Page 23 of Boss Witch

“You got me.”

She registered the moment he saw the sign. His body tensed and he stepped back, eyes flat and shadowed. “Cute gimmick,” he said.

Clem forced herself to grin. “Yeah, my cousin came up with it. She searched online, and apparently, there was a witch in the 1600s with our same last name or something.”

“What’s your surname, Clementine?”

It couldn’t be good that he was using her whole name. “Waterhouse. Why?” Goddess, she hoped her innocent look was convincing. This was the first major hurdle.

“Your history is off a bit. Agnes Waterhouse was hanged in 1566.”

She widened her eyes, trying her best to look awed instead of terrified. “Whoa, how do you know that off the top of your head?”

“History professor, remember?” Gavin smiled slightly, but the look still didn’t reach his eyes. He seemed wary.

No, no, no. Think fast.

“Oh, right. Listen, I hate to ask, but would you mind riding around the square to look for my cousin? She’s supposed to be here by now, and I can’t go to lunch until she arrives.” Would he let her play it off?

Gavin blinked. “I’ve never met your cousin. How am I supposed to track her down?”

Quickly Clem brought up a recent selfie she’d taken with Danica. “She’ll be riding a retro green bicycle with a basket on the front, festooned with plastic flowers. I promise she’s impossible to miss.”

His gaze warmed, lingering on the silly pose she and Danica had adopted for the shot. “No lunch until I find her or she answers her mobile, I take it?”

“Yeah, I’m stuck here until she shows. Do you mind?”

This errand made sense, thankfully. Because otherwise, it would be logical to invite him into the shop to wait with air-­conditioning. Normally, she’d never freaking ask for a favor like this, let alone from someone she was dating. In fact, old partners had complained she didn’t lean on them enough, didn’t let them in or ask for emotional support when she was suffering.

That’s what my coven sisters are for.

It was also the reason she’d considered long and hard about asking Priya out. From one angle, it made perfect sense because Priya was already inside her circle of trust. Letting down her defenses would be easier in some respects. But if things went sideways, it might’ve made things incredibly awkward as well. A moot point, as while Clem weighed the pros and cons, Kerry came on like a tropical storm.

“I’ll take a look,” Gavin said. “If she’s about, I’ll find her. Try ringing her again, yeah?”

“On it.” Clem raised her phone in emphasis as she headed back inside.

About fifteen minutes later, he returned with her cousin in tow. He must’ve left his motorcycle wherever he found her, and Danica was walking her bike as well. Cheeks flushed, she hurried in. “Sorry! The time got away from me.”

“I can see that,” Clem said, swallowing a more acerbic retort.

“He’s waiting to take you to lunch. Will you be home tonight?”

Clem simply shrugged, gathering her purse and the surprise for Gavin from the back room. She was in no mood to talk to her cousin. Clem got that falling in love unexpectedly could throw somebody off-­kilter, but she didn’t like how Danica was acting. A relationship that edged out all other aspects of a person’s life—­that shit wasn’t healthy. And she couldn’t support it either, not when she’d seen her mother constantly put Barnabas first. If her mom knew how to be happy alone, Clem had certainly never seen any evidence of it. And now here Danica was, repeating those mistakes.

“Don’t wait up,” she said. “I’ll leave the car keys for you.”

She placed them on the counter and then left without looking back. Gavin greeted her with a bright smile, and some of the resentment faded. Normally she didn’t mind being the one who had everything under control, but some of that containment might be failing. The seams around her emotions were about to burst, especially when she gazed at Gavin Rhys.

“Any requests for lunch?” he asked.

“We can go to Java House. It’s close, and they have a chicken BLT wrap that’s surprisingly delicious.”

“I gather you’re more interested in dessert,” he said.

“It’s time to put your parfait where your mouth is.” When the words came out, they sounded way filthier than she’d planned.

His lips quirked. “That can be arranged, though it might not be wise.”

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