Page 21 of Hexed & Hazy

“Of course. I-I can leave.”

“You don’t need to do all that.”

He laughs, and the spell is broken as I turn, blazing, and cover my face with my hands. It’s so juvenile. As if I’ve never seen a naked man before—and I have. Men, women, and other genders. No one has ever made me as flustered as Seth does. The only thing that calms me down is the rustle of his clothing as he gets dressed.

If I have to think about his bare chest and how I touched it for several excruciating moments, I may faint in his presence.

“All done,” he says.

I hold my head high and turn to him. He’s still holding the damp towel, and I nearly reach out to take it before thinking better of it.

“You can put that in my hamper.” I gesture vaguely to the wicker basket in the corner of my room.

“Thanks.” The word doesn’t carry much meaning until he drops off the towel and turns to face me, his eyes full of an intensity I didn’t realize Seth could carry. “For everything. I feel terrible.”

“What is there to feel bad for?”

“I dunno… for being a jerk and getting myself hexed because of it. For needing your help.” He laughs, but it’s not the laugh I know and love. His shoulders don’t shake, his eyes don’t crinkle. He runs a hand over his face. “Maybe I should give up on love.”

Before I can stop myself, I scoff. “When have you ever looked for love?”

His eyes widen.

The thoughts were supposed to be just that—thoughts—but now they’re voiced, and I’ve likely hurt his feelings. Not only have I failed him as a witch, but also as a friend.

Then again, he shouldn’t be so surprised; he said it before. He was never looking for love. I can’t imagine him having a serious relationship. All of my relationships are serious. Sometimes too serious, leading to heartbreak on either side.

Perhaps that’s what Seth was trying to avoid, but if someone felt the need to hex him, it seems he failed.

I’ve always assumed it was his feelings for Laurel that made him incapable of giving his heart away, and perhaps that’s still the case even now that she’s picked someone else. It’s hard to say. Either way, it’s none of my business.

I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.

I wince. “Sorry.”

“No, no. You’re right.” His smile tightens. “I’ll, uh—I have to go see my mom.”

I nod. “She asked about you.”

“I bet.” He heads for the door. “She doesn’t like it when I’m out this late without telling her. Gets lonely, you know.”

In the moment that he walks away, I scramble desperately to find something more to say. Something that would make him stay. But there’s nothing.

“I know.”

“G’night.”

“Seth?”

He turns his head, his expression soft and tired.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” There’s a plea in my voice. I hate how weak it makes me sound. Absolutely pathetic. “We have a lot of other things to try next.”

Don’t give up on me so soon. I can do this.

He smiles, soft but genuine, and my heart can finally settle. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”

Chapter 8