“You do?”
“Yes. Not that I enjoy the thought of you having to defend yourself like you did tonight. But like I said…I’ll think about it.” He playfully pushed me away from him. “Go. Try and enjoy yourself tonight. I’ll take care of things in the field.”
I huffed. I wanted to enjoy myself with Zach, but how could I? I’d just killed two people, and with my luck, I’d probably freeze Zach.
CHAPTER 6
Why had I let Georgia make me up? I stared at my reflection in Java Joe’s front window. My long, straight hair draped over my shoulders, down to my elbows. That was about the only thing that looked halfway decent. Georgia picked out the mini-skirt-type thing. I wanted my jeans and Skechers.
Georgia had been on Facetime for crying out loud. I could have just said no. Besides. I shouldn’t have even come on this date with everything that’d happened earlier today. I checked the last text Scott had sent me: Almost there. I’m fine.
He never let me go with him when he “took care of” my frosty dealings. In a way, I was thankful so I didn’t have to see those I’d killed. But it wasn’t fair Scott had to deal—
“Well, don’t you look nice?”
Zach’s image appeared next to mine in the window. No need to turn around to see how fantastic he looked. The reflection did that just fine.
I silently shushed all the thoughts slamming against my skull and said, “Georgia decided to go all fashion designer on me. I’d rather be in my jeans, if you want to know the truth.”
“No way should you be hiding those legs in jeans.”
I finally turned around.
Okay, the reflection didn’t do him justice. I remembered in one of my literature classes, we’d studied mythological creatures. Like gods and stuff. Zach totally fit the bill. Chiseled jaw, deep gray eyes, and perfectly messy hair.
I will not freeze Zach. I will not freeze Zach.
“Coffee?” He flashed his Colgate smile.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
“Or would you rather have a smoothie?” He winked.
“Oh, you’re a comedian, too?”
He grabbed my hand and led me into the coffee shop. “Your brother’s smoothies are sick.”
Stay calm, Mandy. Relax. Not easy with his strong hand gripping mine. He held it like he’d been doing it for years. So confident. Demanding and a little possessive, but that was fine. Felt kind of good, actually, to have someone taking care of things in a non-hide-Mandy’s-kill way.
Zach eased my worries with his hold on me. Gave me a peek into normal.
Then a thought plowed into my puny brain. This might be my last night in Trifle. I should enjoy him, right? Enjoy this one night of normalcy before Scott packed us up and we bolted.
Nothing to lose, right? Well, other than losing control of my powers and hurting Zach. That was a big lose in my book. But earlier tonight, with the Coats, I’d frozen them faster and harder than I ever had. And it’d been at my command.
Maybe…
The deep aroma of coffee grounds, and the whiz of the grinders assaulted my senses. One girl looked up from her computer, then down and went back to typing. Good. Nothing too threatening about that.
Three other tables were full, people chatting, feeding their sugared caffeine habits.
“Amanda?” Zach tightened his grip and looked down at me, a smile lighting up his face. “Everything okay?”
I coughed and nodded. “Good. Fine. Um. I’ll have coffee. Black. And the biggest chocolate chip cookie they can find.”
He laughed and that sound drew me in a step. The warmth from his arm against mine swirled around my entire body, and I leaned against him. His gaze shifted down a fraction, and my face heated up even more. Burning cheeks once again.
“You want a cookie?”
“Biggest one they can find. I’ll grab a spot for us.”
He held my hand another breath, then released his hold. The warmth from his touch followed me as I angled through rows of small tables to the back. I needed to watch the front door. Just in case. Not like I could pick out a Coat on sight alone if they weren’t wearing their trademark white garb or fatigues, but still. I liked to see who was coming in.
Especially after what happened in the woods. An image of those human ice cubes flashed through me. The Coats had stolen my choice to not kill them. I hadn’t grown up aspiring to be a murderer, but a murderer I was.
