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TOM STIRRED THE SPICES into the spaghetti sauce like Steve had taught him and glanced at the bubbles forming in the water. He left the stove and checked on the garlic bread in the oven before sending a quick glance at the family room where Jennifer and Raven were in a deep discussion about music and movies and theater.
Their animated chatter amused him, and he smiled. Jennifer had never warmed to Tanya like this. Usually when Tanya was around, awkward silence was prevalent, and they never knew what to say to each other, so Jennifer would disappear into the gym with her scripts and he would be left with Tanya and the silence of the house.
Laughter rang out and he turned back to their meal. He dropped a handful of spaghetti noodles into the now boiling water and set the timer. He finished setting the table while the noodles cooked. The buzzers all went off at once and he drained the noodles before he retrieved the bread and put it in the basket on the table.
Tom clapped his hands together gaining Raven and Jennifer’s attention and he waved to the table like a magician displaying a magic box. The girls sat at the table watching Tom as he served their meals and then sat next to Raven with his plate.
“I’m impressed,” Raven said, surveying the table and reaching for a piece of bread after Jennifer took one.
“I try,” Tom signed and nodded toward the bread.
Jennifer handed him the basket. “So, Raven, how long have you been in the United States?”
“Almost four years,” she answered.
“How do you like it?”
Raven shrugged, looking down at her plate and Tom started to sign, but she gave him a look that stopped his hands before she met Jennifer’s questioning stare.
“It has been a little rough,” she said.
Jennifer’s eyebrows rose, and her gaze traveled to Tom’s and back.
Without prompting, Raven continued, “I don’t know if Tom has mentioned it or not, but I’m a Wiccan and that combined with not living here all my life makes it pretty hard to make friends.”
Jennifer paused with her fork in her mouth and slowly pulled it out. Tom knew that expression and he inhaled; praying whatever was on her mind wouldn’t ruin the evening.
“Wiccan, like in Practical Magic?” she asked.
Raven smiled. “Sort of,” she said and spun a few strands of spaghetti on her fork and took a bite. “It’s more of a belief system than sorcery,” she said after swallowing her food.
Jennifer focused on her food with a crease between her eyes and Tom reached under the table and squeezed Raven’s thigh, sending a wink at her before finishing his meal.
“I guess I don’t get why that would prohibit you from making friends?” Jennifer looked up.
“Being a witch in a small New England town doesn’t go over well. People tend to label you as weird or crazy or worse. Unfortunately, the Catholics in Ireland are just as judgmental,” she said and offered a shrug. “On the bright side, at least they don’t burn witches at the stake anymore,” she said and smiled.
Jennifer pressed her lips together in a barely suppressed smirk. “Kids can be cruel,” she said. “I’m just glad my son had the sense to see what a wonderful girl you really are.” Jennifer folded her napkin and smiled.
Raven’s smile faltered, and her eyes filled with tears. When she glanced his way, her eyes held a depth of gratitude that struck his heart and he swallowed the last bite of spaghetti along with the lump in his throat.
“You two go study for a bit. I’ll clean up and then I’ll drive Raven home,” Jennifer said as she stood and started to clear the empty plates.
Tom cleared his plate and led Raven into the family room. “Are you okay?” he signed as they sat on the couch.
Raven nodded, meeting his gaze. “Dinner was fantastic,” she said.
Tom glanced toward the kitchen and then leaned forward, catching a kiss from Raven before he opened his book. Sitting this close to her brought on a fresh wave of intense lust and he gave her a sideways glance accompanied by a playful hint of a smile.
She rolled her eyes at him, shutting down his libido with one look and he sighed, dropping his gaze to the book.
“Do you want me to quiz you?” he signed.
“I thought I’d quiz you?” she challenged.
He leaned back, putting his feet up on the table and gave her the floor with a wave. Between each question, the tip of her pen slid between her lips in the most erotic manner and he had a difficult time concentrating. His hands didn’t seem to work smoothly enough to give correct answers and he fumbled, shaking his head while she leveled a “get serious” look in his direction.
“O u’faia,” he whispered.
“What was that?” she asked grinning.
Tom’s gaze flicked toward the kitchen and he signed, “That’s so unfair.”
Her cute dimples appeared, and she slid the pen between her teeth again.
Tom slammed the book closed and put it on the table, leaned his elbows on his knees, and studied Raven. His gaze slid from the pen, to the curve of her breasts and he bit his lower lip wanting to feel her skin against his again.
“You might want to wrap things up,” Jennifer said. “I’ll be down in a minute and I’ll take you home,” she added, meeting Raven’s gaze and then she disappeared up the stairs.
Tom didn’t hesitate, he moved, pushing Raven down onto the cushions of the couch and smiling down at her. “You ’ive me c’a’ey,” he whispered and kissed her neck before taking the opportunity to nibbled on her earlobe.
She giggled and pushed him away. “Are you crazy? Your mother will be down in a minute.”
“Who ca’ea,” he said.
“I do,” she said.
He glanced at the stairwell before planting a kiss on Raven’s cleavage and then he sat up. “Thanks for studying with me,” he signed.
“Anytime,” she said and packed her things in her backpack.
Raven stood, and Tom looked up at her with a pang of disappointment. He didn’t want the night to end and he got to his feet and pulled her into a big bear hug, lifting her off her feet and nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck.
Jennifer cleared her throat and Tom set Raven on her feet, catching a quick kiss before she had time to recover.
Raven blushed. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” she said and followed Jennifer out the garage door.
Tom lowered to the couch and leaned back, replaying every moment of the afternoon in his mind, trying to understand the complete captivation and the sudden emptiness in his stomach now that she was gone. A brief flicker of an idea rang through his mind and he wondered if Raven had concocted some sort of spell on him.
The lunacy of the thought made him chuckle and he collected his schoolbooks, making his way upstairs. His good mood soured as he stepped into his frigid room. Tanya faced the window, her back straight and stiff in the posture he was used to seeing any time he did something she deemed wrong.
“I wish you were dead,” she said.
Tom uttered a sharp laugh. “Don’t worry, you just might get your wish,” he said, and the suspension of reality lifted, leaving him with the weight of the charges crashing down.
She spun toward him and crossed the distance in a blink. Her hand formed the same claw formation, hell-bent to steal his heart, but the medallion stopped her progress, drawing a hiss from her skinless face.
“Leave me alone,” Tom snarled and leveled a deadly glare in her direction.
“You are going to wish for death when I’m through with you,” she said as she faded into a thin bank of fog.