don’t know you, not really. You’ve got to give me time to get used to this whole idea.”
He nodded. “You’re right,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “You need to be wooed—just like you always have. I can do that, make the whole process real sweet for both of us. We’ll take it slow.”
Being ‘wooed.’ There was something so endearing, so romantically old-fashioned about the idea. Ellen felt her heart stir. There were so many layers to this rugged cowboy.
“But for now, I agree with you,” he went on. “We need a plan before your friend comes home. Frankly, I don’t think it’s safe for those little tykes to be in this house till we can get rid of the dark energies here. Do you think Melanie would agree to stay with a friend or move into a hotel for a few days—give us time to work here?”
“I think she’d be relieved not to have to spend another night in this house with things the way they are.”
“Well, here’s what I suggest. We’ll stay here while they pack up a few things just to make sure the dark one doesn’t act out when he discovers they’re leaving. Then I’d like you to come back to my place with me while I collect some supplies. I don’t feel safe leaving you alone here after I saw how easily she was able to take over. Now that she’s gotten a foothold, it might make it easier for her next time to enter your body.”
Ellen was silent for a moment. Part of her was relieved at the idea of not being alone in the house again. But she’d been on her own for so many years that she bristled at the idea of allowing someone else to walk in and take over the decision-making in her life.
“Trusting someone else is scary,” Rafe said, as though reading her mind again. “In some ways, scarier than dealing with supernatural forces. You and I know those forces can enter our minds, can try to influence our thoughts and actions. But in the end, they can’t really hurt us. When you trust someone, you’re giving him or her your heart to hold, doing it willingly even though you know you risk having it crushed. I’m not asking for it all, Ellen. Not now—not yet. Trust me just a little, just on this. I will keep us safe here.”
Ellen took a leap of faith—and held out her hand.
Chapter Five
When Melanie arrived, Ellen sat at the table with the children, feeding them pizza and listening to Adam chatter about his new teacher, the yucky girl who kept chasing him on the playground and the details of his latest video game conquest. Desperate for attention, Amy interrupted over and over, much to Adam’s annoyance. Ellen found herself dealing with the unaccustomed chores of playing referee to a battle of wills between two high-spirited little ones while mopping up milk spills and cutting pizza into bite-sized pieces that were exactly the right shape to pass Amy’s exacting standards. Rafe had taken Melanie into the living room to fill her in on their idea.
“Melanie, I have a whole new respect for how hard your job is,” Ellen said when her friend walked back into the kitchen.
Melanie laughed. “They can be a handful sometimes at this age, but when they come running in and throw themselves in your arms, you realize how precious these moments are.” Her eyes misted over as she watched her babies. “I’d do anything to keep them safe from harm,” she whispered, turning to Rafe. “The place is all yours for as long as you need. I’m going to run up and pack a few things.”
“Why don’t I come along and give you a hand?” Ellen gave Rafe a mischievous look. “I’m sure the kids would love to get to know Rafe a little. Adam, did you know that Mister Rafe is a real cowboy?”
Adam let loose on him full-force. “Do you have a horse? What’s his name? Does he do tricks? Can I ride him? Do you have a gun? Can I shoot it? Can you twirl a rope and catch a bad guy with it like the cowboy in that movie I saw? Can I try on your hat?”
Rafe gave her a meaningful
He nodded. “You’re right,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “You need to be wooed—just like you always have. I can do that, make the whole process real sweet for both of us. We’ll take it slow.”
Being ‘wooed.’ There was something so endearing, so romantically old-fashioned about the idea. Ellen felt her heart stir. There were so many layers to this rugged cowboy.
“But for now, I agree with you,” he went on. “We need a plan before your friend comes home. Frankly, I don’t think it’s safe for those little tykes to be in this house till we can get rid of the dark energies here. Do you think Melanie would agree to stay with a friend or move into a hotel for a few days—give us time to work here?”
“I think she’d be relieved not to have to spend another night in this house with things the way they are.”
“Well, here’s what I suggest. We’ll stay here while they pack up a few things just to make sure the dark one doesn’t act out when he discovers they’re leaving. Then I’d like you to come back to my place with me while I collect some supplies. I don’t feel safe leaving you alone here after I saw how easily she was able to take over. Now that she’s gotten a foothold, it might make it easier for her next time to enter your body.”
Ellen was silent for a moment. Part of her was relieved at the idea of not being alone in the house again. But she’d been on her own for so many years that she bristled at the idea of allowing someone else to walk in and take over the decision-making in her life.
“Trusting someone else is scary,” Rafe said, as though reading her mind again. “In some ways, scarier than dealing with supernatural forces. You and I know those forces can enter our minds, can try to influence our thoughts and actions. But in the end, they can’t really hurt us. When you trust someone, you’re giving him or her your heart to hold, doing it willingly even though you know you risk having it crushed. I’m not asking for it all, Ellen. Not now—not yet. Trust me just a little, just on this. I will keep us safe here.”
Ellen took a leap of faith—and held out her hand.
Chapter Five
When Melanie arrived, Ellen sat at the table with the children, feeding them pizza and listening to Adam chatter about his new teacher, the yucky girl who kept chasing him on the playground and the details of his latest video game conquest. Desperate for attention, Amy interrupted over and over, much to Adam’s annoyance. Ellen found herself dealing with the unaccustomed chores of playing referee to a battle of wills between two high-spirited little ones while mopping up milk spills and cutting pizza into bite-sized pieces that were exactly the right shape to pass Amy’s exacting standards. Rafe had taken Melanie into the living room to fill her in on their idea.
“Melanie, I have a whole new respect for how hard your job is,” Ellen said when her friend walked back into the kitchen.
Melanie laughed. “They can be a handful sometimes at this age, but when they come running in and throw themselves in your arms, you realize how precious these moments are.” Her eyes misted over as she watched her babies. “I’d do anything to keep them safe from harm,” she whispered, turning to Rafe. “The place is all yours for as long as you need. I’m going to run up and pack a few things.”
“Why don’t I come along and give you a hand?” Ellen gave Rafe a mischievous look. “I’m sure the kids would love to get to know Rafe a little. Adam, did you know that Mister Rafe is a real cowboy?”
Adam let loose on him full-force. “Do you have a horse? What’s his name? Does he do tricks? Can I ride him? Do you have a gun? Can I shoot it? Can you twirl a rope and catch a bad guy with it like the cowboy in that movie I saw? Can I try on your hat?”
Rafe gave her a meaningful
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