Chapter 17

Willow

I settled in at home, wearing comfy pjs and with a glass of wine, to go through my manuscript and just chill. The past week had been nothing but eventful, and my brain was on overdrive, and refusing to function all at once.

Tess had gone with Piper again, so I was alone in the house. It was quiet, with just the gentle piano music I had playing, and the crackling of the fire. I should grade or check my emails or do any number of things. Instead, I was daydreaming about Winston's smile.

And, well, other things.

Shaking my head, I ran my hands through my hair for the 80th time. Maybe another glass of wine and a soak in a hot tub was what I needed. With that in mind, I grabbed my laptop and the wine. My bathroom was chilly, so I kicked up the heat and started running hot water into the tub.

With some Epsom salts, and a special bomb Piper had made me, I soon had the relaxing scent of lavender and mint in the air. Bubbles covered the surface of the water, and I eagerly sank down into the bath.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch."

My skin was on fire… but then my body settled out to the temperature, and I felt warm and cozy all over. A hot bath was always the right call, I thought.

I turned on an episode of Friends and closed my eyes. Listening to the banter helped calm me, and I relaxed into the bath. My body felt free, and I stayed there, replenishing and heating up the water twice.

Finally, when my skin had wrinkled as much as my body could handle, I drained the water and got out. Unwilling to lose the calm I had gained, I pulled on my pajamas and laid down in bed. Pulling the covers up over me, I went to sleep thinking of a smile and dreamed of a kiss.

The next morning was Sunday, and luckily I didn't have an alarm set. I slept until well in the morning, when my phone went off, and the front door was opening. I sat up, rubbing my eyes.

That had been a good night of sleep.

"Morning!" Tess' voice called from the living room. I threw off the covers and put on my robe. Walking into the living room, I found Tess and Piper.

Piper raised an eyebrow, and looked me up and down.

"I'm taking it, that with that outfit, there isn't a hot guy asleep in your bed or hiding behind curtains?"

"No. I came home last night. Too much on my mind."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You need more fun in your life," Tess said, flitting back to the bedroom. I shook my head.

"I need to focus on my book. This is my career, after all."

Piper laughed. "You have been focused on your career for years. Maybe that career is finally trying to find you a love life."

"In the words of Tess, ‘yeah, yeah, yeah'. You staying?"

"No, I've got to clean my house, and I desperately need to do laundry. Plus, there aren't any fun new stories to hear here."

"Ah, I'll keep that in mind next time."

"Uh, huh. Toodles, Love. Maybe you'll have better luck tonight."

I shook my head as Piper left. I could have gotten lucky last night based on how Winston was looking at me. But my brain still couldn't completely reconcile the fact that we both seemed head over heels for each other in no time at all. Was this connection truly because we were soulmates?

Or had we done something else to ourselves with magic we didn't understand?

With a whole day ahead of me, I looked towards my kitchen. Piper wasn't the only one who needed to clean. I whistled, and Tess flew back in.

"I don't know what the state of your laundry is, but we need to clean up."

"Dire. So yes, as much as it sucks, I agree."

The next few hours were spent cleaning up the house.

"When did I grocery shop last?" I asked, staring into my fridge, which contained two bottles of wine, a few condiments, and almost nothing else.

"Have you this century?" Tess asked, looking in as well. I thought about closing her in it. The freezer wasn't much better.

"I didn't want to put on clothes today."

"Are you streaking? I thought you had on clothes."

"You know what I mean. But I also want food. So, guess it's time to hit the store."

We shopped, brought the food home, and got it all put up. I made a late lunch, and we decided to continue binge watching Friends, as Tess had also watched it multiple times.

Finally, I started grading and handling some of my things for work. It was easy enough with Friends in the background, since I knew what was happening on screen anyway. As I caught up on grading, I also pondered what I wanted to do with the book.

I needed to text Winston. Perhaps we should call his mother. Then again, I wondered what I would do if she demanded I not print these spells. Winston wasn't lying about the fact that the council had hidden them numerous times. There had often been reasons for what they did… but did I agree with all of it? Was it okay to hide part of who you are?

If witches had hid the love spells because of issues, what else might they be able to do? Was the other spell really to turn invisible? Could they be hiding even more intense spells in their vault? Did people not just create new ones to do what they needed?

Magic was complex, and it was near impossible to know exactly what enabled any of it to work. Some people could create new spells, and some lacked the ability.

My brain raced in circles. It didn't always make sense. I finally texted Winston and said, "Tomorrow? I think we should speak with your mother. I can come in the afternoon after class."

