Jinxed | A Halloween Romance | Coven Corner #1

Chapter Seven

"Aiden?" Bianca said.

She stood, smoothing her hands down her skirts to clear away any wrinkles or dust. Aiden met her at the threshold of the sitting room and his gaze slid right past Bianca's shoulder to where Sky was seated on the couch.

If she had been better at magic, she could have conjured a spell to make the cushions open up and swallow her whole.

"I didn't know you would be here," Bianca said, her voice light and happy.

It seemed the reading had gone exactly as she had hoped it would—taken the weight of worry off of her shoulders. Instead, the weight had transferred to Sky's shoulders.

"Well, I don't have an appointment or anything," Aiden replied. "I thought I would drop by on my way to The Eye of Newt for dinner."

"I was going there for dinner, too," Bianca said with a blinding smile. "We could go together if you like."

For the first time, Aiden dragged his attention away from Sky and turned to Bianca.

"I wouldn't want to make you wait through my reading," he said. "So I'll catch you another time. Maybe after Mabon?"

Bianca placed her hand on Aiden's arm.

"I would love that," she said. "I look forward to it." She turned to Sky. "What do you I owe you for the reading?"

Sky waved her off. "You can settle with me later."

Bianca blew Sky a kiss of gratitude and patted Aiden's shoulder.

"You're in good hands with Sky," she said. "Enjoy your reading."

Then she walked out, leaving Sky and Aiden alone in the sitting room. The door clicked shut and silence descended.

Sky gathered up the teapot and cups. The dishes made an obscenely loud clattering noise as they tumbled into a mess on the tray.

"I'll just..." Sky said. "Just make a fresh pot of tea. Be back in a moment."

Sky ducked her head as she hurried past Aiden and tried to ignore the way he smelled so good—cloves, sage, and smoky incense.

Once she was in the kitchen, she spilled the dishes into the sink and touched her lips with two fingers. The tea leaves had been far too cloudy to read for Bianca. How could she possibly read for Aiden when standing in the same room with him for more than a second or two made her flustered?

Then there was the problem with the cards.

If she took the cards at face value, they meant only good things for Bianca's future. But the reverse meanings had been too bright and bold to ignore. And that reverse reading had torn Sky to shreds, exposing her behavior and pinning her like a bug to a board in shame.

A light footstep echoed behind her and Aiden cleared his throat. Sky turned to see him standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

Sky's tearoom had been built for her. Since she was so short, the ceilings were low and the doorways were wider than they were tall. Aiden's head almost touched the top of the doorframe.

"Something smells amazing," he said.

His gaze fell on the vats of tea resting on the kitchen table.

"Harvest tea," Sky said. "For Mabon."

Aiden moved into the room and lifted one of the lids off of a vat. He breathed in the steam and closed his eyes.

"I haven't had a good cup of harvest tea in years," he said.

"Didn't you celebrate Mabon in New York?"