Page 25 of The Trouble With Spells
A dark five o’clock shadow was just starting to bloom over his lower cheeks and jawline, andneedshivered across my spine, nearly jolting me from my casual pose across his bed. Iwantedto feel that stubble on my body. My thighs. My neck. Against my lips.
He pushed his glasses up, giving me a small smile in the mirror. Then turning, he pointed to the bedroom window. “Told you. Storm’s moved out.”
Watching his long, graceful finger, I saw that his earlier prediction had come true. The rain had stopped, the thunder and lightning vanished, and even the wind was silent. Shadows cast a gloom over the room despite the storm’s passing.
Callum slid his phone in his back pocket, checked his wallet, and was about to say something when my own phone dinged with incoming messages. It had been silent all day–okay, I had turned it off and just turned it back on a few minutes ago–but it still startled me with the volume of notifications that were suddenly vibrating in my hand.
Callum’s brows arched over the black frames of his glasses. “You’re suddenly very popular.”
Waving my phone in my hand, I grimaced. “Because I had it turned off. Do we need to get going?”
He shrugged noncommittally. “We have a few minutes if you need to take care of anything. More if we drive over, though walking is easier. It’s only a couple of blocks but trying to park is just…” he shook his head, “not fun.”
“Let me make sure there isn’t anything I need to deal with right now.” It dawned on me then, as I was scanning my emails, notifications, and text messages, that I hadn’t missed this. Hadn’t missed any of the endless, never-ending buzzing and dinging my phone usually did, all day and night. Hadn’t even thought about my phone for hours.
Derek’s name in my text caught my attention and I winced. Yeah, I should have at least checked in with him. He was going to give me hell.
Derek:Michael! I just heard about your building! Dude, why didn’t you call me? Are you okay?
Derek:Michael, where the fuck are you?
Derek:I’m about to start calling the hospitals.
Derek:Riordan from the 118 said no one was hurt, so I guess you’re not dead somewhere, fucking asshole.
Derek:Michael, I swear to God if you don’t answer me…
Derek:Why is some nerd from the geek squad answering your office phone? Where is Maggie?
Derek:Michael, what the fuck IS GOING ON?? Cap just told us all intel on Marcone is to go through Shelby.What. The. Fuck?
Derek:I’m going to kick your ass when I find you.
Callum, seeing my many myriad facial expressions as I read through my best friend’s worried messages, frowned at me. “Bad news?”
Sitting up, I shook my head. “Just need to quickly calm my best friend down. I kind of went M.I.A. and he’s freaking out. If I don’t check in soon, he’s liable to put a B.O.L.O. out on me.” Fuck, knowing Derek, he might already have.
Callum snickered, “I actually know what that is fromN.C.I.S.andCriminal Minds. Be on the lookout, right?”
“Very good. He’s a detective, and I wouldn’t put it past him.” We headed out of Callum’s bedroom and down the stairs, Hex following close behind. “I’ll call him on the walk over.”
Callum locked the shop up, telling the cat we’d be back later, and we headed down the street. It was dusk out, the sun, mostly hidden by clouds, sinking in the sky. A crispness was in the air, just cool enough to need long sleeves, or a hoodie, but winter hadn’t arrived just yet. Leaves scattered across yards, a mixture of yellows, oranges, and reds. And on practically every porch, sidewalk, or front lawn there was at least one carved jack-o-lantern grinning at us.
October in Salem was this town's jam. Spooky season haddescended in all its glory.
Pushing the button to call Derek, I breathed in the fresh, cool air, watching as Callum waved at a few people he obviously knew. Reaching for his hand, I entwined our fingers together and found myself surprisingly looking forward to this witchy guided walk he was taking me on.
No, I realized, what I was looking forward to was spending the evening with Callum.
Chapter Twelve
Callum
“Hey Macy, we’re here,” I announced, walking up to a short, curvy woman, who had her back to us, consulting her tablet. She had long, bright pink hair that was secured on top of her head in a messy bun.
She turned, a sunny smile on her cute face. When she saw Michael, her dark brows rose all the way up to her feathery fringe of bangs. She was wearing a shirt that matched mine, only hers was hot pink with black lettering. “Michael fucking Endicott. Callum, you have so much tea to spill.”
“Later,” I muttered, shaking my head. “Michael, this is my best friend, Macy. Macy, Michael, though obviously,she knows who you are.”
