Chapter 61
“Why do we have to have the booth open at night, anyway?” Marian shook her head. “I could soak in the tub with a good book and a cup of tea.”
“The shelter needs as much attention as possible,” said Thomas.
“Too bad you don’t pay more attention to me,” Taz grumbled from Thomas’s shirt pocket.
Evelyn held up a strand of white twinkle lights. “Thomas, these won’t stay up. Can you help?”
Thomas ignored his familiar. He took the lights from Evelyn.
He muttered a spell, and a flock of sparrows swooped in from a nearby copse of red oaks.
They gripped the strand in their feet, flying in unison to the booth’s awning.
Thomas crossed his fingers and flicked them toward the edge of the awning, silently directing the birds.
They complied, securing the string on each of the corners.
Once the string was hung to his satisfaction, Thomas flicked his hand again, sending the birds back to their perches.
He turned to the women for their approval and froze.
Nell was staring at him from across the green.
“Hmm,” said Taz. “This is an interesting plot twist.”
Thomas tucked the hedgehog further into his pocket. “Mind your own business.” He returned Nell’s gaze, struggling to keep his grin from covering his face, until a woman came up next to her. He ambled to the side so it wasn’t obvious he was staring.
“Who are you staring at?”
Thomas recognized Tricia, the owner of the local herb farm that supplied Driftwood Pointe and the surrounding area.
He frowned. Her family never joined in the festivities.
He turned away, hiding his face. He shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but he couldn’t help how well voices carried across the Town Green.
“The vet. He’s…”
There was a long pause. Thomas rearranged the “Forever friends found here!” bumper stickers.
“Oh, yes. I forgot how gorgeous he is,” said Tricia. “Not that looks are everything, but that man is welcome to warm my bed anytime.”
Marian snorted.
Evelyn elbowed her friend. “Be nice. Thomas has an admirer.”
“Who’s heading this way,” Marian said, rubbing her hands together.
Taz said, “We get front-row seats.”
“We’ll give you some privacy, dear.” Evelyn pulled Marian toward a neighboring booth just before Nell arrived.
Thomas wondered if Nell agreed with Tricia’s comment, but he ran a hand over his face to clear the thought. When his hand dropped, Nell stood in front of him, the pale-green sweater she wore matching her eyes.
Thomas cleared his throat. “Hello.”
“Hi.”
Her smile sent his heartbeat racing, which made Taz squirm in his pocket.
Thomas ignored the animal and watched Nell bend down next to the kennel of kittens they’d rescued.
The smallest kitten jumped onto the back of a pure-black one, who bucked like a wild horse.
A larger kitten barreled into the small one, knocking it across the space where two other kittens pinned it to the ground.
Nell looked up at him. “Rambunctious, aren’t they?”
Thomas stared at Nell’s lips, unable to stop himself. Her dimple seemed deeper now that she was relaxed and enjoying the shenanigans of the kittens. Thomas licked his lips. Nell’s cheeks reddened. He grinned.
“They are. Lots of energy.” He knelt beside her and poked a finger into the kennel to scratch a kitten. A loud purring filled the air as the kittens clamored for affection. “There’s enough for everyone, guys. Take it easy.”
They continued to pet the animals when Nell’s shoulder brushed his. Thomas leaned in, continuing the contact.
Then she asked, “How did you get the birds to hang the lights just now?”
He jerked back. Nell wouldn’t understand the truth, but he didn’t want to lie to her. That wasn’t how he wanted to start a relationship.
The word startled him. Since when did he want a relationship?
He was still deciding how to answer when a kitten pounced on its sibling, its claws unsheathed.
The animal yowled in pain, and, on reflex, Thomas flicked his hand.
The nine kittens in the kennel immediately separated themselves into a straight row with several inches separating them.
They stared at Thomas, waiting for their next instructions.
He swallowed hard and lifted his head to find Nell’s green eyes studying him. She knew. The truth danced on his tongue, but he held it there.
“You stopped a catfight.” Nell spoke as if she were in a trance, then pointed at the line of kittens. “They lined up for you. How?”
As much as he wanted to say the words, “I’m a wizard,” Thomas found it impossible. What human would believe that? Instead, he remained silent.
The light in Nell’s eyes vanished. A hardness took hold of her face, and Thomas knew he should speak, but nothing came out.
He didn’t know why Nell could see his magic, but his lack of explanation made her physically withdraw.
She stood and backed away from the booth.
There was an accusation in her eyes, but he didn’t know what it was.
“Nell?”
She held up a hand to stop him. Without a word, she walked away. As she left him standing there alone, the kittens yowled in unison. They knew he’d screwed up, too.