Page 56 of Sweets and Sycamores
“I’m thinking about leaving Sycamore Falls early and heading for Pearls Fields this weekend.” She paused to check his reaction, but he had none. Dominic stared back at her like he was frozen, like he wasn’t breathing. “I don’t pose a threat to my sisters anymore, so I think they will take me back. They mighteven help me learn about my power,” she explained, trying to convince herself as well. Lydia had said she needed to prove she was in control, and she was…in a way. Dominic’s green eyes moved over her face, and the familiar frown took its rightful place between his eyebrows.
“No.”
“What?” Allie’s head jerked back in surprise.
“You’re not leaving early.”
“Why not?” It was her turn to frown at him. “I’ll get everything in order by then, I promise. I’ll get the room cleaned?—”
“No.” Her boss slammed his hands on the table as he stood up and left, heading up the stairs.
Dominic left Allie to close the shop as he wore a path on the carpet in his living room. He pulled at the band in his hair and threw it on the floor. His nails dug into the heels of his palms, anger making his breaths come out hot and fast. Anger with himself and his fucking lack of restraint. He was sure his comment had put Allie off, and now she wanted to leave early. For a man who had lived his life with his mouth mostly shut, he wondered what the hell was wrong with him that he opened it then.
Why did he have to act like a flirty ass at the wedding? He’d let Brandon get in his head, and now Allie wanted to leave because he had hit on her and made her uncomfortable. And his acting like a child earlier for sure didn’t help, either.
He’d always known she would leave Sycamore Falls, so why was it an issue now that she wanted to leave early? Why?
Because Brandon had been fucking right, and if what had happened at the wedding didn’t prove it, his present rage did. Dominic kicked the edge of the couch.
He liked Allie.
He liked that she was kind, patient, and willing to learn. He liked that she smiled at him sincerely. That she trusted him. That she was beautiful, soul and body, and she made him a better person. He liked who he became when she was around.
Having her around the bakery had been a blessing. With her here, Dom had more time to spend on his mission. This week, he’d left after the lunch rush for two to three hours, which helped cover more ground around the area. He was still unsuccessful, but he needed to search every piece of land to find where the magic was broken. And he could do this faster now, having Allie at the bakery.
Selfishly, he liked having her around. He stopped his annoying pacing and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had no right to be selfish. Ultimately, it was Allie’s choice, and he had to respect it, even if he wished it was different.
Now that he was coming back to his senses, he had to find her, apologize, and maybeaskher why she decided to leave early instead of acting like a jerk and yelling like a caveman.
Dominic went downstairs and knocked on Allie’s door. He waited for a beat, then knocked again. No answer. The lights were off in the bakery, too. If she wasn’t here…
Dom grabbed his jacket and went out into the cold night, zipping it to his chin. Fall was great and all that, but he hated the darkness that set in at four in the afternoon. It had been dark for a couple of hours already, and he didn’t keep the time he’d spent brooding by himself.
How long ago had Allie left? She practiced by herself at night almost every day, but today the thought of her alone in the middle of the forest made him more restless than any other day.He rushed along Maple Street, down the winding path to the secluded clearing he knew too well.
Barely a couple of moon rays escaped through the immense crowns of the sycamores to light his path. But once a glimmer of red light caught his eye through the thick darkness, Dominic sped toward it, his chest growing heavy with the panic that had seized him the night he found Allie surrounded by fire.
Now she stood by the river with her back to him, her long, big curls loose, brushing the small of her back. Her right palm was up, and above it burned a fire the size of a wine bottle. Dominic slowed his pace, seeing that she wasn’t in any danger.
A soft purple smudge flew up and nudged her jaw toward him. Allie turned abruptly, her brown eyes wide, and the fire exploded into a tall, campfire-sized one.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” she uttered, stepping away, but the flame followed her on her palm. Dominic fought the urge to clench his fist and put the fire out with his magic. He should teach her, as he’d promised to do.
“Stop!” he shouted. “It’s yours, it’s not going to burn you.” Allie obeyed, fresh fear lining her gaze, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Dominic talked as he approached her. “You are in control, Allie. Pull it back.”
“How?” She looked befuddled between him and the fire, still keeping it as far away as she could. Dom thought to share something he had learned in school, and if it didn’t work immediately, he’d put the fire out. His magic was ready, buzzing through his veins. He wouldn’t let anything happen to Allie. Did she know that?
“Think of your power like a ball of yarn. You pull on the thread, and the fire ignites. The more you pull, the brighter it burns. And when you want to put it out, you roll the thread back in.”
“But…” she started, panic in her voice.
“Come on, Allie. Roll the thread back,” he encouraged her through clenched teeth, power at the ready. Her eyes stopped moving between him and the fire and squeezed shut. On the next breath, the flame decreased the slightest bit. “That’s good, keep going.” The flame dulled until it was the size of a peach, then Allie clamped her fist shut and snuffed it out.
Dom heard the loud breaths grazing her parted lips. He walked to her?—
“Move,” he hissed as Ekko planted himself in Dom’s face, blowing warm steam at him through his nostrils. The creature looked irritated and bared his teeth at Dominic, as if warning him not to approach the Witch.
Cute.
