Page 23 of Wedded Witch
Kel holds the door open for me, and I raise an eyebrow at him. “Such a gentleman,” I mutter under my breath as I slide into a booth.
He follows, sitting across from me. For a moment, there’s nothing but silence as we both just… stare at each other.
“So,” I start, breaking the tension, “are you going to explain why you were such an arse earlier, or are we just going to pretend that didn’t happen?”
Kel shifts uncomfortably in his seat, eyes flicking down to the table. I can tell he’s debating whether to give me an excuse. “I don’t have a good reason,” he admits quietly. “I… had a rough day, and I took it out on you I guess. That wasn’t fair. I’m sorry.”
His honesty throws me off. I blink, not expecting the straightforwardness of his answer. I was ready for some half-assed excuse, but this? This feels…real. Genuine.
“Okay,” I say, my voice softer than I planned. “Fine. But just so we’re clear, you were a complete arsehole and if it happens again, I’m done.”
To my surprise, he smiles. A real smile this time, not the forced one from before, and warmth spreads through me, unexpected but welcome. “Yeah, I was. I love the way you say it though, Vi. Feel free to keep calling me an asshole as much as you want.”
I can’t help it, I smile too. And just like that, the conversation starts to flow. We talk about simple things—work, movies, music. I make a joke about his terrible taste in bands, and he throws it right back at me. I laugh, the tension from earlier slowly melting away.
He’s actually fun to talk to.Who knew?
But then, something catches my eye outside the window. I freeze.
A dog. Is it the same dog from earlier? It’s hard to tell in the dark, but it’s sitting just a few feet away, watching us through the glass. His dark eyes are locked on mine, head tilted as if he’s waiting for something.
My breath catches in my throat.What the…
“I’ll be right back,” I say abruptly, sliding out of the booth without waiting for Kel’s response.
The air outside is cool, but I barely notice it as I approach the dog. He’s still sitting there, his gaze never wavering. There’s something about him, something familiar that tugs at me.
“Hey, boy,” I murmur, crouching down to pet him. His fur is soft, and he leans into my touch, his eyes filled with something that almost feels like understanding.
I glance back at the diner window. Kel’s watching me, a curious expression on his face. Does he realise it’s the same dog from earlier? Wouldn’t he be scowling if he did?
The dog lets out a quiet whine, and my chest tightens.
What is it about you?
“I feel like we’re connected, you and I,” I whisper, scratching behind his ears. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon.”
I give him one last pat before standing up and heading back inside, though I can still feel his eyes on me as I walk away.
When I slide back into the booth, Kel’s brow is furrowed, his eyes searching mine. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I say, though I’m not entirely sure. “Just saying hi to the dog.”
He nods, but there’s something behind his eyes that tells me he wants to ask more. Instead, he lets it go. Weird.
We fall back into conversation, but my thoughts keep drifting back to the dog. Even now, I can still feel his gaze on me, as if he’s trying to tell me something. Something important.
But I’m not ready to figure it out yet.
We finish our meal,the plates pushed aside, conversation winding down as the atmosphere between us settles into something warmer, more comfortable than I’d expected.
Still, there’s an underlying tension I can’t quite shake off. He was so different earlier—cold, distant—and now he’s attentive, almost… sweet. It’s confusing, and it’s left me wondering which version of him is the real one.
Kel tosses some cash onto the table to cover the bill and a generous tip, standing up and stretching slightly. I admire the way his dark T-shirt pulls taut across his muscles.
“Ready to head back?” he asks, his voice casual, but there’s an undertone of something else. Did he catch me ogling him? I can’t tell. He’s hard to read, this one.
I nod, grabbing my purse. “Yeah, let’s go.”