The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 4) by Kristen Painter Page B

any part of him wanted to fight.
    He watched her car until it was out of sight, then went to the kitchen to grab his cellphone and call his father. He walked out onto the back porch to sit as the line connected.
    “Hello, Cole.”
    “Hi, Dad. How are you?”
    “Good, son. How’s that granddaughter of mine?”
    Where to start? This wasn’t exactly a conversation about the weather. “She’s good. We’re settling in.”
    “Glad to hear it.”
    There was no way to ease into the tough questions, so Cole stumbled through them as bests he could. “I know about the…that is, I think I know. What I mean to say, without sounding like I’m losing my mind, is that I know about the whole familiar thing. Including the shifting. And we really need to talk about it.”
    His father didn’t respond right away.
    Cole cringed, wondering if he was losing his mind. If his dad said there was nothing to discuss—
    Jack Van Zant let out a pensive breath. “I could pretend not to know what you’re talking about, but we’re both too old for that. I owe you an apology and an explanation, but I’d rather talk to you in person about this. You okay with that?”
    Cole would have rather heard everything immediately, but he was just thankful his father was willing to talk. And that he wasn’t crazy. “Sure, but this house isn’t exactly in visiting shape.”
    “I don’t care about that. Any chance to spoil that granddaughter of mine is a good one. I’ll leave first thing in the morning. Be there by noon.”
    Wilmington, North Carolina, was six hours away. “Dad, you don’t have to leave at six A.M.”
    “And miss lunch with my granddaughter?”
    “Uh, Kaley and I have a dinner thing to go to tomorrow night. I’d invite you, but it’s not my place to add someone. I’m not telling you you can’t stay, just that you’ll be by yourself tomorrow night.”
    “I’m happy to sit someplace and read. That house have a back porch?”
    “I’m on it right now.” Not that you could see much past the railing thanks to the riotous overgrowth.
    “Good. See you tomorrow.”
    Cole hung up. The feelings inside him almost defied labeling. He was as unsettled as he was excited, which was plain odd, because to think he’d be excited about being something more than…human went against everything he believed in.
    But if being a familiar meant more time with Pandora, he was all about that. Just the thought of being near her again pumped endorphins into his system. That had to be this other side of him at work. He hadn’t been interested in a woman in ages. Not after the scar Lila had left.
    He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, the buzz of insects and the melody of birdsong creating a natural white noise that let him drift into his thoughts. Pandora was beautiful and had curves that wouldn’t quit, but there was more to her than just a stellar exterior. She was kind and sweet and funny and smart. Also not afraid to speak her mind or stand up to him, which he loved.
    But above all that, she was good with Kaley. If there was one way to his heart, it was through his daughter.
    After the divorce had been finalized, he’d dated a few times. Mostly set-ups put together by some of his colleagues at school. But after watching the change of expression on his dates’ faces when he mentioned Kaley, he’d quickly decided his need for companionship could take a backseat until his daughter was off to college. Apparently, it took a special kind of woman to accept another woman’s child.
    He hadn’t really needed another woman in his life that badly anyway. And Kaley sure as hell hadn’t needed another mother figure walking out on her.
    But Pandora had started out liking Kaley better than she liked him. He grinned. For a witch, she was all right. Hell, for a human being, she was spectacular.
    Which brought him right back around to thinking about kissing her again. He sighed deeply, remembering the sweetness of her mouth on his and the lush