Free Deja Voodoo (A Cajun Magic Novel) (Entangled Suspense) by Elle James Page A

her mouth with the hope her mother wouldn’t ask her a question she’d be expected to answer.
    “Are you single, Ed?” Her mother didn’t waste time.
    Alex fumbled with her fork and it fell to the floor between her and Ed.
    They both reached for it at once, knocking heads.
    Ignoring the pain, she whispered, “Please don’t mention this morning.”
    Ed stared across at her and winked.
    “Sorry.” She grabbed her fork and sat up quickly, ignoring the scent of Ed’s cologne. He smelled really nice. She hoped he was as nice as he smelled and honored her plea.
    “Yes, ma’am, I’m single,” Ed answered. “I was married once.”
    “Widowed or divorced?” The matriarch popped a bite of food into her mouth.
    “Mom,” Alex warned. “You’re grilling your guest.”
    “Not at all.” her mother waved her hand. “I’m getting to know him.”
    Ed’s lips twitched. “My wife left me, claiming I was never home. And no, we didn’t have any kids.”
    Alex prayed her mother would end her inquisition. Unfortunately, it was not to be.
    “Ben said you were friends, but didn’t tell me how you two know each other.” Alex’s mom asked. “Are you in law enforcement, like my son?”
    “No, ma’am.” Ed tugged at the collar of his shirt before answering. “I’m a trained mediator.” The tips of his ears turned red.
    Alex studied him in her peripheral vision. Interesting . Her own ears heated and turned red every time she told a lie. Was Mr. Marceau lying to her mother? “What exactly does a mediator do…Ed?” She hesitated over his name as if by saying the name it brought them even closer than side by side at the dinner table.
    Again, his ears reddened. “A mediator is someone people go to in order to help them settle disputes out of court.” He turned to her. “Teddy and Roosevelt tell me you own a gym in Morgan City. What does a gym owner do?”
    Before she could open her mouth, her mother jumped in. “She helps old ladies like me stay in shape, don’t you, honey?”
    “Yes, Mom, thank you.”
    “I bet you work out a lot,” he commented. “I like to jog, myself.” He popped a bit of catfish in his mouth and chewed.
    Alex stewed, waiting for him to out her in front of her mother.
    “The best time to jog around here is early in the mornings,” Dolley said. “Right, Alex?”
    The tips of her ears burning, she replied. “I wouldn’t know. I save my energy for the gym…for the most part.” When I’m not chasing a naked man through the streets.
    “I prefer jogging in the morning.” Ed looked up with a challenging smile. “You never know what you might see.”
    She nudged Ed with her knee and regretted it when a jolt of awareness sped through her system at the simple touch.
    “Sport, we’re so glad you could join us this evening.” The consummate host, her mother turned to Sport and Calliope and saved Alex from the conversation leading to the reveal of her early-morning antics.
    She clenched her fork and shifted her anxiety from one issue to another, praying for divine intervention.
    Her mother smiled. “Sport’s an odd name for a man. Alex has a dog named Sport.”
    “We all had a good laugh over it, didn’t we, Alex?” Calliope smiled brightly. “Sport and Alex went to Tulane together.”
    “You did?” her mom queried politely.
    Calliope whispered into Sport’s ear and he barked, “Yes!”
    “Are you staying in Bayou Miste, Sport?” she asked.
    Calliope whispered again and Sport barked, “Yes!”
    Alex saw it coming and waited for the next question with a mental groan.
    “Really?” her mother asked. “Where?”
    Calliope stared pointedly across the table at Alex.
    She couldn’t let her friend bear all the burden of the charade and jumped in with, “Actually, Mom, he’s staying at my house.”
    “Oh.” Her mother looked from Sport to her and back. “Are you two…you know…?” Her gaze panned the table of young people. “Maybe we should discuss this later.” Her lips