Eyes Like Autumn (Seasons of the Magi Book 1)

by C. E. DeRosier

  “Or you could have simply ordered a better flavor.” He was smug in his reply.

  “You know, I never pegged you as a sugar fiend.” I tapped the edge of his cup with my spoon.

  “I wasn't allowed sweets growing up. Once I was out on my own, I ate every sweet treat I could find. Got my first cavity that year.” He sighed.

  An embarrassingly loud snort of laughter left me as I pictured an eighteen-year-old Johannes scarfing candy.

  “Were your parents strict?”

  “I... spent most of my youth in a boarding school. I think I was eight the last time I saw them.” He stabbed at his ice cream and avoided my gaze.

  “Oh. I'm so sorry.” That was unknown to me. I knew how much it hurt to lose my mom at such a young age; I couldn’t even imagine losing both.

  “Don't be. It's not something I concern myself with anymore, not after all these years. They were nothing to me after they sent me away, and they are nothing to me now.” He finished off his treat before he spoke again. “Should we pick something out for your grandfather?”

  “Definitely,” I agreed. I followed him from our booth to the counter. Johannes had bought four pints of ice cream for us to take. Once I’d grabbed a container I thought Grandpa would like, Johannes led me out to his sleek car. He opened the passenger-side door for me, closing it gently after I was settled.

  He slid into the driver’s seat and turned on the car. Its engine roared to life, lights blooming across the dashboard.

  He reached over and placed a hand on my thigh, squeezing slightly. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?”

  “Yes, I had fun. More fun than I thought I would after what happened. Thank you.”

  “You are very welcome.”

  He turned his eyes to the road after having caught my gaze briefly. I bit my lower lip in thought. I felt as though I should extend an offer to him as a thank-you.

  “Maybe one night, if you want to, you could come over, and I could make you dinner. I know it's not anything special, or as nice as an ice cream parlor to ourselves, but—”

  “I would love that,” Johannes replied eagerly before I could even finish.

  “Really? Great!” A warm buzz filled me. It felt amazing to have him so genuinely interested in me. He had gone to such lengths tonight to make sure that I was happy.

  When he pulled into the driveway of Grandpa's home, I didn’t really want to say goodbye. I turned to him to share my thoughts, but I was caught off-guard.

  He looked like a starving man. His eyes were sharp and clear in the dark. He’d been watching me the whole time.

  My heart started to race.

  His hands came up to cup my cheeks and he kissed me. The passion in it was palpable. I gripped the sleeves of his suit jacket in a feeble attempt to ground myself. He groaned as I responded to him. Suddenly he gripped my waist and pulled me into his seat with him. The hair that had slipped from my elastic draped around our faces like a curtain.

  As soon as I was in his lap, his hands found the hem of my dress and slipped under to grip at my thighs. Johannes kneaded the flesh in a way that was turning me to putty. I sucked in a quick breath. It felt so good to be touched by him, and that debauched look on his face was doing wonderful things to me. He leaned in to kiss again, and I almost didn’t want to because of how much I was enjoying staring at him.

  Bang!

  I jerked back as the car rocked under and around us. In my fright, I accidentally pressed against the horn, which blared loudly. I yelped without meaning to, then froze as a large, black mass jumped from the roof of the car to the hood and then down. It bounded off into the darkness.

  The wolf.

  Lights came on in the houses on either side of Grandpa’s.

  Johannes's face was set in a hard line. His darkening expression wasn't aimed at me, but rather in the direction the wolf had gone. His grip on my thighs tightened enough to sting.

  I squirmed. “Johannes. That hurts.”

  “I'm so sorry, sweetheart.” He let go and rubbed my skin soothingly. “It seems my mind strayed for a moment there.”

  “I should get inside. No need to give the neighbors anymore fuel to talk.” I sighed, not really wanting to relinquish my perch on his lap, no matter how uncomfortable it was to fit two people into the driver's seat.

  Johannes ran a hand through his hair before focusing on me. “Yes, the locals are quite... chatty. Aren't they?”

