Copyright © by Charlotte Dillon. All rights reserved.
It's Only Magic
She's trying to make her little bed and breakfast a huge
success. He's the key to her wish. But could he hold the
key to her broken heart as well?
success. He's the key to her wish. But could he hold the
key to her broken heart as well?
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Excerpt from: It's Only Magic
"Looks like you'd at least keep your guest company," Devin argued
with a smile that could have talked a female coon out of her mask.
Candace stepped into the kitchen and came back with a glass of
Pepsi. "I reckon that'd be the polite thing to do," she announced
as she sat down across from him.
"A little early in the day for that, isn't it?" He made a motion toward the glass in her
hand.
She glanced to his cup of coffee and raised her glass as if she were making a toast. "You
choose your form of caffeine, and I'll choose mine."
He raised his cup to return the toast. "To each our own evils." He studied the breakfast
she had prepared. There were grits, fried eggs, crisp bacon, large homemade buttermilk
biscuits, and a big bowl of fresh strawberries.
As he picked up one of the biscuits she remembered something. "Oops." She rose and
disappeared into the kitchen, only to return a half a minute later with a jar and a butter
knife. She set her offerings in front of him. "Mayhaw jelly. I put it up last year myself."
Devin picked up the glass jar and stared at the yellowish-colored jelly it held. "Mayhaw?
Got any plain old grape?"
"Try it, you might like it." He didn't look convinced. "Come on, it's my favorite."
He gave in and spread a little on a fingertip instead of a biscuit. Candace watched him
suck the sweet jelly from his finger. She was surprised by the warm heat that slipped
over her. Just pure and simple male sex appeal, she told herself. She cleared her throat
and asked, "Well?"
"Not half bad. And you made this yourself?"
"Guilty as charged," she replied proudly before taking another swallow of her drink.
As Devin reached for his biscuit there was a knock at the front door. Their gazes
clashed, his totally untrusting, hers, she had no doubt, showed more than a little worry.
"Be right back," Candace said, hoping she sounded calm. As she headed toward the
lobby her mind whirled with thoughts. Would Jane have come after being told not to?
Would she have told anybody else? No. Jane wouldn't tell.
Candace opened the door to find Kurt there. He was in uniform and his patrol car, with
the word Sheriff in big green letters down its side, set in the driveway
"Mornin', Candy," he said with his normal smile in place, his big blue eyes sparkled, his
hat in hand, and his thick blond hair wind tossed from riding with the window down as
usual.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be out of town for a couple of
weeks, and then you had some new guy to break in?" She had counted on him either
being gone or too busy to come by.
"I'm not heading out for a couple of days yet. Any reason you don't have time for a quick
visit? After all, I thought you were taking a vacation for yourself this month?"
Candace glanced over her shoulder to make sure her guest was still in the dining room.
"Of course not," she replied
when she saw the coast was clear. She stepped aside. If she didn't let him in he would
know something was up.
"What are you doing out my way this morning, big guy?" She left the door open and
they walked toward the rosewood couch. Candace took a seat. Kurt dropped his hat on
the small tea table near the end of the couch before he sat close to her.
"There was a break-in 'bout a mile up the highway," he explained. "I thought with you
being closed and alone, I'd just put my mind at ease by dropping by and checkin' on you."
"You know I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for quite a while now, Kurt."
"And you know you could change that with one little word."
She could. He had asked her to marry him two years ago. Out of duty to a dead friend,
though, not love. Candace loved Kurt, like one of her brothers. She cared too much for
him to watch him marry for any reason other than real love. She couldn't offer him that.
She couldn't offer that to any man. Not ever again.
Kurt took her hand. "I've made no secret as to how I feel about you. Besides, you have
to know I don't like the idea of you spending a month out here without even Jane
around, although I can understand you needing a break and some time to rest," he
added. "But now with the few break-in's near by... Hell, Candy, it ain't safe for you to be
alone this far out."
He paused, looking as if he had an argument or two left to add...just as soon as he could
come up with a couple of real good ones. But then something kept him from saying
more. His smile was still in place, but it was faltering, and his gaze had shifted from her
to focus on a spot behind her.
"She's not alone."
Candace's heart moved into her throat with the sound of that deep male voice. She didn't
turn and look at Devin, instead she stared at Kurt. His gaze met hers again and was
asking who in the hell is this. Candace finally glanced toward Devin as he moved closer.
For somebody who didn't want to be found, he sure was making himself easy to see!
Kurt let go of her hand as he rose and moved around the back of the couch. Always a
gentleman, he extended a hand toward Devin. "My name's Kurt. Nice to meet you, Mr..."
Devin returned his handshake. "Just Donavon," he supplied, looking toward Candace.
"I didn't think Candy was gonna be having any guests this month?" Kurt challenged, and
then he glanced toward Candace who still couldn't say a word. "What happened to the
vacation?"
