by Amy Manemann
“Let’s try something else. Just close your eyes and let yourself go. Relax into me, Willa.” His voice was low and husky, sending delicious shivers through me.
“I’m not so sure this is a good idea.” Nervously, I tilted my face to find his eyes. He returned my stare, his eyes drawing me into their depths, leaving me to drown in the golden shimmer.
A gentle smile touched the corners of his mouth. “It’s just a stress reaction, remember? Nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah, a stress reaction,” I dumbly repeated, still unable to tear my gaze away from the swirling gold of his eyes.
“Close your eyes, Willa. Let your mind and body relax into mine. I swear, no harm will come to you,” he promised, pulling me back to the present and making me aware I was still staring at him.
With a sigh, I turned in his arms, snapping my eyes shut as he asked.
“Focus on trying to match my breathing pattern,” he whispered in my ear.
I focused on his chest rising and falling against my back, matching the slow inhalations with my own. Finally, my body began to relax into his, and I became more aware of my surroundings. The wind still swirled around us, but it felt lighter, the current more like fingertips dancing through my hair than a blowing breeze. My ears picked up the sound of laughter as the wind blew around us, and a soft flutter of something touched my face before disappearing on the breeze.
I gasped, eyes snapping open as I touched my cheek. “What the heck was that?”
Braeden laughed, the rumble in his chest shaking my body. “That, Willa, was the Earth Goddess saying hello. She’s pleased with you, stubbornness and all. She says you’ll be the greatest of your time.”
“Oh yeah? And how does she know that?” Sitting up, I angled my body so I could look at him.
His laughter faded, golden eyes growing serious as he stared down at me. Reaching up, he brushed my cheek with the back of his knuckles, a look of awe in his eyes. “The Earth Goddess knows everything, even things that have yet to come. You will be the greatest Lightkeeper, Willa. Of that I have no doubt.”
I lowered my gaze, reaching up to fiddle with the end of my braid. “And what if I’m not?”
My voice sounded small even to my ears, yet I couldn’t help it. The weight of the world felt like it was resting on my shoulders, and I had no idea if I could even hold up my end of the bargain. What if I came into my powers and couldn’t wield them?
Braeden tucked a finger under my chin, bringing my gaze back up to meet his. “You’ll be all that, and more.”
His gaze flickered between my eyes and my upturned lips. My tongue darted out to wet my lower lip, and I swallowed when his eyes hungrily followed the movement.
“We should get back to your meditation,” his voice had grown huskier than it had been moments before, and I shivered in anticipation.
“Probably,” I agreed, though neither of us moved.
Braeden’s hand slipped from my chin to the nape of my neck, tangling in my hair before he slowly lowered his face to mine. He stopped a hairbreadth away from my lips, his breath fanning across them like a caress.
“This is a terrible idea,” he murmured, searching my face for any sign of resistance.
Not that I was much help. He was right, this was a terrible idea, but right now I really didn’t care. I needed him to kiss me more than I needed to breathe. As he began to close the distance between us, my eyes fluttered shut, my lips parting on a sigh…and a sudden gust of wind hit us, the cold blast of air washing over our skin like an ice cold bucket of water was being dumped over our heads.
I jerked away from Braeden with a gasp, tumbling backwards on the blanket and landing on my rear with a bone-jarring thud.
“Holy Moses, what was that?” Rubbing my backside, I shot a furtive glance around the empty field.
Braeden raked a hand through his hair, agitation twisting his handsome features.
“Cold shower,” he grumbled, lips twisting wryly when I looked at him in confusion. He cleared his throat. “A reminder from the Earth Goddess that we need to get back to your training.”
Cheeks warm, I avoided his stare. Talk about embarrassing. I’ve heard of getting caught by your parents, but never by a Goddess. That had to be a new one, even for Aunt Sadie.
“A simple ‘knock it off’ would have worked,” I remarked dryly, shooting another furtive glance around for anything heading in my direction.
