Chapter 16

The I Scream Ice Cream shop was clearly a popular spot, even later at night. Not only were most of the tables inside occupied, but there was a line at the outside service windows. Only three people but still a line at nearly 11 p.m. at night.

Ephie didn't mind a little wait. It was going to take her a second to figure out which flavor she wanted anyway. They had so many, and they all looked good. She pointed at the menu. "Look at that. They have a praline flavor. And bananas foster. Flavors of home. I can see why this place is so busy."

Remy stood beside her, looking up at the menu, too, and nodding. "You see the flavors with the stars by the name? Those have actual alcohol in them. Like the Rummier Rum Raisin. Probably not a lot of alcohol but just thought you should know."

"I see that. Hmm. I'm not much of a drinker, but that Bailey's Chocolate Chip sounds pretty tempting." Her eyes went on to the next flavor. "Oh, hang on. I think I know what I'm getting."

He moved closer to her. Like that might help him see the same thing she was looking at. "Which one?"

She leaned toward him, their shoulders touching, and pointed. "Right there. The Holy Cannoli flavor. I do love a good cannoli." She read the description. "Creamy cannoli filling ice cream with mini dark chocolate chips and pieces of cannoli shell swirled through."

"I'm leaning toward Big Easy Praline. Brown sugar ice cream with candied pecans and ribbons of salted caramel."

"That does sound good." Was he homesick for New Orleans?

He looked at her. "You can have a bite of mine."

"Yeah? Deal."

They got in line. Only two people ahead of them now and the line was moving pretty fast. Before long, they'd ordered, and Remy had paid.

She didn't love that. It felt wrong to let him pay all the time. They weren't a couple. And cooking dinner wasn't really the same as paying her share. Before she could say anything, a new voice rang out.

"Remy? Hi!"

She turned to see a gorgeous redhead coming toward them with a tall, lanky man in tow. He had dark hair and piercing dark eyes.

Remy smiled. "Hey, Pandora, Cole. How are you guys?"

"Great," the redhead said. She put her hand to her slightly rounded belly. "The baby wants ice cream, so here we are."

The man beside her rolled his dark eyes and laughed. "It seems the baby wants ice cream all the time now."

Remy nodded at Ephie. "This is an old friend of mine, Ephelia Moreau. She's visiting from New Orleans."

Pandora smiled at Ephie. "Nice to meet you, Ephelia. New Orleans is a great town." She touched her hand to the man's arm. "This is my husband, Cole."

"Nice to meet you both," Ephie said. "Please, call me Ephie. And congrats on the baby. That's so exciting."

"Thanks." Pandora was all smiles. "She's not due for a while yet, but we're over the moon."

Remy leaned in toward Ephie and spoke softly. "Pandora's a witch, too."

Pandora sucked in a breath as her brows shot up. "A crafty sister? Nice. We should totally have a secret handshake or something." She laughed, then dropped her voice. "There's a coven meeting this Thursday night. You should come."

"I, um, I don't really practice…" Ephie didn't want to blurt out that her magical gifts were basically useless.

"No worries. Not everyone does. We have all levels." She dug a business card out of her purse. "My number's on there. Call me if you want a ride. We don't live far from Remy, which I know, because I sold him his house."

"She did," Remy agreed. "Pandora's the real estate agent in town. I'll be at work Thursday, so that might be a good thing for you to do."

Ephie took the card. She'd never been to a coven meeting. Her mother had tried to get her to go, but Ephie didn't feel her skills warranted inclusion in a meeting. It would be embarrassing to be the least talented witch there. "Thanks. I'll let you know."

A voice called out, "Remy, order up."

Remy turned toward the pickup window. "That's us. I'd better get that. Enjoy your ice cream."

"Thanks. You, too. We should order or we won't get any," Cole said. "Nice to meet you, Ephie."

"You, too."

He and Pandora moved to get in line. Remy returned with their cups of ice cream. "Want to walk a bit? See some more of the town?"

"I'd love to. They seem nice."

"They're great. He teaches math at the private academy here. He's also her familiar."

Ephie glanced back, more curious now. "He's her familiar? I didn't know that was possible."

Remy nodded, digging out a bite of ice cream with his spoon. "He shifts into a raven." He held out his spoon. "Here. Try this."

