The Only Purple House in Town (Fix-It Witches, #4)(37)
“You look conflicted,” Eli said, as she stepped into the kitchen.
She admired his and Henry’s work all over again. The white cabinets looked fantastic with the wooden counters, and the black-and-white tile floor hardly showed its age. This kitchen really was a welcoming space now, albeit like stepping back in time.
“Not as much as I expected.”
He flashed her a curious look. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“There’s not much to say. I don’t get along with my family, and I was just thinking that I’m happier now that we just…don’t talk.”
Eli didn’t say he was sorry or offer any of the usual platitudes. “I have cousins I rarely see, and I’m only close to Gamma, so I don’t quite know how it feels. I miss her a lot, but I’m glad she’s happy and having fun.”
“Gamma? That’s so precious.” As they ate the vegetable soup, she repeated the story Sally had shared with her.
“Sallygram? Kids are so funny.”
“I know, right?” She glanced at the hall that led to Henry Dale’s room. “Is he okay?”
“He took a bowl of soup to his room. Said he wanted to finish his book and it’s rude to read at the table.”
“This is really good, by the way.”
Eli often made good use of Great-Aunt Gertie’s old slow cooker, choosing soups and stews that were low effort, high reward, and perfectly suited to a chilly autumn evening. Tonight, he’d made a vegetarian minestrone, chock full of carrots, onions, celery, white beans, spinach, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, and plump little pasta shells. It reminded her of going to an Italian restaurant in college that offered unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, likely without realizing how much starving students could eat.
“Glad you like it.”
I like you too, she almost said, but that would be too much. They were housemates, right? He’d never indicated he saw her as more, and she shouldn’t read into his kindness. She’d gotten in trouble being impulsive and making assumptions before.
Don’t ruin this. Things are going well. Just…be happy.
* * *
Everyday magic.
If someone asked Eli to describe his current life situation, he’d choose those two words. Because there were small wonders every day, new things he learned about Iris just from being around her. She had a sweet tooth, and she had a habit of putting whatever was handy in her hair to keep it out of her face. So far, he’d seen her use pens, pencils, chip clips, a chopstick, and once a wooden spoon. From what he could tell, she hated shoes and she only wore natural fabrics, none of which helped him figure out her true nature.
He hadn’t been able to get those colors out of his head. Because he was so baffled and fascinated, he’d even asked on a shifter forum—about how a psychic vampire’s aura looked. Most commenters hadn’t even run across them, but those who had? Described something bleaker than the incandescent beauty Iris radiated.
Who are you, Iris Collins?
Absurd how happy he was, simply washing dishes with her. She liked the scrubbing better than the drying, and he enjoyed putting things in their proper place. If he believed in fate, he might imagine they matched.
In time, Henry Dale brought out his empty bowl and insisted on washing it himself. Eli loved the warm feeling in his chest when Iris shot him a conspiratorial look, assuming they’d be on the same page. And while he did share her amusement at Henry Dale’s prickly tendencies, he also understood the man.
Henry Dale felt alone. He’d lost everyone who mattered, and he was maintaining emotional distance to protect himself. Eli had grown up solitary despite Gamma’s best efforts. He…just wasn’t good at connecting to people either. So Henry Dale’s emotional retreat made complete sense, even if Iris just saw him as a grumpy old man. But Eli saw a man who was hurting and needed friends.
“Do you think you could give me a ride tomorrow?” Henry Dale asked.
Eli nodded. “Did they finish the teardown?”
“Yup. They said I can take whatever’s fit to haul away. I’m sure we can pick up enough lumber to repair the porch.”
“Name the time,” he said.
Soon after, Sally came home, but she’d already eaten with her friends. She hung around the kitchen to drink a cup of tea, however, chatting with Iris while they tidied up. Eli kept quiet and mostly listened to their conversation.
During a natural break, he asked, “Are you settling in all right?”
“Definitely! It’s homier than home. I even have an old man to bicker with, so what could be more familiar than that?” Sally flashed Eli a smile.
Iris chortled. “Howard wasn’t that bad, was he?”
“I suppose not. But…I just wasn’t happy. Back in the day, they said we should stay together for the children, but my kids are thirty-nine and forty-seven. I figured I’d done my bit. I married young, and I’ve been taking care of someone else for my entire life.”
Is that how Gamma felt?
He’d tried not to be a burden, but maybe Gamma had been waiting to cut loose all this time too. Iris touched his hand lightly. The woman might not be a natural at running a business, but she seemed attuned to his every flicker of expression. Maybe he shouldn’t like that as much as he did.