House Of Ivy And Sorrow Part 7

I let out a little laugh. "But . . . can you stay? I mean, you have a job and a life and, well, don't you have a family or friends? You don't have to stay out of obligation, really. We protected you for almost two decades, and we can again."

He shrugs. "I can work things out. It might not be easy, but the answers I've always wanted are here. As long as I have an internet connection, I'm sure I can talk my company into letting me telecommute for a while. I do half my job on conference calls anyway."

I'm not sure if that means he's in a relationship or not, but I decide I'd rather not know for now. "We don't have internet."

"I can fix that."

I smile. "If you can get Nana to install internet and a TV, I will love you forever."

He snorts. "Your love comes cheap."

"You think convincing her will be cake? How little you know." I'm surprised it's this easy to talk to him, like there's a connection between us already.

He sips at his water. "I don't know. I think she likes me."

I shake my head, refusing to admit it's true. Nana is so easily charmed by men. It's a wonder she didn't have more daughters from the way she talks sometimes.

My phone beeps again.

I was really hoping you'd call me today.

"I'd better do homework," I say to my dad as I type.

Will in like 10 min.

"Do you need anything?"

"I'm figuring out how to get around." He smiles. "The house will probably cave in if I fall, so you'll be tipped off."

"True."

As I head upstairs, I can hardly wait to talk to Winn. But as I pa.s.s Nana's door, she calls for me. I open it as softly as I can. She's at her writing desk, a quill in hand. The quill isn't her sticking to some anti-technology thing. Though she's admittedly old school, that's how we speak with other witches. "Are you writing the Crafts?"

She nods.

"Why?"

"A few inquiries about the strange shadow we saw. I can't get it off my mind."

Here we go. Out comes the serious stuff. I shut the door. "Me either. Have you ever seen something like that?"

"No. It was very dark magic. Perverted. Insane. Whoever created it has to be entirely lost to the blackness, far more than we can comprehend." She keeps scribbling as she talks, and I picture the Craft sisters watching as her scrawl appears on their enchanted paper. "I don't want to jump to conclusions, Josephine, but I think you sensed what it might be."

I suck in a deep breath, the reality of what she's saying hitting harder than ever. If she felt it, too, then I can't pretend it away anymore. "The Curse?"

She nods. "We barely escaped the trap, my dear. It almost had you."

"I know." It comes out in a whisper, the image of that shadow and its desire to consume me all too real even now. This is why witches run. But it's too late for that option. They already know where we live, might even have us surrounded.

"I will never let it take you. I will die protecting you if I have to."

The reality of our situation hits again, and I have to force myself not to shake. "Is that why you let Kat and my father in? You think their comfort can replace you?"

Her pen stops for the slightest moment, and then she keeps going. "We need to read the histories for any clues. We've been attacked many times, and our bloodline will survive this as well."

My throat tightens when I realize what she's not saying. Her entire purpose is making sure I live, and that's how it has to be. "Of course we'll survive."

She looks up at me, her smile sad yet confident. "That's my girl."

TWELVE.

There are just over two weeks of school left, and they feel utterly useless. At lunch, everyone flees campus as if they can't stand looking at the cafeteria one more second. Winn and I sit under a tree with our friends, opening our recently bought fast food. The chains here in Denison are a treasure to those of us who live in towns too small to have them.

"Let's skip the rest of school," Gwen says as she stretches out next to Adam. "It's so nice today."

She has a point. The weather is perfect: warm and not too humid. Give it a month, and Iowa will turn into a steamer. The corn seems to love it. My hair? Not so much.

"We do have finals," Kat says.

"I kind of want to pa.s.s my cla.s.ses, what with that whole college thing in a year." Billy runs his fingers through his dark hair, and it sticks up all over. He totally pulls off the cool-guy indifference thing. He always seemed like such a poseur, but at a closer look he's more like a well-dressed intellectual.

"Psh." Adam spits French fry as he talks. "It's review all week until Friday. Not like we're missing anything. Study later."

"Or we could let our teachers tell us all the c.r.a.p on the test, and have the rest of the day to chill without studying," Winn says.

I b.u.mp his shoulder. "I like your thinking."

"Good." He grabs me around the waist, which surprises me, but I don't mind at all. "Because we're hanging out today, even if I have to go bug catching with you and your grandma."

I laugh, at least until we get pummeled with greasy food wrappers. "Hey!"

"I warned you about the PDA," Kat says. "A few days and you've already forgotten."

I point at her. "You specifically said making out. We're nowhere near that."

"If only," Winn says, and I shake my head.

"Still." Gwen sips her c.o.ke. "It's a slippery slope."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, but we're so allowed this. It's not even a full-on hug."

"I agree." Winn squeezes my waist, and it makes me laugh.

Kat sighs. "Just don't push it."

