Hex on the Beach (The Magic & Mixology Mystery Series Book 1) (18 page)

Mimsey flung open the door to Hettie’s home and looked at the front steps where Zin, Poppy, and I stood, staring at our shoes. “What in
tarnation
were you—you
children
thinking? I asked you to do
one
job. Stay together, the three of you. But no, I have to hear from
everyone else
that you’re wandering away…”

Mimsey shook with rage, while I wondered who counted as
everyone else
. I sneaked a glance out of the corner of my eye at Ranger X, who’d slunk into the background, though I didn’t know how he’d gotten through The Twist. After we’d left his cabin, he agreed to swing by the bungalow to let my cousins know I was all right. They’d decided to come to Hettie’s with us.

Trinket joined Mimsey, her frown so severe, her frown lines turned into anger lines. “You girls…” She shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“It’s my fault,” I said. “I asked them not to come into the store with me.”

“Why would you do that?” Mimsey asked. “Actually, that doesn’t even matter. They should know better than to listen to you. No offense, dear, but you’re new here. Poppy and Zin should know better. We ask them to watch you, and what do they do? Wander off!”

“Really, it’s my fault,” I said again. “I forced them to wait outside.”

“She’s lying,” Zin jumped in. “I walked away on purpose. It was my fault.”

“They’re both lying,” Poppy piped up. “It’s my fault. I dragged Zin away.”

There was silence as the aunts rounded on Poppy. With Trinket’s ability to read auras, I was surprised she hadn’t already called out Zin and Poppy for lying. Then again, maybe we were talking too fast to make any sense at all.

“You’re lying!” I nudged Poppy. “Don’t cover up for me. I asked you to go away.”

“Sure, you did.” Poppy rolled her eyes. “We both know that’s not true.”

“I started it,” Zin said. “Sorry, it was
my
fault.”

“Sorry,” Poppy echoed, “but it was
mine
.”

I stared at my cousins, who stared back with expectant gazes.

“Oh,” I said quickly. “Sorry, it was
my
fault.”

“Grrrrahhh!” Mimsey let out a noise that was more beast than human. “Even as adults, you cause trouble. More trouble than any other witch to ever be born. I should ground you all.”

“If I may?” Ranger X stepped forward. He bowed his head toward both aunts, acknowledging them each with a
ma’am
.

“What is it, X?” Mimsey asked. “Thank you for bringing our girls back, by the way. Seeing how they could’ve been
killed
wandering off like that.”

He acknowledged their thanks with another nod. “As these ladies cannot keep their stories straight, I suggest a mandatory stay at Hettie’s place until this case is wrapped up.”

“You’re
grounding
us?” Poppy’s jaw dropped open. “Mother, he can’t do that.”

Mimsey crossed her arms. “He just suggested it, and I think it’s a great suggestion. You all are grounded.”

“Lily and I already have an… agreement about her whereabouts for the next few days.” Ranger X glanced in my direction, and I did my best to avoid stares from the rest of the group. “She’ll be living and studying here until further notice.”

“Whose further notice?” Poppy asked.

“Mine.” Ranger X leveled her with a gaze. “I think it’d be beneficial if you girls took a brief vacation from wreaking havoc on The Isle and relaxed here for a few days.”

“First of all, we’re not
girls
,” Zin said. “We’re ladies. And second—”

“If you’re ladies, then act like them!” Trinket said, her voice clipped. “Ladies walk, talk, act the part. They don’t go clowning around The Isle, showing their…their
lady business
to anyone who wants to see it!”

“Who’s showing their lady business?” Mimsey faced her sister. “The ghosts haven’t mentioned that.”

Trinket’s face turned the slightest bit pink. “Never mind. The way these girls have been acting though, it’s as if they belong back in… what’s that thing that comes after high school for humans?”

“College?” I filled in.

“Yes, that horrid place.”

I raised a finger. “It’s not so horrid. It’s actually—”

“They’ll be staying here, all of them. Mother will be fine with it, I’m sure. She’ll love it, but I’ll ask her later anyway,” Mimsey said. “Poppy, a word?”

Before Poppy could respond, her mother grabbed my cousin by the ear and half-dragged her through the entryway. Mimsey’s shrieks bounced off every surface of the hallway.

“What’s all this racket?” Hettie, glammed out in a dandelion-yellow velour tracksuit, appeared in the doorway with a grin. “Someone’s in trouble.”

“You don’t have to be so happy about it,” Zin grumbled. To me, she whispered, “Gran loves to see people up to no good. Don’t ask me why. Says it keeps her young or something.”

“Must be real trouble for Mimsey to be shoutin’ to the heavens. Usually Mimsey’s in on the shenanigans.” Hettie clapped. “I can’t wait to watch this play out.”

“Tell me about it.” Trinket crossed her arms. “I’m the only one who has rules around this place.”

“So many rules,” Zin muttered. “Endless rules.”

“That’s enough, young lady. You’re grounded.” Trinket glared at her daughter. “Get inside.”

“I’m nearly thirty, Mom.” Zin tried to look tough, but she dropped her gaze to her feet after one look from her mother.

“Get inside.” Trinket turned and disappeared down the hallway, her head held high, nose in the air.

Zin gave the largest eye roll known to man before dragging her feet at a sloth’s pace over the threshold. “If I don’t go, I’ll never hear the end of it. Lily, are you coming? I think I smell shrimp poppers.”

“Your nose is right. I ordered them fresh from Sea Salt.” Hettie crossed her arms. “And I ordered extra. I had a feeling we’d be having guests tonight… are you staying?”

Her last comment was directed at Ranger X.

“No, ma’am,” he said. “I should be going.”

“How old do you think I am?” Hettie asked, her gray hair wobbling. “Quit it with the
ma’ams
. Only Trinket likes that sort of hoity-toity junk.”

