Sympathetic Magic(69)

The same couldn’t be said about Bryce McAllister. Margot was definitely not looking forward to that confrontation, but the wheels had been set in motion, so there wasn’t much she could do about it.

To distract herself, she’d shown Lucas around the garden, although November wasn’t exactly the best time to show off its bounty. But it did have a spectacular view, and so they settled on the stone bench that had been placed near the edge of the property, just before it dropped down to the terraced beginning of the Willis homestead, which was immediately below hers.

The storm had disappeared with the night, and now only a few clouds lingered in a sky so blue it might have been carved from a single enormous sapphire. Margot could see the red rock cliffs of Sedona, and the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, now crowned with white. For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel a shiver of dread as she looked at those dark, dark mountains, but rather a thrill of anticipation. Soon they would be a part of her life, each and every day.

Lucas reached over and laid his hand on top of hers where it rested on the bench between them. “It’s a beautiful view. And we’ll come back often to see it.”

“I know we will. It’s just….” Her gaze remained steady on those faraway mountaintops, on their promise of a life she never thought she’d be able to live. “Everything is going to change.”

“Well, yes,” he said reasonably. “But change is good. At least, that’s what everyone tells me.”

She couldn’t help smiling, and shifted on the bench so she could lean over and kiss him on the cheek. “I think this is going to be a very good change. But it’s still change, and that’s something I haven’t had much of in my life.”

“You won’t be going through it alone, though.”

No, she wouldn’t. She’d have Lucas at her side, and that thought was also both reassuring and unsettling. Her life hadn’t given her much practice at being with a man. Yes, she’d been engaged to Clay, but they’d never actually lived together. Her mother still lived in the cottage back then, and Margot and Clay had begun planning to find their own place when she’d found herself unexpectedly asked to become an elder.

But she’d caught a glimpse of what it would be like to be with Lucas, and she thought she couldn’t imagine a better way to live her life. It would be an adjustment, but it would be a good one.

His phone chimed, and he fished it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. “I think we’d better go inside now.”

“Is it two already?” she asked, puzzled. A quick glance at her watch told her they still had almost fifteen minutes until the fateful hour struck.

“No, but — you’ll see.” Smiling, he got up from the bench, then extended a hand to her. Still mystified, she took it and followed him along the gravel walkway to the back door.

Sure enough, as they entered the house, she heard the doorbell ring. Something in Lucas’ sphinx-like expression told her he knew exactly who was at the front door, but he remained silent as she went and opened it.

Standing on the front porch were Connor and Angela. She looked so very pregnant that Margot wasn’t sure how she’d made it up the steps, let alone climbed out of Connor’s SUV, but it was definitely her.

Flicking a glance up at Lucas, Margot murmured, “Ace in the hole?”

“Precisely.” His gaze moved to the young couple, who were standing there, staring at them expectantly. “I’m so glad you could make it down here. Come on in.”

“Yes, please come in,” Margot added, trying to push past her stupefaction and recall her manners. She couldn’t help asking, “Are you sure you’re okay to be out and about, Angela?”

“I’m fine.” Her hand went to the small of her back, and she added, “Well, mostly fine. I think I’ll take a seat on that sofa, though.”

She headed toward the couch and sank down onto it, Connor a step or two behind her.

“So what’s this all about?” Margot asked.

Connor smiled, looking over at Lucas before returning his attention to her. “Oh, Lucas thought you could use some reinforcements. After all, this is McAllister family business, so the prima should be involved, don’t you think?”

Well, that was true, she supposed. It was pretty clear what Angela’s and Connor’s opinion of her being with Lucas was, so throwing their support into the mix could only make this easier.

Or not. Bryce probably wouldn’t much appreciate being ganged up on like this. There wasn’t much she could do about it at this point.

So she asked the couple if they wanted anything to drink, water or tea or juice, and went to fetch them some water after they said that was all they really needed. It helped to have something to do, rather than sit there and watch the clock tick down to two o’clock.