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“Why else would she leave her newborn child?”

“But she was a witch. Only full-bred immortals can be called.”

Juniper’s insides turned to ice, and she stilled. “Well, that’s just fucking great. I guess it really was just about Niro the Wonder Schlong.”

Dane nudged her shoulder with his. “It’s their loss.”

“Thanks.” The whole destined mates thing came with too many rules. Just when she thought she had it figured out, she learned something new. “I’m glad my future isn’t tied to someone I’ve never met.”

“Me too.”

“What will you do if Gracie never gets called?”

“I hope that doesn’t happen.”

“But you love her. Are you saying youwanther to be with someone else?”

“I want her to be happy.”

Dane, once again, proved he was a good guy. She couldn’t knowingly betray or hurt him because she respected him. “I promise I won’t do anything that hurts her—emotionally or otherwise.”

“Thank you.” He sighed with relief and then glanced down at the basket of tomatoes by her feet. “Are you making something with them?”

They might as well eat some of the harvest before it rotted. “Pasta?”

“Can I help?”

“Sure, but you should know my cooking skills tap out at Ramen.”

“Maybe you don’t need cooking skills. When I was looking at your books, I read something about water magick. This could be a great opportunity to practice your craft. Think you could cook dinner without the gas?”

She smiled, encouraged by the challenge. “I can try.”

Adriel was in the kitchen when they entered the house. She didn’t appear surprised to see them together.

“We apologized.”

“I heard.”

Damn vampires and their supersensory hearing.

Needing a change of subject, Juniper hefted the basket of tomatoes onto the table. “Do you like spaghetti?”

Adriel’s smile triggered something protective in Juniper. She needed to heighten her magick skills because she couldn’t accept Adriel’s plan of surrender. “Who doesn’t? I’ll get the flour.”

“Oh, okay. We’re doing this old school.”

Adriel glanced over her shoulder, already rummaging through the cabinets. “That’s the only school I know.”

The next hour resembled a Disney montage with dark notes of Grimm and a shortage of fairy dust. Those little pixies inSleeping Beautymade it look so easy. The reality was an underwhelming mess.

After Adriel mixed the flour and egg on the table, Dane rolled out the dough. Juniper washed the tomatoes and chopped them into chunks.Once they were on the stove, she grabbed her notes.

It couldn’t be that hard. She’d made fire before. Just never on a gas stove. Time to concentrate and not blow up the house.

“Maybe we should put Ruth outside.”

Dane dug through the drawer for a knife. “Ruth’s fine. You’re not using the gas. You’re using your mind. Just try.”