Easy Magic (Boudreaux #5)

I wake slowly, blinking against the bright sunshine coming through the window. Beau’s not in the bed anymore, and the linens are cool where he was, so he’s been up for a while.

I glance over to see the rocking chair barely rocking and I smile, remembering my time with Beau’s father.

What a special gift, to be introduced to his family through his eyes.

I leave the bed, wrap a robe around me, and go in search of Beau. I find him down in the living room, his laptop on his lap and his phone pressed to his ear.

“Yes, I can make that deadline. Make sure my assistant is cc’d in the email so she can add it to my calendar. Thank you.”

He ends the call and I curl up next to him, rest my head on his shoulder, and hug his arm.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Oh yes.” I kiss his shoulder, then hug him again.

“Funny, I can smell my father.”

I glance up and smile at him. “We just had a lovely chat.”

“Did you?” He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “You must have been dreaming.”

I lay my head back on his shoulder. “Is the coin in your pocket?”

He stills. “Excuse me?”

“The coin. Is it in your pocket?”

He reaches in his pocket and pulls out the dollar coin, holding it up for me to see. “This coin?”

“That’s the one. Your father is a smart man, Beau.”

I feel him sigh, and his hand is a bit shaky when he returns the coin to his pocket.

“Jesus, Mallory.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to scare you.”

“Not scaring me,” he mutters and kisses my head. “But you’re full of surprises.”

***

“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Mallory,” Beau’s mother says the following Sunday. “I’m glad you could join us for dinner. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Thank you for having me,” I reply. Mrs. Boudreaux is petite like her daughters, with salt and pepper hair and a warm smile. I immediately like her. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you as well.”

“Well, then, we should chat and get to know each other better.” She loops her arm through mine, and I’m immediately hit with feelings of deep love. This woman adores her family. “Are you from around here?”

“Yes, ma’am. My best friend’s grandmother said she went to school with your eldest sister.”

“Really? What is her name?”

“Sophia Turner,” I reply and raise my chin for the blow to come when she remembers her. She tilts her head for a moment, trying to remember, and then her eyes light with the memory.

“I think I remember her. Did she have pretty blonde hair? About my height?”

“She still does,” I reply with a nod.

“Oh, we must have them join us for dinner sometime,” she replies with a genuine smile. Not one ounce of disgust in her voice.

“I’m sure she and Lena would enjoy that.”

“Lena’s a hoot and a half,” Charly says from the stove. “I’m making Mama’s gumbo tonight, sugar. I hope you like it.”

“You’ve been making it for years,” I reply before I can stop myself, and then decide to roll with it. “I’m sure it’s great.”

The house looks pretty much the same as my dream, aside from some updating and color changes through the years. It’s inviting and homey, and I can feel Mr. Boudreaux here, but that’s it. No other spirits are here.

“I don’t like green beans,” a young boy says with a frown.

“This is Sam,” Gabby says and ruffles his hair. “You liked green beans just fine last week when we had them.”

“Geen,” the little girl in Gabby’s arms says with a smile, showing off a mouth full of tiny teeth.

“You like green beans, baby girl,” Mrs. Boudreaux says as she kisses the baby’s head and takes her from Gabby’s arms. “This is Ailish. She’s almost a year old now, and likes to repeat everything her brother says.”

“She’s beautiful.” I smile at the little girl, who suddenly gets shy and hides her face against her grandmother’s neck.

“Where are the boys?” Van asks as she tosses a salad.

“They’re out back,” I reply. “Beau said they had some work to talk about.”

She rolls her eyes. “Clearly not because I’m not out there with them. They’re talking about you.”

“What?” I glance around in surprise. “Why?”

“Because the boys are nosier than a henhouse full of hens,” Charly replies with a laugh. “And they want the scoop.”

“I think I’d like the scoop too.”

Van tilts her head, watching me. “You know the scoop. My brother’s in love with you.”

“He’s never said that.”

The women all look at each other, then start laughing.

“Oh, darlin’, it’s written all over his handsome face,” Callie says and pats my shoulder. “Trust us. He’s smitten.”

“Well.” I don’t know what to say, so I just don’t say anything at all. Suddenly, Ben walks in through the back door, and stops short when all of us are staring at him.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing. Are you guys talking about Mallory?” Gabby asks.

“Psshh,” he says, completely lying. “No. We have other things to talk about than women.”

“Right.” Charly rolls her eyes. “Tell Simon that I’ll fill him in later.”

Ben grabs a few beers from the fridge, glances at Van with the same lovesick eyes he had as a teenager, and walks back out of the house.

“Speaking of someone being smitten,” Gabby says, but Van pins her with a glare.

“I’m not discussing this again. Stop it.”

“Sorry,” Gabby says, holding her hands up in surrender.

Mrs. Boudreaux passes the baby back to Gabby. “I should get the bread in the oven.”

“Do you have a moment to talk privately?” I ask her.

“Of course, darlin’,” she says and nods at Callie. “Can you put the bread in the oven?”

“Sure thing.” Callie winks at me as I lead Mrs. Boudreaux to the living room, and turn to see her eyebrow cocked.

“Have you been here before?”

I bite my lip and curse myself. I shouldn’t be walking around in here like I own the place.

“Of course not, I’m sorry.” I clasp my hands at my waist, wondering if this is a huge mistake.

“You can say whatever is on your mind.”

I nod and take a deep breath.

“I don’t know if anyone has told you that I have some abilities that are, well, different.”

“Yes, I heard all about the séance,” she says with a smile. “Sounds like it was mighty interesting.”

I nod, relieved that she doesn’t seem to think I’m a basket case.

“Well, I would like to pass along a message. I spoke with your husband the other night.”

I expect her to go pale, to sink into the nearest chair, to act shocked. But instead, she just smiles at me, so I keep going.

“He’s with you quite often.”

“Oh, I know that, dear.”

“You can see him?”

“No, but I feel him. I smell him. I talk to him all of the time.”

I relax more, relieved that I’m not going to be thrown out on my ass.