Devin smiled smoothly. "I'm not a guest. I'm an old friend of Candace's...visiting for a
while." He looked back to her, almost testing, seeming to be waiting to see if she would
call him on his lies.
Candace felt like the ball in a tennis match as their gazes took turns glancing her way
throughout their conversation. She knew she had to go along with Devin, or give his real
name away. Finally she moved around to where they were.
Kurt looked at her again. "Old friends?" he prompted.
Candace thought fast on her feet. "Yeah. Donavon went to Masheli High with me." She
lied good for a beginner.
"So, you must've known Kenneth, too?" Kurt tested, seeming to know that something
wasn't straight here.
Candace spoke up quickly, too quickly. "Oh, yes. Donavon and Kenneth were on the
football team together." Damn! She shouldn't have added that one. Kenneth had talked
about his football days too much to Kurt.
"That's funny. Kenneth never mentioned anyone named Donavon, and he talked about
his old football buddies a lot. And you sure don't sound like you have a Southern
accent." Kurt returned his gaze to Candace, as if the word liar had been written in bold
print across her forehead.
She felt like it had. She stuttered, "Well...you see, Donavon has...has been living in
California for a few years now. And..." Devin's warm hand on her waist cut her words off
-- by taking her breath away.
Devin leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss, right on the lips. She was too shocked
to feel anything but complete stunned surprise.
"Look, darling, you two finish your visit. That delicious breakfast you prepared is getting
cold." He gave her a suggestive pat, right on the rump, and then offered a hand to Kurt.
"It was nice meeting you. Maybe I'll see you again before I leave." He headed back to the
dining room.
Candace felt warm color move into her cheeks; a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and
something more that she didn't want to admit to. When she turned her attention back to
Kurt, he had retrieved his hat.
He gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. "I best hit the road, Candy. I'm still on duty,
you know." His voice sounded stiff, too controlled, matching the smile on his handsome
lips. He was hurt.
She followed him out to his car. "Kurt, this isn't what
it looks like. I know..."
He placed a finger over her mouth. "Shhhh. You don't owe me any explanations."
"But..."
"Look, Candy, I'm glad I don't have to worry about you being out here alone, especially
with me going out of town." He opened the car door and moved behind the wheel. The
engine roared to life. "Take care." With a wave he was gone.
Candace watched the patrol car head down the long driveway. Her anger grew. She
spun around and stormed toward the inn. No matter how badly she needed money, no
matter what she stood to lose, Mr. Devin Slade was about to get a piece of her mind. A
mighty big piece!
# # #
Devin took one more bite of his breakfast, and then shoved his plate away. Why had he
done that? Telling Kurt he was staying here as a friend was bad enough. Why had he
tried to make it seem like more?
He heard Candace heading for the room like a storm blowing
in. Her heavy, fast steps told him she was angry, really angry. She blew into the room
more like a hurricane out of the Gulf than an everyday kind of storm.
But a nice looking hurricane. Her long hair was gathered in a ponytail. Sunlight from
the window brought out copper and gold highlights that had been hidden in the
reddish-brown mass. Her brown eyes were the warm color of fine brandy, and right now
looked as if they were about to catch flame.
She was a pretty woman, and he did like that soft Southern drawl. But she wasn't his
type, he reminded his hormones. Not enough make-up, no tan, the wrong kind of
clothes. Too sweet. Besides, he preferred blonds, and he favored blue eyes. He also
liked much bigger...
"Who do you think you are!" she demanded from the other end of the table, her hands
clenched the wooden back of one of the chairs. No doubt she was pretending it was his
neck. "You had no right to make Kurt think there was something going on between us!
You hurt him, for no darn good reason, and I don't like it one little bit!"
It had been a long time since anyone had been brave enough to let Devin know they were
really angry with him. It felt good. "I didn't mean for him to see me, Candace." That was
the honest truth. "I looked out of the window to see if there was a news van or
something like that in the driveway. When I saw it was a sheriff's car, naturally I
thought something might be wrong. By the time I figured out he was a friend, lover boy
had already spotted me."
"Fair enough, but why'd you have to make him think you were a...a...lover boy?"
Candace's eyes still flashed with anger and maybe a little embarrassment.
That was another emotion he hadn't seen many women use. "I didn't think it out. I just
did it. I figured if it threw him off balance, he'd forget about his questions." Devin
paused before adding, "It worked, didn't it?"
"Yeah, it worked! Kurt left without any more questions sure enough, but you hurt a good
friend of mine. Worse of all -- you made me a part of it."
Devin pushed his chair back and stood. "I'm...sorry about that. If you'd like, you can call
where ever, get him back here, and I'll set things straight. If he cares about you, he
should be willing to keep quiet about who I am."