What if those two guys had families? Kids? I’d just stolen their parents like mine had been stolen from me.
I shook my head, scattering the thoughts to the deep recesses of my mind. It wasn’t the same. They were evil. My folks hadn’t been.
Zach talked with the kid behind the counter while a girl worked on our order. He glanced at me, and I snapped my attention to my fingernails as if they were the most interesting things on the planet.
It took a lot of concentration to be…normal.
“Coffee-black, the biggest chocolate chip cookie they could find, and I grabbed you a bottle of water, too.” He set our stuff down, then sat. He’d ordered a tall mocha Frappuchino.
What a prep.
“Thanks.” I took a big bite of my cookie. There was nothing better. I knew it’d sit well because I ate them all the time, and I was really nervous.
“You’re different, aren’t you?”
I coughed, trying to avoid spitting a chocolate chip at him. Didn’t want to puncture one of his eyes. “Excuse me?”
“Most girls would order something pretty. Non-fat. You know how it goes.”
“But this tastes way better.”
He laughed again. Wow, he had a great smile.
Get a grip, Mandy.
“So, you moved here from Minnesota, eh?” Zach sipped his coffee, his attention fixed on me.
The small, round table between us was only a couple of feet in diameter, so leaning forward, we were pretty close. It was kind of intimidating but sexy at the same time. I didn’t mind the tingling in my stomach his sultry eyes triggered, either.
“Um—Yeah. Minnesota.”
“Parents?” he asked.
“Died.”
“Jeez. How?”
“Accident. Yours?”
“Still around and oppressive as ever.”
“College?”
He nodded. “Running track at State.”
“No football?”
“Don’t enjoy getting hit by two-ton trucks week in and week out. I’d rather go run ten miles alone.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting.”
“You like running?”
“Sure, if someone’s chasing me.” I drum-rolled my fingers on the table.
Okay, the joke was lame. But he smiled. So, maybe not so lame.
“You could pass for a runner. You’re so fit. You look amazing.”
A compliment like that coming from Zach Landry, someone who’d never showed any interest in me up until a few days ago. That triggered the all too familiar paranoia that defined my daily life.
“Can I ask you something?”
He nodded.
“What’s up with this?” I pointed to him, then me.
His eyebrows elevated.
“Is it, like, a bet or something? To see how far you can get with me?”
He straightened in his chair. “Whoa, back up the paranoia train a sec here.”
Maybe I misunderstood, but he actually looked hurt. But who could blame me for asking? Why would this smoking-hot guy be interested in a frosty fingered, flat-chested freak of nature? Not that he knew about the frosty part.
“So, you always going to be this much fun?” His smooth forehead crinkled.
“You can’t really blame me, can you?”
“Meaning…”
I leaned forward, dangerously close and drew in a big breath of him and the coffee we were drinking and asked, “Well, the trying to get me into the Janitor’s Closet thing, then bribing me for a date after not having ever spoken to me before…what’s a girl to think?
”
I’d said it. It was out there. He’d probably get up and leave, but at least I’d know this was some big joke, or bet, or…whatever it was.
“You are blunt, aren’t you?” He smiled. “I like that.”
“Why’d you ask me here, Zach?” I wanted to know so bad, but yet I didn’t.
He let out a long breath and glanced around the room.
Oh, yeah, this wasn’t going to be good.
“Because ever since you came to town I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.” He reached across the tiny table, edging my coffee cup out of his way, and threaded his fingers with mine. “I split up with Lindsey to avoid having a girlfriend when I went to college. Fresh start. No ties to this tiny town.”
I gulped down some water to try and get some kind of moisture into my suddenly arid mouth. It didn’t help much.
“But you just kept me up at night. Thinking. Wondering…”
“Wondering?” I couldn’t help leaning forward, reveling in the contrast of his thick fingers meshed with my smaller fingers. Together. Connected. Warm. My skin was several shades lighter than his, so it made for a nice contrast.
