Page 59 of Midlife Witch Unexpected

“I want to go home now,” Anita said, looking at her mom.

“Of course, baby,” Trina said.

“I’m going to stay with them.” Drake nodded towards his mom and sister.

“That’s a good idea.” I concurred.

Branson turned to me. “I’ll escort you to return the Folded Cross.”

I chewed on my lower lip, but I guess he was a hazard of the job. We were going to have to spend some time alone together. At the end of the day, he was the Guardian and I was the Keeper. Still, maybe there was a way to make it less awkward.

“Hilda, you want to join us?” I asked.

“You know where it goes,” Hilda said. “My bones are ready to rest for the evening.”

“I can just take it down there on my own,” Branson offered.

“No, that doesn’t seem right,” I said. “I mean, I’m sure you would do a very fine job of it, but it really seems like I should be the one replacing the missing ward.”

Trina and the kids were already making their way out the front door. Hilda wasn’t far behind them. I stared at Branson for a moment with the full realization I was the one making this awkward. Not him. To him, I'm sure I was just another woman who had succumbed to his amazing looks and dangerous physique.

“Okay,” I said, trying to conjure back my college days when it took no effort to make a one-night stand into a normal friendship the next day. I hadn’t done it often, but I had done it. No reason why I couldn’t do it with Branson.

First, I was going to lead the way to the cemetery and pretend like we hadn’t just had sex against the tombstone a week ago.

Yep, that’s what I was going to do.

I started walking down the pathway, knowing Branson would be right behind me. It didn’t take us long to get to the Celtic Martyrs and I wasn’t going to waste any time shuffling around in the undergrowth. I knew exactly where the tombstone was; it was just a matter of getting to it. The trail was still pretty fresh from when we had all clamored through here before. The bushes were bent back and even our footprints could still be seen in the soft earth.

“Don’t really need your tracking skills here, do we?” I laughed. “The six of us look like an elephant traveling through here.”

Branson chuckled. “Maybe even a herd of elephants.”

“There’s the headstone,” I said as if I found the fountain of youth. My voice kind of squeaked at the end and it made it obvious I was in a hurry to get out of this close underbrush space where I was cramped up against Branson’s hot body. I pushed away thoughts of our naked bodies hooked together in ecstasy recently in the same location.

I slipped the rock out of my pocket and placed it into the hollow in the gravestone.

A spark of light went up from the hollow and expanded over the tombstone. The minute it made contact with the earth, the ground itself began to glow green and spread out rapidly to the very edges of the cemetery before it infused the ward above us. The canopy of protection floated in green and purple swirls above the cemetery.

“Good Lord,” I said. “Is that normal?”

“It’s something I’ve never seen.” Branson stared up at the canopy above them.

“Is that going to get the demigods’ attention?” I asked. I wasn't afraid of meeting Demigods, but they hadn’t seemed to be very popular with the supernaturals I had met, so for now, they were probably best avoided. I knew I wasn’t ready for all of it.

It just felt great to replace the talisman and protect the cemetery. My home was safe and I had found a place to settle in, even a new family.

“You’re amazing,” Branson said, standing a little too close and looking down at me.

“Don’t do that,” I said.”

“Do what?” He raised an eyebrow and gave me a half-smile.

“That.” I used my finger to raise one of my eyebrows. It was a skill I had never mastered alone. “Or the smile or really anything. Just don’t do any of it.”

I closed my eyes and turned away from him, walking down the path. Getting some space from him seemed like the best, obvious choice.

Branson followed me, his warm chuckle making a perfect rhythm with my footsteps on the soft earth.

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