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“Sounds like a movie I’ve seen,” someone chuckled.
I shrugged. “Travel companions used to be a thing just like nannies for the rich who get to go on vacations. She didn’t have anyone and neither did I so yeah, she got to do what women couldn’t when she was younger, and I couldn’t believe she paid me over getting to travel. It was hard to part, but she didn’t want me to be forty and starting my own life. Plus, it was time.”
Sarah’s face dropped. “I had to put my mom in a place and it was the worst day.”
I nodded. “She’s not my family but yeah, the next stage was more than I could handle. I’m not qualified. We’re more than blood though.” I chuckled. “I sent her pictures Saturday, and she was bragging I sold out. She says I’m the daughter she didn’t have, and she didn’t want me to get my inheritance after she was gone to enjoy it.”
“That’s really nice of her.” Sarah made a gesture to lock up her lips. “Anyone asks, you found a smart investor as anyone who tried your samples knows you got the recipes. I hope you grow fast before someone tries to bully you.”
“I fight dirty, and I will absolutely kick anyone’s ass that tries. I’ve been waiting for this for a while and no one’s going to ruin it for me.”
“I’m scrappy too,” she promised, beaming at me. “Do friends get to snag some other juice too? I’ve been dying to go on a cleanse before summer but—do you know it’s over a hundred dollars for three days? I’m a teacher. I can’t afford that.”
“That’s insane,” I agreed, shaking my head. “Yeah, come help me prep fruit and we’ll make juice. I won’t have everything, like I think some are coconut milk or chia seeds, but a lot can’t get what I have, so we might need to make a real plan. I would think mangosteen would substitute for better.”
“Which is that?” she asked, checking out the fresh fruit I’d also brought with juice, baked treats, and an assorted case of full jars.
I showed them how to cut into one and eat it, chuckling when the other teachers didn’t move on and students were watching. By the time lunch period was over and I was headed home, I was hopeful that we’d have a handful of people show up.
Oh, how silly I could be.
Over fifty kids showed up after school realizing others were interested, so they wanted to get through the door first. So there was that.
And that night when I went out on my balcony before bed, Finn was swimming below me… Naked and watching me watch him.
So there was that too.
4
Finneas
Adrena had been hopeful for ten to show up after her visit to the high school. She was all excited it went well and her excitement was sexy.
But she was talking about unemployment and hearing it was at an all-time low and she didn’t know the local rates.Butthat was only for thoseonunemployment or full-time workers who lost their jobs.
No one counted the kids who were just old enough to get one or after-school jobs in most of their polls and research. And with a lot of stores and malls closing, those jobs were harder to get as well. So my guess was she’d get more than ten.
Over fifty didn’t really shock me since she said it seemed like a large high school and she’d made a splash at lunchtime. High schools were notorious for gossip for a reason as information flew around at neckbreaking speeds.
I had her phone still from when she’d left as that was synced up to the gate to let people in. I’d handled the shipment to Sia and her honey delivery from another witch.
Now I understood why Klara was trying to find more of us who couldn’t practice magic but had it in our blood and were at risk for jobs that would be protected. If they kept on building up territories and farms—which I was pretty sure was the goal—they could have a fleet of trucks and drivers. Not to be sexist like only guys could be truck drivers, but we couldn’t be the witches.
Hell, I would drive a truck to stay safe and in the network after the little I’d seen of BDE witches and how they treated males with magical blood.
I’d been driving over another load with that stupid one-seater electric tow tractor that made me feel like I was going to break it under my weight like a kid’s ATV when her phone started buzzing. I pulled it out and saw it was the gate, glancing up and found it wasn’t just one vehicle but several like they caravanned it over.
Oh boy. This should get interesting fast.
I let them in and drove over, glad when they waited for me to show them where to park out of the way of the path. I went back to the brewhouse door when they were pulling in next to each other and opened the door.
“Uh, Adrena? You’ve got some students here,” I called in, my stomach knotting and my blood pumping when she turned and smiled brightly at me.
Damn. The woman just had to smile and I was seconds from a hard-on and overwhelming lust. She hurried over looking excited and I hated to ruin that, but I knew I had to warn her.
“You got more than ten. They caravanned over.”
Her eyes flashed shock and she ducked out with me, flinching when she saw how many were already out of their vehicles and heading for us. She simply blinked until we had a group gathered and waiting on her.
