the heck. This was important, and she needed his help.

Quick footsteps padded down the narrow hallway, and he appeared at the bedroom door with a toothbrush in his mouth, wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. “What’s wrong?” he asked, wide-eyed, mouth full of toothpaste.

“You’re not going to believe this.” Sofia stuffed herself into a pair of panties and then jeans. “But humor me, if you can. We need to find Rachel. I dreamed she’s on the plane.”

Sofia didn’t bother looking at Gray’s expression, knowing this would shock him more than anything she’d shared with him yet. She dropped her robe, snapped on a bra, and tugged on a faded Indianapolis Colts t-shirt. Gray’s footsteps creaked back to the bathroom, and Sofia’s heart dropped into her stomach.

Undoubtedly, this was where he came to his senses and realized having a psychic girlfriend wasn’t the best idea. Maybe he finally understood that life would be much easier if he simply found a woman who didn’t have dreams that woke him in the middle of the night. Maybe the tramp would know how to make eggs without burning them too. Not fair at all.

She shoved her feet into a pair of tennies, grabbed Gray’s note, kissed it and stuffed the paper in her jeans pocket. She’d always have the memory of the last couple of days with him.

The hallway was empty and so was the bathroom. He must’ve high-tailed it out of here.

She stopped in at the bathroom to tie her hair back into a ponytail and freshened up some. Rachel wasn’t going to bother opening the door for a wild-haired waitress who reeked of morning breath, especially one who predicted death in the near future, perhaps as early as today.

This wasn’t going to be easy, but what other choice did Sofia have? She needed to find out the flight number and destination, at least. Then who knew what?

She bounded down the stairs, scaring Sam at the bottom. The cat shot into the kitchen and jumped onto the butcher block. Sofia followed.

Still no sign of Gray. Shoot. He could’ve at least said goodbye. Or… I’m sorry it won’t work out between us. Forget about the note I wrote you last night. I didn’t realize you were psychotic. Who knew her mom had been right all these years? When the going got crazy, men left. That’s what her dad had done anyway.

Tears stung her eyes as old memories surfaced.

Stop it, Sofe. Concentrate on the task at hand.

She sniffed back the tears, poured Sam some dry cat food, more water, and made her way to the front door. She strode outside…and ran into Gray who stood, fully dressed, on the porch.

He grabbed her shoulders and peered into her eyes. “Are you sure it was her?”

Sofia nodded and blew out a breath of relief. He hadn’t left her. Not yet.

“And she was dead? She was on the plane dead?”

“Yes. She sat in the seat that had been empty in all the other dreams.”

“I need to know for sure because I can’t take my new girlfriend to my ex-fiancée’s apartment and throw this all in her face if there’s any possibility it’s not true. You can understand that, right?”

His new girlfriend. The words warmed Sofia from the inside out. “I’m positive it was her, Gray.”

He wiped at a tear Sofia hadn’t realized had trailed down her cheek. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s find a way out of here.”

~ * ~

Rachel woke up with Hayes’s heavy arm wrapped around her waist. She didn’t bother trying to find him with her eyes, knowing he most likely wasn’t visible. The mere thought of it left her feeling empty and alone.

“Morning,” he said, and held her close. “Are you better today?”

“Than yesterday? Yes, much better than yesterday.” She’d been at her lowest the day before and never wanted to go there again.

Although her heart still ached. She knew she’d lose Hayes soon, at any moment. “What if?” A thought sprang to mind and began to rush out of her mouth, but she stopped it.

“What are you thinking, Rache?”

“What if…what if I were to die? Could I be with you then?”

“No.” He reeled away, deserting her.

Rachel turned onto her back and winced at the angry look in his eyes. “It was just an idea.”

“Don’t think that way. You need to live, baby. Your life is important to many people, and soon it’ll be important to you again. You can’t give up.”

She sat up. “But what about you? Won’t you miss me?”

“Of course I will, but I have to move on. I can’t stay in this limbo forever.”

“Move on where? Where will you go? Why can’t we do it together?”

“Rachel, please don’t say that anymore. You have to live. I can’t tell you how essential that is.”

“But—”

“You won’t be able to find me if you end your life. I’ll have crossed over, and you’ll be stuck.”

“Where, Hayes?” His riddles were beginning to frustrate her.

“I can’t say. I don’t even know myself. All I know is I’m driven to help Gray, and now I understand why I’ve come to help you too. It’s so clear to me. You have to live. You have a journey ahead of you. You’re going to go on and do great things.” His dark eyes gleamed with intensity.

