Incubus Moon by Andrew Cheney-Feid Read Free Book Online Page B

looking at this thing from an entirely different perspective.” Her blue eyes filled with excitement as she looked back at me. “It’s an adventure! A mystery to solve. I swear, Jean’s timing couldn’t have been better.”
    At last, an opportunity to change subjects.
    I didn’t want to dwell on my meeting with Riccardo, Joy’s upsetting telephone call, or my dubious ancestry anymore. “Tell me all about the new restaurant job.”
    “Delays are usually problematic,” Mark was quick to point out. Their latest client had put the five-star restaurant project on hold for a couple of weeks while he attended to pressing business in his native France. “But he did ink the deal with MaGo right before he left.”
    “Can you believe it?” Christie said. “I feel like we won the Lotto!”
    “We beat out some major firms in L.A., too. Not to mention New York and Chicago.”
    “I can totally believe it. You guys are amazing and deserve this break.”
    My best friend had started up MaGo Design Studio shortly after college. The name evolved from using the first two letters of his given and last names, which meant magician in Italian. It appealed to his Italian roots and self-image as a gifted conjurer in the art of building design. After they got married, Christie came aboard as MaGo’s chief interior designer.
    “You know we haven’t been back to Rome since our honeymoon,” she said.
    “And this time it ain’t pensioni and panini bars, baby. Thanks to our buddy here. I just wish you hadn’t quit your job to go.”
    I closed my eyes and reclined the motorized seatback. “It’s all good.”
    What I didn’t tell them was that my personal distractions would have cost me my job at the law firm sooner rather than later. I was way too unfocused.
    This way, I’d at least gotten to leave on my own terms. And thanks to Laura’s investment guys, I’d built up a decent portfolio. Sale proceeds from the Monrovia house, coupled with a considerable cash inheritance, equaled instant Austin Iverson portfolio. A respectable enough one not to have to nine-to-five it for a while. That is, if the bullshit economy ever fully recovered and I could curb my recent tendency of spending like a rock star.
    Flying the three of us in Business Class and flipping for five-star hotel accommodations for ten days didn’t come cheap. Which was why I prayed that Cousin Riccardo was on the up-and-up and that I wasn’t leading Mark and Christie into danger.
    “We worry about ya, Buddy.”
    That made three of us. “And it’s one of the many reasons I love you guys so much.”
    When I reopened my eyes, I turned my head to see that Christie was staring fixedly at me. She was also wearing a Cheshire Cat grin. “Can I tell him?”
    Mark beamed over at her. “Think it’ll jinx it?”
    “Okay you two. My interest is officially piqued. What’s going on?”
    “We found our dream house!” she blurted out. “Escrow closes the week after we get back from Rome. We were going to tell you all about it during the trip, but—”
    “My gorgeous wife can’t keep a secret to save her life.”
    “You bought a house?”
    Did that mean the next logical step was having babies? Not that I could think of two people who deserved kids more. They both came from large families and had wonderful relationships with their siblings, nieces and nephews—relationships built on trust and mutual respect. Pity the one person they trusted most was keeping a mammoth-sized secret from them.
    More importantly, I might be risking their happy future by letting them come on this trip.
    Shit . “In that case, I raise my former amazing to super-extra-amazing!”
    Christie’s smile faded. “You need a blanket, sweetie?” I shook my head. Imagine how much more concerned she’d be if I fessed up to being a demon? “You look a little clammy.”
    “Nah.” Mark grinned across the aisle at me. “He always looks like that when he’s had a few too many. Let him sleep. He’ll be