“Oh, I won’t go there. Who had time for that?” She motioned at me. “Where are you from?”
“Good question. I’ve lived in many places, trying to find a good fit.” Before I unraveled my sad story of not fitting in anywhere while playing the world’s tiniest violin, I said, “If you want, I’ll tell you more at dinner.”
“Sure.”
“Are you free tomorrow night?”
She chewed her bottom lip before replying, “Yes.”
“Great.” My mouth spread into a grin. “It’s a date.” When she furrowed her brows, I added, “Not a romantic one. I mean one on the calendar.” Before I stuck my paw any deeper into my mouth, I picked up the cat carrier, said “Good night, Pandora. See you tomorrow.” Then I hurried out the back door before she changed her mind.
CHAPTER4
PANDORA
Iwas the first one at the Salem Supernatural Network the next morning. That wasn’t anything new since I didn’t sleep much or have much of a social life outside of my work. The one regular date I had on the calendar each month was book coven, which essentially meant drinking wine with older witches. We’d talk about the book for all of two minutes and spend the rest of the night chatting. I liked to read paranormal women’s fiction or cozy mysteries but tried to push classics whenever it was my turn to pick a book. That way, it encouraged me to read them.
My work at the Network kept me busy. Our group focused on magical spells, potions, and charms for our clients as well as investigating cases of misusing magic. Not only did I manage my staff, but I often spent time in calls and meetings with other networks to share information.
When it came to magic, there was always something—or someone—preventing me from relaxing for long. That had been especially true here in Salem. The biggest battle had been when demons and sirens had attempted to seize control of the city. Fortunately, we’d prevented them from opening a portal to let more demons in.
I stepped into the kitchen and brewed a tea with peppermint and chamomile to soothe me. Ever since agreeing to meet up with Austin tonight, I’d been more amped up than usual. Part of it was nerves as it had been a long time since I’d been out with a man. The other part was excitement because—well, for the same reason—it had been a long time since I’d been out with a man.
“Pandora, are you okay?”
I turned to see Cassandra, a witch on my team. Her blonde hair was twisted into a messy bun on the top of her head with two chopsticks. Her black reading glasses were pushed up, something I’d had to wear more often myself since reaching my forties, but she was still in her mid-thirties. We’d met working together here at the Network and were now friends.
“Yes, why?” I asked.
“I said good morning, but you didn’t seem to hear me.”
“Oh.” I’d been stirring herbs in my tea with more vigor than necessary. “Just thinking.”
“Uh-oh.” Cassandra crossed her arms. “Trouble?”
I pictured Austin and the kitten. Trouble? Not in the traditional sense. But with the way I was looking forward to seeing him tonight, it could pose a problem. I didn’t date for a reason. It was too complicated, too painful, and too tumultuous. Not worth the heartache.
“No. For once, it’s not about work. I’m meeting someone for dinner.”
Cassandra’s eyes widened. “A date?” She rubbed her hands together. “Oh, do tell.”
Since I hadn’t had anything exciting to share in my personal life in quite some time, I didn’t blame her for being interested.
“It’s nothing, really,” I dismissed with a casual wave. “Not romantic.”
“Are you sure? You seem flushed—and distracted.”
So much for playing it cool. I exhaled. Might as well tell someone what I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“Last night, a guy from next door stopped by. He’s a new neighbor.”
Cassandra tipped her head, an amused expression spreading across her face.
“No need to get all smiley like that. He asked me to watch a kitten while the landlord stopped by.”
Cassandra scrunched her nose. “Odd.”
“No kidding.” I huffed. “His name is Austin. He moved in last week and isn’t supposed to have cats, but he took in a stray he’d found on a hike and couldn’t part with it yet. So, I agreed and cat-sat a cute tuxedo kitten for a little while. When Austin returned to pick up the cat, he offered to thank me by taking me out to dinner tonight.
