“It was Dastien’s idea.”
“You talked to Dastien?” I was suddenly jealous of my own mother.
She nodded. “I wanted to make sure I was getting enough.”
Wait. I was missing something. “You have his number?”
“He’s your mate. Of course I have his number.”
That was news to me. “Do you guys talk? Often?”
She shrugged. “Sometimes. We traded numbers when he came to pick up your stuff for St. Ailbe’s. I knew then what was going on. Your father was a bit slower to accept things, but it’s important to me to support my children, no matter what life brings their way.”
I had no clue she’d done that. I knew she supported me. That was clear in everything that she did, but this was something else.
I followed the workers into the kitchen. Claudia was trying to move the table over to make room in the corner for the second fridge. Now this, I could help with.
I didn’t want to show off too much for the workers, but I went to the table and lifted it just enough before taking a few steps back.
Claudia shot me a look of awe, and then started scurrying around and scooting chairs out of the way. After the workers left, we went out to Mom’s car. She’d folded the seats down, and every bit of space was filled with food.
“You bought the whole damned grocery store.”
“What do you think took me so long?” She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Now, let’s get this stuff put away.”
“First things first.” I smelled a delicious mix of bread, cheese, and tomato sauce and found the source in her front seat. I snagged a slice of my favorite pepperoni and jalapeño pizza and inhaled it. “Okay, let’s go,” I said as I wiped my hands on my jeans. I grabbed as much as I could carry and still see over, and made my way back inside.
It took us an hour to get everything organized in such a way that the fridges could close. The last thing mom brought in was the stack of four extra-large pizzas. “Lunch. Three for you. One for your cousins. You can heat them back up in the oven.”
“Thanks. That’s awesome.”
Mom sighed. “I wish I could stay.” She hugged me. “Be careful. If you need anything, just call. Remember, I grew up here. I know these people and what it can be like.”
“I know. I appreciate it. I’m going to be okay. Thanks for the food.”
“Of course, mija. Anything for my girl.”
“If you talk to Dastien again, tell him I’m okay.”
“I will,” she said as she stepped out the door.
I popped the pizzas in the oven and wondered what Dastien was doing. Being apart was a constant aggravation. I’d been doing my best to focus on the lesson with Daniel, but it seemed like every time I slowed down or stopped moving, I felt this yearning—this longing that I couldn’t ignore. And we’d only been apart for hours. This was going to be a whole bunch of no fun.
Maybe if I climbed on the roof, my cell could pick up a signal, but that would mean breaking the rules…
As the smell of pepperoni and cheese filled the kitchen, I pulled out plates.
“What’s going on?” Daniel said as he walked into the kitchen.
I guessed he’d been busy trying to figure out what I’d been doing wrong. “My mom brought food. You hungry?”
“Sure.” He sat at the table and my cousins joined him. The way they talked with each other reminded me of my friends. Suddenly, it wasn’t just Dastien I was missing, it was everyone.
Adrian might be able to get on coven ground, but that would probably only fly once. If I were lucky, maybe twice, and Luciana would definitely try to get her hooks into him. So, I had to save that for when I had really good reason to contact him.
As I tucked into the second pizza, Dastien occupied my thoughts. He was probably fine. Maybe chatting with our friends.
The image of Imogene kissing him flashed into my mind.
What was wrong with me? I really wished I could un-see things. But once I had a vision, it was never gone. When I was in Imogene’s room a few months ago, I’d touched her necklace and glimpsed an intimate moment between the two of them.
I guessed that was why she got to me. She’d known Dastien much longer than I had. He said he hadn’t meant to lead her on, but she’d been led nonetheless. Her ulterior motives for speaking against me weren’t all that secret.
She wanted Dastien back. I knew it. Hell, everyone knew it. But I had to trust Dastien. I had to focus on why I was here, and know that my bond with him would always exist, even if I couldn’t feel it. Still strong. Just hidden.