She took the bite. "That's amazing. I haven't even tried mine yet. I need to back up a minute. He shifts into a raven, and in that form, he's her familiar?"

Remy nodded. "That's my understanding."

"I might have to go to that coven meeting. I've never heard of such a thing." She tried her own ice cream. It was everything a cannoli was and more, but the straight-up truth was, it was delicious.

"I don't think it's super common. How's your ice cream?"

"This stuff is amazing. I understand the long lines now." She offered him a bite, which he took, nodding. She had another one, the delicious creaminess so good. "Kind of makes me wish I was pregnant so I had an excuse to eat it all the time, too." She caught the odd light in his eyes. "I mean, I don't really wish I was pregnant. I just— Never mind. Just forget I said that."

She shoved another spoonful in her mouth before she embarrassed herself further.

She'd thought about having kids. Probably a standard thought process for most women in her age group. She still had time for that to happen, but if it didn't … it didn't. She'd be sad about it, but— She realized he might think she meant pregnant by him, which would be awesome if that was where their lives led, but he also might think she was implying they do something about it. Mortification set in.

Why had she said that? She really needed to think before she spoke. She quickly pointed to a shop ahead just to change the subject. "That's cute. Hats in the Belfry."

"You want to go in? I don't think they'll care about the ice cream if we're careful."

"Okay." Thankfully, he let her comment go. It had to be awkward for him, having once been romantically involved with her. Could a vampire even have kids? One more thing to add to her list of lacking vampire knowledge.

The shop had all kinds of hats. Fancy ones, silly ones, practical ones. She left her spoon in her ice cream cup and picked up a black ballcap with the town's pumpkin logo embroidered on it in silver thread. It was adjustable, so no reason to think it wouldn't fit, even over her curls. "I might get this." It would be a nice reminder of her trip.

"Do you want to try it on? I can hold your ice cream."

"Okay." She handed him her cup and tried the hat on, pulling her hair through the back like a ponytail.

Remy smiled. "It looks great on you. But then, you'd look good in anything."

She smiled back. "Thanks." She checked her reflection in a nearby mirror. It was cute. "Sold. Let me go pay, and I'll be right back."

"I'll be here."

She took the hat to the register, paid with her credit card, then rejoined him wearing the hat. That way there was no need for her to carry a bag. She took her ice cream back. "I had no idea the town would be so busy this late or that places would still be open."

They walked outside together. He nodded. "It's a lot like New Orleans in that way."

"Yes, but so far nothing smells like urine, I haven't seen anyone's boobs, and there's been no need to step over vomit."

He laughed hard. "Nothing against New Orleans, but this town is much more family-oriented, and a real emphasis is placed on keeping things neat and orderly."

"I like it." She liked it a lot. Okay, so she'd only been here a couple of hours, but there was a feeling here that had never existed for her in New Orleans. A feeling of being home. That made no sense. None at all. New Orleans actually was her home.

But there was something about this town. A kind of warmth and coziness that she'd never felt in the Big Easy before.

She glanced at Remy. He was eating the last of his ice cream. If things were to somehow rekindle between them, she could see living here. Okay, that was a big if, and she needed to stop thinking like that or she'd end up hurt again. She ate some more of her ice cream.

Actually, even if things didn't rekindle between them, she could see living here. She'd miss her grandmother mostly. That would be hard. But putting some distance between her and her mother might be good for both of them.

What would it be like to live her life without wondering what her mother would think of every decision she made?

"You're quiet all of a sudden," he said.

"Just thinking."

"About?"

About him and what the future might hold. About making a change in her life. About making decisions without caring what her mother might think. But she didn't tell him that. Instead, she just smiled and said, "When I can get more of this ice cream."

He grinned and tossed his empty cup into a nearby trash bin. "We'll come back before you leave, I promise."

She pointed her spoon at him. "I'm going to hold you to that."

He put his hand on his heart. "I'm an officer of the law. My word is good."

"I believe you." Too bad she also believed that all he wanted was to be friends. Could she change his mind?

There was only one way to find out, and it would require courage she wasn't sure she had. Brave was not a word she'd use to describe herself. But what if this time with Remy was her last chance at real happiness?

She took a breath, light from the shops glinting on the diamonds in her pansy ring. She owed it to herself to do what needed to be done.