It only took a few minutes before I heard from him.

"Sure. Works for me."

With that settled, I tried to ignore my anxiety over the decision. There were also a few other witches at the college I could ask… though whether I wanted to do that, I still wasn't sure.

Ah, the complexities of publishing in academia.

The next morning, the café was bustling when I made it there, and once again, Winston instantly made my coffee when he saw me.

This time though, he walked around the counter with it, and a to-go bag with something inside.

"Don't I need to pay?"

"Not here. Now shoo."

I seriously thought about kissing him, but there was quite the audience. I didn't want to hear any comments, so I waved towards Lyzzie and hightailed it out of there. Then I also remembered that he had hired a couple of my current students…

That could get awkward. Both a blessing and curse that he lived over his coffee shop. Coffee all the time, but also… people.

Work went by in a flash, and before I knew it, it was time to head to the café. My feet were killing me, even though these boots were something I wore often enough. Another long, hot bath sounded wonderful. Or a foot massage.

The cool air on my skin felt wonderful after the heat inside. Fun thing about academic buildings—they seemed to either always be way too cold, or 100 degrees. So I always carried a cardigan or light jacket, and even kept a blanket in my office.

I pulled my jacket closer to me and let the wind whip through my hair. My braid had come out a long time ago. The colors were fading, and I needed to re-dye it soon. Piper and I had tried creating a permanent, never-fading dye. It hadn't worked—but we had been able to drastically lengthen the time between dyes.

My mind wandered as my feet followed the normal path. Students waved and said hi or hurried past late to their classes. I missed the almost carefree days of being a college student, or as much as I could be.

I'd been working part time, but thanks to several scholarships, had only needed money for food and extras. It was a lucky thing. Even luckier that Piper roomed with me. She'd been instrumental in helping me recover from my two broken hearts during college.

The two times I'd given my heart away, it'd been abused and destroyed. So why now did I seem so willing to throw it into the hands of someone I barely knew? Why now, when it was tied up in my work, my career, and the things that I valued above all else?

My career, my goals, had been there for me. Nothing was going to keep me away from my dreams, and with dedication I'd been so good at what I do they hadn't been able to deny me the spot. I'd brought in grants, research, and publications, even before I'd been a full professor.

My name was known.

And so was Winston's mom's. I wondered why I hadn't really made the connection. His aunt had never talked much about her personal life.

Classical music drifted on the air, and I realized with a start that I'd made it to the café. I leaned against the fence going up to it and waited. Not really sure what for—but more just to give myself a pause. A moment to drink in what the café looked like and the feelings I felt for it.

Was I falling for the new owner because I'd always been in love with the café? I scoffed at the notion. Not that I wasn't in love with the café—between its location, excellent beverages and food, and dreamy exterior, I'd always loved it. But I didn't think I was silly enough to fall for a guy just because he could make me the perfect muffin.

That thought made my stomach growl. It was time to face the music. I'd be meeting Winston's mother via the phone for the first time, without her even really knowing who I was. What if she recognized my name? What if she got angry I was with her son?

Was I with her son? Would she even know I was there?

I shook my head side to side, trying to make the questions just stop swimming around and chasing each other. Nothing for it, but to go in. And so I did.

The café was slow. Most students were in class, or getting ready to go out. It was that sweet spot in which you could be more alone in your thoughts and have a calmer sip of coffee.

I met Winston at the counter, and he handed over a sandwich and a coffee.

"Maybe I wanted chocolate." I said around a mouthful.

"I mean, I can put chocolate on it, but I don't think it would be very appetizing."

"Whatever. That's your taste."

Winston raised an eyebrow and went to grab his chocolate syrup.

"No, no, just kidding. I'm good with this…" I looked at the sandwich, "Turkey and cheese. Thanks."

I took my food and coffee and plopped at a table by the outside windows. Winston followed.

"What's up? You can come back to the kitchen."

I smiled, but pointed outside. "I love the gardens. I wanted to look at it again before it was buried in snow."

"Good point. Snow is one thing I'm worried about. Didn't really deal with it much in California."

"Don't worry. We can teach you all the ways of us folks who live in too much of it."

He laughed, and I smiled up at him. I took another bite of the sandwich and nodded my approval.

"It's good. Is that special sauce?"

"My recipe. Shhhhh."

With a laugh, I leaned back and finished the sandwich. He waved and headed back to the counter as another customer came in. Whoever was working must be on break.

