Page 68 of Sweetwater and the Witch

“On my way.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

“I’ve been thinking about how to tell my family the truth about our fake match,” Ravenna said. “I don’t want to spoil my grandparents’ big celebration by dropping the news on them before the festivities. I’ve decided it would be best to wait until tomorrow morning. I’ll inform Mom and Dad privately when we’re ready to leave. They can tell my grandparents.”

“It’s your family, your call,” Ethan said.

He was at the controls of the Slider, wraparound, mirrored sunglasses veiling his eyes. He drove with the ease and smooth coordination with which he did everything else. She wondered if he danced with the same sensual, masculine grace. There would be dancing at her grandparents’ party that night. She and Ethan would have to take the floor at least once. It would look odd if they didn’t.

She put on her own sunglasses and focused on the view through the windshield for a while. They had left the Connerville truck stop twohours ago, passing a series of warning signs:Do Not Attempt to Cross Desert After Dark,No Services Until Grimley Pass,Don’t Forget Extra Water,No Cell Service Until Grimley Pass,Do Not Stop in the Hot Zone.

They were now well into the vast expanse of the Mirage Desert. The imposing heights of the Silver Mountain range were still just a smudge on the horizon. There was very little traffic. Most of the handful of vehicles they passed were huge tractor-trailer rigs driven by long-haul truckers.

Harriet was perched on the back of the seat, munching a pretzel and enjoying the ride. Like Ethan, she appeared unconcerned about the stressful situation that awaited them at Silver Lake. Well, she would be unconcerned, wouldn’t she? Ravenna thought. Harriet was a dust bunny. But why was Ethan so unfazed?

“We’re probably going to have to dance tonight,” she blurted out before stopping to think.

“I’ll try not to step on your toes,” Ethan said.

Yep. Unfazed.

“Does it strike you that our lives have gotten quite weird lately?” she asked.

“Never a dull moment.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I. And speaking of serious, when we return to Illusion Town, we’re going to have to deal with the fact that two men recently tried to murder you. Do we mention the problem to your family?”

“No, absolutely not, at least not at this stage. They approved of my career change but they were not in favor of my move to Illusion Town. If they find out what has been happening to me, they will insist that I come back to Cadence.”

Ethan glanced at her, his eyes unreadable behind the lenses of the sunglasses. “Why did you decide to fire up your matchmaking career in Illusion Town?”

“I like the energy there.”

Ethan smiled. “I like it, too.”

“There’s another reason why I’m comfortable in Illusion Town. The locals don’t ask a lot of personal questions. It’s understood everyone has secrets.”

“I agree. Speaking of secrets, you said your matchmaker knows about your affinity for fire?”

“Yes. She tries to factor it in when she selects a date.”

“And yet two of the thirty-six matches she has come up with so far have proven to be high-risk individuals,” Ethan said.

Ravenna thought about that for a moment. “Maybe they lied on their profiles, too.”

“Tricky business, this matchmaking stuff.”

“Yes, it is, but I’m a professional. Don’t try it at home.” Ravenna glanced at the picnic basket in the back seat. “Want some road food?”

“Sounds good.”

She unfastened her seat belt, leaned over the seat, and picked up the basket. Harriet chortled enthusiastically.

Ravenna got the basket into the front seat, sat back, and put on the seat belt. She opened the basket. Harriet peered over her shoulder, surveyed the selections available, and chose an energy bar.

The warning sign at the edge of the highway came up just as Ravenna was opening a bag of chips for Ethan and herself.

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