Page 103 of You’re So Vein

My skin is on fire where she touches me.

She shakes her head. Her wild hair tumbles over her shoulders. “Trust me, if I’m on a date with a man, I’m not wearing my oldest sweatshirt, stuffing my face with wedges, and plying him for information to help solve a murder.”

“I should like to find out what is involved in a date with you.”

The words fall from my lips before I can stop them.

She sighs. “Durant—”

“I’m sorry. You told me to stay away from you. I will respect that.” Even though it’s a physical pain, I retract the vines and slide her arms from around me. I step away from her, putting an entire church pew between us. It doesn’t feel safe enough, not with her quickening pulse pounding in my ears.

“I know what I said, but there’s something you don’t know. I—”

“Komal?” A new voice calls out.

I drop to my knees, hiding behind the pew as Dora Meriwether steps into the church. “Dora?” Komal says. “What are you doing in here?”

“I do the flowers for the Sunday service,” Dora says. The heady, cloying scent of English roses wafts across my nose, and I hear the shuffle of leaves as she sets down an arrangement. “I was going to ask you the same question.”

“According to some comments on the app, the roof needs replacing,” Komal says quickly. “I was walking past and I thought I’d pop in and have a look, see if it might inspire a creative idea to raise the funds.”

“At night? But what about—”

“I’m trying exposure therapy,” Komal says quickly, her voice wavering.

“Good for you. And I love a fundraiser. Maybe we could incorporate it into your uncursing November plans.”

“Hmmmm,” Komal says. “Maybe we could. Speaking of village events, I have an idea I want to run past you, but we should do it outside, far away from the church.”

“Oh, sure. Help me get the other arrangements from the car. I’m always excited to hear your ideas.”

The two women leave together. I wait several moments until my foolish heart slows to its normal pace, and Komal’s scent has dissipated, and then I, too, leave the church and slink off into the night.

What if Dora hadn’t walked in? What was Komal about to reveal?

39Komal

Mamma: Are you dating Augustin Durant? I need to know because Papa just met a lovely young Indian fellow at the barber, and he’s in the circus! He’s already on the phone arranging to meet his parents, so I need to know if I should run interference.

Oh, and I’ve settled on a red and gold sash. When are we announcing my title to the village? I want to get new business cards printed.

“I KNOW WE WERE SUPPOSED to be brainstorming new suspects,” I say as I sit down on my usual beanbag on Wednesday evening for the Nevermore Coven meeting. “But I need to talk about something else.”

“We’re supposed to be discussing the book.” Arabella huffs, tossing her paperback over her shoulder.

“We never discuss the book.” Maisie grins. “Which is good, because between stressing about the husker, the Gazette’s budget running low again, and not being able to have a drink at the pub because I don’t trust Lilac, I’m so stressed that I haven’t been able to read so much as a text message.”

“Every customer who comes into my shop, I look at with suspicion.” Beth bites into one of her mushroom brownies. She works her jaw hard to swallow it down, and doesn’t take another bite. “The husker could be anyone. I still think it’s a vampire, though. It’s the most logical. They’re behaving themselves because the Conclave delegates are here.”

“Speaking of vampires, is Augustin the thing you need to talk to us about?” Celeste says with a smile.

“No.” I can feel my cheeks burning. “Absolutely not.”

I do not want to talk about Augustin.

Actually, that’s a lie. I long to spill the story to my friends, to have them wrap me in their arms and tell me how I can fix this.

But I can’t.