Page 24 of The Witch is Back

The picture painted was much too vivid. Emma would have preferred a misty watercolor. “I told you, I said he could. We’ll live separate lives.”

“It’s not a good idea. And what about Sloane?”

“What about her? I’m not going to let them near each other.” The idea made panic stretch gossamer wings inside Emma’s chest and she put a hand there as if to steady it. “Bastian was the perfect son.”

“You mean, until he ditched you.”

“Thank you for the reminder.”

“Just see you do remember.”

“Look, he was always doing everything as a warlock should, followed all the rules and customs.” Sloane’s troubled and shy face came to mind and Emma’s heart pinched. Her resolve hardened. “Even if I was stupid enough to fall for him, I doubt he’d like me being so close to Sloane. Or you,” she said pointedly to Leah, who had a somewhat dreamy look on her face. “It wouldn’t be proper.”

“Maybe he’ll fall in love with you and wouldn’t care,” Leah proposed and then watched as both Emma and Tia snorted out laughs. “What? It could happen.”

Emma smirked. “Someone’s had too many cosmos.”

“Seriously.” Leah kicked her, missed, and almost fell off the stool. She huffed as she resettled. “Whatever, I’m dying to get a look at this guy. What’s he look like?”

The words left Emma unbidden. “Like sunshine and sin.” She held up her hands as Tia threw up hers. “She asked!”

“Oh, boy.” Leah’s shoulders wriggled. “Is he going to be around?”

Emma knocked back the rest of her drink. Braced. “He’s moving in.”

“What?”

Tia’s noise resembled a teakettle on the boil. “I didn’t make these strong enough.”

CHAPTER 6

Bastian planned his next steps as carefully as if he was organizing one of the archaeological digs he’d been involved in the past few years. He stood just to the side of the doors of Toil and Trouble, so anyone inside couldn’t see him, revving himself up for the encounter.

The memory of Emmaline’s fingers biting into his arm, her reluctance to go with Clarissa at the ball, had kept him up all night, pacing back and forth. Were they planning something worse? Or had it really been about the Divining?

However Emmaline was involved, he now knew Clarissa had her own suspicions about why he’d left. It didn’t necessarily follow that she’d been the one to cast the silencing hex, but she’d definitely be the top suspect on his list for choosing the traditional engagement contract that now put his mom in jeopardy.

As much as it galled him, Clarissa would win. And it would be a win for her since she likely planned on taking advantage of the power Emma would gain through the Joining.

He leaned heavily against the brick of the building as he tried to put that aside and get his head in the game. Emmaline wasn’t happy. Whether it was because she was playing puppet to her mother or because she didn’t want to marry him for her own reasons, she could retreat at any point.

He needed to win her over. He could do it, he was sure. They’d been friends once.

Hadn’t they?

He silenced the doubting voice. If this was going to work, he couldn’t constantly question everything she said or did. He’d go crazy. He needed to establish some kind of friendliness again. After all, even with separate lives, she was going to be...his wife.

He twitched and then exhaled in irritation. Enough. He twisted to face the door. It gave under his push and warmth rushed to greet him. He only hoped Emmaline would eventually do so with half as much enthusiasm and without Tia and her hex bags in tow.

Chatter filled the room but it wasn’t overwhelming, pods of conversation between groups or pairs, a couple of singles reading or staring at their cells.

Behind the bar was a human, short but amply made, wearing a Cubs cap. She chatted easily to the older man she poured a beer for, winking at him and making him laugh as he collected his change.

He headed her way, stopping directly in front of her. “Hi.”

“What can I get you?” She glanced up with a ready smile, only for it to freeze. “Shit.”

“What?” He glanced behind him, just to make sure an axe-wielding psycho hadn’t wandered in.

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