Yule Be Magical (Familiar Kitten Mysteries Book 8) by Sara Bourgeois (popular novels TXT) 📗

I don’t think I’ve gotten quite enough mileage out of it yet.”

“You’re impossible,” he said. “And that… that was cruel. And it was rich too coming from the woman who married another man and got pregnant.”

“You’re… how dare you… I can’t…” I could feel my temper rising, and I couldn’t put together a coherent thought.

“You know what, you’re right,” Thorn said as his shoulders slumped. He looked suddenly defeated and as though he’d just aged ten years before my eyes. “That was wrong of me. We’re just getting angry and hurting each other. Now isn’t the time or place. I’m going to go now and get back to work. I don’t want to say anything else to hurt you. Maybe it’s too soon.”

He took my hand, squeezed it for a second, and then let it drop. I watched as Thorn turned to walk away, and I couldn’t believe what was happening again. We’d been so close, and I’d let my thoughtlessness ruin it.

What would the harm have been if we’d found a willing judge and finished the vows? Why had I blown him off like that? I’d been more worried about everyone else’s feelings and hadn’t even considered Thorn’s. How often had I done that over the course of the relationship? And yet, he kept coming back. He kept fighting for us. I was a fool.

“Please come home tonight,” I called out to him. “Please.”

He stopped for a second and turned halfway around. “You really want that?” He didn’t make a move to come over to me, but at least he’d stopped.

“I do. Please,” I said.

By then, everyone around us had grown quiet. I realized they were all watching us, and I’d made a spectacle all about me at the vigil. The thing I’d wanted to avoid. I’d done it anyway, and now Thorn was upset.

Before Thorn could answer me, a fight broke out on the other side of the square. Everyone’s attention suddenly turned in that direction.

“Go home now,” Thorn commanded, and the look on his face told me he meant it big time.

He rushed off in the direction of the fight and never answered me about whether he was coming home. While I was curious what the fight was about, I knew better than to disregard what he’d said. With a crowd that large, things could get ugly fast.

There were other witches around who could keep things from getting too bad, but I needed to go home. He was right. It was my job to put my baby first, and for once, I was going to do it.

So, I slipped away from the crowd and walked the long way around to my car. I’d hoped to catch another glimpse of Thorn before I left, but I didn’t. I drove home not knowing if I’d see him or not.

I waited up as late as I could, but when I started to nod off on the sofa, I dragged myself upstairs to bed.

“Go to bed,” Meri said.

“I want to wait up for Thorn,” I responded through a yawn.

“You don’t even know if he’s coming. Your back is going to hurt in the morning if you don’t go upstairs and go to bed.”

“I want…” I started to protest.

“Go,” Meri said. “Or I’ll turn you into a mouse and chase you up there.”

“You wouldn’t,” I countered.

“Try me, lady,” he said.

Chapter Six

My phone ringing woke me up from a dead sleep. It was Reggie’s number, so I picked up instead of sending it to voicemail. She never called me early, so seeing her number made my stomach knot with anxiety.

“Hello?” I said when I picked up.

“Ursula’s gone,” Reggie said breathlessly.

“What? Like she’s dead?” I shot up in bed and kicked the covers off. “How?” If I’d been thinking straight, I would have realized that if Ursula were dead, someone from my Coven would be calling me instead of Reggie.

“No, she’s not dead,” Reggie said, and I could almost hear her eyes rolling through the phone. “She ran off. Last night. With some billionaire rancher from Montana. Get this, Kinsley, he’s a werebear.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked as I tried to figure out if I was still asleep and dreaming.

“The guy she met online. He’s a werebear billionaire rancher from Montana. Or Wyoming. One of those states where billionaire ranchers live on their gorgeous ranches with the huge houses and sunsets and all that. Anyway, she ran off to Vegas last night and married him. She’s not coming back. She left me a voicemail, Kinsley. A voicemail. She’s moving to his ranch when they are done with their honeymoon in Bali. So, I need you to come in and work at the shop. I’m sorry. I know you wanted to be on maternity leave, but I can’t handle it by myself. This warm weather is drawing out tourists like crazy. Maybe we can hire someone else, but for now, I need you,” Reggie said.

“Of course,” I said. “You don’t even have to ask. Let me grab a quick shower, and I’ll be in to help you open.”

“Thank you so much, Kinsley. I’m so sorry,” Reggie said.

“You don’t have to be sorry, Reggie. This isn’t your fault.”

After we hung up, I took the world’s fastest shower. I probably should have slowed down because I got shampoo in my eye and had to stumble out of the bathroom in a towel, half blinded and have Meri heal me.

He did, but he also laughed at me the entire time. When I was recovered, he skittered out of the room and down the stairs, laughing hysterically the entire way. I would have taken my time getting down there and feeding him breakfast, but we were in a hurry.

I fed him a can of tuna and I drank some chocolate milk while he ate. There wasn’t time for me to make my own breakfast, so we were making a pit stop at the Brew Station.

Fortunately, I got there after the morning rush was over. My