Candace walked around the table and picked up his dishes. The silverware clanged
against the heavy plate. "No. The damage is already done." She paused as she reached
for the jar of jelly. "Anyway, I don't think he'd be much happier when he found out who
you really are."
with a smile that could have talked a female coon out of her mask.
Candace stepped into the kitchen and came back with a glass of
Pepsi. "I reckon that'd be the polite thing to do," she announced
as she sat down across from him.
"A little early in the day for that, isn't it?" He made a motion toward the glass in her
hand.
She glanced to his cup of coffee and raised her glass as if she were making a toast. "You
choose your form of caffeine, and I'll choose mine."
He raised his cup to return the toast. "To each our own evils." He studied the breakfast
she had prepared. There were grits, fried eggs, crisp bacon, large homemade buttermilk
biscuits, and a big bowl of fresh strawberries.
As he picked up one of the biscuits she remembered something. "Oops." She rose and
disappeared into the kitchen, only to return a half a minute later with a jar and a butter
knife. She set her offerings in front of him. "Mayhaw jelly. I put it up last year myself."
Devin picked up the glass jar and stared at the yellowish-colored jelly it held. "Mayhaw?
Got any plain old grape?"
"Try it, you might like it." He didn't look convinced. "Come on, it's my favorite."
He gave in and spread a little on a fingertip instead of a biscuit. Candace watched him
suck the sweet jelly from his finger. She was surprised by the warm heat that slipped
over her. Just pure and simple male sex appeal, she told herself. She cleared her throat
and asked, "Well?"
"Not half bad. And you made this yourself?"
"Guilty as charged," she replied proudly before taking another swallow of her drink.
As Devin reached for his biscuit there was a knock at the front door. Their gazes
clashed, his totally untrusting, hers, she had no doubt, showed more than a little worry.
"Be right back," Candace said, hoping she sounded calm. As she headed toward the
lobby her mind whirled with thoughts. Would Jane have come after being told not to?
Would she have told anybody else? No. Jane wouldn't tell.
Candace opened the door to find Kurt there. He was in uniform and his patrol car, with
the word Sheriff in big green letters down its side, set in the driveway
"Mornin', Candy," he said with his normal smile in place, his big blue eyes sparkled, his
hat in hand, and his thick blond hair wind tossed from riding with the window down as
usual.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be out of town for a couple of
weeks, and then you had some new guy to break in?" She had counted on him either
being gone or too busy to come by.
"I'm not heading out for a couple of days yet. Any reason you don't have time for a quick
visit? After all, I thought you were taking a vacation for yourself this month?"
Candace glanced over her shoulder to make sure her guest was still in the dining room.
"Of course not," she replied
when she saw the coast was clear. She stepped aside. If she didn't let him in he would
know something was up.
"What are you doing out my way this morning, big guy?" She left the door open and
they walked toward the rosewood couch. Candace took a seat. Kurt dropped his hat on
the small tea table near the end of the couch before he sat close to her.
"There was a break-in 'bout a mile up the highway," he explained. "I thought with you
being closed and alone, I'd just put my mind at ease by dropping by and checkin' on you."
"You know I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for quite a while now, Kurt."
"And you know you could change that with one little word."
She could. He had asked her to marry him two years ago. Out of duty to a dead friend,
though, not love. Candace loved Kurt, like one of her brothers. She cared too much for
him to watch him marry for any reason other than real love. She couldn't offer him that.
She couldn't offer that to any man. Not ever again.
Kurt took her hand. "I've made no secret as to how I feel about you. Besides, you have
to know I don't like the idea of you spending a month out here without even Jane
around, although I can understand you needing a break and some time to rest," he
added. "But now with the few break-in's near by... Hell, Candy, it ain't safe for you to be
alone this far out."
He paused, looking as if he had an argument or two left to add...just as soon as he could
come up with a couple of real good ones. But then something kept him from saying
more. His smile was still in place, but it was faltering, and his gaze had shifted from her
to focus on a spot behind her.
"She's not alone."
Candace's heart moved into her throat with the sound of that deep male voice. She didn't
turn and look at Devin, instead she stared at Kurt. His gaze met hers again and was
asking who in the hell is this. Candace finally glanced toward Devin as he moved closer.
For somebody who didn't want to be found, he sure was making himself easy to see!
Kurt let go of her hand as he rose and moved around the back of the couch. Always a
gentleman, he extended a hand toward Devin. "My name's Kurt. Nice to meet you, Mr..."
Devin returned his handshake. "Just Donavon," he supplied, looking toward Candace.
"I didn't think Candy was gonna be having any guests this month?" Kurt challenged, and
then he glanced toward Candace who still couldn't say a word. "What happened to the
vacation?"
Devin smiled smoothly. "I'm not a guest. I'm an old friend of Candace's...visiting for a
while." He looked back to her, almost testing, seeming to be waiting to see if she would
call him on his lies.