I wondered if he'd been able to make any headway on the spell. I hadn't, and I'd tried since yesterday. Calling his mother was the only other thing I could think of.

An hour passed by, with me grading and watching the outside world, and Winston helping with the afternoon rush that finally showed. Eventually, I packed up and went to the kitchen. It smelled heavenly, a mix of coffee and bread, and I never wanted to leave it.

There wasn't anything currently baking, but the oven was putting off tons of warmth, so I sat as close as I could to it. The heat made me nearly want to doze, and I think I nodded off when I heard footsteps.

Winston was standing by the door, watching me. The look on his face made me want to jump him, but then he smiled ever so slightly, and walked closer.

"Hey, you awake?"

"Yeah, sorry. Heat was making me drowsy, and it's been a long day."

"Say no more, I understand. So good news, bad news. I haven't found out much, but I'm sure my mother can help. It's a good time to call her now."

Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat.

"Willow?"

"Yeah. Sorry. Okay. Yeah. We can call your mom. Does she have to know I'm here?"

"Not really. Is there a reason she shouldn't?"

"Not all witches like me. Also, I'm not sure I'm at the ‘meet the parents' stage yet."

Winston choked back a laugh, and said, "Yeah, I'm not sure you'll ever want to actually meet my mom. I'm going to say again that she can be intense. Especially where I'm concerned. My brother married a witch and has two kids already. I'm not holding up my end of the bargain. So if she says anything, please be prepared."

"Noted. And mums the word here."

Winston nodded and pulled out his cell. He thumbed through and then hit something on the screen. A few minutes later, a ringing sound came out of the phone. Each one was like a poke to the heart.

Finally, a woman's voice answered.

"Winston? Is that you?"

"Yes, Mom. I was calling for some advice."

"Advice? You could just call to talk to me, you know."

"Sorry, Mom. Things have just been busy with the café and all. You know how running a business can be."

"Not for those without magic. So, what do you need advice for?"

"I told you I was working on a couple of spells for someone. I need help deciphering one or seeing if we have a copy in the vault."

"Now, who said I was willing to go into the vault?"

"Mother. Come on."

"What does the spell do?"

"I'm not sure. We think maybe invisibility."

"And she wants to publish that? What was the other one?"

Winston winced. "Well, that was more complicated…"

"Winston Charles Sullivan, you tell me right this instant."

"It was a love spell, of a sort."

I hear a gasp over the phone. "Explain of a sort."

My mother's voice was cold steel.

"It identifies whether the person doing it with you is your soulmate."

"How?"

"It appears that your hands glow the same color. Or at least that is what we think."

"I see. She cannot publish that."

I almost make a protest, but remember she does not know I'm listening. It takes all my might and willpower and nearly breaking skin with my nails as I clenched my fists, but I keep quiet.

"Why Mom? It doesn't make anyone love anyone."

"Are you sure about that? Does it outline anything? We'd need to examine it further. And a spell for invisibility? If that works, it can create havoc."

"Mom, we already have so many spells that could wreak havoc. Why do these two matter?"

"Send me pictures. I shall examine them and call you back in an hour."

"Promise?"

"I promise to look, I don't promise to share any details. Now quit whining and do what you are told."

"Okay, okay, going. Bye Mom."

Winston hung up the phone and sat it down on the table. His shoulders hunched in, and he looked defeated.

"Honestly, that wasn't as bad as I feared."

He looked up at me, hope in his eyes. "Do you want to send her the pictures?"

I looked away, and then down at my hands. Did I? I'd avoided getting help from the witches in the department because they would demand credit, and I wasn't really fond of most of them. But his mother? A council member? I could offer a thank you to them, and it probably wouldn't matter.

Or she could demand everything, and I'd have a fight on my hands.

That said, I had little choice at this point. I'd never been so confounded before. And Winston's magic wasn't even helping him.

"Yes. I think so."

Winston held a hand out in front of him, towards the stairs to his apartment. "My copies are upstairs. I can snap some pictures."

"You go ahead. I am really enjoying the warmth."

Winston smiled finally and nodded. He raced up the stairs, his long legs skipping steps as he went. I shuffled closer to the oven and tried to put my brain to rights. I was torn between wanting to rip the papers to shred, finding out every detail possible, and throwing myself at Winston in a fit of passion.

What even was my brain lately?

Winston came back down, and I looked up. "Sent," he said. "Want to help me with the dinner rush?"

There wasn't anything more I could do with the book for now, so I nodded, and took the apron he handed me. Maybe the quiet calm in the bakery would help settle my racing heart. Or coffee.