Crystal Cove (Friday Harbor #4)(41)

And during one winter visit, Justine had complained about their pagan Yule traditions because she had wanted a Christmas tree.

“I explained to Justine,” Rosemary said, “that our tradition was to put a straw Yule goat out in the yard. She asked what tradition we would have if it weren’t for the goat, and I said I wasn’t certain. And the next morning”—she paused as Sage chuckled and Justine buried her head in her hands—“I looked out the window to discover that the Yule goat was gone. There was only a smoldering pile of ashes on the ground. Justine denied all responsibility, of course, but she said with great enthusiasm, ‘Now we can have a tree.’”

“You burned the Yule goat?” Jason asked Justine, amused.

She explained with chagrin, “It was a ritual sacrifice. He had to go.”

“We’ve had a Christmas tree every year since,” Sage said. “Even when Justine wasn’t with us.”

Justine reached out and put her hand on Sage’s shoulder. “I visited every holiday I possibly could,” she said. “We haven’t missed one for a while, have we?”

Sage smiled at her. “No, indeed.”

After dinner they went into the main room to sit by the fire and relax with glasses of elderberry wine. Eventually Sage and Rosemary sat side by side at the piano and played a showy duet of “Stardust,” embellished with arpeggios and glissandi.

Justine curled up in the corner of the sofa, gathering up her knees beneath the long flowered skirt and hooking an arm around them. She smiled at Jason as he settled next to her. “They like you,” she said in an undertone.

“How can you tell?”

“‘Stardust’ is their best piece. They only play it for people they like.”

“Are they … together?” he asked tactfully.

“Yes. They don’t usually talk about their relationship. The only thing Sage has ever said to me about it is that no matter how old you get, you’re always capable of surprising yourself.”

Jason watched Justine’s expression as the melancholy notes of “Autumn Leaves” filled the air. It was the kind of song that didn’t need words, emotions balanced on every lonely note. Firelight played over Justine’s porcelain skin and the wistful curve of her mouth. Delicate shadows smudged her eyes. She was tired. He wanted to hold her while she slept, her body tranquil and dream-heavy in his arms.

Lightning shot through the sky, accompanied by an earsplitting crack that caused Justine to start. “It feels like the storm will go on forever,” she said.

“I think it will die down enough for you to leave tomorrow,” Sage said, still playing the piano. “Of course, we’ll have to work up a good strong protection spell before you go.”

Justine’s expression tautened, and she gave Jason a wary glance.

“Protection from what?” he asked, his voice pitched so the other women couldn’t hear. “The storm?”

“Sort of.” Justine’s fingers harrowed the folds of her skirt, plucking and smoothing.

His hand covered hers, subduing the restive movements. “Can I help?”

The question nudged a brief smile to her lips. “Saving my life was more than enough.”

As Sage finished the song, Rosemary turned on the bench to face Justine. “We have something important to discuss,” she said.

Even though he knew it was none of his business, Jason couldn’t stop himself from saying, “It would be better to wait until the morning.” Justine was still fragile from the day’s events, not entirely in control of herself. At the moment, the only likely result of a discussion, or argument, was mutual frustration.

Justine frowned, pulling her hand from his. “It’s something I have to talk to them about,” she told him. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep otherwise. It’s why I came to visit in the first place.” Her mouth pulled into an apologetic little grimace. “I don’t mean to be rude, but … could you go to the guest room for a little while?”

“Of course.” Standing, Jason went to the built-in bookshelf near the fireplace. “I’ll grab a couple of books to take with me. I’ve been wanting to catch up on my reading.” He pulled a couple of random volumes from the shelf. “Especially…” He paused to glance at the top title in the stack. “Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. And The History of Marine Propellers and Propulsion.”

“You’ll love that one,” Justine told him.

He gave her a sardonic glance. “Don’t spoil the ending for me.”

* * *

Jason had insisted on carrying the dishes into the kitchen before going upstairs to the tower bedroom. It had pleased and surprised Justine to discover that a man of his position would help with housework. And it amused her to see how much Rosemary liked him in spite of herself.

“It’s not that I dislike men,” Rosemary said defensively, after Justine had made a comment to that effect. “It’s just that I dislike so many of them.”

That remark, and her sour expression, caused both Justine and Sage to crack up as they rinsed and stacked dishes at the sink.

Rosemary wiped the countertop with great dignity. “I will admit,” she said after a moment, “that Jason is a charming and well-spoken man. Not to mention intelligent. I can hardly credit that he once played football.”