Page 11 of The Glittering Edge

“You never answered my question,” Penny says. “Are you dating someone?”

After a moment Anita finally answers, “Not anymore.”

Penny’s heart sinks. As much as Anita’s dating life has resulted inrumors and drama and the end of Penny’s athletic career, Penny hates being in the dark. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It was brief. A flash in the pan. Love is like that sometimes.”

“Is it really love, then? If it’s here and gone?”

“The person might be here and gone, but the feelings can last much longer.” Anita reaches up and brushes an errant curl from Penny’s eyes. “You remind me so much of him.”

Penny doesn’t have to ask who she means. “Dad was a grunge rocker. He was cooler than I’ll ever be.”

“That’s not what I mean. It’s in how you watch people. You’ve always been so curious, such a good listener. And it’s the way you care so much, with every tiny part of you, even though you try to hide it. And the curls, of course.”

Penny laughs, looking away to hide the way her eyes are watering. But Anita tilts her chin up, her expression sad.

“What, Mom?” Penny says.

“You’re growing up so fast. And I know someday soon, I’ll be watching you fall in love, and it’ll be so…” She trails off.

“Exciting?” Penny offers.

Anita’s smile fades. “Scary.”

“Scary? Why?”

“Because you’re my baby,” Anita says, “and love is a beast.”

Alonso

“ALONSO.”

The chain on Alonso’s belt jangles as he stops with one foot out the front door. He almost pretends he didn’t hear his mom, but the opportunity to escape is gone the second he hesitates.

“I know you’re there,” she calls.

“What is it?”

“Come here, please.”

Alonso rolls out his neck. He’s been waiting for this. His mom always bides her time after he fucks up, drawing out her silent treatment for maximum guilt before she finally dumps on him. These fights are a reminder that Vera De Luca would gladly exchange him for another son if she could. She’s never said it out loud, but she doesn’t have to.

Alonso can’t really blame her.

He drags his feet into the living room, where his mom is perched on her favorite velvet armchair. A book lies face down in her lap, and she’s texting when he comes in.

“Sit,” she says without looking up.

Alonso gives a heavy, pointed sigh before he plops down onto the ragged love seat. It creaks underneath him, threatening to split. Most of their furniture is either half-eaten by termites or so old it’s disintegrating, but the De Lucas don’t get rid of anything. To buy new furniture, you need money, and they haven’t had money since the De Luca Pharmacy closed. You can’t use your coven’s magic to make medicine if nobody in the coven has magic anymore.

Alonso’s mom sets her phone down and interlaces her fingers. “I’m going to need you to stop provoking Corey Barrion.”

Alonso grits his teeth. “Why do you thinkIstarted it? It could’ve been him.”

“Because he has a Fourth of July party at the lake every year, and you’re the one who decided to go.”

Fair. But, for once, Alonso didn’t show up to kick Corey’s ass. He showed up because he thought—he hoped—Penny Emberly might be there.

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