Chapter 23 Living Room Tigers, Oh My
"Don't let it get to you."
Bess pressed her lips together nodding. Todd was trying to make her feel better after the last customer wouldn't take a drink directly from her. She had to hand it to him to give to the customer. She wouldn't speak to Bess, wouldn't look her in the eye.
The treatment from some was making it clear that this town was being influenced by the signs and petitions against Cora.
Against them.
Every day articles came out about protecting them from unnatural occurrences in Salem.
Every day there is a warning reminder that they should aim to be home and inside by nine each night.
Every day the friendly smiles on the street, between taking orders and handing off coffees, became less, replaced by looks of unease and suspicion until they became outright hostile glares.
"Seriously. They're just like, you know," he shrugged his wide, lanky shoulders. She could appreciate Todd being kind. He was quiet, had been in more than a handful of her classes over the years, always respectful. He was familiar with the popular crowd, though more of a side character.
Not dark, wavy hair offsetting clear blue eyes, athletic and from an affluent family popular.
The thought of Jeremy made her groan. It made her think of him coming into The Black Cat a few days ago during her shift and buying her coffee while she was working.
She'd kept herself busy in the background for her shift until Todd turned around with a black mug and set it on the bar in front of her. She frowned.
"Thanks, Todd." She had been about to make herself her afternoon coffee and with one sip she smiled at him. "You made me exactly what I like. Impressive."
He threw his thumb over his shoulder. "Not me."
Her smile fell flat when over his shoulder she saw a boldly smiling Jeremy Bracker. He sat at the bar, hands cupped around his own drink, a book laid out in front of him.
"You ordered me a coffee?"
"I did," he replied with a cheeky grin.
"I work here."
"Charming right?"
Her eyebrows dipped as she leaned a hip against the bar. "I'd say convenient."
He made a look of weighing her words as he drank from his cup. "Or since you won't go on a date with me, scrappy and working with what I've got."
"Hmm. How did you know what I'd like?"
His blue eyes lit the slightest. "I guessed. Figured, second or third coffee of the day so you'd want something lighter than straight coffee, but stronger than a latte. Three shots. You seem like a caramel girl, but just a little, not too sweet, with a little sea salt and excellent foam."
It was exactly what she liked as her second coffee of the day. And she was a little freaked out. It had to be the magic.
"I got it right didn't I?" His smile was impossible to not catch so when her mouth turned up at the corners he laughed. "Can you sit with me for a few?"
Todd had not been helpful and told her to to take her break right then, playing right to the triumphant dark-haired boy.
She hadn't heard from him since then. No annoying texts or barging in on her workdays. No locker walks or front porch conversations. She didn't miss him.
When Todd looked at her in surprise bringing her back to the moment she realized the groan had made it out of just her thoughts and she smiled apologetically.
"Sorry. Been a long few days."
"Need anything?" he asked.
"Oh, no. But thank you. Actually," she paused thinking about going to The Lost Souls and leaving this town and its odd new dark energy behind for the rest of the evening, feeling an almost immediate sense of relief.
"Could you close up for me? I know it's my night," she thought about what night she could switch him for but he shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. You're dealing with a lot. I've got it."
She smiled gently. "You sure? I can take one of your nights next week."
He waved her off, starting to look embarrassed. "It's fine. I've got this."
She thought about arguing again but then realized it was making him uncomfortable so she accepted his kindness and thanked him as she clocked out and grabbed her backpack from under the counter.
She swung the red straps over her shoulders turning toward the bar as she did and threw Todd a big smile. "Thanks, Todd. I owe you."
The relief of walking toward a safe place was great. She texted her uncle to let him know she was off early and where she was going, and as she did, she saw a text from Jeremy. A zing rang through her.
No, she hadn't missed him.
What did you save me in your phone as?
But it wasn't real. He was under the influence of a hex.
"Thinking about me?"
She let out a scream, her arm swinging out almost connecting with someone, who had the reflexes to duck and dodge.
Now standing three feet further away, she looked at a delightfully shocked Jeremy holding a bag staring at her in a way that made her wonder what he saw.
"Well, I do not need to worry about my girl getting kidnapped."
