He relaxed back onto the couch, kicked off his boots, and put his feet up on the coffee table.Guiding my head to his chest, he said, “Go ahead and nap while I order us dinner.”He chuckled.“This feels like old times.Where’s your remote?Oh, I see it.”He leaned forward, then settled back.
I didn’t think I could possibly fall asleep like that, but I did.I woke to Declan shifting me off of him so he could stand up.“What’s happening?”
“Pizza’s here.The delivery guy knocked on the gallery door.I’ll be right back.”
“Be careful,” I mumbled.“Last time we ordered pizza here, a killer was waiting on the porch.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
Otis Keeps an Eye on Us
Declan returned a minute later with three large pizza boxes in his hands.
“Dude.”I had to grin.“Even for you, that’s a lot of pizza.”Forcing myself awake, I went and got us plates.Declan was right behind me, getting drinks.
“Baseball or British mystery?”he asked.
“Guess,” I passed him a plate and sat down on the couch.As soon as he opened the first box, the scent had me ravenous.I slowly made my way through three pieces, while he ate an entire pizza himself.
I’d just put my empty plate down when he tapped my arm and pointed toward the back door.“Your friends have arrived.”
I jumped up, grabbed the three muffins I’d already warmed up for them, and went out the back door.Otis was in front, with his siblings Daisy and Jasper sitting behind him.
Bracken called from the direction of his RV.“They came to me first, but I told them you were here and they seemed to have understood.”
“Is that right?”I asked them.“You’re so smart.”I gently put down the three muffins on the deck between the raccoons and me.Stepping back, I sat on the bench by the door to keep them company while they ate.
Declan walked out a moment later with three pieces of pizza.He placed each one beside a muffin, then sat beside me.Jasper chittered excitedly, but Otis made a low hiss and Jasper shut up.Otis moved forward, sniffing the offerings.He picked a muffin, grabbed a piece of pizza, and moved to the side to wait for his siblings, all while keeping an eye on Declan and me.
“You’d think he’d trust us by now,” I said.
Declan wrapped his arm around me.“He does, but he has his siblings to look after.”
Once they were all holding their food, they scampered off so they could eat, protected under a far bench.
“The pizza was a genius addition,” I told him, nudging him with my elbow.
“I thought they might like it.”Declan stretched his legs out, crossing them at the ankles.“Do you see the way Otis keeps peering out at us?”
I nodded.
“They’re vulnerable right now.They’ve hidden themselves and their food away from predators who might want to steal it, but in doing so, they’ve cut off multiple exits.Otis needs to keep an eye on things so he can warn his siblings if they need to run.They’ll try to eat as fast as they can so they can move to a safer spot.”
“Is there anything I can do to make them less nervous?”I peered around Declan to see the tip of Otis’s nose poke out from beneath the bench.
“Nah.We’ll let them eat.”He put his hand in my hair and massaged my scalp.“Are you still hungry?”
I shook my head.
“Ready to go home?”he asked.
I nodded.“As soon as they’re done.I don’t want to spook them while they’re eating.”
We sat in silence, watching the waves.Declan kissed the top of my head.“How are you feeling about having to speak at this Wicches’ Council meeting?”
I glanced up at him, then back out at the water.“Honestly, I’m pretty freaked out about it.I don’t know any of those wicches.Well, except for the one we talked to on the phone today.Standing up in front of a meeting room filled with magical people who have no idea who I am and telling them that the woman who’s been attending their meetings for decades is actually an evil killer is going to be interesting.”
“I want to go with you to make sure no one does anything to hurt you or the baby.”