Braeden’s eyes twinkled with laughter. “Right, because the Earth Goddess is good at subtle.”
I refrained from sticking out my tongue. “Okay, so back to work. I think I have this meditation thing figured out enough to try it on my own. I’m sure EG would prefer it that way.”
Braeden quirked an eyebrow. “EG?”
I shrugged. “You know, as in Earth Goddess? Figured EG was easier than saying Earth Goddess all the time, especially since it looks like we’ll be hanging out regularly.”
Braeden threw back his head and laughed, the gut busting sound drawing a grin out of me as well.
“You are always surprising me, Willa. I never quite know what to expect with you,” he finally said when his laughter quieted down.
“What can I say? I’m a quirky kind of gal. Now, shall we get back to business?” I moved around to settle back into a comfortable position.
Back to business, Braeden settled on the blanket across from me. “You’ve got it. Now, remember what I taught you. Slow, deep breaths, relax your mind and body, and find your inner light.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon working on meditation techniques. Braeden explained that the purpose of the meditation was to strengthen my understanding of the Goddess’s powers, and to make my body and soul more susceptible to my own transformative powers. I wasn’t exactly certain what he meant, but I had to admit by the time we packed up and headed back into Salem, both my mind and body felt a sense of renewal from the day’s activity.
“Is this how it always feels after you meditate? I feel like I could go for a five-mile jog,” I joked as we pulled up in front of Sadie’s house.
Braeden chuckled softly, turning the key to switch off the engine. “Meditation cleanses your mind and body of any impurities and leaves one feeling refreshed. It’s common for people to feel invigorated after having been to a session.” Tugging the door handle, he unfolded himself from the car.
I quickly followed suit, unspent energy thrumming through me as he gathered the flannel blanket from the back seat and shut the rear driver’s side door. “So what happens now? I mean, is there more we need to work on today?”
I followed him up the front steps to the porch. Braeden held the front door open for me to pass through before following me inside. Dusk had settled, and my growly stomach reminded me I’d only had a sandwich for lunch. Hopefully, any more training could wait until after we got some food in us.
“No. Today’s meditation session was more extensive than what one would normally endure. Because of our time frame, or lack thereof,” he arched a pointed eyebrow, “it’s imperative that we amp up your training sessions and double the work.”
I made a face. Yes, it was my decision to stay and the reason we had to work twice as hard, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
“Well, I hope your little power program doesn’t include me going on a diet, because that's not going to happen,” I informed him sweetly.
He smirked. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Laughing under my breath, I glanced around the room, noting the house was oddly quiet. Apparently, Aunt Sadie hadn’t finished with her appointments yet. “Aunt Sadie must not be home yet. I suppose that means we’re on our own for dinner.”
“I hope you know how to cook. I’m afraid I’m not much of a chef.” His grimace made me laugh, especially since cooking wasn't one of my strong suits.
“Sorry, I'm not much of a cook either, unless you count peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And even then, it’s hit or miss. How about we grab a bite to eat in town
? There’s a restaurant a few blocks away that serves some decent food.”
Braeden’s stomach grumbled at the mention of decent food, and we both laughed.
“I’ll take that as a yes." I crooked my finger at him with a smile. “Follow me.”
Chapter 5
Deb’s Diner was busy when we arrived. One of the rare restaurants still open on a Sunday evening in Salem, it wasn’t a surprise to see most of the tables were already full. A long coffee bar separated the cooks from the customers, where you could sit and enjoy a meal while watching the cooks prepare the food. Waitresses flitted between the booths lining the front windows and behind the coffee bar, filling orders and cleaning tables.
Lucky for us, a booth in the corner opened up just as we walked in, and I quickly snagged it, amazed we’d been able to get a seat. I smiled and nodded at a few familiar faces in passing, feeling the prick of their curious stares as we took our seats.
“What’s good here?” Braeden asked, grabbing a menu from the holder behind the ketchup bottle.
I smiled. “Pretty much everything. If you’re looking for comfort food, I recommend the homemade macaroni and cheese bake.”
