by Mindy Klasky
I shrugged. “You know I didn’t mean to start all this.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t mean to come between Teresa and Haylee.”
“Things might have been different if Teresa ran a different sort of Coven. If you had had a different warder.” He stared at the silver chain that was twined between my fingers, at the Torch that rested against my knuckles. “When Haylee dismissed me, I was persona non grata in the Coven. It’s a hard life, Jane. It made me a hard person. It’s not easy being out there on your own.”
“But it’s not impossible,” I prompted.
“No. It’s not impossible.”
I squared my shoulders. “And this time, we’ll be out there together.”
“Together,” he agreed.
I settled the silver chain around my neck, tucked the Torch inside my sweater. I might have walked away from the Coven, but I wasn’t ready to give up the symbol. Yet.
“Jane!” Melissa called, and I turned to face the chattering group at the counter. “Everything’s ready to go!”
I scrambled for my purse, fishing out my wallet. “How much?”
Melissa waved me off. “We might as well start an account, don’t you think? Wouldn’t that be best, for a long-term venture?”
“That would be perfect,” I said. “Absolutely perfect.”
I made my farewells quickly—I didn’t want to ruin my new Peabridge initiative by arriving late, and I still needed to change into my colonial costume. As the bakery door closed behind me, Melissa was freshening cups all the way around. Neko was insisting that he needed more milk, but he could likely get by with the filling from a cream puff or two. Jacques was agreeing, with Gallic enthusiasm and slavish devotion. Gran was telling Melissa about the recipe for Homemade Turkish Baklava with Rose Water and Pistachio Cream, and Clara was reminding everyone that some of the world’s greatest mystics came from Turkey.
But David walked beside me, carrying my pasteboard boxes in easy, companionable silence.
SORCERY AND THE SINGLE GIRL
A Red Dress Ink novel
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0655-1
© 2007 by Mindy L. Klasky
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