Page 90 of Black Willow Witch
‘You’d be bored if I gave you your own way in everything. Not that you’ll ever admit it.’
Truthfully . . . she wasn’t wrong on either count.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
‘Personally, I think you should go slap her,’ Paisley declared with a haughty sniff as they stepped forward in the line.
‘There are four “hers” over there,’ began Emberlyn, glancing out of the bakery window. ‘Which one are you referring to?’
‘Any or all of them. CeCe is their girl, I get it, but she’s no victim here. They look at you like you’re going out of your way to make her miserable.’
They did indeed. It had been like that for the past week.
CeCe hadn’t taken Emberlyn’s advice to stop living in denial. Nope, she’d been sure to share her ‘the devil’s witch has magickly mind-fucked Ripper’ opinion far and wide – something he’d later reamed her ass for. She now officially loathed Emberlyn.
If the weird woman had hoped to rile up her clan and turn them against Emberlyn, she’d failed. No one outside CeCe’s group of friends seemed to agree with her. In fact, many of Emberlyn’s customers had snickered or rolled their eyes about it, accurately calling CeCe’s theory ridiculous and jealousy-based.
‘The only person getting in the way of CeCe’s happiness is CeCe herself,’ Paisley added. ‘It’s almost like she’s been driving down a road of self-sabotage recently.’
‘While blindfolded.’
‘And drugged.’
‘I don’t think things would have gotten so bad if she wasn’t quite so stubborn. She just wouldn’t accept or respect Ripper’s decision. Persistence is a good trait, but you have to know whento quit; that there are times when it’s best to let something go. Otherwise, the trait becomes a flaw.’
Paisley dipped her chin. ‘There’s fighting for what you want, and there’s staying in a fight that you just can’t win.’
Right then, the person in front of them moved away.Finally.
Stepping forward, Emberlyn smiled at the woman behind the counter and then peered down at the tall glass case. She pointed at an egg-salad sandwich. ‘I’ll have one of those, a bottle of water and a raspberry tart, please.’
Gathering the order together, the baker asked, ‘You eating in or out?’
‘In.’
‘I’ll have my usual please,’ Paisley piped up.
The baker squinted as she remembered, ‘A meatball sub, a chocolate square and a can of soda. Right?’
Paisley grinned. ‘Right. I wish my memory was that good.’
They both edged over to the stainless-steel counter and paid for their orders. Emberlyn piled everything on a plastic tray, which she then carried over to the window table that Paisley had selected.
‘They’restillthere,’ complained Paisley.
Emberlyn glanced out of the window. Yep, CeCe’s buds were still there, and still staring. ‘But not brave enough to come face me, so they’re not worth my notice.’ She unloaded the tray, arranged the items on the table and placed the tray on the corner pile.
Once she and Paisley were seated, Emberlyn released a little magick that would keep their conversation private. The effect was like thin, transparent walls slamming up. The sounds around them – dough tumbling in the mixer, plates clattering, the whir of the dishwasher and the conversations of others – promptly faded.
Anyone who tried eavesdropping on Emberlyn and Paisley’s chat would hear only muffled voices, no words distinguishable.
‘Ooh,’ began Paisley, ‘Kerr’s ushering them away, look.’
Emberlyn tracked her friend’s gaze to see Kerr glaring at the group, waving his hand to indicate they get moving. He caught her eye through the window, rolled both his own and then walked off.
‘Notice they left fast. They’re only bold when they think no one above them in the clan’s hierarchy is paying attention.’ Paisley removed the cellophane from her sub. ‘You know, I’m insulted on your behalf that anyone would imply you’d need magick to snag a man’s attentionorkeep it.’
Emberlyn nabbed her plate – which was slightly warm, presumably from the dishwasher – and slid it closer. ‘It’s CeCe’s attempt to explain away Ripper’s sudden interest in me.’