She let out a breath, placing a hand on her chest as she glared at him. "Didn't you ever learn not to sneak up on a woman walking home at night? That's like how not to end up in man jail 101."
"Is it? I didn't read it."
"And I'm not your girl."
His grin grew. "Yet. So?"
She let out a sigh. "So, what?"
"What did you save me in your phone as?"
She rolled her eyes and turned back around toward The Lost Souls House. "A bold assumption that I saved your number at all." He joined her and she tried to tamp down her excitement. "What are you doing?"
"Walking you home."
"You don't have to walk me home, Jeremy. And remember, you only feel this shocking sense of chivalry because you are under magic."
"Okay, yeah." His sarcastic reply made her want to grab him and shake him.
But that, too, she schooled. "So, if you're going to stalk me home, want to tell me what is in the bag? You look like you're either about to make a drug drop or you're one of those guys who walks around with a gym bag far more than necessary."
"That's a kind of guy?"
"Yeah. They usually play rugby or lacrosse."
He nodded thoughtfully. "But neither, actually. This is for you."
"You got me drugs?" she joked.
He tipped his head toward her with a raised eyebrow. "Would that get you to go on a date with me?"
Her heart sped up.
"I'm not like my mom," she replied sharply. Was she being grumpy because she wanted him to mean it and he couldn't, but he couldn't be blamed for that, so...she was just frustrated? "Sorry," she mumbled, feeling like an ass.
A warm hand gently wrapped around her wrist stopping her. She turned to look up at him and gone was the grinning football player. Jeremy was looking at her like he was concerned. She wasn't sure she had seen this face look anything but content, happy or joking. This was new and made her pause.
"I've never thought that."
She snorted softly. "Everyone thinks that."
His prominent eyebrows pulled in and he released her wrist as he shook his head. "Our parents don't get to own our story, Bess."
The way he said it wasn't shallow. He wasn't speaking words that he had never thought before.
It made her wonder about his life, his family.
He was from a family that had a house too large for their two parents and two kids.
She'd never been inside his house, but his older sister had a few notorious parties there and the Bracker house was known.
Three stories, the colonial-style mansion was stately, statuesque, and beautiful. However, she always thought it too much. Possibly a little too sharp and cold. And now his words made her wonder what was inside of the house.
"I know," she replied, this time gently. She was about to ask him about his parents when his uncharacteristically somber face split into a grin.
"Want to see what I got you? You'll have no choice but to fall head over heels for me."
She narrowed her eyes at him before she nodded toward the bag that he was unzipping.
The top was mesh, she realized, and as he unfolded the flap an orange head popped out making her jump.
Staring back at her were two hazel eyes.
The creature was an orange tabby, tilting its head to look her over like she was looking over it.
She blinked twice before her eyes switched from cat to teenage boy watching her with his blue eyes that were still shocking to look into.
"You got me a cat?"
He nodded.
"You," she shook her head trying to gather her thoughts. "Why? Why would you bring me a cat? Who does that?"
He shrugged, undeterred by her obvious shock.
"Seemed better than flowers. You like cats. Your whole vibe is kind of like a cat."
She couldn't help the half grin from forming. "Well, yeah," she replied. "But you don't just buy a girl you hope to date a cat."
"I didn't buy him."
Her eyebrows jumped. Her hands were holding onto her book bag straps tightly, turning her knuckles white.
"Jeremy! That could be someone's cat! You might be under a hex, but committing grand larceny is still a crime."
"Mmm would it be grand larceny? No offense to Tom Hanks here, but I don't think he qualifies. And I didn't steal him.
She laughed. "Tom Hanks?"
When he held out the slender, striped animal she took him carefully. Their hands brushed as she pulled the cat into her chest, ignoring the zing she felt when Jeremy's fingers moved with the cat, seeming to want to stay connected to hers.
Once their connection was severed, she looked into trusting hazel eyes as he snuggled into her.
" He wandered into our garden about a year ago and my mom has been feeding him. She agreed that Tom could use a stable home."
"Even one with the coven that the town is turning on?" Her question was filled with derision, a taste of anger on her tongue as she thought of the people who started treating her like a leper.
"This town is whack, you know that. Come on," he nodded behind her. "Let me walk you home."