Page 72 of The Devil She Knows
Knowing they were okay was one thing; seeing it with her own eyes was a different feeling altogether.
Carrier perched carefully atop her knees, Sam looked up at Daphne, confused. “How—”
“I figured you probably missed them,” Daphne said.
She had, but that still didn’t explainhowDaphne got them here, or wherehereeven was. “They were at the vet.”
“And the nice receptionist now has a fabricated memory of you picking them up.”
“But how did—”
“Sam.” Daphne’s lips quirked at the corners, amusement dancing in her eyes. “In the last twelve hours you’ve been a crime lord, you’ve competed in a cooking competition that took place in Hell, you’ve been the executive chef of three restaurants, and—do I really need to keep going? I made you all those things, Sam. Abracadabra-ing your cats from the vet and planting a few fake memories along the way is nothing by comparison. Child’s play.”
Nacho let out a little mewl and Sam poked her finger inside the carrier, letting him rub his face on her. She’d take him out, but they were outside, and she didn’t want to riskeither of them pulling a runner on her and making for the dense tree line up ahead.Thatwould be a nightmare.
Daphne crouched and laughed brightly when, from the other side of the carrier, Pumpkin tried to headbutt her hand through the mesh. He started up a low purr and Daphne grinned, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
A surge of affection swelled inside Sam’s chest, watching Daphne, now dressed casually in a pair of pink wide-leg jeans and a cream-colored sweater with thumb holes, coo at her cats. She sat with the feeling for a moment, basking in the sweet ache behind her breast.
“Thank you,” she said softly, and Daphne’s eyes flitted to her face, then back to the carrier.
“Don’t mention it,” she said, nonchalance at odds with the faint flush spreading across the crests of her cheeks.
“So,” Sam said. “Are you going to tell me where you took me or am I supposed to start looking around for … clues …”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the unmistakable smell of brine and rotten eggs smacked her in the face. Sam would know that smell anywhere.
Breath bottled inside her chest, she turned and stared up at the brick house she’d once called home. A house she’d always think of as home, as long her parents were still living in it.
“I remembered what you said.” Daphne held out a hand, helping Sam to her feet, unaware that Sam’s heart was swelling inside her throat. “There’s no place like home, right?”
Sam swallowed over the lump in her throat. “Daphne—”
“You know how to reach me.” Daphne lifted her hand likeshe was about to snap her fingers and poof herself God only knew where.Away.“Let me know when you’re ready to head back to the city.”
“Wait.” Sam choked up on the cat carrier, cradling it closer to her chest. “You’re not staying?”
Her disappointment at the prospect was plain to her own ears.
Daphne faltered, frowning at Sam, her hand falling to her side. “Did you … want me to?”
Sam blinked at her, then frowned, too. “I thought you were feeling cooped up in that genie bottle. I thought beignets …”
Daphne had saidlet’s go somewhere. As in, letus. Together was implied.
At least she had thought so. Daphne, on the other hand, was standing there staring at her like the concept of staying was completely foreign. Like it hadn’t even crossed her mind.
“You don’t have to,” she tacked on, feeling silly. It was Grosse Tête, Louisiana; they were twenty-odd miles outside Baton Rouge and only a stone’s throw from an actual swamp. What did she think Daphne was going to do? Stick around and meet her parents? “I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.”
“I don’t, actually.” Daphne twisted a lock of hair around her finger, and if Sam didn’t know any better she’d have thought Daphne was nervous. “If you want me to stay, I can.”
The sound of the door hinges squeaking took the choice right out of her hands, even though Sam knew what her decision would have been.
“Samantha?”
At the sound of her name, Sam turned. Mom stood in the open doorway, one hand braced on the frame, the other touching her throat, looking like she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Sam’s face split into a grin. “Surprise!”
