Page 76 of The Most Wanted Witch

Someone should’ve poured Gillian one. She appeared to need it as she watched the door.

Raised voices carried into the back, but it was the kind of yelling you did when you didn’t want anyone to hear. The words were muffled.

Oscar must not have put up much of a fight, as they both walked back in shortly after they’d left. Hawk entered first, looking more determined. Oscar walked in right behind him. There was a flash of a smile right before he wiped it off his face, as if he weren’t supposed to be happy about the outcome.

Hawk walked over to his spot and picked up his plate and glass. Maybe Oscar had won? Looked like Hawk didn’t want to eat with us tonight after all. Then Hawk walked around the table, with Gillian watching his every move. Instead of leaving, he continued until he was standing in front of Oscar’s seat.

Oscar walked over as well and picked up his plate before heading toward Hawk’s abandoned seat.

Hawk settled in next to me.

“What’s… What are you doing? Why are you switching seats?” How was I supposed to eat now? It was hard enough ignoring Hawk when he was at the same table. Now his elbow might brush mine.

I reached for my wine. There was going to be at least one refill in my future.

“What happened to my glass?” I scanned the table, wondering where it had disappeared. I glanced at everyone but Gillian. She was another one I’d have to ignore tonight.

No one said anything. If someone had taken my wine by accident, they weren’t owning up to it.

“You can share mine,” Hawk said, moving his glass in between us.

It seemed a bit intimate, but no worse than eating off Oscar’s fork. Not a big enough issue to start one of our fights in front of everyone. This dinner was already too much of a struggle to make it through without at least another few sips of wine.

I took the glass and was a little greedier than I probably should’ve been. By the time I put the glass down, the entire table was staring at me in varying shades of shock.

“I was thirsty.” They kept staring.

One would’ve thought I’d stolen the entire bottle and had an alcohol problem with the gaping mouths. Oscar was the only one who seemed quite pleased with my chugging ways.

I went back to eating, determined to ignore all the oddness of today. This meal couldn’t be finished fast enough.

I was chewing huge chunks of meat, trying to get done, when the sniffling started. The sounds were coming from Gillian’s side of the table. Had things gotten so bad that Hawk had to sit next to her or she had a meltdown? I glanced up, hoping she was getting sick instead. It would be much more respectable.

She was staring at me and Hawk, crying. No one was saying anything, as if this were normal. It was like the entire place had gone mad overnight.

“He’s just sitting here instead of there. It’s not a big deal. I’m sure he’ll sit with you again tomorrow.” The more I talked, the louder and uglier her crying got. By the time I was done, she was bawling.

Why was no one saying anything? She didn’t like me. Shouldn’t someone else step in?

“Hawk, can you go sit next to her so we can all eat in peace?” As much as it grated on my last nerve, no one was going to be able to eat if something didn’t happen here. He’d either have to move or I’d have to go eat in my room.

“I can’t,” he replied crisply.

I turned to him. He was looking at Gillian. His face was solemn, but he wasn’t getting up or saying anything.

The only thing that paused Gillian’s sobbing was the occasional hiccup. She tossed her napkin down, scrambled up from her chair, and ran from the table.

Bertha was shaking her head and looking down. It was as if the entire table knew something I was oblivious to.

“I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen,” Musso said.

“Tell her what?” I asked.

Bibbi looked like she could barely suppress her words. Her lips were pressed together so tight that I would’ve needed a pry bar to get her to speak.

I shook my head and stood. We might have our problems, but someone had to check on Gillian.

“You’re not the one who should go,” Bertha said, reaching out to me like she’d tackle me if I tried.

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