Page 67 of Witch Please

“Tell her, Mini.” Titus pretended to cower from the dirty look Maya shot him.

“Okay, that’s adorable,” Lucy said.

They were all laughing when Susan and Dad wandered up. Neither of them appeared to notice that they all froze or that their arrival instantly killed the mood. Instead, Susan beamed at everyone, as if she couldn’t be happier. Titus didn’t know if she was naturally this dense or if pregnancy had made her unusually self-absorbed.

“I’m thrilled to see you getting along so well!” She turned to Dad with an adoring smile. “See, I told you this visit was a good idea. I’m so glad I suggested it.”

Suggested? Ha! No, don’t make a scene. Only one day left. You can do this.

Chapter 20

Up close, the witch hunter radiated intensity.

Black hair, dark stubble, strong jaw, and a nose with a bump in the ridge, as if it’d been broken multiple times. In person, his light-gray eyes were even more eerie, fringed by inky lashes. Dark ink crawled up his neck, and his hands were scarred, like he made a habit of hitting people. Or walls. Possibly both.

Probably both.

She gulped in a soft breath, but Rhys went on as if he couldn’t sense Danica’s panic. “You must be Clementine’s cousin. She couldn’t raise you on mobile, and I offered to keep an eye out. She said I couldn’t miss you on the mint-green bicycle, and she was dead right.”

“Oh, my phone’s on silent. You know Clem, I take it?” It took all of her self-control not to tremble, and she didn’t let her voice shake either.

How the hell is Clem doing this? She must have nerves of steel.Danica wanted nothing more than to escape and call Gram, demand an explanation for what she’d narrowly prevented, though she already had an inkling what the old witch would say. She fell into step with the hunter, waiting for him to respond as she pushed her bike toward the shop.

“She’s been kind enough to show me the sights.”

Danica laughed. “In St. Claire? I hope she took you to Star Lanes. You shouldn’t miss their frozen pizza or bowling to the oldies night.”

“I do enjoy a fine frozen pizza.” His eyes warmed a little, the smile nearly reaching them, but Danica could tell that he was still watchful.

Maybe that’s just his nature. If he was positive I’m the one he’s looking for, he wouldn’t be talking, that’s for sure.

She grinned. “Well, they do bake it first. Did something happen at the shop?”

“That’s my fault. I wanted to take her to lunch, but she said you hadn’t arrived to relieve her yet, so she tried to ring you—”

“And I didn’t answer.”

“Which brings you up to speed,” he finished.

“Understood. Then we should kick it up a notch. If I keep her waiting too long, she’ll be hangry, and nobody wants that.”

“You got that right.”

“I’d offer you a ride on my bike, but I don’t think you’d fit on the handlebars, and I’m pretty sure your legs would drag if I let you ride pillion.”

A bark of startled laughter escaped him. “You might also find it difficult to pedal with my weight on the back.”

“That…is true.”

“Are you calling me a husky lad?”

Danica laughed. “Hey, you brought up weight, not me.”

And it was indisputable that Gavin Rhys was a big man, over six feet tall. She was bad at guessing weight, and it didn’t matter, except that he was basically a wall, all chest and shoulders and legs.I wonder if Clem is really okay with distracting him?Right now, she didn’t even dislike Gavin Rhys; she only wished he hadn’t bought into such bullshit ideology that painted witches as brides of the dark lord. More likely, he’d been born to a witch-hunting family, and it was tough as hell to shake beliefs indoctrinated at birth.

They made amicable small talk on the way to the shop, and outside, Rhys peered up at the sign Danica had insisted on. “That’s a cute name.”

“I thought so. We brainstormed forever trying to come up with a memorable brand.”

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