Page 16 of Wedded Witch

“I really need to go,” I say, forcing a polite smile.

Mavis chuckles softly. “Of course, darling. But if you change your mind, you’ll know where to find me.” She winks, then pushes her cart down the hallway, humming an off-key tune under her breath.

I double check I’ve got my key, close the door quickly and lean against it, my heart racing. What the hell was that? Something tells me Mavis is no ordinary housekeeper, but I can’t afford to think too much about it right now.

The diner isn’t far, and the crisp morning air feels good against my skin as I make my way across the street. The place has that classic small-town charm, with a neon sign that buzzes faintly and the smell of coffee and bacon wafting out as I step inside. Maybe I was too tired to appreciate its charm last night, or maybe I’m just so hungry it all smells good.

I slide into a booth near the window and pick up the menu, but I already know what I’m getting. Pancakes. It’s practically a given after the way the guy at the motel talked them up.

When the waitress comes over, a different one from last night, I place my order with a smile and settle in, letting the comforting atmosphere of the diner wash over me. It’s busy enough to feel lively, but not so crowded that it’s overwhelming.

There’s a hum of conversation, the clatter of dishes, and the sizzle of something on the griddle. It’s nice. Normal.

My mind drifts back to Kel and the way he smelt so good. Now I’m torn between Oland’s cedar smell and Kel’s leather musk. Damn. There’s something about hot guys’ scents that just hits different.

There was something about Kel that I can’t quite put my finger on – a spark, a pull that made it hard to look away. I wonder what he’s doing now, if he’s still at the motel or if he’s already left for the day.

I didn’t spot him when I walked past the front desk. Maybe I should’ve asked him to join me, but then I remember Oland, the vows we exchanged, and that insistent feeling of guilt returns.

Before I can dwell on it too much, the pancakes arrive, and they look even better than I imagined – thick and fluffy, with just the right amount of golden-brown crisp on the edges. I take a bite, and it’s like heaven on a plate.

For a few minutes, I lose myself in the simple pleasure of eating, letting the sweetness of the syrup and the warmth of the food push away the darker thoughts lurking in the back of my mind.

But then, out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of movement outside the window. I glance up and seehim.Kel. Coming from the motel and heading toward the diner. My heart skips a beat, and before I can even think about what I’m doing, I slide out of the booth and grab my bag.

I don’t know why I’m running, why the thought of talking to him again makes me feel like I need to get out of here fast. Especially as a minute ago I was wishing I’d spent longer with him yesterday.

Maybe it’s because I’m not ready to face anyone, not when I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on in my own head. Or maybe it’s because I don’t trust myself not to get pulled into whatever strange, magnetic thing is happening between us.

You’re married now, Swyn. You may have run from your husband, but he’s still your husband nonetheless. You have no right lusting after handsome strangers.

Either way, I leave a few bills on the table, enough to cover the meal and a decent tip, and head for the door. I slip out just before he reaches the entrance, my heart racing as I step back into the cool morning air.

I take a deep breath and force myself to walk calmly back to the motel, even though every instinct is screaming at me to run. I can feel his eyes on me, the weight of his gaze even though I don’t dare look back. It’s almost like the magic is pulling at me again, urging me to turn around, to stay, to?—

No. I can’t do this. Not now.

I hurry across the street and back to my room, my thoughts a jumbled mess as I lock the door behind me and lean against it, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. What the hell is happening to me?

I slide down the door, my knees pulled up to my chest, and take a few deep breaths. I need to get a grip. There’s too much at stake for me to be falling apart over some guy I just met.

No matter how cute he is, or how much my incredibly limited magic seems to go haywire around him.

I just need to focus. To remember why I’m here. Spells Hollow is waiting, and whatever secrets it holds, I’m going to find them. I have to.Everythingis riding on this.

“Don’t you fucking dare,you fucking piece of shit!” I growl, slamming my fist down on the steering wheel. The engine sputters one last time, groaning before giving up completely.

Dead. The damn hire car hasn’t missed a beat this whole trip, and now, of all places, it decides to die at the edge of nowhere. The fuel gauge shows full, no warning lights. It’s just… done.

I climb out, boots crunching on gravel and dead leaves scattered along the road’s shoulder. The highway behind me hums with distant traffic, too far away to matter now. Ahead, there’s nothing but thick woods. The road curves, snaking into darkness, leading to where no one is supposed to go.

Spells Hollow.

The air out here is wrong. Heavy, humid, almost suffocating. It smells like rot, earthy and stale, like something festering under the surface. A breeze stirs the trees, but it feels too deliberate, like the woods themselves are trying to tell me something.

I shove the thought down. It’s just the town’s reputation getting to me already.

I look at the road, a faint ribbon of cracked tarmac that disappears into the trees. Somewhere past the forest lies Spells Hollow, the ghost town everyone warned me about.