Chapter 21
I was just getting settled in the Oliveria’s large party room to test out a theory if what happened during running was because I was too overloaded with magic again. We were selling more and more of everything, and I was still getting magic when the familiars who used my products harvested.
Small amounts—minute even—but that all added up when it was thousands of them. Tens of thousands… Even over a hundred thousand now maybe.
So yeah, that added up fast.
“I know you’re still validly upset with me, but I wanted to help,” Winter said as he handed me a paper bag with handles like from the grocery store.
I took it and glanced inside. “Was what Sergey said right?” I snickered when he flinched. “I knew Teddy was around, so it made sense you were. I don’t like that you hide and do that.”
“I was worried. I was really worried, and—it’s my default to assess and watch over and make sure people are okay. It doesn’t feel…”
“As intrusive and shitty as it is?” I mumbled as I pulled out the Muddy Bites. I frowned as I read the bag. Chocolate waffle cone pieces filled with peanut butter sounded good, but I was confused about the Smucker’s marshmallow topping for like sundaes.
“Trust me,” he chuckled when I glanced up at him.
“It’s sugary goodness that always makes me smile as it rots my teeth, and right now you need some of that.
” He knelt down and kissed my hair. “I’m really sorry I misunderstood.
I swear it wasn’t a slight against you, and I thought Link was being a pushy gossip.
Even innocently to try and cheer you up. ”
“It was bad timing if you walked in just there with what we were saying,” I accepted. “I hope you have more faith in me in the future.”
“I have all the faith in you, Bev. I do. It’s just a lot on my heart sometimes. Getting a message you were in trouble and then walking into that was…”
I kissed his cheek. I hadn’t thought of that side of it. I couldn’t even imagine him rushing thinking I was seriously hurt and then I’m talking about sex with Link in a way he didn’t have the context for.
Yeah, I would have been less than thrilled and more than a little peeved if the situation was reversed.
“Mind if I stay and watch for a bit?” he asked quietly.
“And me?” a voice I knew asked. Kate chuckled when I simply blinked at her.
“I have an idea, and I’m sorry I went to Tracey and Jasmine first, but I understood your daily schedule and saw the picture before me.
I knew getting them on board would be the part you needed—let me help like you’ve helped us. ”
I was hesitant, but Winter nodded, clearly sensing something I didn’t yet.
So I agreed. He had a small trip up, but I did trust him. A lot.
And his treat was good. Sickly sweet like he said, so I couldn’t actually have too many of them, but it was a very specific kind of craving I could see when I just wanted over the top nummy.
It was like sundae fun when you couldn’t have the ice cream?
Or just always easy on hand for extra lazy times?
Wyatt moved in front of me after a bit and waited until I focused on him after I finished the skein I was working on. There was worry in his eyes and Quinn was nervous.
“We’re changing something else?” I sighed, trying to hide my annoyance. “I need something to be consistent and not always—”
“I know,” he said gently, sitting on his foot and hugging his knee. “I know, I’m the same.” He waited until I nodded. “But I had an idea of how you get more bang for your buck. It might not work, or it might backfire a bit.”
I let out a slow breath and studied him. “You think it’s worth a shot?”
“Yes, after hearing that you love Tracey’s playlist. You might not be like Kelton and able to play or sing, but you’re… You’re like an empath in some ways and influenced. I think. It makes sense given how you take on so much with familiars and animals.”
“Okay, let’s try it, but I get to beat you up if it backfires.”
“More than fair,” he agreed with a soft chuckle.
A sexy one, but I ignored that.
And the way his bicep flexed when he fucked with his hair nervously. Yeah, I looked away and pretended I didn’t see it.
It was awkward using his earbuds or maybe because I’d been checking him out, but earbuds to me were so personal. I didn’t like people using mine… Even the people who slept in my bed now. It was like using my toothbrush.
Fine, not really, but your earbuds could get really gross from you, so I didn’t like sharing them.
But I felt like that girl in the cute movie who liked wearing the guy’s hoodie. Except with earbuds?
Until the music started and it wasn’t a happy song. He pressed his lips together and nodded when I glanced at him with hurt. I turned away from him a bit to reach for the next skein, understanding the assignment now but not able to stare at him while I did it.