“Like what?” Rachel couldn’t imagine. She’d thought herself powerless to do anything great since the day she was born. She was simply Rachel Spencer, eternal student, loving sister and obedient daughter of Tim and Nora Spencer. That was all.

“Live and love yourself for as long as this world will allow you, okay? Tell me that you’ll do this for me. Make me proud.”

“You’ll be watching?”

“Yes. But I don’t know what passage lies in front of me.”

“Heaven? Does heaven exist?” Rachel reached out to touch him, but he began to fade.

“I love you, Rachel. Be strong and live.”

“Hayes? Don’t go yet.” She grabbed at his arm, but there was nothing tangible to grasp. She fell forward onto her bed.

~ * ~

Gray kicked the hatchback’s bumper, causing half of it to fall to the ground.

“Gray!” Sofia swatted his arm.

“Sorry. I’ll pay to have that fixed,” he muttered. The damn thing still wouldn’t start, and it irked the hell out of him.

“Fine. Just don’t kick my baby anymore. This car is practically a part of the family. I’ve had it since I was sixteen.”

“Maybe it’s time for an upgrade.”

“Don’t get grouchy with me, Grayson. Your stupid car is probably sitting in a junkyard right now.”

Gray clenched his jaw at the thought of that. He’d paid a shitload of money for that BMW only a year ago. That car better not have a scratch on it.

“Let’s go find out.” He grabbed her hand, and they started up the lane to the road.

She didn’t resist like he thought she might. Instead, she kept a steady pace at his side. “You think the car might still be there?”

He shrugged.

“Why are you mad at me?”

“I’m not.” He was frustrated. His mini-vacation in the country with Sofia was ending. Time to get back to the real world. Well, as soon as they found Rachel. Not that his ex-fiancée was going to believe a word Sofia said. He imagined her reaction would be somewhere between appalled and annoyed. All directed at Gray, of course, for bringing his new woman into her home.

If Gray didn’t trust Sofia, he wouldn’t bother. In fact, he’d have left as soon as she’d told him about this mysterious coffin-plane flying through the sky.

But he did trust her, and he loved her even more. Which meant Rachel needed to be saved, along with the rest of those poor people. How had Sofia dealt with this enormous responsibility her entire life?

She remained quiet for the first quarter mile down the road, holding tight to his hand and chewing at her lip.

“It’s not my fault I have these dumb visions.”

“I know.” Gray glanced down at her again. Redness rimmed her eyes. Damn. He hated that he’d upset her. “And I’m not mad at you. I swear I’m not.”

She nodded and dropped her head to watch the dirt road in front of her. Gray slowed his pace so she could keep up. It was all he could think to do. He was the first to admit he hadn’t a clue when it came to women. They were an anomaly to Gray. Had been for his whole life.

Hayes would know what to say to cheer her up. If only Gray had an inkling of that charm and understanding of women.

Tell her you love her.

No, it wasn’t time for that yet. Maybe later on tonight, after they’d saved the day. Gray would take her to his place. They’d shower and make love. He’d order in some Italian, light some candles, play some music. Then he’d tell her how he loved her from the very depth of his soul.

Maybe she’d say it back. If she loved him. There was no telling.

At least ten minutes passed before Sofia spoke again. “Are we getting close to where your car should be? It’s pretty hot out here.” Her cheeks were pink from the sun shining down on them.

Gray surveyed the flat road ahead of them but saw nothing for what seemed miles and miles. “The car’s gone. It would be down this way somewhere, but I don’t see anything on the horizon.”

Just a long road in front of them, a cornfield to the right, and an Amish cemetery to the left. Plain wooden slats marked the graves, and a white picket fence surrounded the area. Eerie.

Gray’s parents and brother were buried side-by-side at a well-kept cemetery in Indianapolis. Their stones were upright, large, and made of granite. Gray had seen to it they’d gotten the best. Although he hadn’t visited them since Hayes’ funeral. He’d been too stubborn. It was time to do that again soon.

“Look,” Sofia said, and poked him in the ribs.

His gaze followed to where she was staring. A horse and buggy drove down a road perpendicular to the one they walked. “Hey,” Gray called out twice, but either they couldn’t hear him or they were ignoring him. Probably the latter.

From his minute knowledge of the Amish, he understood they were aloof and mostly didn’t want to have anything to do with non-Amish people, or the English, as he had heard it said before.

