Wherever She Goes (Psychic Seasons, ReGina Welling [novels to improve english TXT] 📗

had ended when Zack arrested him then, seeing something in the younger man, helped him get into a program that included a course in culinary arts. He’d met the irrepressible Molly and the rest was history.

Kat swiveled on her stool to get a better look at the place. Small but with plenty of atmosphere. Gleaming wood trim scaled slightly large for the size of the place cleverly framed sections of wall painted in a rich red color. Within the framed areas hung musical instruments and lush, green landscapes.

The bar was situated in the long part of the L-shaped room just far enough away from the small, cleared area around the corner where a young man played his guitar and sang earnestly, that the music made a pleasant backdrop but did not overpower conversation.

Kat’s belly wrenched and complained at its emptiness as mouth-watering odors continued to waft from the kitchen.

She didn’t have long to wait before Molly swung out of the back carrying a huge tray with several plates on it. Stashing it on the end of the bar, the tiny woman made short work of serving fragrant meals to a couple seated at the closest table while Kane passed Zack and Kat a little bit of heaven.

A huge slab of meatloaf studded with bits of bell pepper, onion, and mushroom then drenched in a tangy homemade ketchup and topped with two crunchy, hand dipped onion rings shared the plate with a mound of creamy, chive-infused mashed potatoes and carrots glistening in an orange, maple, and ginger glaze.

No wonder Zack was addicted to this place.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zack watched with interest as Kat ate slowly but with great relish. Granted, his experience had been somewhat limited—surprising how many women thought cops made bad dating prospects—but he had never seen a woman on a date eat with such enjoyment. After the first bite, she closed her eyes and nearly hummed with pleasure.

Kane introduced Molly who eyed Kat with friendly speculation. Refusing to be intimidated, Kat returned her assessing gaze. By any standards, Molly would be considered petite but standing next to Kane, she appeared positively elfin. Her nearly-white pixie cut hair over emerald green eyes in a face liberally dusted in freckles only drew more attention to her small stature. Put her in a pinafore and curls and she would have made the perfect Goldilocks next to Kane’s bearlike size.

Amethyst might actually feel tall standing next to her.

Before she could help herself, Kat pointed her fork toward Molly, “So, did you two meet over a bowl of porridge?” popped out of her mouth and Zack barked out a laugh.

Embarrassed color washed over Kat’s face but before she could apologize, both Kane and Molly started to laugh as well.

“Good one. Where’d you find her?” Molly directed the question at Zack, putting him on the spot with a wickedly raised eyebrow and revealing her roots as there was more than a touch of Ireland in her voice.

“Friend of my sister’s,” he mumbled.

“Interesting. What’s she like?” Kane demanded of Kat, “Gustavia, I mean. Zack refuses to bring her by.”

That earned the man a punch in the shoulder. “Are you ashamed of her? Still? That’s disappointing.”

“Ow, give me some credit.” Zack rubbed the sore spot where she had smacked him and thought she packed a decent punch. “I was afraid these two would embarrass me by asking for her autograph or something. They’re star struck.”

“It’s us he’s ashamed of, then.” Molly observed then turned back to Kat. “Tell me about her. Does she really dress like a gypsy? Like in the photos on her books?”

“Yes, she really does. You’re familiar with her work, then?”

“I’ve a niece who is positively obsessed with the woman. Offered Zack six months' worth of free food to bring her around but he thinks he’s playing the protective brother.”

Now it was Zack’s face that turned a dull red. “I didn’t want her to think I was using her for free food.” Then Kat knew it went deeper, he was still unsure what Gustavia’s reaction would be if he asked for a favor. The years of separation between the siblings had taken its toll on him, too.

Laying a sympathetic hand on his arm where it still smarted from her blow, she ignored the shot of molten heat that seared at the brief contact and affirmed, “Gustavia would be thrilled if you asked her. She loves to meet her readers but more than that, she would be touched that you included her in your life.”

Kat asked Molly, “Do I get free meatloaf if I bring her in?”

Zack chuckled, “You’ll have to beat me to it. Why don’t you tell Molly what you do for a living?” If she could poke into his personal life, he could poke into hers.

If he thought she would be embarrassed, he was way off the mark. “I read Tarot cards and sometimes connect the living with those who have passed on.”

Molly breathed. “Ahh, you’ve the sight, then. Just like my Mam. She had a canny way with her.”

“It was my grandmother who passed it on to me.”

“Skipped over your mum, then?”

Unsettled, Kat realized she had never asked but had always assumed that if her mother had had personal experience, she would have offered more or better advice.

To keep from dwelling on the subject, Kat added, “I’m thinking of taking some classes in the fall, though. Up until…” she paused to decide how much she wanted to reveal, “I was a teenager when I started seeing spirits and until then, I planned to become a librarian.”

Zack snorted and then choked while trying not to spray beer all over his food. Kat had to whack him on the back until he regained the ability to speak. “A librarian?”

“Why? What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, just unexpected is all.” Great, now he saw sexy librarian images featuring Kat in the role floating around in his head.

Molly watched the exchange with pleasure while Kane moved around the small area behind