“Sorry… Hettie.” Ranger X’s gaze flicked my way. “May I have a word alone with Lily?”

“No.” Hettie folded her arms.

“It’s about her safety.”

“What do you think this is, a brothel?” Hettie stomped forward, her small frame about a tenth the size of Ranger X’s. She stuck a bony finger right into his rib cage, which was about as high up as she could reach. “You come here, thinking you can frolic around with my girls?”

“Hettie, it’s not like that,” I said. “He’s just doing his job.”

“And is his job kissin’ my granddaughters?” Hettie asked, punctuating each of her words with a jab to Ranger X’s chest. “It’d be smart of you to realize I have the gift of
Sight
. That means I can see into the future. You better take care of my girl, you hear me?”

Ranger X cleared his throat, apparently at a loss for words. Heat flamed in my face, and I wondered if she knew how close we’d come to kissing in his cabin. The thought made me nauseated.

Hettie let out a cackling laugh. “Ah, lighten up. I’m just messin’ with you two lovebirds. I’ll leave you alone.” Hettie stepped inside the cottage, leaving the door wide open.

“For the record, we’re not lovebirds,” I called after her.

A long silence filled the gap as we waited for Hettie’s footsteps to disappear around the corner.

“So that’s a
no
to a kiss?” Ranger X asked, one of his eyebrows raised.

“Sorry, Charlie. Not in front of my grandma.”

“My name’s not Charlie.”

“That was another saying.” I sighed. “Never mind, I’ll learn to hold back at some point.”

“Or you could teach them to me,” he said, his voice soft. Before I could agree to anything, he coughed. “Anyway I wanted to talk to you about this. This is how we’re going to communicate.”

I jumped half a foot as his hand grasped mine. He pressed a small object into my palm.

“What is this?” I tore my eyes from his face, looking at the small rubber band, which resembled a hair tie, he’d given me.

“Wear it on your wrist. It’s like those… um, the dealie-bobs you put in your hair. Speak into it if you need me.”

“Is there a button to turn it on?” I examined it closer. It was a solid rope of black. “Because things could get a bit awkward if the thing stays on all the time.”

“There’s no off button.”

“What if I have to go to the bathroom?”

I must have looked mortified because a small smirk turned up the corners of his mouth. “I fully suspect you might. But it’s built for that. It doesn’t turn
on
unless you hold it to your mouth and speak into it. See? I have one too.” He showed me a similar band wound around his right wrist.

“So only you can hear me?”

Ranger X straightened his arms, shaking out the sleeves of his white button-down shirt. “Yes. There’s a spell that will recognize your voice and your breathing. It’ll only turn on when it detects your breath on it. Otherwise, the device remains
off
, so long as your hand is more than a few inches away from your mouth.”

“That’s pretty neat,” I said. “So it recognizes my breath?”

He nodded.

“Does my breath smell good?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious. “How’d you program it to do that?”

“It’s a spell. I have no idea what your breath smells like.” Ranger X stepped close. “But your grandmother thinks we should give it a shot. What do you say we just get that kiss thing out of the way? She gave us a free pass, the way I see it.”

Ranger X stood so close to me, his chin just above my forehead, that his words sent tingles down my arms. I looked up, meeting his dark, brooding gaze filled with a mixture of amusement and something deeper. Something far more complicated.

“Do it!” squeaked a voice from behind the front door.

“Hettie!” I leapt away from Ranger X just as my grandmother popped her head outside.

“Pretend I’m not here,” Hettie said. “I just wanted to make sure I was right about my vision. Kiss now so I know I’m right.”

“You’ve ruined your own vision,” I said, crossing my arms before turning to face Ranger X. “Because now I’m not kissing you just on principle.”

“But you were considering it?” Ranger X asked.

“No. You arrested me today,” I said.

“For your own safety,” Hettie said. “Give him a break. I think it’s romantic.”

“Well, I don’t.” I sniffed. “I think dates and flowers are romantic.”

“Who needs flowers when a man looks like that?” Hettie winked at me and leapt out of sight as I scowled at her.

“Good-bye, X.” I glanced over my shoulder at him. “I’ve got to go have a talk with my grandmother.”

“I’m glad to see you’ve become one of the family already.” Ranger X winked. “I’ll leave you be, then. Remember to Comm me if you need anything. Just say my name.”

Ranger X turned and walked away. Although I was eager to have a word with Hettie, something kept me rooted to the spot. As I watched him disappear into The Twist, I wondered if he had any family to go home to or if he was all alone. Just as I’d been.

“He’s a big ball of mysteries in a nice package, huh?” Hettie asked, moving to stand next to me. “You should’ve kissed him.”

“About that,” I said. “Can we establish some ground rules? I’m an adult, and my dating life is my own personal business.”

Hettie let out a bark of laughter. “That’s where you’re mistaken. I see you must not have grown up with overbearing parents and a family who liked to meddle.”

I didn’t offer a response.

“Let me explain how this works.” Hettie stopped me in the hall and looked into my eyes. “You
think
your dating life is your own business, but your man must pass all of our approvals, he must not call me ma’am, and he should have a nice body.”

I frowned. “What about what I want?”

Hettie waved. “There’s room for you to fit that in with all of our requirements. Oh, and you should expect plenty of advice from me and everyone else in this house. Advice that you don’t want and opinions you don’t need to hear.”

“If I don’t want the advice or the opinions, then why offer them?”

“Because that’s what family’s about, Lily!” Hettie shook her head. “Getting on each other’s nerves then getting over it because you love each other. As a family, we
have
to love each other.”

“You don’t
have
to do anything.”

“We might pretend we don’t care, but we care more than you know, sugar-pop. Even if we
have
to. Because at the end of the day, if you don’t have family… what
do
you have?”