He laughed and finished off his wine. I noticed that the room had cleared and our fearless host stood at the very opposite end of the counter, trying to look anywhere but at us.
“You really have thrown that poor guy for a loop,” I said as he signaled for the man to come closer.
“You’ll see why in a minute,” he murmured, moving away slightly to give me room.
A little tension drained out of me. I hadn’t been kidding—I wasn’t ready for anything intimate. That kiss had been fantastic—easily one of the best I’d ever had—but I needed a while to figure out who I was in midlife before I jumped into anything, serious or not. I didn’t want to lose myself like I had in my marriage and after having a kid. I was finally in a place where I could choose my fate, and I wanted to get it right. I wanted to get me right before I brought in anyone else.
It made me feel ten times better that he was on the same page, even if his reasoning made me sad on his behalf.
Turned out the tasting guy was a pompous blow hard who thought the sun that grew the grapes shined out of his ass. He described the wine to the point that I didn’t even want to try it anymore. He went over definitions I neither knew nor wanted to know. And if Austin hadn’t cut him off by pointing at the new people patiently waiting, the guy would’ve kept talking my life away until I threw up my hands and walked out.
“See?” Austin said. “He’s a know-it-all type that puffs up with any sort of authority, real or imagined. I come in, and he is reminded that he isn’t at the top of the food chain and needs to pull back the attitude. Usually I’d cut a spiel like that short—he was trying to impress me—but I wanted you to get the full benefit of his knowledge.”
“Yes, and I thank you for that. I’m half brain dead.” I savored the wine for a moment. Despite the horrible employee, it was much better than the selection at the last place. “Do you read personality types based on their postures or…”
“Usually I read the type of person based on how they carry themselves, how they act, their movements, large or slight. Guessing at peoples’ personalities is more from experience through the years. I can be wrong.”
“How often are you wrong?”
“These days, not often.”
“Ah. So you had me pegged as soon as I walked in the door.”
“You ruined a yearlong perfect record, actually. I think you have some dead skin to shed before you’ll become who you are meant to be. You know, if we’re doing this insightful, honest thing. Sometimes you act like a wallflower, and sometimes an adventurer bored with this life. I wonder where you’ll settle.”
I shrugged. I didn’t know myself.
“Anyway,” he said. “I read people in order to know who might make a play for power. Who might get out of line, and how much work will be required to make them submit.”
“So that you stay on the top of the food chain?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be really handy when I start dating again, then,” I said.
His head snapped toward me. A small crease formed in his brow before he turned back to his wine. “Yes,” he said, the word almost like a growl, then took a sip. “Very.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll always be my first kiss in this new life. I will remember it fondly. But a chick has gotta fly, man.”
He huffed out a laugh. “I would never dream of clipping your wings.”
“Except for the whole—don’t let the magic endanger the whole town thing.”
“Right, yes. Except for that.”
“And if I get that magic and become…more powerful than you?” The woman down the counter glanced over. I gestured between Austin and me. “Role playing. He’s really into Ren Fairs.”
Austin let the silence linger for a moment. “I do not honestly know, Jess, and that’s the truth. It might be a problem for my animal. For me. I crave dominance. My beast side will fight for that privilege. Has fought for it, every time someone tries to barge into this little safe haven. I can tolerate being around someone more powerful than me—that’s not the problem. I will not tolerate someone trying to rule me. I cannot, even if it is you.”
I put my hands up and noticed the woman down the way openly staring at Austin, lust burning brightly in her eyes. The guys were pretending he didn’t exist.
“Tone it down there, slugger,” I murmured. “You’re making everyone nervous. Can you pour the next one?”
“Yeah, sorry.” He reached down and grabbed a bottle at random. The worker looked over, and then looked away. He didn’t plan to interfere.
“So if I were more powerful,” I said as he filled my glass, “but didn’t try to boss you around, you’d still be my friend?”
He looked at me for a long time, his expression unreadable. “I don’t have friends.”
“Not even Mr. Tom?”
He barked out laughter. “I don’t have friends because I’m the alpha figure. Not many people warm up to me.”
“Except your night-time relations.”