“Now that has definite possibilities,” he murmured, having already found it on his menu and was reading the description.
An older waitress approached our table with glasses of water in hand. Her nametag read Stella, and she had the haggard look of a person who’d been on their feet all day. Setting the water down in front of us, her wrinkled hands withdrew an order book from the front of her food stained apron, pencil poised at the ready. “Hi there, Willa, fancy seeing you here. What’ll it be?”
“Hey, Stella. I’ll take the macaroni and cheese bake, a cup of chowder, and a cherry coke, please.” Having eaten here plenty enough, I didn’t even bother to glance at a menu.
“I should have guessed as much.” Stella’s warm eyes lingered on me for a moment before turning her attention to Braeden.
Without missing a beat, he snapped his menu shut and stowed it back in its holder. “I’ll take the same."
“I’ll get those orders in for you and be right back with your chowder and drinks.” Rather than leaving us, Stella hesitated next to the table, eyes flickering between Braeden and I.
Apparently, an introduction was in order. I sighed, seeing no way around it. “Stella, this is Braeden. He’s a…friend visiting from out of town.”
Stella’s lips pulled up into a smile as she held out her hand to shake Braeden’s. “Pleased to meet you, Braeden. And welcome to Salem. How long will you be staying?”
I bit my lower lip, worrying the skin between my teeth. Now there was a loaded question.
But Braeden took it in stride, flashing an easy grin that made Stella titter girlishly. “Only for a short time, though I’m thinking I may have to extend my visit. Salem is quite an interesting town.”
“Oh, it is! Willa, you should take him on one of the town tours, give him the full experience while he’s here. You haven’t lived until you’ve been on an after dark walking tour,” Stella gushed, giving me a saucy wink before walking away.
I inwardly groaned. Leave it to Stella to play matchmaker, as if I didn’t already have enough on my plate.
“She seems nice,” Braeden commented with a twinkle in his eye.
“She is. Stella’s been here for as long as I can remember.”
“And apparently knows your taste in food.”
“What can I say? I’m a creature of habit,” I admitted, sipping from my water glass.
Stella hurried by with our bowls of chowder and cherry cokes, setting them on the table with two straws before moving on to another group of customers.
Braeden picked the paper off his plastic straw to deposit it into his drink. “Busy in here. Is it always like this?”
“Sundays are always busy. There aren’t many places open on a Sunday night in Salem, so your choices are pretty limited,” I explained as I unwrapped my straw, dropping it into my Coke.
He nodded, glancing around the room. “I can see why people would want to come here. It’s homey.”
I followed his gaze, my eyes landing on the decorative old fishing nets and pictures of the surrounding shoreline that peppered the walls. While it may not be much to some, Deb’s Diner was home to those of us who lived here. It was a place to find good food and good company, all wrapped up in a home-style atmosphere. I honestly couldn’t imagine Salem without it.
I blew on the top of my chowder, dipping my spoon in for a hefty bite. My lips closed around the spoon with a sigh, the creamy richness of the chowder sliding over my tongue before drifting down the back of my throat.
“Wow. This has got to be the best chowder I’ve ever had,” Braeden exclaimed after taking a bite, already digging in for
another spoonful.
I smiled, irrationally happy that he liked it so much. “Probably because we’re on the coast and the chowder is fresh. You don’t get chowder like this just anywhere.”
We ate in silence, both enjoying the rich soup. Right on time, the bottom of our bowls were being scraped when Stella appeared with our steaming plates of macaroni and cheese bakes.
“Here you are. Enjoy your meals,” she said cheerily, flashing a smile before turning and bustling away.
Having our palates teased by the chowder, we dug into our food with gusto. The combination of four different cheeses baked with the macaroni noodles was like an explosion of flavor in my mouth, and we both bit back a groan on the first bite.
“Oh my God,” Braeden groaned, eyes sliding shut for a blissful moment, “I didn't know food could taste this good.”
