Page 51 of All My Witches
“How many times have you been married?” Iasked.
“Eight. Each one was a treasure andgift.”
“I figured.” I rolled my neck until it cracked. “I’m sorry for your loss, but there’s a very real chance that your wife survived the fall and walked off that way.” I pointed toward what looked to be a small mountain. “Hey, I don’t remember the island having a mountain. When we landed, it was as flat as … well, Thistle’s personality when she has ahangover.”
“You’ll pay for that when we get home.” Thistle dusted off her hands on her jeans as she stood. “I guess we need to follow the footprints to find our nextscene.”
“Does anyone else think we should just hang out here?” Clove asked, splashing the cool water on her face. “It’s nice and pretty. I just know wherever we’re going next won’t be nice andpretty.”
“It sounds like an intriguing option, but we need to work through the scenes to get out of here,” I reminded her. “We can’t sit around andwait.”
“You’re very smart,” Hutch intoned, leaning closer. His eyes were clear and he had a flirtatious smile on his face. “Has anyone ever told you how smart youare?”
I shifted away from him, lobbing a glare as I increased the distance between us. “Don’t invade my personalspace.”
“That’s not what I was doing.” Hutch was all innocence and light. “I was merely talking about yourintelligence.”
“Well … stay over there when you wax poetic about what a genius Iam.”
“Sure. Sure.” Hutch bobbed his head. “Did I mention that intelligent women turn me on? Also … I loveblondes.”
He made my stomach twist. “What color was your wife’shair?”
“Who can remember things likethat?”
“Ugh, you’re a complete and total tool.” I ground my molars. “Let’s go. We need to follow the footprints. Landon is probably goingcrazy.”
“He’s not the only one,” Thistle said. “I kind of want to punchsomeone.”
“I suggestHutch.”
“You read mymind.”
WE WALKEDANOTHERten minutes before the sound of voices assailed our ears. I hurried over a hill, pulling up short when I caught sight of a woman with long red hair standing in the middle of a small clearing. Behind her, a cabin materialized, making me think we’d arrived in the woods rather than remained on anisland.
“Queenie?” Hutch asked,confused.
The woman turned, her eyes latching onto mine. I might not have recognized the hair – it was ridiculously red, after all – but I did recognize the face. “Lila?”
“Oh, you just knew we weren’t going to make it out of here without seeing her,” Thistle seethed. “Someone punch her before she gets a chance to open hermouth.”
I considered arguing with the sentiment, but even a fake Lila was an annoying Lila … and punching her in the face always held at least minimalappeal.
“Queenie, I can’t believe it’s you.” Hutch took a hesitant step forward, his eyes glazed with unshed tears. “I thought you weredead.”
“And he was really torn up about it, too,” Thistle deadpanned. “For a second there we thought he might throw a party orsomething.”
Lila didn’t look nearly as happy to see Hutch as he did to see her. “I can’t believe you found me. Are you stalking me? Are you trying to force me to do the one thing I don’t want to do …again?”
“I would never force you to do what you don’t want to do,” Hutch protested. “I loveyou.”
“Well, I don’t love you,” Lila shot back. “I’ve found someone else. I’ve found my truelove.”
Hutch planted his hands on his hips. “And who is thisrogue?”
“His name is Jericho Steele … and he’s twice the man you’ll everbe.”
I should’ve seen that coming. “Jericho? Is hehere?”
