Free No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells (Mystic Cafe Series) by Rose Pressey Page B

said.
    “ No, not really.” He took a bite from his burger and chewed.
    This time I didn’t knock it out of his hand.
    Rory continued. “That’s the thing. I don’t know why she’s back. I don’t know why all these women are suddenly so interested in me, either. At first I thought it was just my imagination.”
    Tom quirked his brow at me. I swallowed hard. This was not going well.
    “ Don’t take this the wrong way, I’m not hitting on you or anything, but you are a good-looking dude,” Tom offered.
    “ They never acted this way before. Something doesn’t seem right.” Rory used his napkin to wipe ketchup off his hand.
    The thought crossed my mind: were my feelings for Rory from my magic? My attraction to him had been instant, though. Before he ate the food. But what woman in her right mind wouldn’t be attracted to Rory Covington? What I felt for him was pure, utter, out-and-out lust—exactly what the spell had called for. Plus, I’d gotten out of one bad relationship, what made me think dating someone else would be different?
    Tom broke my reverie. “That is a dilemma, man. One that most men would love to have.”
    “ I’m not must men.” He took a drink of water. “I’ve been burned before and I don’t need that headache in my life.”
    He looked at me as if saying he was sorry. Did he really mean what he said? If so, then there wasn’t a chance for us. But if I didn’t reverse the magic, there’d never be a chance for us anyway. Why did this have to happen? Why now?
    Rory stood. “Thanks for the food. I’m glad I got a chance to finish it this time.” He gave a flicker of a smile and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “How much do I owe you?”
    I stood and Tom followed behind me. “It’s on me. I owe you for the other burger.”
    Rory frowned. “Are you sure?”
    “ I’m positive. Please, it would make me feel better.”
    Rory touched my hand, but the expression on his face appeared more confused than ever. “It was nice talking with you again, Elly. I’d stay longer, but I have to get back to work.”
    I nodded. “Sure, I understand. I have work, too. See ya later.”
    Rory looked as if he didn’t know how or why he’d ended up in my restaurant, eating a burger and talking to a guy he probably didn’t like. On his way out the door, Rory glanced back at me, then to Tom. No doubt he thought Tom and I were an item. I wanted the chance to tell him we weren’t, but what could I say? Tom is just here on a magical intervention?
    And Tom wasn’t helping matters by standing so closely to me, either. I needed to have a little chat with him about personal space and boundaries.
    “ I’ll see you,” Rory said as he made his way out the door.
    “ Look what you’ve done,” Tom said when the door had closed on Rory. “This is bad. Very bad.”

Chapter Fifteen
    After I’d closed the café, I remembered I hadn’t eaten all day. I had been around food from sunup to sundown and never taken the time to eat anything other than a few nibbles here and there. I was now living at Grandma Imelda’s cottage and she’d left the cupboards mostly bare.
    Mystic Hollow was like a ghost town. If tumbleweeds had bounced across the street, I wouldn’t have been surprised. They rolled the sidewalks up when the first star twinkled. It was sad really, because the quaint little town had a lot to offer. More nightlife would do it good.
    The only thing open was the supermarket, so I figured I’d grab a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and jelly for my usual meal of choice. As I passed by the window on my way toward the store’s entrance, he caught my attention. Inside the store, Rory stood out like a beacon in the night. But he wasn’t alone. Rory and his ex stood in the produce section in front of the apples, oblivious to the fact that someone was watching them. From the sidewalk, I gawked in the window, observing from afar, as if I was viewing a really bad movie.
    I prayed no one would notice me