A Cleopatra Hill Christmas by Christine Pope

Author:Christine Pope [Pope, Christine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BA
Publisher: Dark Valentine Press
Published: 2015-11-30T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

Eventually, everyone headed for home for their own private celebrations, and Rachel and Tobias came up the hill, carrying multiple shopping bags. Used to driving everywhere in Flagstaff, I wondered at their coming up on foot when they were bringing all those supplies, but I realized then that Rachel would never lower herself to drive a mere quarter-mile. Besides, they wouldn’t be carrying nearly as much on the trip back down the hill.

I’d had the kitchen remodeled in the spring — although I hadn’t had much chance to enjoy it since then — and I was glad to see my aunt exclaiming over the new Viking appliances and the shining expanses of granite countertops.

“So much room,” she sighed, even as she set out all the ingredients for our Christmas dinner and began working away. I’d already put out the bowls and pans I’d thought she’d need, so there wouldn’t be any time wasted.

“Well, the kitchen at Tobias’ place is a lot bigger than the one at your apartment,” I pointed out slyly. Yes, they’d gotten engaged, if somewhat unofficially, but as far as I could tell, their living arrangements hadn’t changed much. She was still in the apartment where I’d grown up, and Tobias still appeared to inhabit his combination art studio/flat. For all I knew, they intended to keep things that way indefinitely. In Jerome, people did as they liked, and convention be damned.

Rachel didn’t look up from the rib roast, which she was rubbing with a mixture of kosher salt and black pepper. “Yes, it is,” she said, her tone neutral. “But his pot and pan collection leaves something to be desired.”

“So that’s something you can put on your registry,” I suggested.

After that remark, she frowned slightly. “We haven’t even picked a date yet. It’s very casual. So don’t get your hopes up that we’re going to have a repeat of Lucas and Margot’s bash from yesterday.”

“Planning to run off to Vegas?”

“Hardly. I’ve heard the Delmonico clan isn’t too keen on foreign witches invading their territory, even if they do live in one of the world’s biggest tourist traps.”

Considering how many visitors Jerome got in a year, I didn’t think Rachel was in a position to be calling another clan’s hometown a tourist trap. Then again, Las Vegas probably got an order of magnitude more tourists than we did.

“Well, if you just go over to city hall in Prescott or something, I’m going to be sorely disappointed.” And I would. My aunt had been relentlessly single for most of my life; I didn’t want to miss out on her finally getting married, even if it had taken her decades to get there.

“We don’t know what we’re going to do yet,” she said calmly. “But in the meantime, you can start helping with that mustard sauce.”

In the kitchen, Rachel’s word was law. I almost felt like I was flashing back to the time before I was prima, before I was with Connor and had the twins. She’d taught me everything I knew about cooking, for which Connor was very grateful.

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