Bewitching You(46)

Sofia returned, wearing her jeans and holding all of her other items. “Let’s go,” she said with a sob.

“Go ahead,” Penny said. “I’ll be right out.”

“Nana, just leave him alone, please.”

“Don’t you worry. It’ll only be a minute. I’ll meet you at the elevator.”

Penny waited until Sofia and Laura left, and then tapped lightly on the door through which Gray had escaped. The poor thing. He’d had so much heartache and now this.

He didn’t answer. Penny thought about reading his mind, but wasn’t sure she really wanted to know what the young fellow was thinking. Had she done a bad thing here? Putting them together too soon?

“Gray, it’s Penny. I don’t mean to bother you anymore. I want you to know, if you want to contact Sofia, she’ll either be home or maybe at my house. I’ll leave her house number and cell phone number. She had these cute little business cards made up. Just for fun, I guess. She actually designed them herself. She’s very talented. Anyway, I’ll leave that card for you. Here”—Penny pulled one from her wallet—“I’ll slip it under the door.”

Silence. She bent down and slid the card through.

“If you’re worried about the spell, don’t be. It’ll wear off completely within a week or two. I’m positive Sofia will still be in love with you as you will be with her. And I’d very much like to have you as part of our family someday. Whenever you’re ready. I know we can’t replace your brother, but we’ll love you all the same.”

Nothing.

Penny couldn’t stand it any longer. She opened up her mind and found his thoughts. They were powerful, causing Penny to limit some.

Leave. Leave me. Sofia. Why would she doubt me? Love her so much. Hayes. Her mother could have saved him. God. Hayes could have lived. Why didn’t you let him live? Need Sofia. She left. I made her leave. Stupid. She’s gone. I shouldn’t have sent her away. Need her. Did the grandmother leave? Crazy. All of this is crazy.

Penny took a breath and blocked him out. It was too much, but at least there was potential. He hadn’t given up on Sofia. She swiped a tear away, gathered her strength—Lord knew she’d need it for Sofia—and walked out the door.





Chapter Twenty



Sofia ran straight up to her room and fell into bed. Gray was angry with her and with her family, but she loved him and regretted not telling him that before she left.

She should’ve walked right into that room and kissed him until he kissed her back. Held him until he forgave her. Had she known Hayes had been in her home, had she known he was going to die, Sofia would’ve done everything in her power to save his life.

No force on Earth could bring Gray’s brother back to him now. And nothing would change the fact that Gray’s love for her was temporary. How much longer? Today? Tomorrow? Next week? Even if she did gather the courage to go to him, would he push her away? Would she disgust him?

Would he deny he’d ever loved her?

He’d be the same man she’d first met at the restaurant. The one who looked at her as if she were nobody, just some annoyingly clumsy waitress.

Oh, geez. The spell sure had done a number on him, hadn’t it? Now, it all made sense.

He’d never really loved her. She doubted he even liked her.

The time they’d spent together had all been too good to be true. She’d known all along Gray could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want her?

Stop it, Sofe. You are just as good as anyone.

“Just as good,” she mumbled, as her eyes grew heavy.

Maybe I’ll dream of him.

~ * ~

Gray walked through the thick grass, keeping his eyes to the ground as he passed each gravestone. Hayes and his parents were on the far corner of the lot, he remembered. He had a ways to go.

A drop of rain hit his cheek, so he glanced up. Clouds hung low and ominous, threatening to release at any minute. Perfect. He couldn’t wait to get out of Indiana for a while.

He pulled Sofia’s card out of his jeans pocket and read it for the billionth time.

Sofia Good, Painter Extraordinaire. Call me! 555-0122 or…

He stuck the card back in his pocket. He’d memorized the damn thing in a day.

Call her. Tell her you’ll always love her.

Would she believe him, though? Or was she stuck on this idea that a spell had made him fall head over heels? The idea was plain ridiculous.

He’d give her time to realize it though. All the time she needed. Besides, Gray needed some space as well. How could he look Sofia in the eyes when he knew her mother could have saved Hayes’s life?

They had all these powers, but none of them did any good. None of them could bring his only brother back.

Time to finally say goodbye.

As Gray walked closer to where his family was buried, he noticed a certain strawberry blonde kneeling over Hayes’s grave. Rachel. Her shoulders heaved up and down. She was crying.

He kept moving forward. His anger toward Rachel had dissolved. What was the point in being mad at her? What did it matter any more?

They’d both lost Hayes. They both grieved.

“Hey,” he said as softly as possible, not wanting to startle her.

She jerked her head up and gasped. “Grayson?”

“Yep, it’s me.”

She stood and blew her nose. “Sorry, I didn’t know you’d be here. I would’ve given you your time.”

“It’s no problem.”

She nodded, looking down at the grave again.

Gray read the headstone. Hayes Abraham Phillips.

“He always hated his middle name,” he said. “Abraham. It was Grandpa’s but it reminded Hayes of Abraham Lincoln.”

“Really?” She met his gaze again. “I didn’t know that.”

Gray teetered on his feet, recalling another memory, and was happy it was a good one. “Did you know we used to break dance in high school?”

She smiled and sniffed. Her eyes and nose were red and puffy. “No, didn’t know that either.”

“It’s true. We were awesome.” He smiled back.

“I have no doubt.”

Silence.

“Rache?” Gray kicked at a pinecone lying in the grass. “You remember when you said Hayes was in your apartment? Said he loved me?”

Her gaze darted toward him then back down again. “Yeah.”

“Was he really there? You know, his ghost?”

“Yes.” She swiped at some stray tears.

“I couldn’t see him. I wish I could’ve.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Is he gone? You can’t see him now, can you?”

She shook her head. “No. He won’t come when I call him anymore.” More tears.

Gray planted his hand on her thin shoulder. Had she lost weight? “I’m glad that you loved him, Rache. He deserved that.”

“Oh, Grayson,” Rachel said and wrapped her arms around him.

He hugged her back. “You’re a beautiful person. I hope you know that.”

She sobbed against him.

“And you know you can call me Gray, right? We’re friends now.”

The crying transformed to laughing, and she stepped back, wiping her face with a tissue. “I’d love to have you as a friend…Gray.”

He chuckled. “There you go. That’s not bad, huh?”

“No, it’s perfect. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being here. For being you.”

He grinned at her. “It’s been a while since I’ve been here and been me, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, it has. But I’m glad you’re back. So…where’s the lady who’s responsible?”

“Sofia.” His heart ached at the reminder. “I think we’re taking a little time apart.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Grayson. I mean, Gray.”

He shrugged. “Just for a while. There are some things we have to figure out.”

“I hope it works for you. You seemed happy with her.” She patted his arm.

“It will. But first, I’m going to check out that loft in San Francisco Hayes chose for us. It’s mostly paid for, but I haven’t actually seen it yet.”

“That sounds exciting. Are you moving out there?”

“Maybe. I might put it on the market and sell it. Hayes and I put a ton of money toward that place. Remember? We had all those plans to buy a boat and sail the coast.”

“I remember. It’ll be a shame if you don’t get to do it.”

He shrugged. “Some things are more important. Sounds like you have plans of your own. You were headed to Aspen?”

“I was until I got a visit from my mother. I finally told her the real reason the wedding is off. And I told her I was leaving and never coming back. That I was determined to live my own life and live out my own dreams.” She let out a sigh. “But then she made an offer I couldn’t refuse. She said she’d forgive whatever debt I owed her for the wedding, and if I continued on with law school, I wouldn’t owe her a thing for that either.”