His thumb brushed over mine, drawing my attention to his wide, slate eyes.
“Wondering what it’d be like to kiss you,” he whispered, inching forward.
I couldn’t help shifting my focus to his shiny lips. Ones ready—and apparently willing—for some serious nibbling. Maybe even a little nipping.
His nostrils flared as he drew even closer, his grip on my hand tightening. His coffee-laced scent wrapped around me, tugging me closer to him. Needing more of it. An official taste.
The door chimed, shredding the connection. I jerked back, my hand grazing my water.
Zach’s reflexes must have been super human for how fast he caught the bottle and kept water from splashing all over everything.
I held my focus on the door while reaching for the bottle. Zach looked over his shoulder. A stream of laughter flowed into the coffeehouse from the open door. Half of the track team and their slim, athletic girlfriends marched in.
The bottle in my hand crackled. I yanked it beneath the table, begging my powers to back off. Just back off.
It wasn’t the Coats. I quick snagged my phone and checked the screen. No more texts from Scott. Everything was fine. Just calm down, Mandy. Stupid teenagers storming in on my date I could handle. Probably better than the near kiss with Zach.
But damn that would have been nice, too.
“What’s up?” Zach asked, leaning forward again.
“Nothing.” I gulped in some air and shot a glance around the room again. Besides the entourage strolling in, everything seemed quiet.
“Want to go?” He picked up his phone off the table.
“Really?”
He stood. “I’m not in the mood to share you with anyone right now.”
Those words, paired with his sultry voice sent a thrill right through my stomach. And judging by the glint in his eye, Zach looked very tempting.
And dangerous.
He led me around the table by my shoulder and toward the door. Three big guys and two girls got into line, but the tall blond guy held out his fisted hand. “Zach. Running tomorrow, right?”
“Hey, Shawn.” Zach knuckle-bumped the guy and nodded. “Twelve miles.”
We made it onto the sidewalk, and I took a quick look up and down, then veered in the direction of home. The buzz of people streaming into the theater across the street was the only action nearby. The joys of a small town. Entertainment consisted of either coffee, a movie, or hanging out at the pizza joint.
Out in the fresh air, free from the mind-numbing coffee scent and a step or two away from Zach, reality slipped back into place.
“Early morning tomorrow, huh?” I sauntered along, hands shoved in my pockets.
“Last run together.” Zach drew in a deep breath and reached for me.
His big hand landed on my shoulder, then eased beneath my hair to the nape of my neck. Felt like home. Despite the worries starting to creep back into my mind, I relaxed against his touch, like he held a power over me I couldn’t control.
Didn’t want to.
“Come here,” he whispered as he drew me close.
My phone buzzed from my back pocket, and I planted my palm on Zach’s chest, stopping him inches from my mouth.
Inches.
I pulled out my phone and read Scott’s text: Almost done. Will text when I leave.
Scott was safe. But the reminder of what he’d been out doing doused whatever flame was flickering to life between me and Zach. I put a little more distance between us with a slight nudge, and he finally let go of my neck.
I felt his absence immediately.
“I better head home. Thanks for tonight.” A great night, actually. But despite how much I wanted to take things further, wanted to have a boyfriend, it wasn’t going to happen.
“Wait. Why are you leaving?”
“It’s late, I should go.”
“It’s not even nine thirty.” He linked his forefinger with my pinky finger. “What’s the problem?”
Oh, where would I start? I held up my phone. “No problem. That was Scott. I—he—needs some help at the shop.” I coughed through the lie, hoping Zach wouldn’t see it.
He looked at me and quirked his eyebrow. But, I had to give the guy credit, he didn’t say anything. Just raised my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles.
“See you tomorrow, then.”
Maybe. I nodded, then turned away.
If I’d stayed, I’d probably do something really stupid, like fall in love with the guy.
