The crow cawed and flew off. I expected it to head for the door, so I was kinda shocked when it landed on Corbin’s shoulder. He reached over and casually scratched its head like it was no big deal at all.
“Breakfast?” Corbin asked casually, like he didn’t have a crow sitting on his shoulder.
“Um, sure? Is that crow, like, yours?” I asked.
Jude was over at the fridge pulling stuff out, but Corbin came over and sat across the table from me.
“Crow isn’t mine. I suppose, if anything, I’m hers.”
Toby looked up at that. “Wait. Hold on a sec. Are you telling me you named your crow ‘Crow’? Really, Corbin?”
Toby’s face was priceless. He looked utterly appalled. He put so much time and energy into naming his characters in his books—I often heard all about his research and listened to him debate names when he was writing. He was always calling for opinions.
I couldn’t help the little giggle that escaped me at Toby’s face. I felt bad, because I didn’t want Corbin to think I was laughing at him, but when I looked over, he was smiling.
“I was quite a bit younger when Crow came to me,” he answered.
“Um, crows don’t live that long, Corbin,” Toby said. “Is it a hellhound crow?”
Toby and his imagination. I almost snorted, but instead, I answered, “Actually, crows can live up to twenty years in zoos and stuff.”
Corbin couldn’t have been much older than in his thirties, so he could’ve domesticated the crow when he was younger. I bet it was a fascinating story.
Toby opened his mouth, probably to ask more questions, but Jude cut him off. “Corbin’s a witch.”
Toby and I both looked over at Jude, who was casually frying eggs. Corbin was scratching Crow’s neck again, and he didn’t look fazed by Jude’s pronouncement.
“Wait. Wait. What? A witch? What the fuck!?” Toby asked. He looked somewhere between pissed off (probably that no one had told him) and excited (because I’m sure he was already thinking up a book).
“Do you mean, like, Wiccan?” I asked, not wanting him to be offended by Toby. Not that I even knew if Wiccan was the right word.
Corbin didn’t look aggravated, though. He looked as calm and serene as ever, and he shrugged his shoulders. “Something like that.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to offend. I just don’t really know anything about witches. Or Wicca. Or whatever word you use,” I added.
“It’s okay. I don’t worry about titles. It’s my family line, and my mother didn’t really call herself anything. It just means we’re more connected to nature and the elements.”
“Cool,” I said. “That’s really cool.”
God, I was a dork. I had zero game. I looked at Toby, but he was writing stuff down again. Corbin had said I was beautiful, but that was before he actually heard me talk.
I could feel my chances with the sexy guy floating out the window. He did not seem like the type to be impressed by a pink hooded cloak and a bedazzled staff, and that was totally my vibe. He was, like, a cover model for underwear ads or something.
Jude came over with a plate full of eggs and sausage, and it was like some kind of beacon, because suddenly the front door was opening, and I heard voices call out. It sounded like Josh and Wilder, and maybe Aiden and his boyfriend.
There was a chorus of greetings as they all walked in. Aiden’s boyfriend wasn’t there, though, just his big-ass dog. Fluffy looked kind of ferocious, but he was a sweetie. Jude put plates out for everyone, and Corbin got up to get silverware. Toby finally put away his notebook, and everyone sat down to eat and chat.
It was nice. A bunch of other people being there kind of took the pressure off. I got to occasionally stare at Corbin when he wasn’t looking. Yeah, he had rugged good looks, beautiful long hair, and thick, sexy lips, but he also exuded this sort of natural calm. I remembered it from the cult house. It was nice just being in his presence. There was something calming about him. He made me feel settled and content, sort of like drinking tea on my porch with the sunrise.
His crow stayed on his shoulder the whole time, which was kind of adorable. The group talked about stupid mundane stuff, and eventually Q, Liam, and Dexter came in to join us, which turned into Q finding things to complain about in the funniest way possible. I laughed and joked and got over my self-consciousness, but I couldn’t help glancing at Corbin.
He didn’t talk a whole lot, but it seemed like once or twice maybe he was glancing at me, too, and he dished food onto my plate. Maybe it was stupid, but I thought it was kind of sweet. I didn’t wanna read too much into anything, but maybe he was sort of interested?
A guy could hope, anyway. Maybe I’d even get up the courage to ask him to meet for coffee or something.
I just needed to figure out how to see more of Corbin without death or bloodshed occurring. Nothing ruined a perfectly good date like having someone die at the next table.
Unfortunately, I knew that from experience.
