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Kyle brought me a chocolate muffin when he made rounds the next morning.
I forced a smile. Peeled off the paper. Set the muffin on the counter. “I can’t reach Georgia.”
He picked up the muffin and took a bite. “As a police officer, I have to tell you to honor your cousin’s wishes and leave them alone.”
I huffed and turned away.
Kyle followed and tugged my arm. “As the man who loves you, I suggest you give them time. A new baby, coupled with a recent move and job change. Top three stressors right there. My suggestion is to focus on us. We have a wedding to plan, don’t we?”
I rolled my eyes. Kyle was nothing if not persistent. “We have plenty of time.”
“Okay,” he said. “Then let’s look at the facts in evidence. Georgia knows you, and she knows how to reach you, right?” He raised his eyebrows, reminding me he’d seen her appear in my bedroom.
I nodded. Points to him for not running screaming after that episode.
“LeAnne reached out to you in spite of Jason’s wishes.”
“She hasn’t acknowledged the flowers I sent for the new baby.” As soon as I said it, I cringed at how petty I sounded.
“New baby,” he repeated. “She has other things to worry about.”
I slipped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his shoulder. “You’re right.” Considering he’d brought up Georgia’s appearance, I drew a shuddery breath to share the rest of my concerns. “If something happens, another confrontation of some kind, you won’t be able to protect me.” I looked up to meet his gaze. “And to be honest, I’m not sure how well I can protect you.”
“You’re talking about if something happens like what Narcy did?”
I nodded. “I don’t want you caught in the crossfire. If you’d have been inside the workroom when it caught fire, we both might have died, or one of us if they had to choose which of us to rescue.”
He narrowed his eyes as if considering my point and took a step away. “We can come up with more ideas tonight. Right now, I have to finish rounds.”
Kyle left without kissing me goodbye and I wondered if I’d overstepped, if I shouldn’t have mentioned the magic stuff. No. He’d told me enough times he accepted I had gifts. At some point in time I’d have to trust him and not overthink one missing kiss.
Cassandra arrived in patchwork jeans, a T-shirt and a washed-out denim jacket. From the smile on her face, I assumed things had gone well last night. I knew Cassandra could withstand the wagging tongues in town, but I wasn’t so sure about Lucas.
Then I worried about Cassandra becoming collateral damage if whatever woman I was supposed to be worried about came after me the way Narcy had.
I was back in the burning workroom.
“Brynn!”
I sat on the stool behind the counter. Ash had crawled into my lap, and Cassandra stood over me, shaking my shoulders. As I focused on her, she backed away. One of the racks of clothing lay on its side. I pulled my arms close to my body, assuming I’d ‘pushed’ the rack over.
Why did the episodes seem to be getting worse?
My cell phone rang. Nora. Naturally.
With a cough to clear my throat of the imagined smoke, I answered. Cassandra left me to right the clothes rack.
“Again?” Nora asked.
I hated how out of control I felt. “Yes. Kyle suggested I get help, and I’m beginning to think I should. It seems to be getting worse instead of better.”
“There’s more going on than either of us can see,” she said. “I have an idea. When is your day off?”
“Tomorrow, but I’ve already taken time off this week.”
“You’re taking your day off,” Cassandra called from across the shop. “I’ve got things covered here.”
I gave way to a smile. “And Cassandra assures me tomorrow is still my day off.”
“Good. I’m coming to see you.” She hesitated a moment. “Do you think it would help to have Hannah come, too?”
As much as I tried to deny it, I knew I needed help. “I suppose that depends on what you have in mind,” I said.
“The book I showed you. It might hold an answer, but if it doesn’t...”
“How about you and me put our heads together first,” I said. “If we can’t figure this out, we’ll call Hannah then.”
“I’m going to check with her, just in case,” Nora said.
“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cassandra stood across the counter from me. “Nora?”
I nodded.
“If anyone can help you, Nora can.”
I stroked Ash’s fur, taking comfort from the cat. After all the years of no one caring about me, I struggled with knowing when to ask for help, or when to accept it. Ash didn’t expect anything from me, other than food and water. I knew Nora didn’t have an ulterior motive, and yet I felt indebted every time she did something nice for me. I also knew I needed her now.
“Seems things would be easier if you could wiggle your nose and make the bad stuff disappear,” Cassandra said.
I laughed. She often made subtle comments about the magic, but I knew she wasn’t looking for proof or validation. More likely, she was making a joke, the way the townspeople whispered rumors about me and Nora being witches.
“Yeah, that would be nice,” I said. “I think I’ll count my blessings where I find them, instead.” I pulled myself together. “I’m guessing your date with Lucas went well last night?”
Her smile beamed. “He says he isn’t above playing the ‘who was there for her grandmother’ card if anyone dares badmouth me, that he’ll remind them I have family in this town I have been helping out, in case they’ve forgotten.” She lowered her voice. “And he loves my sense of fashion.”
“It suits you,” I said. “Another thing you might use to your advantage if someone criticizes your wardrobe again. Mrs. Hazelton seems to have gotten the message.”
Cassandra laughed. “I believe she has. There is photographic evidence she wasn’t always such a prude.”
Ash nuzzled against my waist before she hopped to the rear counter and to her rug in the corner. She must have decided I was more myself.
Customers stopped in over the course of the day to buy the special orders I’d mixed, and after the schools let out, several young women shopped Cassandra’s line, some of them wearing clothes they’d purchased previously. I had reason to be optimistic about the new business plan.
Kyle came in an hour before closing, greeted Cassandra, and escorted me to the back room.
“What’s up?” I asked.
He handed me a printout. “I got information on LeAnne. Not much to go on, I’m afraid. No criminal record. No social media presence. She went to a community college in Ohio for an associate’s degree in marketing. Her work history puts her at Wisconsin Global Insurance with both Jason and Sharon until Georgia was born. Nothing stands out.”
“Which leaves us right back where we started.” She’d been so friendly. I had a hard time believing I’d completely misjudged her.