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Cora’s brows stitched together. “Has anything new happened to cause concern?”
He shook his head dismissively. “No, no. Everything is fine. It’s only a precaution. Some people have been on edge like they’re worried something else might jump out from the shadows.”
“That’s a reasonable response,” I said, feeling as the worry left my system. “But everything is fine here. We’re just soaking in the nice weather.”
Noah gave us a nod, and while I expected him to move on, a look of recognition crossed his face. “I think I’ve seen you around before. At the Roadbar, right?”
It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for locals to recognize me outside of what had been my work.
“That’s right. I worked there for quite a while, but I recently got a new job,” I answered with a polite smile. Realizing we had no idea who the man was, I remembered myself. “I’m Sara, and this is Cora.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Where do you work now?”
While I was surprised by all the questions, I didn’t mind the interest. “Willow’s mystic shop on main street. I was due for a change.”
Noah seemed to understand where I was coming from, and he smiled. “A fresh start is usually a good thing. I’ve never been, but I might have to check it out.”
“You should, Willow is great at what she does.”
“So is Sara, but she’s too modest to say it,” Cora chirped with a suggestive grin.
I wanted to retreat into my own skin at the comment as I was aware of her intentions. We were freshly off the heels of a conversation concerning my love life, and with a presumed shifter who was easy on the eyes standing before us, it was the perfect recipe for my best friend to try and set us up.
Regardless of the flush of my skin, I gave a small smile and tried to not feel mortified. While I was a witch belonging to Rose Valley’s coven, I didn’t exactly feel like the most experienced coven sister. After dedicating my life to doing things ‘the right way’ and stepping into more mundane choices, I missed out on those crucial learning years. I still had a long way to go.
“I’ll have to take your word for it until I can find out for myself, but for now, I should be getting back to work,” Noah replied smoothly, eyes lingering on me for another moment. “Do let me know if you witness anything strange. I’ll see you around.”
As we said our farewells, the anticipation for what would come out of Cora’s mouth made my stomach twist.
He gave us a final wave on his way out, and Noah disappeared through the trees.
After he was surely out of earshot, Cora directed her attention to me with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. It looked like there were many things she wanted to say, and I could only imagine how many were appropriate.
“There’s just something about a man in a uniform,” she hummed deviously before dipping down to grab whatever caught her eye in the water below.
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at the exchange, and how perfect the timing was. It seemed Noah managed to catch her attention.
“You laugh, but he was cute.”
While she had a point, seeing as he was privileged with the obvious physique of a shifter and the manner of a Task Force member, I wasn’t prepared to throw all my progress away for a stranger I had only just met.
“He was,” I commented lightly and returned my focus to the streambed. “You should go for it.”
Cora was silent for a moment, and once I met her gaze again, I realized she had been studying me closely. That mischievous twinkle in her eye didn’t waver. “I would, but he was obviously ogling at you.”
Color rushed to my cheeks before I could attempt to fight it, and I knew immediately that she had seen it. She giggled to herself and examined the small collection of rocks in her palms.
Waving off how ridiculous it all felt, I grumbled to myself, “I’m not ready to date yet.”
“You might think that now, Sara, but you shouldn’t shy away from relationships, or even just fun forever. You don’t know until you try it,” she pushed with an encouraging tone. “You deserve to have your own excitement.”
Sighing, it felt harder to muster up the courage to continue the conversation. Cora wasn’t wrong, and she made a good point, but I wasn’t prepared to admit that.
At the same time, the thought of pushing past my reluctance and putting myself out there was incredibly daunting. It was a whole new era for me, and I didn’t want to get started by jumping into anything that might sabotage all the work I did for myself.
Cora meant well, and I’m sure she just wanted me to enjoy myself, but that was something I needed to decide for myself.
Even if indulging in my single life with others sounded tempting, there was something about it that made my stomach turn.
