Page 15 of Midnight Whispers (Forbidden Entanglements #1)

Chapter Fifteen

R iley couldn’t believe he had a small flame at the end of his fingertips, and it wasn’t burning him. It wasn’t even hot.

Riley grinned. “Holy shit. I’m doing it.”

Dad smiled. “I see that.”

Griffin sat on the floor with his legs cross-legged. He looked like a preschooler on his way to fix a refrigerator. His shirt even had his name on it and the name of the little business he created for himself. Palmer’s Handyjobs was stitched onto a patch on his shirt.

Riley pointed to the patch. The only problem was that he forgot about the flame on his finger. A small ball of fire went sailing at Griffin.

The good news was Griffin moved out of the way at the last minute. The bad news was Riley set the recliner on fire.

Dad seemed to pull a fire extinguisher from nowhere and had the blaze gone within seconds.

“Well, the chair is toast,” Griffin stated the obvious with a grin. “Good job.”

Riley’s face heated when he met his dad’s gaze. “I’m sorry.”

He felt like he’d been saying that a lot lately.

“Griffin burned down the shed when he was learning. I had to call the fire department for that one.” Dad chuckled, as if scorching the chair wasn’t a big deal. He patted Riley’s shoulder. “I was expecting it.”

“Great. So I met your very low expectations.” Riley’s shoulders sagged.

“Actually, you exceeded my high expectations.”

Griffin nodded. “Yeah, man. You learned how to do that faster than most warlocks.”

“If memory serves, it took me two days to learn how to conjure a flame,” Dad said.

Griffin nodded. “Why did you point at me?”

“To tell you the name of your business sounds dirty.” Riley still felt bad about burning the chair, but at least he didn’t set his brother on fire.

Griffin chuckled.

Dad rolled his eyes. “That’s why he picked it.”

Riley laughed. “Really?”

“Hell yeah. Do you know how funny it is when people call me, and I say, ‘Palmer’s Handyjob? How can I serve you?’ Everyone in town knows I’m Sheriff Palmer’s kid.”

Dad shook his head, but he laughed too. “I always get asked about Griffin’s reasoning for the name.”

“What do you say?” And more importantly, how did Riley get rid of the flame on his finger?

“I change the subject. Or I don’t answer.”

Griffin snorted and nodded to Riley's finger. “You just have to imagine it leaving you.”

“So, the opposite of wanting it to appear.” In his mind, he told it to go away. It took him a couple of tries, but eventually it disappeared.

Dad’s eyes widened, and he smiled as if proud of him. “That was fast.”

Riley shrugged, but inside, he was happy he pleased his dad. “Thanks for teaching me.”

“Tomorrow we’ll practice. The more you do it, the faster you’ll get. I want you to get good enough that it becomes second nature.”

“My guess is he’ll have it down by the end of the week.” Griffin winked.

“The way he’s going, it’ll be sooner.” Dad headed out of the room toward the kitchen. “Conjuring is hungry work, so let’s make breakfast.”

It was more like Dad made breakfast while Griffin and Riley teased each other. Being in the kitchen with his dad was the best family time Riley had ever had.

They followed Dad to the kitchen. Riley and Griffin sat on the island stools.

Riley laid his head on Griffin’s shoulder.

Griffin didn’t seem to mind. He drank coffee and watched Dad make eggs. “You’re coming with me again today, right? Mom has something to talk to you about.”

“Yeah. I just need to go to the bookstore on campus and get my books. Class starts on Monday.”

Dad waved a spatula at an envelope on the counter. “That’s for the books. If it’s not enough, call the station. I’ll bring you more.”

Riley hesitated but took the envelope. Dad hadn’t sealed it, so he peeked inside. As soon as he saw the amount, he shook his head. “I can’t take this. It’s too much.”

“I’ve saved money for you for school. It comes from that fund, Riley.”

“I didn’t go to college, so I spent my college money on my house.” Griffin put an arm around his shoulders and pulled Riley in for a side hug. Then, he whispered, “Just accept it, brother.”

Riley walked around the kitchen island. When his dad turned, Riley hugged him. “Thank you.”

“I’ll pay your tuition too.”

“All right.” Riley didn’t stop hugging his father. “I didn’t know how I was going to pay for everything. I have a credit card with a low limit and a high rate. That would have only paid for the books, though.”

“I’ve been saving for your school, or in Griffin’s case, for his house, since the day you were born.” Dad kissed Riley’s forehead and released him. “I’m here for you now, Riley.”

“I think I’m finally getting that.”

“If you need to talk about anything, I’m here for that too.” Dad raised his eyebrows as if that would get Riley to tell him his secrets. Riley only had one, and it seemed like his dad might suspect something.

“Like what?”

Griffin sipped his coffee extra loud, which was annoying. It was also his way of saying he told Riley so. And maybe Griffin was right. Maybe Riley and Cass had been obvious. Dad was a cop whose job it was to ferret out the truth. But Griffin’s point was also annoying, so Riley wouldn’t acknowledge it.

“I don’t know, Riley. You tell me.”

Riley felt a sudden urgency to get to the bookstore, even though it didn’t open until nine o’clock, which was a whole hour away. But he’d wait in the cold car if it meant Riley could escape Iven Palmer’s suspicious gaze. “I have nothing to tell you other than can you please tell Griffin to stop sipping so loudly?”

Griffin sipped even louder and then promptly choked.

Riley pounded him on the back. “It serves you right.”

Dad shook his head and went back to the eggs.

Riley sat on the stool again when Griffin started breathing normally.

“You’re an idiot,” Griffin whispered to him.

Riley knew he was. His dad practically handed him an opening to say something about Cass and he didn’t take it. Keeping the secret was ridiculous, considering it seemed as though Dad already knew.

“Funny, I was going to say the same about you.”

Griffin smirked. “Of the two of us, you take the prize, and you know it.”

Riley wouldn’t give Griffin the satisfaction of agreeing. “I know no such thing.”

Griffin snorted. “Liar.”

Riley rolled his eyes, but he let Griffin have the last word. He didn’t mind the teasing or how Griffin put Riley in his place when he needed it. He’d take a bit of truth thrown at him occasionally if it meant he had more days like that one.