“Fries and a coke.” The waiter sets our order onto the counter. We jerk and spin toward him.
“Thanks,” we both say in unison, then glance at one another and giggle. He merely shakes his head and departs.
“They make the best fries,” Luna says, snagging a fry from the tray and dipping it in the ranch dressing, then the ketchup.
“You’re kidding me, right?” I blurt.
She pauses, the fry hovering in her hold, inches from her mouth. “About the fries being devilishly tasty? Not in the slightest.”
“No, not about that. The double dipping.” My gaze travels from the food in her grip to the two sauce containers.
Her peer follows mine, and her mouth widens into a large O shape. “I’m so sorry. That was rude of me to mix the ranch in the ketchup.”
“I don’t even care about that. If you hadn’t been the one to do it, I would have. It’s my favorite way to eat fries.” And I’m slightly thrilled to discover Luna likes to eat hers the same way.
“Seriously? That’s funny. It is super yummy, though.” She pops the fry in her mouth and devours it.
Grabbing two fries pressed together, I also dip and devour. We eat fries, sip cold drinks, and jabber like we’ve always known each other. Slipping into our developing relationship is as easy as curling up with my favorite blanket. I tell her about my coven members, James and Jeanna, and she tells me about her parents.
“My mom is all nerves and anxiety, dealing with whatever is going on with my dad,” she says. “My family life has been a bit of a crazy ride. I only just moved here about two months ago and it was a bit of a culture shock. Everything about life here is way different than Monticello where I grew up.”
“What made your family decide to move to New Orleans?” I ask.
“Well.” She spins a fry in the ketchup. “About three years ago, my parents broke up and my dad moved out this way. Then, three months ago, they got back together. Go figure. My mom moved us out here so that we could be a family again. Only, she moved me two-and-a-half hours away from my friends and the only life I’ve ever known”
“That must have been hard,” I sympathize and take a sip of my drink.
“Yes and no,” she replies. “Everything was fairly great at first, and then in a snap, it all spiraled into the trash bin. I don’t know what’s up with my dad, but I’m trapped in a hell of his creation. Mom says we can’t afford to move and so I’m forced to deal. And because of the move, I don’t even have my friends to lean on or confide in. I’ve been feeling very much alone.” She squeezes her hands tight.
“You don’t need to be alone any longer.” I beam bright for her, hoping to wash away any remnants of gloom clinging to her as a result of her story. “Maybe you’d like to come to one of our coven meetings some time?”
“Oh.” She perks straight. “I’d love that. James already gave me the info.”
“Really?” He didn’t talk to Luna the way I had… have. When we met in the spice shop, he didn’t know anything about her. What if she’d turned out to be a psycho? “I mean, great.”
She slides off her stool. “I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.” She walks to the bathroom, and I spin on my stool, eat more fries.
“How are you girls doing?” The waiter steps up to our position at the counter.
“Good, thanks.” I dip another fry.
“Do you think you’ll want anything else?” he asks.
I glance toward the bathroom. Just beyond the door to the restroom, Luna stands with a man. He’s leaning over her, delivering unheard-by-me words. Her gaze is glued to the floor at her feet. For the briefest of moments, her stare shoots to me, then away. She shakes her head, pushes past him, and returns to me at our spot at the counter.
“Who was that,” I ask.
“No one.” She doesn’t take a seat, but shuffles through her purse. “Some associate of my dad’s.”
Thoughts of Caleb flash through my mind. I’d thought he was an upstanding guy, but it turned out he secretly was anything but. I wonder if what is going on with Luna’s dad has its roots in something dark and magickal.
Luna pulls her hand free of her bag and places cash on the counter. “I’m sorry about this, but I’ve got to go. It was nice seeing you again.” She bolts out the door before I can rebut.
I stare after her retreating image. Blink. Glance toward the bathroom. The guy she’d been speaking to is gone and, with a quick sweep of the diner for confirmation, is nowhere in sight.
The people beside me get up to leave and another patron walks by, sliding past me and my departing neighbors.
“You shouldn’t be here, little witch,” whispers at my ear. I startle, look around me, but note no obvious source for the message.
I spin toward the counter and the waiter, raise my hand. “Check.”
Chapter Five
My meet up with Luna didn’t end as I had expected. I don’t know what to take away from her abrupt departure. When I get home, I try calling her but get a busy signal. I call later to the same results, and again on Sunday. Either someone’s been constantly on the phone, or they left it off the hook, avoiding calls… possibly me.
I try not to dwell on the situation. After all, I just met her. It’s not like we have a long and deep relationship. Although, she is nice. And cool. And rather pretty.
Fireflies dance in my chest.
The next morning, Mom takes advantage of having the day off work, and, braving the rain, takes me dress shopping. She manages to hold herself
