Spellbound Falls [5] For the Love of Magic by Janet Chapman Page A

help transfer your purchases to your boat.”
    “Oh, thank you,” she said, waving away his offer as she reached for her seat belt, “but I have a whole tribe of heathens getting off the bus who can help me.” She stopped from closing the door, her eyes lighting with mischief as she shot Rana what appeared to be a conspirator’s smile. “I hope our little ride today helped you decide which vehicle you want to drive.”
    His wife darted a quick glance across the road, and Titus stifled a groan when he saw the tired-looking pickup parked beside the garage.
    “Yes, I will definitely consider getting one like yours,” Rana said, her own eyes sparkling in the low-hanging sun. “Especially if it’s smart enough to lock its own doors.”
    “Well, if I don’t catch you in town before then, I’ll see you Wednesday morning when we start fixing up the church basement. Wave good-bye, Charlie,” Peg said as she also waved before starting the truck and backing out of the driveway.
    “Why does she object to the noble name of Murdoc?” Titus asked as he stood beside Rana, watching the large SUV head out the camp road much faster than it had come in. “Murdoc is Celtic for ‘protector of the sea,’ which is fitting for Duncan’s son.”
    “I don’t believe she objected until all you men started calling the boy ‘Mur the Magnificent.’” Rana eyed his car parked in her driveway. “Does your newest toy have an automatic transmission?”
    “No, it’s a five speed.”
    She looked up at him, her big brown eyes unreadable. “Is it very hard to shift through five speeds while paying attention to all the dials as well as the road?”
    “It quickly becomes second nature,” he said, eyeing the old pickup across the road and disguising a shudder by turning away. “I’ll go get my clothes off your beachfront,” he added, stifling another yawn as he headed toward the side of the house, only to be surprised when Rana fell into step beside him.
    He was even more surprised when her hand slipped into his. “Thank you,” she said, giving him a squeeze.
    “For what?”
    “For many things, not the least of which was your restraint from commenting on my driving. Especially when I stopped a little too quickly backing up to the grain store loading dock and I heard your head bump your headrest.”
    He gave her hand a return squeeze. “The first time I got behind the wheel of a modern vehicle, I’m afraid I scared several years off Henry’s and Sophie’s young lives when I drove down to the turnoff to pick them up from the school bus. In fact, they both got out and walked most of the length of the Inglenook road.” He gave her a wink. “But then, I hadn’t even driven one of the electric carts, but went straight to a vehicle with the power of hundreds of horses.” He stopped and turned to face her, lifting her hand to hold it against his chest. “What else do you wish to thank me for?”
    She stared at her captured hand. “For rescuing us from the protestors, for entertaining Char—Murdoc all afternoon, for calming Peg’s worries about the new god, and . . .” She looked up, gracing him with a beautiful smile. “And for not taking an unguided tour of my home while I was away.”
    He arched a brow. “What makes you think I didn’t let myself in and—”
    “Are you two going to spend what’s left of the afternoon smiling at each other?”
    Titus turned to see Maximilian standing with his hands on his hips next to a small campfire on the beach, Kitalanta standing beside him.
    “Or are you going to come tell me all about today’s little adventure?”
    Titus gave Rana’s hand another squeeze, then tucked her arm through his and continued down the lawn. “Did Peg not say she called Maximilian and explained in detail what happened?”
    “Yes, but
your
son told her there was nothing he could do about it.”
    “He damn well could have gone down and calmed your fears.”
    “I wasn’t afraid. Well, not of some