Page 75 of The Most Wanted Witch

There was a strange vibe running through the back room at dinnertime. It started with the musical chairs as I went to grab a seat beside Musso.

Bibbi ran and sat in it first.

“I’m sorry, did you want to sit here?” she asked, as if I hadn’t had my hand on it and been pulling it out.

“No, that’s fine.” I narrowed my eyes on her. Whatever she was plotting, it looked as if the first act was afoot.

Her eyes opened wider, as if she were as innocent as a day-old foal.

Unlikely.

I moved to a different seat, and Oscar settled in beside me. No sooner had he sat, his arm was resting along the back of my chair.

Musso and Bertha were looking askance but said nothing. Zab wasn’t looking over at all, so whatever they were up to, he either knew or wanted to feign ignorance.

Whatever they were doing, at least I only had to deal with their weirdness and not Hawk’s change of attitude on top of it. He’d decided not to show for dinner, which was usually hit or miss with him anyway.

“Do you like that seat for some reason, Bibbi?” Gillian reached for the large platter on the table, helping herself to a nice, big serving.

“I get cold. This spot is warmer,” Bibbi said.

The spot she’d fought me for was closest to the back door and the draftiest in the room. No one, including me, bothered to call her out on that.

Hawk walked in the room, and Gillian beamed. I stared at my food. Everyone else acted like normal people would.

Hawk took the last chair available, which was nearest Gillian because no one sat next to her unless they had to.

“Here, Hawk. You should try some of this.” She didn’t wait for him to respond as she filled his plate for him.

He didn’t seem to hear her, as he was staring at the back of my seat. Or, to be more accurate, the arm resting on the back of my seat.

“Bertha, these rolls are amazing,” Gillian said, putting one on Hawk’s plate. “You know, I have this chocolate spread that would bring them to the next level if you’re interested?”

Andthatwas why there was always an empty seat beside her. The closer the proximity, the harder it was to ignore those types of comments.

Bertha smiled. “I’m sure you do.”

Oscar’s chair shifted closer. “Talking about delicious, Tippi, you have to try this meat Bertha made.” Oscar stabbed a piece on his plate and then held out his fork for me to eat off.

I went to push Oscar’s fork away and tell him to get the hell out of here with this hand-feeding act. I wasn’t the type of woman who enjoyed being hand-fed, ever.

But Gillian’s movement stilled my own. As she began to butter the roll on Hawk’s plate, Oscar’s offering looked better. I’d let Oscar feed me, whether I liked it or not.

I leaned in and groaned as the meat melted in my mouth. Oscar wasn’t kidding.

“Wow, that is good. Bertha, you really outdid yourself. I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted anything more delicious in my life. You must’ve had a line around the block waiting to get your meals.”

“Well, I was pretty busy,” Bertha said. “I had a good half of Xest ordering from me. It got to be tiring after a while, all the hustle and bustle—”

“Oscar, I need to talk to you in the other room,” Hawk said, his chair clanging as he got up.

The room went silent as we all watched the two of them leave.

Now what? If Hawk thought he was going to dictate who I was with, even if it was pretend, he had another thing coming. I went to stand, but Bertha grabbed my arm. My sweater blocked the tingle of magic-to-magic contact, but it was still not a done thing in Xest.

Her shaking head and serious face mirrored her actions. “They’ve been friends and allies for a long time. They can work it out. Oscar can handle himself.”

I sat back down, and a glass of wine was placed in front of me. “Have a drink. It’ll make you feel better,” Musso said.

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