“I actually have to warm them up.”
“I doubt they need it. Well, if Mr. Tom can spare you, will you have a problem with a supremely powerful friend that doesn’t try to dominate you?”
“Dominate me in what way?” he asked softly, and the spice in his tone sent shivers racing across my body. Heat pooled in my core again and my lips tingled in remembrance. He shook his head, as though he hadn’t meant to say that, and looked away. “Do you always talk this much crap when you drink?”
“Yes. Answer the question.”
“No, that won’t be a problem. Just don’t try to kiss me.”
“Oh-ho! Double standards, much?”
His grin was lopsided and adorable. “Let’s get out of here.”
I looked at all the wine we’d left untried but slung my bag over my shoulder and stepped away without arguing. Old habits died hard.
“I’d like one of each of the bottles we didn’t get to,” Austin said to the man. “And two glasses.”
“You need more than two proper glasses for your bar.”
“This is for right now. We’ll take this tasting to go.”
Warm fuzzies radiated through me. I should’ve known to trust him. He’d probably read the regret at cutting things short in my body language.
Lord help me if I tried to lie to the guy.
He paid for the wine and attempted to pay for the few glasses we’d “sampled.” The tasting attendant wouldn’t hear of it. Austin left forty bucks on the bar, tucked the half case under his big arm, and motioned me to get moving.
“There’s a creek down the way.” He directed us right, walking down the alleyway that had previously held Mr. Tom. “If we get ambushed by one of the most powerful mages that walks this earth, we can float to freedom. Well…I can. You’ll be screwed.”
“Sir, please, let me help you.” Mr. Tom stepped out from his position against the alley wall. I jumped. I hadn’t seen him there even though he was still wearing his weird getup!
“Nice work, buddy,” I said, and put up my hand for a high five.
He stared at my palm in confusion. “Is that some sort of sign language?”
“Thanks.” Austin handed off the box, then paused. “I forgot a corkscrew.”
“No problem, sir. I will be right back with it.” Mr. Tom hurried away, his cape fluttering behind him.
“And see if they have any nibbles,” I called after him. I put a hand to my stomach and turned back to Austin. “I’m hungry. Did you see him there?”
Austin motioned for us to keep walking. “See him? No, I smelled him. The sun is going down. His magic is strengthening. It’s strongest at night.”
“So that’s what you meant by blending into things?”
“Yes. He blends into stone, concrete, stuff like that. He’s at home in the night, too.”
“I don’t get it. If he’s intent on protecting me, he wouldn’t leave me alone with you to go get a corkscrew. He’s clearly also parenting me. Or sticking with a butler role, I guess, but they don’t follow their charges around, do they? Isn’t this a bit…off? I mean, even for him.”
“I think being left alone in that big house for so long has been very bad for him. I wish I’d known. I would’ve…I don’t know…sent someone to terrorize him or something.”
“Why didn’t Peggy bring in a caretaker before now? I mean, it’s not like I do anything yet, though I think there’s a list coming, but she was quick enough to hire me.”
“You still don’t get it.” On the other side of the buildings, we ducked through a small patch of trees and then wound down a narrow path to the stream. We walked along it, the trees cutting out the dying sun. A nearly full moon hung heavy in the darkening sky. “That house doesn’t let anyone live there who doesn’t belong. Earl is a protector of the house and its magic. So is Niamh. Even Edgar. They have passes to be there. The magic allows them to stay.”
“But Auntie Peggy—”
“Wasn’t chosen by Ivy House. She is the title holder, nothing more. She can stay there for a few days at a time, just like your friend and the rest of their family, but that’s it.”
“But you’ve been there and you aren’t a protector.”
“I’ve only been there for a few hours or less at a time.”
“This is insane,” I said, stumbling. He offered his hand, and I latched on to it as I stumbled again, the lengthening shadows hiding the rocks and pitfalls. “Why me? I just don’t get it. I’m not special in any way. I’m the opposite of special. Just…why me?”
“Often we don’t see things about ourselves that everyone else finds apparent. Also, I’ve already told you. I don’t like repeating myself.” I could hear the laughter in his voice. “Just here.”