Read Online Samhain (Matilda Kavanagh Book 2) by Shauna Granger - Free Book Online

brewed tonight and ready by the morning.”
    “To be fair, you said part of the reason you were charging so much was for a rush order.”
    I held the phone away from my face to glare at it for a moment. “It’s still a rush.”
    “And yet late.”
    “Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “Two thousand.”
    “Wonderful. I can come by at seven to pick up the order.”
    I tried not to groan at the idea of still being awake at seven in the morning. “Seven is perfect.” I hoped I sounded sincere enough.
    Edwin clicked off, and I tossed my phone on the bed. There was no point in lamenting the lost five hundred bucks. After all, two thousand was still ten times my normal rate for two difficult potions.
    I pushed my wet hair out of my face as I rolled off the bed and headed into the bathroom to finish getting ready. I was applying a final coat of mascara when I heard the knock at the door. I’d managed to dry my hair and get almost fully dressed. I’d gone with dark skinny jeans and a lightweight black sweater, but I was still in my fuzzy purple house slippers. Good enough to answer the door.
    I hurried to the door after the second knock, slipping and sliding on the hard wood, but I caught myself on the doorknob before I ate it. On my toes to check the peephole, I saw four burly Weres waiting in the hall. When Jameson had said he’d send guys over the next day, I hadn’t really thought he meant the next actual day. Didn’t construction workers promise the moon only to deliver stale cheese?
    “Ms. Kavanagh?” The first Were tipped his head toward me when I opened the door.
    He was well over six feet tall with shaggy blond hair. He wore construction-worker chic: plaster-splattered jeans, brown work boots, and a simple white T-shirt. Over his heart was a black paw print with the initials J.M.C. superimposed over it. His three compatriots were all dressed similarly.
    “Jameson’s boys, I take it?” I asked, and the first nodded.
    “Spence.” He held out one large hand for me to shake.
    I welcomed them inside, and like magnets drawn to the destruction, they moved into the kitchen immediately. Spence whistled long and low at the sight of the mess.
    “Yeah,” I said, padding up behind them. “I haven’t had a chance to clean out the cabinets because I didn’t think you guys would be here so soon.” I started forward, as if I would empty them all out right then, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me.
    “Don’t worry about it, miss,” the Were with auburn hair said with a friendly smile. “We’ll take care of it. We’ll just put everything on the table over there.”
    “Uh, okay, but listen.” I stepped out from under his heavy hand. “This is a witch’s kitchen, okay? Don’t open any jars or canisters. Don’t eat anything with a handwritten label on it. Don’t smell anything, don’t… just don’t, okay?”
    Spence chuckled lightly and nodded. “Got it. Don’t wanna wake up as a spotted frog, right?”
    “Actually…” I shrugged, earning four surprised looks. “Hey, don’t say I didn’t warn you. All right, I gotta go finish getting dressed. You fellas all right in here alone?”
    “Of course.” Spence nodded. “Let’s move, guys.”
    “Listen, Spence?” I stopped him with a touch of a hand. “I can’t stay. I’ve got work I need to do.”
    “It’s all right, Ms. Kavanagh,” Spence said with an easy smile. “You can trust us. You don’t stay on McKendrick’s crew if you’ve got light fingers, you know what I mean?” He winked at me and turned to join the others. The back of his shirt proclaimed Jameson McKendrick Construction with a contact number and another black paw print.
    “Oh, and please don’t tease the cat,” I called as I walked through the living room. “He’ll scratch your eyes out.” I heard the answering chuckle before I shut my bedroom door.
    ***
    Tollis’s camp was well into the state park. I had no idea how he managed to stay there without getting