  I leaned down and pressed one more soft kiss to his plush lips. “See you later?”

  Nodding, he grabbed the door handle. I clambered off his lap after grabbing the bag for Grandpa and straightened my clothing and hair. No need for Grandpa to see me looking like I had been in a thorough make-out session.

  “I'll be in contact for that promise of a home-cooked meal.” He gave me a devious smirk. “And do be careful of strays.” He closed his door and backed down the driveway.

  Inside, it appeared Grandpa had already headed to bed for the evening. No sound or light came from the television in the living room. I kicked off my shoes and stretched my toes. My feet ached despite how small the kitten heels I’d been wearing were. As quietly as I could, I crept into the kitchen to leave Grandpa his treat in the freezer and grab a bottle of water before heading to my room.

  After cleaning myself up, I settled into bed. My body was still buzzing from being in Johannes’s lap. Like he’d been summoned, my phone chimed from my nightstand—a text from Johannes with a photo of him wearing a pair of blue pinstripe pajamas. His hair was mussed and he looked utterly relaxed against his expensive-looking sheets.

  Johannes: I had such a lovely evening with you, my dear.

  Alice: Me too! You look so comfy all tucked in. :)

  Johannes: Maybe next time you can feel just how comfortable for yourself. Good night, Alice.

  Well, I certainly wasn't going to be able to get over that mental image.

  ~~~

  Cole plopped into a desk directly across from where I was sitting and grading papers. It was rare for him to visit me before class, especially since he was almost late nearly every day. Usually it’s only to ask—

  “Any news on the wolf situation, Mrs. Mayor?”

  There it was.

  For some reason, he just always wanted to talk about the wolf. “First of all, Cole, Johannes and I are not married. Second of all, there is no wolf situation to talk about.” At first I wanted to indulge him with the urban legend because it was fun to learn more about the wolf Grandpa had told stories about, but the more questions he asked, the more invasive it felt, and I just didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Somehow he made me feel crazier.

  Cole pouted. “I thought you were my magic buddy. Guess you’re just all about being buddies with the mayor now.”

  Just as I was about to snap at Cole for his words, Suzanne appeared in the doorway. “What are you trying to fill her head with now?”

  He looked up at her innocently. “Why do you always think I’m up to something?”

  “Because you are. Now, go to your own classroom and actually prepare. I heard your students had to wait ten minutes while you figured out the overhead projector yesterday.” She crossed her arms and looked at him with raised brows.

  He huffed but got up and headed towards the door. “I’ll catch up with you later, Alice. See ya!” With that, he disappeared down the hall.

  Sue shook her head. “Is he bothering you?”

  “No, don’t worry about it. Was there something you needed?” I sighed.

  “Um, do I need something? Maybe all the details available on your date!” she said, exasperated. “I just saved you from Cole, so I definitely anticipate some juicy information.”

  I was beyond glad it was early enough that my students hadn't yet arrived.

  I got up from my seat and started writing on the whiteboard at the front of the room in an attempt to busy myself away from her prying gaze. “I just really don't want to talk about it.” Sue's ability to worm information fr
om people was legendary. There was no way her kids got away with anything.

  Sue grabbed my arm, jerking my hand and sending the marker across the board in a long, jagged line. Her face held an uncharacteristically high amount of worry. “Did he do something to you?”

  “Johannes? No!” I shook my head. “Don't worry. It's just... My dad got so angry for like no reason. I don't understand what happened. He knew I was bringing someone.”

  “Your dad's from here, right? Maybe he knows Johannes, and they don't get along for some reason.”

  “No, there’s no way…” Dad had left Janafield long before Johannes had become mayor. And Johannes was too young for them to have gone to school together. But Dad had talked to him like he knew him.

  Sue squinted at me. “Well, honey, it’s whether you like him that matters. So, any hanky-panky?”

  I held up my stack of freshly graded papers to hide my blush. “Um, no.”

  She cackled. “Oh, you two are so cute. We should double sometime. Trying to get Mark to go out is always a nightmare, but he might go if it gave him the chance to impress the mayor.”

