Page 19 of The Trouble With Spells
“No worries. Thought I saw a mouse,” I lied. “Hex is pretty but he’s not a great mouser. Thinks it’s beneath him.”
Hex batted his paw in my direction, his meow telling me what I could do with my opinion of his mouse hunting skills.
“I guess I’ll be going now,” Michael said each word slowly, and I nodded.
Stop nodding like a lunatic, Callum. He’s going to think you’re a weirdo. Though if the whole witch thing didn’t scare him off, you’re probably good.
“Yeah, okay.”Now would be a good time to ask him about that cup of coffee.
“Okay.” He took a step back, his eyes conflicted.
“Okay.”Say something, Callum. Anything.Do not say okay one more time.
Michael ran a hand through his messy hair. “It was good seeing you again.”
Smiling, I snorted, “You had no clue who I was when you walked in here.”
He laughed, “You’re right, I didn’t.”
“It’s no big deal. I was pretty unremarkable in school. You were way too popular for me to be on your radar. And I was two years behind you.”
He bit his lower lip, and it was adorable the way he looked almost shy. “I…yeah…if it didn’t revolve around sports, or debate club, it didn’t really register. Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I moved the candle from one side of the counter to the other for something to do with my hands. “Really, it’s not a big deal. You were pretty wrapped up in your girlfriend back then too.” Wincing, I kept my gaze plastered to the floor, because I hadn’t really meant to go there.
“Well,” he shoved his pockets into the front of his jeans, “I wasn’t out then, and Steph was…understanding. I didn’t come out until my second year of college.”
“I’m gay too,” I blurted.
Michael’s lips tipped up into a sly smile. “Yeah, I figured that when you called me cute.”
Oh, fucking hell, I had forgotten about that embarrassment. “Oh, yeah…and you are too?”
He nodded, grinning now, “I am, yeah.”
Say something clever, Callum!And, I had…absolutely nothing. Why couldn’t I be a natural born flirt like my sister?
Michael shoved his hands in his back pockets, “I guess I should go. I need to at least stop by and see my parents while I’m here. If my mom hears I was in Salem and didn’t come see them, there will be hell to pay.”
“Yeah, moms are like that.”What was I even saying? I should not beallowed to speak. Ever.
“Do you ever come to Boston?” Michael asked, his voice hopeful.
“Not if I can fucking avoid it.”
His face fell, “Oh. Yeah, it’s not for everyone.”
“Sorry, that was rude of me.” Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I was blowing this.Ask him for coffee, Callum! Man the fuck up. Remember your vision? And your reading! The cards predicted a new love would enter your life and here he is. Don’t blow this!
Michael shuffled a foot across the tiled floor. “Um…I don’t suppose you would want to, maybe, grab dinner or something tonight, would you?”
Shoving my glasses up my nose, I stared at him, my mouth hanging open.
“Oh,” I breathed, my chest filling with warmth, “I’d love to, sure.”
His smile lit up his face and reached all the way to his eyes. It was the smile I remembered from school, and it still had the power to make my stomach swoop and swirl. “Good then. What time do you close? Is seven good?”
Technically, we closed at nine, but I was closing early because I needed to help Macy tonight. Macy! I’d completely forgotten I had promised to help.
