Free Frog Hollow (Witches of Sanctuary Book 1) by Savannah Blevins Page B

thought about a job or what I would do with my life here. I’ve been so focused on what I might find, or learn, to worry much about how I was going to support myself. Honestly, I was afraid to think that far ahead, because in my mind, staying here was still just a dream. “I don’t know the first thing about running a store,” I admit. “Business degree or not.”
    “We’ll help you,” Abby says. “Right, Reid?” She turns to her brother, who suddenly looks taken aback.
    “I’ve done my part.” He motions to the buzzing lights above our heads.
    Abby rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “You love this store. You almost reopened it yourself.”
    “But I didn’t.”
    “Enough.” Sera snaps her fingers, catching everyone’s attention. “Reid, you take Wilhelmina on a tour of the rest of the store while Abby and I take a look at the bank statements and inventory.”
    He presses his lips into a hard line, daring a glance at me. It’s obvious that playing tour guide isn’t on his to do list. Ever.
    Sera gives him another look.
    “Fine.” He sighs. “Let’s go see the second level.”
    He walks off without indicating he wants me to follow him. I make an ugly, childish face at him, hoping he has eyes in the back of his head. I wind my way toward the back of the store after him. He stops at the edge of the stairwell and waits for me. He wipes his bronze hair away from his face, the red knot of his forehead visible for the first time. He motions toward the steps. “You first.”
    The stairwell is tiny at best. It’s obviously only meant to fit one person at a time. I squeeze by him, my shoulder grazing his chest, and he takes a step back. An entire foot back. When I look over my shoulder at him, he stares at the floor.
    He’s really taking this southern gentleman thing too far.
    I turn back to the stairs, watching each step as I climb. The steps are painted in opposing colors of blue and white with a name of a famous author. I repeat the names silently to myself as I hop up the incline. Once at the top, the room expands with more shelves and another cozy reading area that leads out onto a balcony. I go there first to peek through the open door. “Wow.” I smile out at the street below. “This is a great view.”
    “Yeah,” Reid says softly behind me. “Fiona always loved to sit out here every morning and drink her coffee. Hence the coffee counter I helped her install.”
    I turn to see him pointing at the small round counter in the corner equipped with an old-fashioned coffee pot and new shiny cappuccino machine. “You helped her?” I examine the obviously new addition and imagine Reid here working. Shirtless. Or maybe in just that rolled-up plaid shirt.
    “Fiona let me work here during my summers off from college. I needed a reason to get out of the house and away from those two.” He throws a glance behind him, indicating he means Seraphina and Abby. “This place was always quiet enough.”
    I turn back to the window, gazing at the small metal chairs on the balcony. I could see my mother sitting there, cup of coffee in hand, staring out over the town she loved so dearly. “Thank you for everything you’ve done today.”
    When he doesn’t answer, I turn, only to hear his footsteps retreating back down the stairs. I run to catch up to him, skipping down three steps at a time until I can reach his arm. I pull him to a halt just below the last step. “Wait.”
    He stops, not bothering to turn around to face me.
    “You won’t even let me thank you?” I sound angry because I am.
    He averts his face, his eyes avoiding mine. “I don’t deserve one,” he says, his voice strained. “What I did today was out of obligation to Fiona. It wasn’t for you.”
    Anger and pain bite so deeply inside me that I feel the need to double over to keep it from ripping me in two, but I don’t let it take me. Instead, I grit my teeth and fight back. I pull his chin around, forcing him to look at