Page 75 of All My Witches
“Youdidn’t?”
“I kind of liked the disco ball room and the power ballad,” Iadmitted.
“We agreed never to speak of thatagain.”
“No, you agreed never to speak of that again,” I corrected. “I think I’ll have some nice dreams aboutit.”
“That’s the difference between men and women,” Landon complained. “You were happy with the buildup, while I wanted the happyending.”
“Is that why you liked the wedding?” It was a bold question, but I asked it all thesame.
Landon nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”
“Wow! And here I thought you wouldn’t be waiting for me at the end of the aisle. I don’t even know what to make of it. I guess I like it. Okay, I’ve changed my mind. That was my favorite part,too.”
Landon grinned. “This is a crappy honeymoon for us, though. I would rather do it with a massage, dinner and privatetime.”
“And a pedicure,” I remindedhim.
“Don’t remind me.” Landon turned his full attention back to Nikki. “Okay, here’s the deal, we’ll get you out of the well if you agree to help us take down Alexis Kane. That’s your only option. If you don’t agree to our terms, you’re on yourown.”
Nikki’s mouth dropped open. “You’d leave me here to suffer and die? What kind of person doesthat?”
“You should know,” I replied. “Who shoved you in thiswell?”
“I … .” Nikki broke off,thoughtful.
“It was the most evil triplet, right? Yeah, that’s what I figured. We’re going to have to take her on next. Once we get through with her that leaves Aunt Tillie. She’ll be the lastobstacle.”
“How can you be sure?” Landon asked. “How do you know the most evil triplet won’t be the one we face off with in theend?”
“Because true evil never makes it to the end on a soap opera,” I replied. “It’s the conflicted characters, the ones who aren’t one thing or the other, who make it to the end. They live on in soap operainfamy.”
“They’re also Aunt Tillie’s favorites,” Thistle added. “Bay is right. We need to form a pact with this one to take out the bad one. That leaves us with a clear shot at AuntTillie.”
“Okay.” Landon was amenable to letting us take charge. “I just have onequestion.”
“Shoot.”
“Are we actually going to see snow sharks before the end of this thing? If so, I kind of want to find an athletic cup orsomething.”
I pursed my lips to keep from laughing. “I have no idea. I guess we’ll have to find outtogether.”
“That’s the way I like discovering everything.” His smile was heartfelt. “Here we go again,huh?”
“Yeah, here we goagain.”
* * *
Iwantto give birth on a soap opera. The women don’t sweat, grunt only twice and their makeup doesn’t even run. That’s the way to doit.
– Clove on the joys of soap operamotherhood
Eighteen
Nikki was not a happy triplet.Landon easily managed to tug her out of the well, and when she was on the ground next to us I got the distinct impression that she was considering running. Landon must have, too, because he grabbed her arm and shook his head before she could work up the gumption to make a break forit.
“If I have to chase you, you won’t likeit.”
