Page 12 of The Mechanics of Broomstick Racing

Her magic vanished, and she crashed, feet thudding heavily on the concrete floor. She stuttered, “Shit. I’m sorry. I’ll go. Just keep my car. Wait, no. That’s crazy. I can—”

“You’re still fucking reckless,” he whispered.

The accusation erased any guilt. She narrowed her eyes, stepping toward him and pushing his chest with both hands. “And you’re too fucking cautious.”

He stared down at her hands—they hadn’t left his body. Blue eyes, electric, flicked back up to meet hers. “Today, just for you, I won’t be.”

Before she could even laugh in disbelief, his rough hands tangled in her hair, and his mouth found hers again. His kisses were harsh and biting. Nothing felt practiced or predictable, and Zephyr wrapped her arms around his neck just to keep pace with him. It felt amazing, the giddiness of it. And even the confusion helped keep her demons at bay. She refused to analyze why Neil was reciprocating her madness. He was supposed to be the rational one. But to hell with being rational if she got kissed like this. Zephyr whimpered against his lips, the sound shocking them both, judging by the way he moaned in response.

But before she could figure him out, or at least get his shirt off, it rained. Indoors. A downpour right over her head, blinding her and soaking her hair.

She sputtered rather unattractively, backing away and covering her head with her arms as she failed to keep dry. A scattering of gray clouds blocked out the ceiling, magic cracking across them in bright gold streaks. Neil looked horrified as he raised his open hand and snapped it shut. The conjured gray clouds paled and vanished, along with the downpour of rain. “Shit,” he swore. He shielded his eyes with a hand and then dropped it down to cover his mouth. “You surprised me. Let me get a towel.”

“It’s fine,” she said, half-laughing. She swept her damp hair away from her face.

“No, it’s not,” he sniped, but his frustration seemed directed inward. “I don’t slip like this. Not anymore.”

“When we were kids, you used to shock me. This is nothing compared to that.”

That didn’t help. If anything, the man appeared more distraught. “I had less control over my emotions back then,” Neil explained. “The town used to carry umbrellas from 10 to 11 a.m. every school day.”

She cocked a brow. “They did? Why?”

“That was the hour we sat together in Potions class. If you so much as asked me to borrow a pencil, I’d make it storm. Not in the classroom, thank the gods.” He frowned, rubbing his mustache thoughtfully. “I didn’t mean to shock you, but—”

“Did you shock me because you had a crush on me?” She fought to remember what he was like in high school, but all she recalled was his constant needling about their Potions class projects. She had very much been a last-minute kind of student, and that had driven him mad. If there had been any sign that he had liked her, even remotely, she had been blind to it.

“I thought it was obvious, but you were always a little self-centered.” When she scowled at that, Neil rushed out, “That’s what I liked about you. Your focus. You always knew what you wanted, and you got it.”

Her focus was fragmented now. It had been for months. So many wants and fears pulled her in every direction. If Neil had had any idea how lost she was, he wouldn’t have kissed her back.

“You liked how self-centered I was?” And still am, she thought.

“I’m not explaining this right.” He touched the ends of her hair. “It’s too cold to go outside with your hair wet. Let me help.”

“A hand dryer will take care of this. It’s okay,” she said. “Where’s the bathroom—never mind. Found it.”

Two doors caught her eye. One was obviously the entrance to the garage’s front office. And this other door must be the restroom, she decided. Zephyr rushed over, grabbing the handle of the door and swinging it open.

“Wait, not that door!” Neil shouted.

He was too late. Zephyr stared in horror at the storage closet she had unveiled. From shelf to shelf, top to bottom, she saw her own face staring back at her.

A full-size cardboard cutout of Zephyr stood in the back of the closet, dressed in her crimson racing gear. Posters with her smirking face covered the walls, and every shelf contained action figures of her on her broomstick, waving at an invisible crowd. The collection even included the limited-edition snow globe she had reluctantly agreed to.

It was horrifying. And it explained why Neil was watching her on her delivery route. It explained why he had kissed her. Why he knew her birthday. He was stalking her.

“Oh my gods,” Zephyr whispered. Her hand flew to cover her racing heart.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Neil stammered. “I can explain all of this if you just give me a damn minute—”

Dale flew between them, giving Zephyr time to run over and slam her palm on the garage door button to raise it. When she reached the opening, she held two fingers up, pointed them at her eyes, and then jabbed them at Neil. I’m watching you, she mimed. Then she bravely ran away into the storm gathering outside.

Chapter 6

“You have to go to the town hall!” Tawny insisted, tugging at Zephyr’s arm as she tried to pull her out of the post office. And failed. “Why won’t you move? I thought air witches were supposed to be light on their feet.”

“Is this your idea of taking me out?” Zephyr continued to resist. “I know this is a small town, and I’m hopelessly single, but I am not desperate enough to pretend that a town hall forum is the best way to spend my Friday night.”