“A*sholes,” he muttered, definitely grouchy.

“They’re not a*sholes, Gray. They’re just careful. You’re not exactly a small man.” She shaded her eyes with her hand. “What should we do?”

“Where’s your boyfriend live?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he bit his lips shut.

“Are you talking about Elijah?” She glared at him. “He has a wife, Gray. And children. I’m sure his family would not appreciate you saying—”

“Sorry.” He cut her off. “I shouldn’t have said that, but the guy was checking you out like you were piece of prime rib yesterday.”

“He was not.” Sofia shoved against his stomach. “Elijah may have been a little bit frisky as a teenager but he’s a grown man now. A grown religious man.”

“Right. I forgot. He must be a saint of a man with an angelic family living amongst all these virtuous people.” If Gray could’ve been more sarcastic, he would’ve.

Sofia set her hands on her hips. “What are you trying to get at?”

“I’m sorry to break it to you, sugar, but men are men no matter what clothes they wear or vehicle they drive. If we see a woman as attractive as you, we’re gonna look.”

“Even if you’re married?”

Time to shut up now, Gray. “Some men more than others,” he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I don’t know where he lives, but the closest house that I know of isn’t too far away. We’ll have to walk to the end of this road, turn right and it’s, I don’t know, a mile or two down that way.”

Gray surveyed the area again. “Why don’t we cut through this cornfield to save some time?”

~ * ~

Sofia inhaled the sweet scent of the corn and tried not to think about the note in her pocket that Gray hadn’t mentioned all day. Darn him.

He’d been grumpy and quiet, and Sofia wished he’d say the words she desperately wanted to hear. Unless, of course, he didn’t believe them anymore.

She heaved out a sigh, and Gray gave her a brief glance before setting his focus toward their trek through the paths of the enormously tall cornstalks. His manly-man decision to cut through the stupid cornfield had gotten them lost, Sofia was sure. They’d been walking for at least an hour.

Why hadn’t she taken one of Nana’s many wristwatches to check the time? Who knew if the airplane would go up today, tomorrow, or a week from now? The only clue Sofia had was that it would happen around five o’clock.

Gray stopped short, and Sofia bumped into him. “F*ck,” he said, and shoved his hand through his hair. “This is nuts.”

“What?” She peeked around his waist and saw what caused his cursing. Broken, crooked stalks appeared where they’d once been. “Are we going in circles?”

“It appears so, Sofia,” he grumbled. “Which doesn’t make a damn bit of sense because according to the sun, we’ve been going the same direction this whole time.” He shivered and spun around. “Did you feel that?”

“Feel what?”

“The cold air.”

Sofia wiped a bead of sweat from her temple. “No cold air over here. Are you feeling okay? Want to take a break?”

“Just for a minute. I need to think.” He snatched his wrinkled dress shirt from his back pocket, shook it out on the ground, then gestured for her to sit.

He may be a grump, but at least he was still a gentleman.

Sofia dropped to her bottom, and he sat down next to her. His hands trembled as he wrapped them around his knees.

“Gray? What’s wrong?” She inched up to him and cradled his jaw. His skin was cold to the touch.

“Nothing. I’m fine.” He eased her hand away and set it on her lap.

“What’s going on with you? Are you feverish?”

“I said I’m fine, Sofia,” he snapped, and met her eyes. “Sorry. I just get this feeling that…never mind.” He pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose and clenched his eyes shut.

“What, Gray? You’re starting to scare me.”

“I don’t mean to… I’m sorry.” He opened his eyes and reached for her. “Come here, sugar. I need you.”

Without question, she allowed him to pull her onto his lap. She’d do anything to make him feel better.

Their lips met, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth as if he hungered for her. Nothing was cold about his lips. They were quite warm and tasty. As were his hands as they slid up her shirt, finding her breasts. He squeezed her flesh, and Sofia inadvertently let out a whimper against his mouth.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Just a little sore from last night. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I never want to hurt you. Are you sore here too?” He gently rubbed between her thighs.

“Sort of. Nothing a hot bath won’t take care of.”

“I was too rough last night. Should’ve been more careful with you.”

“No, you were fine. It was wonderful, Gray. Especially after I found the note.” Sofia couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “I love you too.”

“I love…what? What note?” He bunched his forehead seeming genuinely perplexed.

“The note you wrote me.” The words rushed out as a squeal.

