Page 60 of Sweets and Sycamores
Dominic finished turning the discarded dough into croissants with his ever-present frown in place. He was back to his silent and broody self, but Allie could deal with that. She’d dealt with it ever since she arrived at Dom’s Sweets, so while he worked on the pastries, Allie gave them both space from each other.
She slipped into her room and whipped up two omelet sandwiches with goat cheese and red bell peppers. She ate hers while the other one was cooking, then put the second sandwich on a plate and went back to the kitchen.
“I’ll do that while you eat,” Allie said, placing the dish on the table. She took the icing bag from Dominic’s hands and continued filling the macaron shells as her boss stood there, unmoving. “Eat it while it’s warm,” she urged him without taking her eyes off the macarons.
The air shifted around her, and steps filled the room together with a grumbled “Thanks.”
They finished getting the bakery ready in silence. If Allie didn’t know any better, she might have thought Dominic was ignoring her. As much as you can ignore someone you work with. But his mood was no different than on any other broody day.
They got through the morning rush, and Allie thought everything was mercifully back to normal.
“Hi, Allie,” Brandon shouted as he came in, his grin so big she could see it from across the bakery. Allie waved him over to the counter. “What’s good today?”
She almost said “croissants,” then thought better of it and recommended the apple pie.
“I’ll take a slice to go.” Brandon leaned over the counter as she packaged the pie. “Do you have any plans tonight?” Allie shook her head. “I’d like to show you the other side of the farm,” he offered with a sneaky smile.
“That would be?—”
“Outside. Now.” Dominic’s voice carried from the small hallway into the bakery before his tall form came into view. He grabbed his friend by the elbow as Brandon made a “one second” gesture to Allie. She stared after them helplessly with the apple pie box in her hands.
Since there were no other customers, Allie had a clear view of the outside through the tall, wide windows. Dominic stood with his arms crossed while Brandon cackled so loudly, the sound reached Allie through the closed door. Her boss looked like he was part of a heated exchange, but his friend seemed more entertained than ever.
Dominic almost tore the door off its hinges when he came in, surrounded by a cloud of rage that was taking form around him. Brandon followed him leisurely as if he was having the time of his life.
“Here’s your pie,” she said, offering the box to him in exchange for a bill.
“Thanks, Allie. As I was saying before we were rudely interrupted,” he raised his voice on the last two words, “I’d love to show you around the farm. How about tonight?”
“I—”
“Great. I’ll pick you up after closing time,” he said with a wink and left.
Shortly after that, Dominic walked out of the kitchen without his apron and barked orders about the timers he’d set, saying he was taking the afternoon off to take care of his other work.Allie wanted to go with him, but they couldn’t both leave during business hours. If only he’d told her more about his power and how he was using it to look for a cure, she could have spent this time thinking of a plan.
Think like a Witch, Allie.
She still had no ideawhyanyone would do what that Witch did, but she didn’t need to know the reason behind it to consider the method employed by the Witch to break the spell.
Dominic had said the magic between the earth and the sycamores was severed. Allie guessed there must be a piece of land where this detachment occurred. It was one of the few times Allie wished she was more like her sisters, more like Lydia, who was smart and cunning and cruel.
Allie racked her brain trying to think of something, anything that could be useful to Dominic. It was difficult since she wasn’t like the other Witches, but also because her mind flew to what had happened that morning in the kitchen. To Dominic’s body lined up with hers.
Again, and again, and again. And every time her thoughts wandered, Allie wished she had kissed her boss, risks be damned.
Chapter 23
ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?
Asilver car was parked outside when Allie came out of the bakery, after she had changed into a different sweater and grabbed her jacket. And her dragon. Ekko had filled her studio room with happy puffs of steam when she told him they were visiting Brandon’s farm, where he could fly freely. Allie hadn’t asked Brandon if her baby dragon was welcome on this visit, but the first thing the ever-grinning man did was scratch Ekko under his chin and say, “Hey, buddy.” The creature stretched and purred from Allie’s shoulder, more house cat than dragon.
“Ready?” Brandon said and held open the passenger door.
Allie took advantage of the last rays of daylight to soak in the scenery. Once they crossed over the bridge to the residential and farming area of the town, they were lost between auburn hills and snaking bronze paths. It was breathtaking, and peaceful, and somehow comforting to live in a place with changing seasons. Pearls Fields was forever bound to summer by the old magic in the land, and while Allie had enjoyed the endless sunny days when she was little, now she found herself running from the scorching sun more often than not.
“How do you like it here so far?” Brandon asked her as he pulled the car into the driveway of the house with the green roof.
“It’s beautiful.”
