of his hand sent it to his hotel suite. He turned toward her. “Do you know a nice place at the ocean where we can have lunch? Someplace with a good view and outside dining so we can enjoy this unseasonably warm weather?”
“Yes…I know just the place. Spectacular ocean view, great food, terrific deck, and the owner belongs to the same coven I do.”
He teleported them to the restaurant, arriving a little before noon. As soon as they entered, a man who appeared to be in his late forties rushed over to them. “Raina, how nice to see you.”
“Thank you, John.” She peered around the interior of the busy restaurant. “We don’t have a reservation and you look busy. Do you think you can work us in somewhere…perhaps outside on the deck?”
He shot a quick glance toward Devon, offered him a pleasant smile, then returned his attention to her. “Of course, give me a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, allow me to buy you and your friend a drink in the bar while I have someone set up a table for you.”
“Thanks, John. That’ll be marvelous. This is Devon Bainbridge. He’s here for the Samhain gathering.”
Devon extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, John.”
John accepted his handshake, a hint of curiosity crossing his face followed by a realization. “Devon? The High Priest…”
He emitted a soft chuckle. “One and the same.”
“It’s an honor to meet you and have you in my restaurant.” John escorted them into the bar, told the bartender their drinks were on the house, then turned his attention to Raina. “This is an interesting coincidence. I was talking to Miranda just a couple of days ago. She said she hadn’t seen much of you lately.”
Devon’s entire body jerked to attention at the mention of Miranda’s name. Had John talked to her on the phone or in person? Would the Samhain celebration bring a close to his search? He put forth a concentrated effort to appear casual, hoping Raina would ask the questions he wanted answered so it wouldn’t appear that he had a special interest in Miranda.
“You talked to Miranda?” The surprise in Raina’s voice was obvious. “Was she here or did you talk to her on the phone? I haven’t seen or heard from her in quite a while.”
“She was here…stopped in for dinner. She was alone, which surprised me since that’s seldom the case.”
“Did she say why she was in town? Is she planning to attend the Samhain celebration?”
“I asked her about that. She said she wasn’t sure. I’m surprised she didn’t get in touch with you. After all, you are her sister.”
“Well…as you know, we aren’t really that close. It seems that every time I try to reach out to her, she refuses my overtures.” Raina’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I don’t know why.” Her voice had become almost inaudible.
Devon placed his hand on top of hers in an attempt to comfort her without drawing unwanted attention to himself, although John obviously noticed the gesture.
“You’re table will be ready in a few minutes. Until then, enjoy your drinks.” He motioned for the bartender to provide them with menus so they could look over the selections while waiting.
As soon as John was out of earshot, Devon turned his attention to Raina. “Well, that’s a surprise. Your sister is in town. I know you said your relationship wasn’t good, but wouldn’t she at least call you to say hello?”
“Apparently, it wasn’t on her to do list.” A touch of bitterness crept into her voice. He saw the hurt on her face and it touched his heart. The dynamic between his deep-seated need to make Miranda pay for her transgressions and his rapidly growing emotional involvement with Raina were playing havoc with his reality. He suddenly found himself unsure about what to do or how to proceed, something totally foreign to his normal demeanor.
He cautiously put forth the question upper most in his mind. “I realize she’s your sister, not only a blood relative but also of
“Yes…I know just the place. Spectacular ocean view, great food, terrific deck, and the owner belongs to the same coven I do.”
He teleported them to the restaurant, arriving a little before noon. As soon as they entered, a man who appeared to be in his late forties rushed over to them. “Raina, how nice to see you.”
“Thank you, John.” She peered around the interior of the busy restaurant. “We don’t have a reservation and you look busy. Do you think you can work us in somewhere…perhaps outside on the deck?”
He shot a quick glance toward Devon, offered him a pleasant smile, then returned his attention to her. “Of course, give me a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, allow me to buy you and your friend a drink in the bar while I have someone set up a table for you.”
“Thanks, John. That’ll be marvelous. This is Devon Bainbridge. He’s here for the Samhain gathering.”
Devon extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, John.”
John accepted his handshake, a hint of curiosity crossing his face followed by a realization. “Devon? The High Priest…”
He emitted a soft chuckle. “One and the same.”
“It’s an honor to meet you and have you in my restaurant.” John escorted them into the bar, told the bartender their drinks were on the house, then turned his attention to Raina. “This is an interesting coincidence. I was talking to Miranda just a couple of days ago. She said she hadn’t seen much of you lately.”
Devon’s entire body jerked to attention at the mention of Miranda’s name. Had John talked to her on the phone or in person? Would the Samhain celebration bring a close to his search? He put forth a concentrated effort to appear casual, hoping Raina would ask the questions he wanted answered so it wouldn’t appear that he had a special interest in Miranda.
“You talked to Miranda?” The surprise in Raina’s voice was obvious. “Was she here or did you talk to her on the phone? I haven’t seen or heard from her in quite a while.”
“She was here…stopped in for dinner. She was alone, which surprised me since that’s seldom the case.”
“Did she say why she was in town? Is she planning to attend the Samhain celebration?”
“I asked her about that. She said she wasn’t sure. I’m surprised she didn’t get in touch with you. After all, you are her sister.”
“Well…as you know, we aren’t really that close. It seems that every time I try to reach out to her, she refuses my overtures.” Raina’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I don’t know why.” Her voice had become almost inaudible.
Devon placed his hand on top of hers in an attempt to comfort her without drawing unwanted attention to himself, although John obviously noticed the gesture.
“You’re table will be ready in a few minutes. Until then, enjoy your drinks.” He motioned for the bartender to provide them with menus so they could look over the selections while waiting.
As soon as John was out of earshot, Devon turned his attention to Raina. “Well, that’s a surprise. Your sister is in town. I know you said your relationship wasn’t good, but wouldn’t she at least call you to say hello?”
“Apparently, it wasn’t on her to do list.” A touch of bitterness crept into her voice. He saw the hurt on her face and it touched his heart. The dynamic between his deep-seated need to make Miranda pay for her transgressions and his rapidly growing emotional involvement with Raina were playing havoc with his reality. He suddenly found himself unsure about what to do or how to proceed, something totally foreign to his normal demeanor.
He cautiously put forth the question upper most in his mind. “I realize she’s your sister, not only a blood relative but also of
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