Candace felt like the ball in a tennis match as their gazes took turns glancing her way
throughout their conversation. She knew she had to go along with Devin, or give his real
name away. Finally she moved around to where they were.
Kurt looked at her again. "Old friends?" he prompted.
Candace thought fast on her feet. "Yeah. Donavon went to Masheli High with me." She
lied good for a beginner.
"So, you must've known Kenneth, too?" Kurt tested, seeming to know that something
wasn't straight here.
Candace spoke up quickly, too quickly. "Oh, yes. Donavon and Kenneth were on the
football team together." Damn! She shouldn't have added that one. Kenneth had talked
about his football days too much to Kurt.
"That's funny. Kenneth never mentioned anyone named Donavon, and he talked about
his old football buddies a lot. And you sure don't sound like you have a Southern
accent." Kurt returned his gaze to Candace, as if the word liar had been written in bold
print across her forehead.
She felt like it had. She stuttered, "Well...you see, Donavon has...has been living in
California for a few years now. And..." Devin's warm hand on her waist cut her words off
-- by taking her breath away.
Devin leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss, right on the lips. She was too shocked
to feel anything but complete stunned surprise.
"Look, darling, you two finish your visit. That delicious breakfast you prepared is getting
cold." He gave her a suggestive pat, right on the rump, and then offered a hand to Kurt.
"It was nice meeting you. Maybe I'll see you again before I leave." He headed back to the
dining room.
Candace felt warm color move into her cheeks; a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and
something more that she didn't want to admit to. When she turned her attention back to
Kurt, he had retrieved his hat.
He gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. "I best hit the road, Candy. I'm still on duty,
you know." His voice sounded stiff, too controlled, matching the smile on his handsome
lips. He was hurt.
She followed him out to his car. "Kurt, this isn't what
it looks like. I know..."
He placed a finger over her mouth. "Shhhh. You don't owe me any explanations."
"But..."
"Look, Candy, I'm glad I don't have to worry about you being out here alone, especially
with me going out of town." He opened the car door and moved behind the wheel. The
engine roared to life. "Take care." With a wave he was gone.
Candace watched the patrol car head down the long driveway. Her anger grew. She
spun around and stormed toward the inn. No matter how badly she needed money, no
matter what she stood to lose, Mr. Devin Slade was about to get a piece of her mind. A
mighty big piece!
# # #
Devin took one more bite of his breakfast, and then shoved his plate away. Why had he
done that? Telling Kurt he was staying here as a friend was bad enough. Why had he
tried to make it seem like more?
He heard Candace heading for the room like a storm blowing
in. Her heavy, fast steps told him she was angry, really angry. She blew into the room
more like a hurricane out of the Gulf than an everyday kind of storm.
But a nice looking hurricane. Her long hair was gathered in a ponytail. Sunlight from
the window brought out copper and gold highlights that had been hidden in the
reddish-brown mass. Her brown eyes were the warm color of fine brandy, and right now
looked as if they were about to catch flame.
She was a pretty woman, and he did like that soft Southern drawl. But she wasn't his
type, he reminded his hormones. Not enough make-up, no tan, the wrong kind of
clothes. Too sweet. Besides, he preferred blonds, and he favored blue eyes. He also
liked much bigger...
"Who do you think you are!" she demanded from the other end of the table, her hands
clenched the wooden back of one of the chairs. No doubt she was pretending it was his
neck. "You had no right to make Kurt think there was something going on between us!
You hurt him, for no darn good reason, and I don't like it one little bit!"
It had been a long time since anyone had been brave enough to let Devin know they were
really angry with him. It felt good. "I didn't mean for him to see me, Candace." That was
the honest truth. "I looked out of the window to see if there was a news van or
something like that in the driveway. When I saw it was a sheriff's car, naturally I
thought something might be wrong. By the time I figured out he was a friend, lover boy
had already spotted me."
"Fair enough, but why'd you have to make him think you were a...a...lover boy?"
Candace's eyes still flashed with anger and maybe a little embarrassment.
That was another emotion he hadn't seen many women use. "I didn't think it out. I just
did it. I figured if it threw him off balance, he'd forget about his questions." Devin
paused before adding, "It worked, didn't it?"
"Yeah, it worked! Kurt left without any more questions sure enough, but you hurt a good
friend of mine. Worse of all -- you made me a part of it."
Devin pushed his chair back and stood. "I'm...sorry about that. If you'd like, you can call
where ever, get him back here, and I'll set things straight. If he cares about you, he
should be willing to keep quiet about who I am."
Candace walked around the table and picked up his dishes. The silverware clanged
against the heavy plate. "No. The damage is already done." She paused as she reached
for the jar of jelly. "Anyway, I don't think he'd be much happier when he found out who
you really are."