I laughed. “Comfort food at its finest.”
It wasn't long before our plates were practically licked clean, and we leaned back in our seats, appetites fully satisfied.
“I must have been hungrier than I thought.” I didn't recall the last time I ate my food that fast. Guess I was hungrier than I thought.
Braeden smiled, a look of satisfaction on his face. “That was hands down the best meal I’ve had in quite a while. No wonder this place is so packed.”
I had to agree. No matter how many times I ate at Deb’s, the portion sizes never shrank, and the food was always better than the time before last.
“Hello, Willow. I didn’t expect to see you here. And with a hunky guy, even,” a familiar voice made me cringe. Pasting a smile on my face, I stared at the woman next to our table, her blue eyes intent on Braeden. Great.
“Uh, hi, Makenzie,” I mumbled, anger and embarrassment warming my cheeks. I really wasn’t up to playing Makenzie’s game tonight, and I really didn’t want to do it in front of Braeden.
“I’m Makenzie.” Ignoring me, she spoke to Braeden with a flash of pearly white teeth that made me grit my own. My hands curled into angry fists on my lap. Why did she have to do this to me? Why couldn’t she just get over herself and find a new hobby that didn’t include picking on me?
“It’s Willa,” Braeden said smoothly, and a flood of warmth filled the iciness that clenched my stomach.
Makenzie frowned, blinking in surprise. “I’m sorry?”
Braeden smiled, though the light didn't quite reach the depths of his golden gaze. “You called her Willow. Her name is Willa, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to enjoying our meal together. In private.”
“Are you sure? I'll bet I could show you a better time than Willa could.” Her smile was smug, and my fingernails dug into my palms with the effort it took to not lash out at her.
“I highly doubt it,” Braeden returned, the coldness in his gaze as he stared her down leaving little room for argument. “Now, if you don't mind?”
Makenzie’s cheeks turned pink, so shocked by his setback that for once she had no comeback. Anger dissipating, I couldn’t stop my blossoming smile even if I’d tried. Not that I wanted to.
“Um…yeah, okay. Sorry for the interruption. Enjoy your dinner.” Somewhat in a daze, Makenzie beat a has
ty retreat, glancing at us once over her shoulder on her way out the door. In complete awe, I gaped at Braeden. Other than Aunt Sadie, no one had ever stuck up for me like that before, and it was hard to put into words the effect he had on my senses.
“Thank you.”
“She was making you uncomfortable, and I didn’t see the need to have our evening ruined. People like that are a complete waste of time.” He shrugged.
Jaw slack, the simplicity of that sentence stunned me. Why didn't I think about that before, I wondered. All these years I'd put up with Makenzie's constant taunting. Was it possible I could have put an end to the torment by simply deciding she was a waste of my time?
“You know something, you’re right. I don’t know why I didn’t see it that way before. Thank you,” I whispered, catching Stella coming towards us from the corner of my eye.
“Well, how was it?” She reached across the table to clear our dirty dishes, dropping them in the brown plastic tub hugging her plump waist.
Braeden patted his stomach, mouth splitting into a satisfied grin. “Amazing, Stella. My compliments to the chef.”
Stella beamed. “I’ll be sure to pass the message on. And your meals are on the house tonight, so why don’t you two scurry off and see what fun you can get in to.”
I shook my head, frowning. “You don’t have to do that, Stella.”
She was already waving a hand through the air before I finished. “I don’t have to do anything, dear. Now, off with you both. It’s too early for you to be cooped up inside of this old place, and I have more customers who will want your booth.” She patted my cheek before walking away.
Braeden dug his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out a twenty and dropping it on the table.
“We may not get to pay, but she didn’t say we couldn’t tip well.” Unfolding his long legs, he stood from the table.
Laughing, I pushed away from the table to stand. It had been an interesting day. I learned about meditation, discovered a hot guy liked me, ate a gut busting meal at Deb’s, and watched Braeden put Makenzie in her place.
Definitely best day ever.