Free Wicked Magic by K. T. Black

she knew about Millie, but then she would have to admit to looking her up on the internet.
    When she felt Alex place a hand on her knee and squeeze, Chandler turned and looked over at her.
    “Come on, my dear. Once we get situated in our room, I’ll take you to dinner. Afterward, we’ve been invited to one of the local art galleries. My friend Tore is showing some of his work tonight.”
    “How do I need to dress?” Chandler worried she didn’t have the appropriate outfits to be seen out with Alex.
    “For this showing, you’ll see everything, but dressy casual is fine. Tore isn’t much different than you. Lives in T-shirts and jeans as well, so you don’t have to worry about him being presumptuous. In fact, I think you’ll really like him and his work. He’s big into graphic art. A real computer whiz. I’d bet he even plays the computer games you design.”
    “Good.”
    “Besides, if anything we do requires a designer dress, I’ve already got it covered.”
    “You must think I’m a real pain.”
    “Absolutely,” Alex teased. “Now come on.”
    * * * *
    The French restaurant Alex took Chandler to was owned by a seasoned and well-known chef friend of hers. When Alex was recognized, she and Chandler were treated like celebrities. They were escorted to one of the restaurant’s best tables and were fed a delicious multi-course meal. Afterward, they headed to the art gallery showing Tore’s work.
    Traffic was crazy, and the city was alive with an endless stream of energy. That was something Alex had missed since moving to Castleton. Not the crazy traffic, but its unique diversity and the nightlife.
    Boston wasn’t far away from Castleton, but that city possessed a different flavor than New York City. Some would consider her snobby for her opinion, but she’d been raised here, and no matter where she ended up living, this place still felt like home to her.
    As the town car weaved in and out of traffic, inching closer to their destination, Chandler talked non-stop about the evening. She was enthusiastic about the food at dinner and the people she’d met.
    Alex smiled to herself as she allowed Chandler to dominate the conversation. For an introvert, she could be chatty when she wanted. Alex felt flattered. Chandler didn’t appear to give her trust to too many people, only those she seemed comfortable with.
    Feeling the familiar buzz from her smart phone, Alex didn’t want to look at it. She suspected that it was Millie again. She left her phone in her pants pocket and ignored it. Focusing on Chandler, she tried not to let their evening out get spoiled.
    When their car stopped in front of the gallery, Alex got the attention of the driver and said, “We’re probably going to be here a few hours. I’ll call you about twenty minutes before we think about leaving. Okay?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    After she and Chandler exited the car, they pushed past the crowd in front and entered the gallery. The sound of eclectic, alternative rock music played in the background. It managed to overshadow the chaotic noise of voices from the people gathered inside, by a decibel or two.
    As they maneuvered through the room, Alex took in the artwork they passed by. The majority of it was abstract graphic design photography. The images varied from the familiar to the bizarre, with colors ranging from black and white to a dramatic burst of rainbow colors. She found them interesting, but not something she would put up on the walls in her house. The images represented Tore’s twisted view of the world, whereas in her work she preferred to seek out the beauty, no matter how insignificant the object.
    “Do you see your friend?” Chandler asked.
    “I think I saw him over in the back corner.” She indicated the far right side of the room by tipping her head in that direction. “Close to the bar. He’s not much for mingling with the public. He likes to have a certain amount of liquid courage when he has to deal with people he