  She leaned against the doorframe, briefly checking behind her for any students.

  “I can ask him when he comes over for dinner at some point.” I shrugged. It could be fun to go out with her and her husband.

  “Ooh, when are you doing that?” As always, Sue was eager for any detail possible on my dating life. She once proclaimed it was like watching a trashy reality dating show in real time. Whatever that meant…

  “Maybe Friday. Now I just need to figure out what I can possibly make.”

  Sue squealed. “How exciting! I've got a ton of recipes you can look through. Does he like quiche?”

  I paused. “I'm… not really sure.”

  “Don't worry, girly. We'll figure out something real good, you'll see. Maybe I should steal Carlyle for a few hours to give you guys some privacy.”

  Oh gosh, what was I going to tell Grandpa?

  Chapter Five

  The day of the dinner date came far more quickly than I had ever anticipated. As soon as I left work for the day, I headed to the grocery store, my meticulously planned list in hand. The final decision was spaghetti. It was simple, delicious, and not easy for me to ruin. I had also decided on my grandmother's infamous peach cobbler despite the tragedy that had befallen my dad's kitchen the last time I’d attempted baking. Johannes had specifically requested it.

  Grandpa had looked at me dubiously when I’d asked for the recipe card. Though my pride was wounded by it, I understood. I’d already planned to purchase a backup from the diner, so if all else failed, I could heat it up and just pretend the other one had never happened.

  I held two boxes of noodles in my hands as I debated between them. It really should not be this hard to just pick a damn brand, yet I just couldn’t decide.

  “Those Amish ones are way better. The others stick together to make a noodle blob.” I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden presence beside me.

  Cole laughed at my reaction. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Too late for that.

  “No worries, you saved me from my indecision.” I smiled as I tossed one box into my basket and put the other back on the shelf.

  “I didn’t see you at lunch today.” He frowned and drummed his fingers against the bottle of shampoo in his hands. I was surprised at how expensive a brand he was buying. He seemed more like a shampoo-conditioner-combo type of guy instead of a botte I’d expect to see in Johannes’s bathroom.

  “Yeah, sorry, I was trying to get everything together for dinner tonight.”

  We both stood there awkwardly for a moment. I didn’t know what else to say to him.

  “Well if—”

  “About what we were talking about earlier… Have you seen the wolf lately?” he blurted out, cutting me off.

  I was taken aback. What was with him and the wolf? I regretted saying anything.

  “I haven’t, sorry. I think that maybe it was actually just that really big, black German shepherd over on Christilla. He tends to get loose sometimes.” I knew it wasn’t a dog; hell, I’d touched the wolf, but I didn’t want him to know it. I felt bad for lying, but he was beginning to weird me out with his intense interest in it.

  “Oh, really? I thought you had seen the white fur too.”

  “You know, must’ve been a white collar or maybe just something stuck on him. I actually need to go get this food started. Big date, you know. See you later.” I made a beeline for the checkout. Maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but I just had no time to entertain him.

  ~~~

  I sighed heavily as I lost myself in my thoughts, sitting on the back deck while the sauce was cooking. Most of the busy work had been completed, but I just needed a breather. This dinner was making me beyond nervous. It wasn't that I didn't want to have a date with Johannes, I just felt uneasy bringing him into my grandfather's home. Grandpa had assured me that it was our home, and he was more than happy to have the mayor over. I know he truly meant what he was saying—I'm sure partially because Johannes was something of a local celebrity with his dashing good looks, his money, and his way with words, so it would give Grandpa bragging rights—but I still couldn't help but feel like a trespasser in this town.

  There was a rustling from the bushes. I looked over, expecting a cute little bunny or squirrel to pop into view.

  I froze when instead of a small woodland creature, the wolf emerged. He slowly approached.

  In a low voice, I said, “Hey, big guy. I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  He sat beside me, close enough to touch, and I desperately wanted to.

