Page 13 of The Cursed Sebastian Storm

Wandering Moonlight Falls didn’t exactly bring back good memories after being banished here during summers growing up. Sebastian briefly wondered if he should call his mom. What would she think of his escape? It was doubtful she’d be happy about it. She’d probably fear the curse coming back on Kira. That was all she’d ever cared about.

Fallen leaves coated the sidewalks. If Sebastian didn’t look at Moonlight Falls through a personal lens, he could acknowledge its charm. The town was quaint and well looked after. It was the kind of place tourists like for its character. The shades and spookiness were a big part of Moonlight Falls, but that didn’t mean the place had to look uninviting or rundown. Cute with a hint of creepy was the general aesthetic.

Sebastian passed the small elementary school and the bed and breakfast. The ice cream shop on the corner wasn’t open yet. The diner was open on the other side of the street, but it didn’t seem busy.

There weren’t too many people out walking. Sebastian didn’t come across anyone in his direct path, just a few dog walkers ahead of him. He spotted a couple of touristy types entering Beth’s souvenir shop on the other side of the circle, but the post office, library, and town hall were all quiet. It was a weekday morning, so most people would be at work and the kids in school. It made Sebastian glad he’d chosen this time to go out.

He entered the little grocery store next to Moonlight Diner. The place hadn’t changed since the last time Sebastian had been in, and he found the yeast without any trouble. Sebastian was the only shopper, so he should have been relaxed.

He wasn’t. Something about being here made him distinctly uncomfortable. He was on edge, and it wasn’t a feeling he was used to. Was he just worried people would come in and startle him?

The cashier was reading a book at the register. As he approached, she put it down with a smile. “Morning.”

Sebastian didn’t recognize her. She was young, probably in her early twenties, if he had to guess. “Hi.” He set the yeast down.

“Just this?” She picked it up, her glittery nails catching the light.

Sebastian nodded, and she rang him up. He wasn’t panicked like he’d been in the diner, but this interaction didn’t feel typical. He was beginning to suspect that nothing would feel like he remembered. This anxious, unsure state was starting to look like his new normal.

“Cash or credit?” the woman asked.

Sebastian froze. His whole body flashed hot in panicky embarrassment. He didn’t have any fucking money. What a ridiculous thing to slip his mind. It was like he’d never functioned in human society before.

“I just realized I forgot my wallet,” he muttered. For some reason, failing at this task made him want to cry. The reaction was extreme, and he knew it wasn’t just about forgetting you needed money at the store. It was everything. Sebastian wished he’d never been stuck at Storm House and that none of these changes had happened to him. It wasn’t fair.

“Oh.” The woman gave a friendly chuckle. “I’d start you a tab, but I don’t recognize you.”

“That’s okay. Sorry.” Sebastian glanced over his shoulder toward the exit. “Maybe I’ll be back later. Should I put this away for you?”

“No, it’s fine,” she waved his offer away. “I’m Carla, by the way.”

“Sebastian,” he said, trying not to squirm. He hurried out of the shop before she could say anything else.

CHAPTER FIVE

Sebastian found himself standing outside Gray Electrical. He couldn’t face going back to James’s house alone and was going to use checking how things went with Hazel as an excuse to pop in on James at work.

It wasn’t like he would cling to James all day. He wanted to, but he’d drawn the line at that kind of codependence. He’d leave James and Hazel in peace after a quick hello and go to the library. He just couldn’t make himself go to the library yet.

Sebastian was hoping to steal a hug from James. He needed a positive moment. Yes, he was being hopelessly needy and becoming addicted to James caring for him, but he didn’t want to push what he could deal with after the store incident.

He probably needed to look into some therapy sooner rather than later if this was how everything was going to feel. But again, he couldn’t quite find the energy to face doing it immediately.

The electrical shop’s bell jingled as he opened the door.

James jumped up from a desk at the far end of the open-plan room. “Sebastian!” He beamed as if nothing pleased him more than seeing the man he’d barely had space from for weeks on end.

Hazel sat at a desk next to James. She got up more cautiously. “Hey, Sebastian, nice to see you.”

James came around the counter to greet him. Sebastian got his hug and melted into James like he never wanted to part from him. Damn, it felt good.

Hazel leaned against the counter, watching them. She wore a flannel long-sleeve top over a T-shirt and well-worn jeans, her brown hair in a ponytail.

Sebastian pulled back from his hug reluctantly, glancing between Hazel and James. “Did you two talk already?”

Hazel raised a brow. “About the curse and you being a prisoner of that creepy-ass house? Yeah, we talked.”

“Eventually.” Concern stole the smile from James’s lips. “My tongue was rebound.”

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