I lean against a shelf beside her. “Still denying the obvious?”
She jumps, and I grin.
“Slade,” Piper warns. “You’re giving me wrinkles.”
“You should thank me. Fated mate wrinkles are flattering.”
She smacks a box of tea charms against the counter harder than necessary. “I’m not your fatedanything.”
“You keep saying that,” I murmur, “and your magic keeps disagreeing.”
She narrows her eyes. “Stop analyzing me.”
“Stop being interesting.”
Her lips part—offended and flustered. What alovelycombination.
She flips the sign to CLOSED, turns off the main lights, and begins locking the door. Her movements are brisk, practiced, a little shaky.
I can tell she’s pretending she’s in control. I let her pretend. For now… I follow her outside, taking in the small and sleepy town.
Snowglobe Hollow glitters under early evening light, frost collecting along the cobblestones. Piper pulls her coat tight, curls spilling from her hood in a dark, stormy halo. She keeps walking fast enough that she thinks she’s outpacing me. I stroll lazily beside her, matching her every step without effort.
“Stop hovering,” she mutters.
“I’m walking,” I reply, arching a brow.
“You’re hovering while standing.”
“That’s called existingnearyou.”
She groans dramatically. “I need a vacation.”
“You need answers,” I retort.
“I need wine.”
“You want to know about the curse.”
She stops walking. Looks at me. Really looks. Her breath clouds the cold air, cheeks pink from wind and frustration. “I don’t want your help,” she says softly.
“But you want the truth.”
Her jaw flexes. She says nothing, which is as good as a yes. I step closer—not touching her, not yet—but close enough that the magic between us shivers in recognition. “You didn’t summon me by accident,” I say quietly. “Something inside you called for something stronger.”
Piper swallows hard. “I don’t want to talk about this outside.”
That’s fine. I like her walls. They’re fun to break.
And I do intend to break them down…
***
The moment she opens the door, the cat waits for me. Newt sits proudly in the entryway like a tiny gargoyle, tail wrapped around his paws.
Piper sighs. “Newt,don’tstart. Mommy’s had a day.”
I step inside. Newt stands, approaches… and rubs against my leg.Purring. I stare down at him. The creature looks smug.
