Page 11 of Our Little Moments

“Well, our town’s probably the best spot to come to if you need to recharge.”

Why do I sound like I’m advertising our town?

She gives me a small smile. “Yeah, I definitely noticed that this morning.” Her smile grows. “The way you use your magic here is absolutely fascinating.”

I grin. “It’s my favorite thing about our town.”

Her smile turns sad. “I wish I could have added my touch here.”

“Your touch?”

“Yeah, with my magic.”

Time stops moving. This woman haspowers?“What can you do?” I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.

“Could.As in past tense.” She gulps and her voice shakes a little when she continues. “I can’t use my magic anymore.”

Her honesty strikes me, hard. I wish I could say things as directly as her, especially when I’m struggling. But I can’t and have never been able to.

There’s not a feeling I understand more than what she’s going through—what it’s like to bepowerless. To see everyone around you do the things you used to do perfectly. To see the life you built be ripped away in less than a second.

“You’ll get them back in no time, Stella,” I say reassuringly.

Her eyes meet mine across the table, and I see more in them than any words she could say. The vulnerability in them hits me hard. When’s the last time I let someone in like she’s doing? So openly?

“How? How could you know?”

Looking into her open eyes, I can’t help the overwhelming urge to help her—no, not urge,need.But the need to match her vulnerability is even bigger. “I lost my powers too. I was a little over twenty, and my life was a mess.” I gulp.I can’t believe I admitted that.Those months were some of the worst of my life and I’m talking about it with a stranger.

Still, I keep going. “I’d been trying to live a life that didn’t make me happy here. I thought I’d find what I was looking for in the city, but I didn’t. Eventually, I got burnt out, and lonely.” I push through the discomfort, which is hard as hell. “I came back home and tried to reconnect with my sisters.” Stella’s compassionate eyes are on me, understanding so clear on her face. I stop talking about myself and switch to a more rational topic. “Despite the fact that everyone here has powers, some of us have lost them at some point. It hits hard, but it can be fixed; I’ve seen it dozens of times. I went through it too.”

I smile over at her, turning to focus back on Stella. She gulps, and my smile widens, knowing I’m not the only one struggling with this conversation.

“How did you do it?” Her shy eyes meet mine.

I sigh. “It’s different for everyone. But burn out is usually the main reason—”

Stella jumps out of her seat. “I’m not burnt out!”

I chuckle, smiling as I reply, “There can be other reasons, Stella. I could help you find yours.”

The storm in her eyes dims, and she sits back down. “You would?”

“Yeah. Most of the town would, honestly. But I’m . . . A lot less busy than most. I have more time on my hands.”

I see her consider my offer, her eyes drifting away. I wait patiently, letting her think it through.

But then, the most breathtaking smile spreads across her face, full of calm and confidence. She holds eye contact with me when she replies, “Thank you for the offer. It means the world to me. But . . . I think this is something I need to figure out on my own.”

For some reason, I stay frozen. I can’t remember the last time someone declined my help. Everyone alwaysasksfor it. I haven’t been told no for so long that I think I forgot that word existed.

The door swings shut behind her. I blink. She’s . . . gone?

I should feel rejected. Instead, I just want to see her again. And all I can think about is how much I want to help her find what she’s lost.

Chapter 5

Stella

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