Page 106 of Blue Moon Mistress

I sit instead.

“Don’t you want anything?” She looks at the seemingly empty counter and then back to me.

“No, I can’t stay long. I have a prior lunch appointment.”

“Oh,” Her face crumples and then goes right back to a wide smile as she joins me at the table. “That’s okay. I was a little pushy, wasn’t I?”

She doesn’t give me a chance to answer.

“I’d completely forgotten you were here! Between the two of us and Anthony, it’s practically a new hub.”

I don’t mention our local sea witch. If Aphrodite doesn’t know about her, I’m not going to risk sending the woman Gena’s way. Who knows how she might retaliate.

“We are certainly getting more residents at an odd pace.”

“Really?” She tips her head to the side. “Who else has shown up?”

She takes a long sip as I shrug.

“Some new humans are scheduled to show up.” I briefly wonder if I should make friends with Mrs. Miller’s granddaughters, just to spite her. “And there’s a vampire in town too. It’s starting to get a little crowded.”

“Oh Kurt?” She shakes her head with a sigh, as if she’s thinking of an errant child.

Somehow I doubt “Kurt” is his birth name.

“He’s harmless. I’ve known him for years. He came down with me, but who knows how long he’ll stay.” She waves her hand. “So! Anthony says you’re seeing a hunky carpenter.”

“I am.”

“Look at you, breaking with tradition and leaving the witches only pattern of your forebears.” She suddenly looks worried. “Is your mom okay with that?”

From someone else, the concern might have felt genuine. From Aphrodite… it almost felt like a threat. “She is. She was down here this weekend and met him.”

“And she approves?”

For someone who’d just seemed excited to learn I wasn’t dating a witch, she’s feeling pretty judgy right about now.

So I don’t answer the question. Let her think what she will of that.

“I found a warnaway the other day. That wouldn’t have happened to be yours, would it?”

She smiles, a little bit like a kid waiting to be punished. “Yeah… I just wanted a little bit of added protection, you know. Can’t be too careful when you strike out on your own.”

I don’t ask her about the tracking spell, it’s pretty clear to me now that there’s no one else it could be.

A tinkling wind chime from my pocket makes me pull out my phone and pretend to look at it.

Time’s up.

“It was lovely to see you again, Aphrodite. But the coven calls.”

“Oh,” She cocks her head to the side, seemingly disappointed. “You’re still with the coven?”

“Yep.”

When I go to stand, she looks almost desperate. But it passes in a flash.

I can’t stop myself from asking… “Are you okay?”

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