CHAPTER 7
“No. No. No. You did not do that.” Georgia raised her arms. The fuzzy computer screen jiggled, giving her skin a wavy, pink color. She’d ordered me to video chat her as soon as I got home from my date so she could get the play-by-play.
My phone danced across the desk. A text from Scott: On my way home. Good. It’d been too long since I’d last heard from him. I sagged into my desk chair, picking my fingernails.
The computer screen jiggled again but not from the connection. Georgia got up, set her laptop on her desk and paced. Hands on her hips, she wandered in and out of view.
She stopped and stepped so close to the camera, her face bulged. “Why?”
“Ever hear of playing hard-to-get?” I laughed, but it was to cover the fact that I was sad about leaving him. Sad about having to leave town. Leave Georgia.
“Mandy?” Georgia’s picture and voice crackled. “Seriously, are you nuts?”
“Probably. Not certifiably insane, but not properly evaluated I’m sure.”
“All jokes aside…”
Oh, great, she was going to get sappy on me. It always started with that token phrase. I sat up, waiting for it. Every lie I’d told her since I arrived in town ran through my mind. Keeping everything straight wasn’t easy to do. I would have kept a journal, but with my luck someone would find it.
“Why don’t you like him?”
“Never said I didn’t.”
“Then why the hell aren’t you still out with him doing something naughty in the back of his car or something?”
I shrugged.
“Come on, Mandy. I’m your best friend. You can tell me.”
“Don’t trust him.” Or myself.
Georgia stared into the computer camera. “Why not?”
Oh, sweet Jesus, where would I begin? “Well, I don’t even know him. And then out of the blue he asks me out?”
“So? He’d been dating someone until recently. Got to respect the guy for doing the right thing. He’d said he’d had feelings for you since you came here.”
“I don’t know. It feels like a bet someone challenged him to or something.”
Georgia’s dark eyebrows puckered, and she hugged her stomach. “Someone must have really screwed you over.”
Those seven words rolled out of Georgia’s mouth and plowed through my pro
tected heart like a bowling ball knocking down pins. Tears stung. Tension knotted my neck.
Georgia was like a sister to me. I’d never gotten this close to a person since my folks died and my powers appeared. I knew I shouldn’t have let her into my life like I did, but Georgia sucked me in. Like she knew I needed someone. We’d had some talks, but nothing super-deep. I told her about my parents being dead, but I didn’t get into details of how. Or why I came to this town. Or any of my powers. Or how I’ve had, like, six different last names over the past few years.
“Mandy?”
“Um…I’m here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s okay.” I glanced around my bare room, then back to the screen. “I better go. It’s getting late.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Georgia’s face scrunched up. Probably worried she’d pissed me off.
“Yeah, sure. Tomorrow. I’ll call ya.” I signed off, slapped the screen down, then swiveled my chair. The dim light from the corner lamp cast a funky shadow across my empty room. Hadn’t gotten anything up on the boring, tan walls yet. Never knew how long we’d last in a town, so sometimes I didn’t even bother.
And staying here was still up in the air until Scott got back. He’d probably say we had to leave. It was the smart thing to do. Coats had come to Trifle. We were at risk, which meant Scott was. Even Georgia.
The thought of either of them getting hurt made my stomach churn.
A gentle breeze danced with the pale curtains around my window. I held my breath and opened my hand. It turned light blue, like the sky earlier today.
I stared at the crease in the middle of my palm with all the energy I could muster. I pictured a baseball. Just not one made of leather.
My breathing quickened, and my heart thudded against my chest. A marble-sized piece of ice appeared on my palm. I watched it grow and grow as I focused on it. My head felt detached, like a helium balloon floating near a draft.
Finally, it neared the size of a baseball. Drawing in another deep breath, I willed my pulse to slow. I wrapped my fingers around the ball, then tossed it into the air, catching it on its way down.
It was cold and slippery, but it didn’t bother me. Could I even get frostbite?
Curses, Fates & Soul Mates Page 40
