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 fromyou, 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.
Idid careabout 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 alotin 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.