The song was pretty, not one I’d heard before, and I didn’t think was ever really popular. She sang of struggling and being tired of having to fake that she was fine to others. How she longed to feel safe and that things would get better.
Basically, she needed comfort. The next few songs were the same and I realized I was sniffling and wiping tears.
I thanked Mrs. Oliveria’s housekeeper when she brought me something to drink and food, obviously knowing something was going on and trying to feed me. The woman seemed to always default to that… And I wasn’t telling her to stop.
Hell, her cute little tea sandwiches with the crusts cut off made me feel cared for even if it was a default maybe all the guests got.
I knew they didn’t all get Link’s secret stash of Mountain Dew—our stash now really.
It was expanded into any weird pop flavors for me to try and this was some sort of Dr. Pepper one that shouldn’t be a thing.
But was fun to try.
I finished the skein and saw movement that was distracting. Kate was leaning into Wyatt and pointing around me, clearly seeing something going on, Mrs. Reid pointing to something as well.
But I didn’t care about Mrs. Reid.
I did care about Kate being close to Wyatt.
And Winter caught me noting that. I didn’t play it off, but I couldn’t really acknowledge it right then either. He gestured for me to take out the earbuds and pointed back to Mrs. Reid.
“Professor Wyatt is a genius,” she praised when I had the earbuds out and was chomping on the sandwich.
“It wasn’t just me but the housekeeper,” he muttered, studying what was in my hand. “It was the moment Bevin—you felt comforted by her bringing you food?”
I gave him the look he deserved and he did a double take, apologizing. “No, I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to help, and—everything is just always exposed.”
“That is difficult,” Mrs. Reid accepted.
“But normal and not just for you,” Kate told me gently, nodding when I glanced at her.
“That’s why I wanted to be involved. In a different way than Kelton but to help you see normal.
” She gestured around the room. “This is normal. All the time this… Magic is really personal and it’s a bit like being naked.
I’ve felt it a lot in group projects. It’s hard. ”
“But unfortunately necessary for control,” Wyatt added. “I’m sorry if we haven’t explained better that it’s not about you being different.”
I frowned and chomped on the sandwich. “I don’t know that you implied otherwise. But yeah, I maybe thought it was because you’re both here with me solo. I guess—okay, I get it better.” I told him what I’d been thinking and feeling even if it was embarrassing.
“Well, fortunately—or unfortunately—it worked. And well,” he muttered.
“Fortunately,” Kate said firmly as she jotted down some notes. She smiled when I glanced at her. “I agree with your schedule. Completely. Fully stop.”
“But you see ways to make changes or make it better.”
“Yes, but it’s not something that needs to be discussed here,” she told me, giving me a knowing look that I wanted to keep more private.
“Well, it worked,” Wyatt muttered as he glanced around. “They’re all done.”
That took me a moment. “All of them? No, that can’t be…
” I trailed off when they all nodded even if Kate and Winter might not understand the magic, they trusted Mrs. Reid and Wyatt and they’d already said that.
“Huh.” I kept eating but then sighed. “It’s not like this is something I should tap into.
That can’t be healthy to wind me up intentionally—”
“No, of course not, but it’s useful to know and how little magic you use if your emotions come into play,” Wyatt muttered as he moved away and grabbed his journal for me.
I tried to hide my reaction at feeling almost used for something clinical, but I knew what was going on too. It was just… Now I was in a mood.
Awesome.
At least the blanket materials I needed to get done were finished and I could move on. I thanked them, and I knew Mrs. Oliveria would lock it up until Tracey sent the right people to collect it all. Or maybe bring more for me to handle. I wasn’t really sure.
“Did I do something to upset you?” Wyatt asked me off to the side when it was clear I was getting ready to leave.
“No, not at all,” I told him, sighing when he didn’t seem like he was going to let it go. “All over today, and it’s hard to admit certain things when it’s you. I feel…” I shrugged.
“I don’t know how to interpret that,” he muttered.
“I don’t either,” I confessed and got the hell out of there. I was glad when Winter left it alone and just gave my hair a kiss.
“I wish I could go to this first yoga class with you, but I have to get to work.”
“Sergey asked to come.” I frowned when he made a non-committal noise. “What?”
“I’m being jealous. I think that was part of earlier,” he admitted, sighing when I waved him on. “I don’t like that Sergey gets Saturday night on your schedule and I—I’m being a dick.”