I blinked. “You made this… for me?”
He shrugged, looking at the floor. “I assume you’ll blow things up less when you’re organized.”
Tabitha sighed dreamily. “He’s so romantic.”
“I’mpractical,” Savla said firmly.
“Same thing,” Zara argued, tucking her chin neatly on her hands as she watched us hawkishly.
He gave me one last look—steady, unreadable, but softer around the edges—and muttered, “Goodnight, witch,” before heading for the door.
Zara waited until it clicked shut before turning to me, smug as ever. “Well?”
I glared. “You’re allevil.”
Floria giggled. “Andyou’reglowing again.”
I wanted to clutch at my face and deny it, but I was almost certain the menaces were right.
Tasia lifted Gabbi’s hand. “Say it with me, sweetheart.”
Gabbi beamed. “Aunty Hanna has anorcfriend!”
“I donot!” I protested, burying my face in my hands, wondering if they couldpossiblybe right, and how I felt about it.
The hard thump of my heart screamed that I wascompletely okaywith the revelation.
Tabitha patted my back. “Give it time, dear. You’ll hex him into admitting it eventually,” she comforted.
I groaned into the table. “I’m never baking bread again.”
“Good,” Zara said, pouring herself more tea. “Next time,hecan bring the dessert.”
Chapter 10
Savla
The storm rolled in fast that afternoon—thunder roared low over the rooftops and rain hit the tiles like a battle drum. I’d shut the workshop door against the wind, and was trying to start a new piece that I’d been rolling around in my mind for a while, when I heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs leading to the roof.
I frowned, because there wasabsolutelyno way that she would be foolish enough to come up to the workshop in stormy weather. I was certain of it.
Then the door to my workshop—that was usually open, but I’d closed because of the rain—banged open, and Hanna stumbled in. She was dripping wet and laughing like a lunatic.
“Savla!” she gasped, pushing her soaked hair out of her face.“It’spouringout there!”
I just stared at her, not sure how to respond. She wasdrenched.Her cheeks were flushed and she was grinning like it was the best day of her life. I ignored the pang of longing in my chest. “Then why the hell are you here?”
She huffed, squeezing water out of her sleeves. “I waspassing byand the rain started! I didn’t mean to intrude,” she defended.
“Passing by?” I raised an eyebrow. “We’re quite a few stories up from ‘passing by.’”
She grinned at me in that way of hers that made my idiotic heart flip. “Your logic is mean and unhelpful. Do you have a towel?” she asked, reaching up to squeeze water droplets from her hair.
I sighed, grabbed one from a peg, and tossed it her way. She caught it with both hands and immediately wrapped it around her shoulders like a cape. Ribbon hopped closer, croaking curiously at the puddle forming around her boots.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warned him.
Hanna crouched to pet him anyway. “Oh, let him! He’s just saying hello.”
