The other woman let out a wicked laugh. “Feasible. Have you seen that ass?”
Marnie happened to pass by at that second, her brow furrowing when she noticed my expression. Her ears must have caught the tail end of the women’s conversation.
Her expression turned to stone. She pivoted and went to their table, reaching for the cake in the middle of the table they were sharing.
At their squawk of outrage, Marnie leaned in. “I’ll have none of that vicious talk while you’re in my establishment. Not aboutCaelan and certainly not about Evie! This is your one and only warning. If I catch you again, you’ll be banned from the diner permanently, you understand?”
No one wanted to be banned from Marnie and Twila’s diner. The two hedgewitches had the best restaurant in the area. Their pastries were divine, their soups a work of art.
“We understand,” the women murmured. “Can we have our cake back?”
Marnie snorted. “You certainly may not! Gather your bags and skedaddle. You don’t deserve cake after letting your mouth lead you to dangerous waters, but I’ll process a refund for it back to your card.”
“Yes, Marnie,” one of them said. The women scooted out of their chairs and shrugged their jackets on before hurrying out of the restaurant.
Marnie watched them until the door closed then hurried over to my table, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry about that, Evie. People are awful sometimes.”
I swallowed the lump building in my throat. “It’s alright. Not your fault.”
Her blue eyes held sympathy. “Are you okay?”
According to the Joy Springs gossip network, I was either a sorceress or a terrible fiancée, and my handsome boyfriend had left me for greener pastures. I mustered up a smile. “I’m fine.”
Marnie snorted. “Sure you are, dear.” She sighed. “Hold that thought.” She bustled away, leaving me staring down at my bisque feeling sorry for myself.
A moment later someone set a giant slice of lemon cream cake in front of me and scurried away. I looked up to see Marnie at the counter waving. “On the house!” she called.
I waved back and pushed my soup away. If it was a battle between cake and soup, dessert won the day every time.
Especially today.
Against my better judgment,I went to the Keep and rang the doorbell.
The door jerked open a few seconds later, and a feminine hand jerked me inside. I squawked and stumbled.
“Hurry,” Simone hissed.
My feet twisted and tangled together. “Can you wait until I stand up at least?”
“No.” She dragged me into a side room and shut the door, holding me by the arm until I got my bearings.
I brushed the dirt off the knees of my pants. “Gods, Simone. What the hell is the matter with you?”
“There’s something wrong.” Her eyes were wild, her normally pristine hair standing up in places like she’d stuck her finger in a light socket.
She clenched her fists at her side, and her breathing was heavier than normal. I watched her pace the room, each step clipped and short, back and forth, back and forth.
“Simone?”
She spun to me. “When’s the last time you heard from him?”
“Umm. Two days.”
“See?” she hissed. “That’s insane! He’s obsessed with you!”
“I—um. Okay? It seemed unusual, which is why I’m here, but we had a fight.”
Her nostrils flared. “Again?”
