Page 20 of Sweets and Sycamores
Dominic articulated his first words to her since that morning.
“Want some?”
Some? How about the whole thing? It smelled divine, and everything Dominic made was delicious. But Allie didn’t think her boss wanted to eat with her and chat about their day.
“No, thank you.” Her stomach chose that moment to growl like a drowning ape.
Yeah. She was certain she could fit under the table and hide there until her skin changed back to its normal color. So, until next week. Her cheeks heated, and she chuckled nervouslyunder Dominic’s unwavering stare. Allie cleared her throat, eager to come up with anything to fill the pressing silence.
But Dominic beat her to it.
“Eat.” He shoved the plate closer to Allie, and the sweet smell flooded her senses, her stomach rumbling in response. She hesitated before picking up a fork and digging into the pie, barely suppressing a moan.
Dominic was used to witnessing people enjoy his baking. He’d gotten his fair share of compliments and delighted stares, but never one that made him feel…like this. Uncomfortable. Strained. Bewitched.
And that’s exactly how he felt watching Alecsandra’s lids flutter closed and hearing the soft moan she involuntarily let out in response to the huge bite. The table groaned under the weight of his grip, and he quickly shoved his hands in his pockets, clearing his throat loudly. The Witch’s eyes snapped open at the sound.
“This is so good,” she said around a mouthful, pointing with her fork to the plate. “Thank you.”
Dom needed to remember that very few people were accustomed to his crazy schedule, and most would need food before the bakery closed for the day. He had remembered this yesterday, so when he’d heard her stomach growl, he felt a twinge of guilt pass through him.
Yes, he was still toying with the idea of firing her, although he’d already agreed to let her stay. And yes, he was excruciatingly annoyed and on edge, thinking of what could happen. But that didn’t mean he would treat her badly, and not letting his employee eat during the workday was inconsiderate.
Alecsandra ate almost half of the pumpkin pie before she gave a happy sigh and licked her lips. Dominic’s body went taut as her tongue swirled around the fork once, twice, on the front and back. He couldn’t look away. The Witch had put him under a spell that sewed him to that spot, his eyes glued to her mouth.
What the hell was he doing?
“I’ll be out front,” he grunted and sprinted out of the kitchen with his glass of ice water.
Dom had a sudden urge to pour that water over his head.
Chapter 10
DON’T GIVE IT ANOTHER THOUGHT
After feeding her the most delicious pumpkin pie in what she could only describe as a religious experience, Dominic stopped talking to her again, and Allie had no intention of infringing on his space. After closing up, she went to her studio room and wolfed down the sandwiches and fruit salad as a quick dinner. Then she let her hair down, put on her jacket, grabbed the book on Witchcraft, and left, no sign of her boss on her way out.
It was her second time walking around Sycamore Falls, and with the appropriate clothing, she appreciated the feeling of cold air on her skin and in her lungs. Taking a deep inhale felt like breathing for the first time in a long time, as Pearls Fields’s heat left her wearied and drenched in sweat.
Dusk set over the tree-covered mountains that guarded the town, the beautiful, amber fall colors shimmering under the pink hue. Leaves lined the sidewalk and the street like chocolate shavings on top of a pie. How beautiful was Hallows Eve in this town? Allie dreamed of the townhouses decorated with pumpkins and webs, the smell of apple cider donuts and cinnamon buns wafting through the streets. She bet the moon was more powerful here that night. With her power finallymanifested, maybe she could try to carry on her mother’s Hallows Eve tradition of charging it with the moonlight.
Allie exhaled and wiped away those silly dreams from her mind. She’d be back with the Silverbarks by then, and they would perform the coven’s traditions and midnight rituals. Allie made a mental note to charge her stones in the moonlight before that night.
The road snaked closer to the river and the woods at the end of Maple Street. Allie was searching for a secluded place close to the river so she could practice without an audience and within a safe distance of some water. She did not want to hurt anybody. There was no doubt in her mind that she would be failing for a while before using her power with confidence. Besides, even her coven sisters feared getting close to her during practice, and on the few times they stayed, she’d heard them mutter rude comments—unfortunately, most of them accurate—under their breath. Petra had taught her that other people’s opinions didn’t define who she was.
Her mother had been right, but that didn’t make it easier to feel left out.
Allie followed the paved road long after she passed by the last building. In moments like this she missed her broom dearly, so she let the thought of getting it back be a match for her motivation. She just had to light it. Literally.
Allie carved away from the path and into the forest, following the gurgle of the river, the moon lighting her steps. She stumbled upon a small clearing on the edge of the flowing water, spacious enough to double as a sports field.
Perfect.
She sat cross-legged on the cold ground, close enough to the river to run the tips of her fingers through the water. Shivers wriggled up her arm at the contact with the freezing cold water,and she pulled her hand away. Good enough to put out any fire she might ignite.
Allie opened the book and read a few pages on power categories and manifestation—like she needed to be reminded that she’d manifested about twenty years later than the average Witch—and skipped the other elements until she got to fire.
She learned quickly that unused power tended to implode and cause impromptu flares through the Witch’s body. These could only be controlled once the Witch’s power was mastered. Which, in Allie’s case, it wasn’t, but now all her previous mishaps with randomly setting things on fire or excessive heating made sense. She found solace in this explanation, knowing that what had happened to her was expected and that nothing was wrong with her. The wave of relief at gaining this knowledge washed over her, lifting an invisible weight she carried in her soul. She had no one to teach her, but her power was like anybody else’s.
