Page 90 of Power Shift
Ash pointed to the back. “She has a test in Calculus she has to study for.”
“School already started?” I groaned. Time was flying these days.
“A week ago,” Ash confirmed. “She has two semesters left before she’s done.”
“Oh,” I breathed. “Does she know what she’s going to do when she finishes?”
Ash shook his head. “She’s mulling over a lot of things these days.”
“Well I hope she mulls staying with us. I’m happy to offer a pay raise once she graduates.”
Ash gave me a grateful smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks. She’s going through some things, but I’ll talk to her.”
I reached out and touched his hand. “Are you guys okay?”
“I hope so,” Ash said. When he said nothing else, I nodded.
“Okay. I’m here if you ever want to talk.”
“Thanks, Evie.”
I put the final touches on the bouquet, activated the preservation spell, and passed it to Moira to tuck in the fridge to hold for the bride.
Ash headed over to his alcove to work on his next bonsai project. The bell over the door jingled, announcing the arrival of a group of older women.
“Evie!” Marnie, half owner of the Thistle and Thread Cafe, entered, holding a basket that I hoped was full of goodies.
Twila, her sister, came in behind her, followed by Sirena, the owner of my favorite gelato food truck.
Marnie and Twila were hedgewitches, who made the best soup on the planet. Marnie was the smaller and more boisterous of the pair.
She made a beeline for my worktable. “We brought you some things!”
“I’m already drooling,” I assured her.
Twila waved shyly, and Sirena winked. Out of the three, I was most wary of Sirena. She was a Siren, and like all Sirens, she had a way with men and women. But in addition, she was somewhat of a foreseer.
I didn’t like anyone diving into my future because the future revealed secrets, and I liked mine untold.
Marnie’s pale blue eyes twinkled. “Can I use your table?”
“Of course.” I moved the clippers and supplies out of the way.
She unpacked a small, still steaming pot pie, four containers of soup, and a large portion of sliced bread.
“Oh my goodness,” I breathed. “Marnie!” The bounty before me smelled like heaven. “How much do I owe you for all of this?”
Marnie scoffed and waved a hand. “Since you asked for none of it, you don’t owe me a dime.”
She jerked her head at Sirena. “This one said you might be busy for the next few days and could use some fortification. I brought enough to last you a few days. Twila made the soup.”
“It’s country potato,” the quieter sister said, her light brown eyes kind and happy.
“And the pot pie is beef and mushroom.” Marnie frowned. “Sirena said to add a lot of extra beef. I hope that’s okay.”
I swallowed, carefully not meeting the Siren’s eyes. “Umm. Yes. That’s perfect. Thank you.”
Did she know about me?