  “Someone asked me about you today.” He flattened his ears and whined. “Don’t worry. I didn’t tell him anything. Your secret is safe with me.” I winked and laughed.

  The wolf shuffled forward to place his head in my lap and sighed. He was so warm. I scratched at his head and behind his ears. I drifted back to my thoughts. My days recently had been such a whirlwind.

  There was just something… off. Something I just couldn’t shake about how everything had happened with my dad.

  The wolf made a noise of discontent when he realized I had stopped petting. I smiled down at him. “Sorry,” I murmured. “Johannes is coming to dinner tonight. I’m really nervous,” I confessed quietly.

  He pressed his muzzle against the top of my legs, ears going back slightly. The course hairs near his snoot tickled my skin. He huffed, shifting a small bit.

  “How about you go with me to be emotional support? I'll make you a plate.” I laughed, imagining the giant wolf crouched on one of Grandpa’s dining room chairs, before leaning down to whisper, “I'll even give you the biggest piece of cobbler.”

  Raising his head from my legs, he licked his chops, making small whining noises. I carded my fingers through the fur behind his ears. “Ugh, you are too cute. I'll be right back.”

  The wolf looked after me, ears perked up in intrigue. I rushed to the kitchen and grabbed the plate of leftovers from yesterday that I was certain Grandpa would never actually eat. After heating it briefly, I returned to the wolf. His tail swished slowly behind him. My chest filled with glee at the sight.

  “Here you go, buddy. I know it's not much, but it has to be better than anything you find out there.”

  I almost laughed at the enthusiasm he showed for the meal. When the plate was licked clean, he stepped away and moved to sit before me. Reaching out, I cupped the side of his face, unable to stop myself even though I knew I shouldn't. I shouldn’t have been petting a wild animal, feeding him, but he didn’t seem wild. And I wasn’t afraid of him.

  Everything was normal until our eyes locked. Suddenly, the world around me was swirling and contorting into something entirely different. My heart was practically pounding out of my chest.

  When my vision cleared, I wasn't looking into the autumn eyes of the wolf anymore. Instead, I was locked in the piercing gaze of a man with the same eyes
and hair as dark as the night sky. The copper skin of his face was beautiful, free of blemishes or marks. He was muscular, with a sharply cut jawline and an elegantly long nose. Now my heart was rapidly beating for an entirely different reason.

  I stared wide-eyed at him. Words were failing me. What even was this?

  A grin split his face. It was boyish and charming. His lips moved, but I couldn't hear what it was that he was saying. I shook my head and touched one of my ears. He furrowed his brow, finally realizing the issue. Pursing his lips briefly, he leaned in and pressed his forehead against mine. All I could feel was a pressure, no sensation of skin or warmth.

  Then, like a whisper against my flesh, I heard, “You have all of my thanks, Alice.”

  I startled back, shocked from the surreal aspect of it. The bubble popped all at once. The world cleared and I was back, sitting on the old wooden porch of my grandfather's home. My chest heaved with deep breaths as I tried to calm myself.

  “What was that?”

  Surely that hadn't been real. The stress of everything must finally have been taking its toll. I could've convinced myself of that if, when I looked up, the wolf hadn't been watching me so intently.

  “I have to be going crazy... You couldn't have done that, right?” He stood, slowly swaying his tail. Then he placed his paw deliberately on my leg, the large claws a dangerous reminder of how truly powerful he was. I stared at him. “What are you?”

  Reaching out, I ran a hand down the fur of his neck. The wolf made a few huffing noises and whined before darting off into the woods. I called after him and heard an excited bark.

  I looked behind me at the house, as if someone would appear and tell me not to follow the wild animal down the proverbial rabbit hole. Though, who could really stop the curiosity of an Alice?

  I shook out the skirt of my dress, righted my bodice, and set out in the direction I could hear his barking coming from. Twigs and underbrush scratched at my legs as I marched through. After a few minutes, I could see him standing near a fallen, rotted tree.

  “This better be good...” I huffed. Man, I’d thought I was in better shape than this. Maybe I needed to add a weekly hike to my workout routine.