“So, you’re on a deadline with this house?” Lee asked.
“I am. It needs to be finished by the middle of the week after next for me to inherit it. Otherwise, it goes to my miserable uncle.”
“That’s a strange requirement of a will,” Charlie said.
“I know. I’ve got no idea why my grandmother wrote it that way, but I’ve got a little less than two weeks to keep my new home. I was hoping you guys might be able to help me.” I considered batting my lashes, but that would be laying it on too thick. “I’ll pay you overtime, of course. A rush fee, even. Are you free to do some work?”
“We could be.” Charlie smiled. “It would be a shame for you to lose this house, especially after putting so much work in. And you’re definitely an asset to the community.”
“An asset to the community?” I grinned.
“Oh, most definitely.” He was flirting up a storm with me, which I was so not used to.
“So, that means you’re in?” I asked. “There’s quite a bit of electric, roofing, and plumbing that needs to be done.”
“We can start tomorrow,” he said.
“Oh, my gosh. That’s what I was hoping you would say.” I was so excited, I wanted to clap.
“It’s because he likes you,” Carlos said. “Ever since we played darts at The Sea Shanty, he’s been hemming and hawing about how to contact you without seeming like a creep.”
Charlie turned to him. “Really, mate? You’re going to spill my business like that?”
Carlos shrugged. “Women like honesty.”
“That is true,” I said. “And I do really appreciate you guys finding time to help. This is a huge deal for me.”
“It’s not a problem,” Charlie said. “We’ll be here around lunchtime.”
“Excellent. I’ll leave the house unlocked, if that’s all right. I’ve got a meeting tomorrow and I might not be here, but I’ll be back the next day. You just get started, if that’s all right.”
“Perfect. We’ll be here.” He winked. “And maybe afterward, you and I could get a drink?”
Oh, damn.
I should have expected this when he started flirting, but stupidly, I hadn’t. And I should say yes. He was just the right kind of guy for me to go out with: fun and easy, not intense at all. I would have a good time, but I wouldn’t get totally wrapped up in him. That was exactly what I needed. The opposite of Rafe, basically.
And yet, I couldn’t say yes.
Nothing would happen between Rafe and me because he would leave. And even if he didn’t, I couldn’t get into a relationship that would end up becoming intense. Because with Rafe, it definitely would.
So why was the thought of him stopping me from saying yes to Charlie?
With horror, I realized that I’d waited too long to respond. Fortunately, Charlie took it in stride. “You think on it,” he said. “I’ll ask again after the job is done.”
His tone was so easygoing that relief surged through me. He really was perfect for me.
And yet…
The guys turned to go, and I spotted Rafe in the other room. Had he heard any of that? It was impossible to tell. But it shouldn’t matter if he heard Charlie flirting with me.
I headed toward him, unable to read his expression. Awkwardness made me barrel into the words I wanted to say next. “I’ve got good news. There are contractors lined up to work on the house starting tomorrow, and I’ve got us an appointment with the coven in Wales that’s closest to the stone circle where your miserable ex cursed you.”
“Wait, you what?” He sounded grumpy, but I ignored it.
“I’ve got us a meeting tomorrow. We’ll go meet them and ask about her, then check out the stone circle. I’m sure I’ll be able to read more about the curse if I’m in the place where it was cast.”
“You passed out last time you tried. You can’t possibly plan to try again.”
“Of course I’m going to. I wasn’t even hurt after passing out. I felt great, actually. It was the amount of magic on the island that I couldn’t handle. It had nothing to do with the curse.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure of it. Anyway, it’s my decision. I need to use my magic.”
He shook his head. “We have less than a fortnight to fix up the house. You’re mad.”
I gestured at the beautiful room in which we stood. It was freshly painted, with the trim fixed and the floor refinished. I’d done that last bit, and it wasn’t impressive, but it was done. “Look around. We’re making great progress. And now that we have help, we’re in the home stretch.”
“There’s still a lot to do,” he grumped.
“And the professionals will do it. It’s not like either of us can rewire the house or replace the roof. There will still be plenty of time for you to finish the cabinets and windows and for me to do the bits and bobs.”
“But now?”
“You’ve been miserable for a decade, Rafe, and that’s killing me. Also, you’ve helped me enormously. It’s time for me to help you.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
I decided to ignore that bit, but I wondered why his tone was so short. “Tomorrow morning is the only time the coven is available to meet this week, so we’ve got to go. We’ll leave tonight and be back by tomorrow evening. So quick you’ll hardly know we’ve done it.”
He gave me an incredulous look. “Now isn’t the time.”
I frowned, a thought popping into my mind. “Are you scared of what you might find?”
He glared at me. “No. I’m—“ He raked a hand through his hair. “Maybe, all right?”
It sure was something, to see such a big and powerful werewolf admit to being scared. It made my heart hurt for him. “Whatever we find, won’t it be better to know?”
“Definitely.” He said it without hesitation. “I just didn’t expect an answer so soon.”
“It’s been a decade, Rafe.”
“Yeah, a decade full of failure. I’d given up.”
“Well, I’m here now. And we’re going to get to the bottom of this. I’ll give you one day of trying to fix your curse in exchange for your help with the house. I owe you that much. And now that we’ve got professionals here to help us, we have the day to spare.”
“You just won’t give up on this, will you?” Annoyance echoed in his voice, but I ignored it.
“Nope. So you’d better accept it.”
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Isobel
We left the party when it ended at four and immediately got in the car to begin our drive. The coven and stone circle were located in southern Wales, near Brecon Beacons, a gorgeous natural area known for its magic.
I’d packed a small bag and arranged for two rooms at a B&B close to the coven headquarters, and Rafe offered to drive. As we set out, I started chatting about the party. Soon enough, I realized that Rafe wasn’t responding as easily or as quickly as he normally would.
We were about an hour into the five-hour trip when I shot him a sidelong glance. His jaw was tight, and I frowned.