“I was at JR’s Plumbing Supply House when you called, that’s how! You can’t work here. Not without invoking curses and trouble. Curses. They’re the cause of all the problems we’ve had and it’s her family’s fault.” Edward began to gesture at Lauren, clearly upset.
Jason shot Lauren an apologetic glance. “Let me get him home and settled and I’ll be right back, okay?”
She nodded, her eyes wide, a combination of sadness and regret in them.
“Uncle Edward, let me take you home to Clara.” Jason wrapped his arm around the older man.
Edward shook his head. “Clara’s gonna put one of her spells on me, too.”
Jason let out a groan and directed his uncle toward his car. Edward had walked here, as he did to most places in town. But right now, Jason needed to get him home as soon as possible.
He dreaded Clara seeing Edward in this state. His uncle had only recently begun to soften toward Clara, but now it seemed he’d reverted to his old fears and behavior.
All because a Perkins and a Corwin were working together. Imagine what would happen if Edward knew they were sleeping together?
? Uploaded by Coral ?
CHAPTER SIX
LAUREN FOLLOWED Jason and Edward Corwin out to Jason?
??s car with Edward mumbling the entire way. It didn’t help that the cat was settled on Jason’s hood like a king.
“It’s another sign, I tell you,” Edward muttered, pointing to the black ornament.
“Is it yours?” Jason asked Lauren.
“In a manner of speaking. He came with the house.”
Jason glanced over his shoulder at her. “Can you get him off?”
Lauren shrugged. She wondered if a cat would come when called. Of course, it didn’t matter since she didn’t know his name.
“Come on, Cat!”
The feline didn’t budge.
What she didn’t know about cats could fill volumes. She’d already given the cat diarrhea. What next? “I’m sure he’ll jump off when you start the car.”
“Don’t want that thing near me any more than I want a dang Perkins near me,” Edward said. “Should have brought Stinky Pete with me, I tell you.”
“Who’s Stinky Pete?” she asked Jason, all the while reminding herself not to take a demented man’s ravings seriously.
“The pet skunk he uses to keep people away,” Jason said, shooting her a look that clearly said, Don’t ask.
After settling his uncle in the passenger seat, Jason turned back and walked over to Lauren and squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry,” he said, tilting his head toward the car.
She shook her head. “It’s not your fault. Go take care of him. He obviously needs you.”
And she needed to forget the sight of Jason leading his uncle to the car, taking charge and caring for the older man. She’d come too close to kissing him moments earlier. Noticing his warm, caring nature wouldn’t allow her to keep a safe emotional distance.
Luckily, as soon as Jason started the engine, the cat raised its head-haughtily, in Lauren’s opinion-and jumped off the hood, clearly annoyed.
Lauren tried not to laugh. She’d never realized a feline could have such an uppity disposition.
The car backed out of the driveway, slowing down as Jason opened the window. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised.
She nodded.