“Sofia, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Seriously? He was going to play games like that, huh?

“The note where you said you loved me. Why are you doing this? If you don’t mean it anymore, then say so.” She launched from his lap.

He grabbed her waist and held her down. “What are talking about?”

Tears stung her eyes, but she held them back. Anger, not tears, was what this man deserved. How dare he play with her heart like this? She dug her hand into her pocket, plucked out the little yellow paper and shoved it against his chest. “There. I have it still. You can’t deny it.”

He picked up the crumpled note with one hand and held her down with the other. After reading the words, his face paled. “Sofia, I didn’t write this.”

~ * ~

The slap across Gray’s face stung.

“Let me go.” Sofia struggled against him, tears brimming her eyes.

“No. We need to talk this through. Where did you find this note?”

“Stop it, Gray. I get it, okay? You don’t love me. You think I’m nuts.” Her breath came up in spurts as she held back her sobs. “Be a man and admit it.”

He couldn’t release a breath. Air packed his lungs, useless and painful. The note wasn’t even in his handwriting, but he had a damn good guess whose it was.

Only problem was how could that be possible?

Sofia squirmed against him again so he drew her into an embrace, shoving aside every other outlandish thought in his head. The woman in his arms was all that mattered now.

“Nothing’s over,” he said softly against her ear. “I do love you, Sofia. I love you so much it hurts, but I didn’t write that note. Now tell me where you found it.”

Before she could answer, someone pushed through the cornstalks. A large, husky man with a beard and a black hat stared down at them.

Elijah.

“Everybody okay, here?” he asked.

Gray stood, bringing Sofia with him. He set her down, picked his shirt off the ground, and wiped her tears with it. She let him, staring at him with a stunned expression. Gray wanted to kiss her, but they had an audience.

Thank God. “We’re good,” Gray said. “We were lost. Sofia got scared.”

“Oh?” Elijah looked to Sofia for confirmation and she nodded. “Well, then, you two lovebirds need a ride?”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

~ * ~

Sofia sat snug in between the two large men as the buggy sped down the bumpy road with the horses clip-clopping in front. The blanket-covered bench seat bounced them up and down as the wobbly wheels of the carriage dipped in and out of gravelly cracks and grooves.

“Yah, yah,” Elijah yelled and cracked the whip. Like they weren’t going fast enough. Was the man insane?

Gray’s arm tightened around her waist. The poor guy was sitting at the edge and there didn’t seem to be much of anything that kept him from falling out with the next big bump.

Sofia got a grip on his jeans belt loop. She wasn’t losing him now. Not after hearing that he loved her—for real. She’d nearly lost all sense and reason when he’d told her he hadn’t written the note. But, then, who had? A ghost?

Hmm… What about the chilled feeling she’d experienced in the kitchen right before she found the note? No. Spirits couldn’t write and leave messages. They didn’t have the power to interfere in people’s lives. Did they? And, if so, then why? Why would some spirit floating around at Nana’s house leave her a love note and sign Gray’s name?

Sofia shook the mystery from her head for now. Maybe they’d figure it out later and maybe they wouldn’t. She didn’t really care. The note didn’t need to be real. Just the love.

She met Gray’s gaze and he smiled at her. I love you, his gorgeous lips said silently.

Yep, that was all she needed. She smiled back, so big that her cheeks hurt.

Quit being a dork, Sofe.

Ah, who cared? Obviously, the man loved dorks.

“Whoa,” Elijah said, as they pulled into Tom’s Auto Body shop. This was as far as he’d been willing to take them, which didn’t bother Sofia one iota. The less time on the horse and buggy, the better.

Gray jumped down and then lifted Sofia to the ground. “We appreciate it, Elijah.” He picked his wallet out of his back pocket and began to pull out a twenty.

“Noooo,” Elijah grumbled. “Glad to help.” He tilted his hat and winked at Sofia. “Take care now. You stop by and visit some time, hear?”

Then he cracked the whip and was off, just like that.

Gray clenched his jaw, probably holding back a growl.

She squeezed his hand. “We made it here alive at least.”

His frown thawed into a warm grin, and they turned to see Tom standing at the door to the white building with no windows. Just a garage with an old Pinto up on the racks.

Tom had on a filthy used-to-be-white tank top that barely covered his beer gut, and suspenders that held up a pair of grubby tan slacks. A toothpick stuck out of his pasty face that displayed a deep scowl. “What you two’s want?”