My eyes meet hers, and that intuition thing kicks in. She only said that because she knows how happy I am; otherwise she would have thrown more stuff at us. "I swear we won't."

Gwen eyes us, then zones in on Kat. "You're getting soft, girl."

Kat ignores her. "Billy, would you mind reading through my English paper? I really need a good grade, and you're always getting the highest score."

He nods. "Sure, on the bus?"

"Perfect."

"Subtle, Katie." Gwen moves so her legs are in the sun. The boys probably don't get it, but Kat and I know she's p.i.s.sed. I can guess why-she thinks she's missing out on something. Her jealousy over Kat's healing necklaces has been pretty obvious, and it makes me feel awful. She hates not being in the loop, which might become a serious problem now that Kat is.

"Good idea." Adam scoots beside her, pulling up his pant legs to reveal some seriously pasty skin. "Gotta get ready for bathing-suit season."

Gwen tries not to smile, but she can't resist humor. Adam's pretty funny. Not as cute as Winn, but not bad, with his wavy brown hair and strong frame. If he's game, my bet is that we'll be punishing them for making out in public before Winn and I do.

After school, I get off the bus with Winn, and we walk hand-in-hand down the long dirt drive to his family's big house. I've driven by here all my life, but I've never actually been to his farm. The yard is beautiful, filled with old trees that shade our way. The smell of gra.s.s floats in the air, and wild flowers dance in the soft breeze. Underneath all that, there's the faintest hint of magic, like at the willow tree.

"So what are we doing today?" he asks.

I already planned this, and yet it's still hard to say. "Funny story, actually."

He raises an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Remember that guy who was kind of stalking me?"

His hand tightens around mine. "Is he giving you more trouble?"

"Not exactly. Turns out he's . . . my dad."

Winn stops and stares at me, as if he's waiting for the joke. I'm not sure what else to say. Nana might not be happy I told him at all, but I can't lie to him about everything. And if my dad is staying here, people will find out at least that much. "For real?"

I nod. "My mom never told him she was pregnant, but I guess he recently went looking for her and found out about me."

"Wow." He shakes his head, as if pushing away the shock. "And you're okay with this? I mean, that's pretty crazy for him to just show up."

"He's . . . really nice. He loved my mom a lot. She was the one who left, so it's not like I can blame him for not being there. The second he found out, he came looking, which has to mean he's a decent guy."

"So you're happy?"

I smile. "Yeah. I think so."

"Good." He pulls me into him, which takes my breath away. I've been hugged plenty of times, but this isn't the same. I can't explain except for holy-crow-this-feels-so-good. I put my hands on his back and sink into him more. He lets out a small laugh as he says, "Of course, this isn't so great for me, is it? I kind of liked that I never had to meet your father."

"Trust me, Nana is way scarier than him."

"I doubt it." He pulls back a little and looks at me. "So what does that have to do with what we're doing?"

"I've been commanded to get his things from the Shirleys. He's a little sick, and Nana has decided he shouldn't overexert himself." I wince, suddenly feeling bad for asking Winn to run my errands. "I figured it would be easier if I had your truck."

He smiles his gorgeous smile. "I see how it is. I'm your personal chauffeur."

"Nuh-uh." I lean my head on his chest again. "You also make a nice pillow."

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"Yes."

Laughing, he takes my hand and we head for his truck.

"Mr. Johnson is your father?" Mrs. Shirley exclaims when I explain why I'm there. "Well, I'll be. Not that I don't believe you, honey, but I have to call him before I let you in. Can't have guests thinking I'd allow a stranger in their rooms."

"Of course." I point to the bright pink floral couch in the sitting room. "We'll be over there."

She smiles too sweetly at our clasped hands. "I'll be right with you."

"That's gonna get old fast," Winn says when we're out of earshot.

"No kidding. I feel like I have something on my face." That's the thing with small towns. The littlest pieces of information are a big deal. Between dating the cutest guy around and my mystery father showing up, everyone will be talking about me for weeks.

"Hey, at least they have good reading material." Winn grabs an agriculture magazine. "Oh, a whole feature on organic farming."

I smile. Most of the teens around here are dying to get out and see the world, but Winn is not that kind of guy. He loves the family farm, this town. I never expected to find that attractive, but I do. Maybe because that's how witches are, forever tied to the land that gives us sustenance.

"You're cute when you go all farm boy," I say.

He laughs.

"Jo!" Mrs. Shirley calls. "You're cleared."

I hop up and grab the key from her. "Thank you."

We climb the old stairs, which are a lot like mine but without the creaking. The walls are papered with an atrocious pink polka dot, and all the paintings are gaudy floral monstrosities. It's like a five-year-old princess was put in charge of decorating the whole place.

I stop at the door with a framed, pink three on it and turn the key. When I open it, I really, really wish I hadn't brought Winn, because there's magic in here. Bad magic.

THIRTEEN.