Page 36 of Hexes and Exes

I park the car in front of the bakery. It’s a tiny shop that looks like it’s been plucked out of a Disney main street. There’s a striped awning and the shop’s name is painted in slanted writing on the large front window.

“Paul’s a little prickly but his stuff is amazing,” Ava warns as we get out of the car.

“He moved here a few years ago, didn’t he?”

“Yes, from a small town in Canada that barely had any witches.”

Inside the store are a handful of small wooden tables with no more than two chairs available. The shop is empty save for an elderly man nursing a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.

“Paul, nice to see you.” Ava approaches the man behind the counter. He’s in his mid-thirties and fit. I have a feeling he likes everyone to know how in shape he is, because his T-shirt is so tight, I’m not sure how he still has circulation in his arms. Everything he’s wearing is white and pristine as if he hasn’t been baking at all today.

Paul eyes Ava just a little too long for my liking. She does look good today. She’s wearing a black skirt and tights with a pair of doc martens. Her sweater is a dark red that makes her skin look like cream. Even her hair looks glossier today, flowing over her shoulders in a gentle wave. She takes off her coat and I step forward to help her out of it. Surprised eyes find me over her shoulder, and I stare down at her. Her eyes look almost golden today, her cheeks extra rosy.

“Thanks,” she murmurs and slowly blinks.

“Are we going to stare lovingly into each other’s eyes, or do you need something?”

Ava jerks her head around to Paul, who looks unimpressed and bored.

“Both, obviously,” I respond, and Ava laughs nervously.

Paul cocks his head. “Fair enough. Are you Ava and Bram?” He comes out from behind the counter with his hand outstretched. He’s even shorter than Ava, but makes up for it with his attitude. Ava’s face falls for just a second before she shores herself up and plasters on a smile. It takes me a minute to figure out what's going on. She said she knows Paul, but he doesn’t remember her. Ava’s curse is a daily kick in the teeth. What must it feel like to be forgotten all the time?

“It’s nice to meet you.” I shake Paul’s hand, squeezing just a little too hard.

“Shit. Ease up on the roids.” Paul snatches his hand away and shakes it out.

“Aren’t you Canadian? I thought Canadians were supposed to be nice.”

“Yeah, well, I don't live in Canada any more, do I?”

“Did they kick you out for being an asshole?” Ava’s tugging on my sleeve, but I ignore her.

Paul gives me an assessing look. “Yes.”

I can’t help but chuckle. During our exchange, Ava’s collected herself. She shakes Paul’s extended hand. “We can’t wait to eat some of your cakes.”

“Let’s get on with it, then. I have an assortment of options for you. I wasn’t sure if you just wanted cake, so I have some pastries, tarts, and even some chocolates.”

“Yum.” Ava grins as Paul sets a large tray of confections in front of us.

Paul walks us through the collection of plates, pointing to each as he describes them. Honestly, I tune him out. It doesn’t matter what they’re called. Taste is the only thing that’s important.

Ava takes a bite of a tiny pastry and closes her eyes with a satisfied hum. My fork stalls mid-air as I watch her tongue flick out and lick a bit of cream off her lip. Fuck. This woman doesn’t do anything in halves. The night I kissed her, she held nothing back. She clung to me and bent to my will as though made to fit between my hands. I want to lick the frosting off her lips. I bet it would taste sweeter that way. The compulsion to kiss her again makes my skin itch.

“I bet that tastes good.” The words slip out while I watch her mouth.

My cake falls off my fork and onto the floor. Ava’s eyes snap open and she giggles.

“Don’t know how to feed yourself, Blackthorn. Here, let me help.” She lifts the pastry, and my mouth opens as if she’s commanded it. I take a bite, and when she tries to pull away, I wrap my fingers around her wrist and hold her hand there. I watch her face, transfixed, as I lean down and capture the rest of the pastry in my mouth. She sucks in a breath when my tongue touches her finger.

“Yeah. I like that.”

In the distance, I hear the tinkling of bells as the door opens, but I can’t look away from Ava. Not until an annoying voice calls out.

“Ava, what a surprise.”

I release Ava’s wrist as she blinks up at me, looking as dazed as I feel. I slowly turn to find her dickhead ex striding toward us. Are you fucking kidding me? Him, again?

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