“Do you mind me asking you about him?” she asked.
“Him, who?”
She nodded across the street. “He seems useful enough.”
I glanced at Kyle’s house, wondering once more how difficult the future would be living across the street from each other. “He’s a good man, but we had different worldviews.”
“Is that so important?”
I laughed. “It is if you hope to build a future together.”
Madeleine shrugged. “Seems you could have managed the situation, if you know what I mean. Take what you want and ignore the rest.”
When Narcy had bewitched him, hadn’t she done the same thing? I took a step back. The only response I could come up with would be laced with sarcasm, or comments that would juxtapose Madeleine’s desires with mine and invite trouble.
I wanted Ian, but more than that, I wanted the other things we’d found in each other. Shared experiences. Camaraderie. Respect.
He thought I’d cheated on him.
“What I want,” I finally said, “is a deeper connection to someone. A superficial ‘need of the moment’ only serves to highlight, for me anyway, how alone I am. I learned that lesson in high school. Without a real connection, I find I’m happier by myself.”
She blinked, as if surprised by my point of view, and tucked the sheet of paper into her pocket. “I guess I’ll see you at the coven, then?”
I didn’t bother to tell her that was unlikely. “Thank you for reversing the spell.”
Again she shrugged. “Gave me an excuse to...” She glanced at me through veiled eyelashes. “Never mind.” She smiled, waved and left on the footpath into town.
My stomach growled, reminding me I needed something to eat. I walked into the house and started a pot of coffee, but the smell roiled my stomach. Likely, falling asleep in the damp and cold last night had triggered an immune response. I didn’t need to get sick on top of everything else. I popped a piece of bread into the toaster, and then spread the toast with homemade strawberry jam.
Still no open grimoires when I wandered into the workroom. I tested my telekinesis by summoning a pen from the table. It didn’t move. Even with satisfaction of the spell, my magic wasn’t working.
I returned to the dining table and logged onto my computer to fill the time searching job opportunities before I left for the shop. I couldn’t count on my magic returning, and I had to make a living.
The listings were sparse, but I sent off a resume before I printed more brochures for my products. I’d solicit more B&B’s and gift shops after Windfall closed.
As I left for work a couple of hours later, I glanced at Kyle’s house once more. The canceled spell provided a sense of finality to everything. My eyes teared. More than the broken engagement, I’d miss Kyle’s friendship.
I set my resolve and marched the footpaths into town.
Tourists lined the sidewalks. Labor Day weekend was starting early. As I unlocked the door to Windfall, a group of three women looked in the window.
“Clothes?” one asked me.
“Yes, and botanical products. Soaps, candles, essential oils,” I replied.
“That might be interesting,” a second woman said. “The sign says you’re going out of business. Does that mean your inventory is discounted?”
I reached into my basket and pulled out a flyer. “Yes, but the botanicals will still be available through our internet store, and you’ll be able to buy Cassandra’s clothing at a shop in Milwaukee.” As we spoke, Cassandra strode down the block toward the shop. “If you’re interested, here comes the designer now.”
The ladies exchanged glances and followed me into the shop.
One of the ladies bought a dress, and two of them bought bath salts. When they left the store, Cassandra shot me a serious look.
“Are you okay? You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine. Just a little off today.”
She nodded. “I was thinking we should open on Sunday. It’s our last Sunday, and it’s a holiday weekend.”
“Good idea. Bank as much profit as we can. We’re already paying the rent for September.”
“Should we stay open longer?”
“Sales always crash after Labor Day,” I said. “No point sticking around after the tourists are gone.”
“I can’t believe this is the end. Three more days?”
I gave her the thumbs-up. “Here’s hoping for three profitable days.”
A steady stream of customers came and went. I handed out brochures for the internet store, and we did another round of Windfall karaoke to keep things upbeat. Neighboring shop owners stopped in to tell us how much they were going to miss us, which made both Cassandra and me laugh even more.
I’d had enough of small-town life and being the outcast. Barry had suggested I might want to live closer to Nora, an idea that grew increasingly appealing.
As the day wore on, I decided to call Cassandra’s Realtor friend to see about listing my house.
When I walked home, I stopped outside my house to take it in one more time, from the cinder stone walls to the triquetra on the chimney. For the past five years, this had been my safe haven. Where would I go?
Be the queen of my castle.
The unbidden thought produced a sharp pang in my chest, along with the wretchedness I’d been too busy to think about all day. I checked my phone, knowing the one text or missed call I hoped to see wouldn’t be there.
I walked inside, preparing to call Nora, when Kyle knocked on my door dressed in a black uniform that identified him as a county officer.
“I got the job,” he said when I answered the door.
“Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”
He straightened his shoulders, then dropped to a knee. “Can we forget everything that’s happened in the last four months? Marry me, Brynn.”
Chapter 35
Stunned, I stood in the doorway with my mouth hanging open, before I managed to ask, “Why?”
Kyle glanced around. “May I come in?”
I stepped aside and we crossed to the dining table where we’d shared so many dinners.
“I know I screwed up,” he
