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Marnie almost lunged forward in her chair. “No! You can’t take a child and a dog with you. That’s not a date, that’s… I don’t know what that is, but it’s definitely not a proper date.”

Did she want it to be? No. Child and dog would be the perfect buffers. “Cindy has been watching Mia all day. Judge, too, since my child and her bloodhound refuse to be separated. I can’t ask…”

“I’ll babysit,” Marnie interrupted. “I need the practice, and Clint is on deadline and stuck in his office all day, so I can also use the distraction. It seemed like a good idea to hire a part time helper at the library, but there are days when I don’t need any help. Being pregnant makes me feel like I’m constantly on a caffeine drip. I need something to do until Clint finishes this book. Babysitting is the perfect solution.”

“That’s really not necessary,” Gabi said.

Marnie smiled. It was an openly conniving smile on an otherwise cute face. “I’ll stalk you until you say yes.”

It was a tease, a light-hearted jibe, but the very word “stalk” made Gabi’s heart leap.

If she was going to tell anyone what had brought her here, if she was going to spill her secrets to anyone, it would be Marnie.

But she couldn’t. She couldn’t do it.

“Fine,” she said. “Be at my house around five.” Silas was going to pick her up at five-thirty, so that would give her time to show Marnie where the diapers and wipes were, time for Mia and Marnie to bond, a bit. And if Mia pitched a fit when it was time for her to leave with Silas, plans could change. She could still take her daughter and their new dog with her on her so-called date.

She might need a distraction of her own.

* * *

Gabi’s house didn’t have a garage, just a single car carport. Her white Toyota Camry, which looked to be no more than four years old, had been backed in for some reason. Instead of stopping at the curb Silas pulled into the driveway, parking nose to nose with Gabi’s small, rarely used, car.

It was almost dark but the town was well lit, with street lamps and porch lights. His plan was to walk from here to Eve’s. It wasn’t far. He’d offer to carry Mia. Maybe that way he’d have a chance to probe a bit, to see if he could duplicate that startling, unexpected mine he’d caught from her yesterday.

If she had Springer blood he needed to know.

There were people he could ask. Ginger Paine at the Mystic Springs’ retirement home, known as The Egg to town residents, could likely tell him. She’d once been the most powerful witch in town, but her powers were fading. They’d been fading for years. Several others had abilities that rivaled Ginger’s, but he didn’t know them all that well. He should, but he kept to himself and his dogs, and was close to only a handful of people. The logical solution, from anyone who didn’t know about the isolation spell, would be to wait and see what happened. He didn’t have any idea who else was in on the plan, and he could hardly explain why he needed answers now.

Jenna might be able to tell him. He wasn’t sure exactly how powerful she was, wasn’t sure what her gifts were beyond being capable with spells. But even though he was in on her scheme, for now, he didn’t entirely trust Clint’s ex-wife. He wasn’t sure he wanted her to know about Mia, not until he had a few answers.

Silas stepped out of the truck, ready and mostly willing to collect his date and her daughter. And Judge, of course. He missed the bloodhound, though he’d never admit so aloud. He’d gotten accustomed to having Judge at his side, on runs and as he trained other dogs and worked with all the newer animals, even those who weren’t suited to intensive training.

Asking Gabi to dinner had been his idea, a way to get close to Mia for a bit, but now that the time had arrived he didn’t look forward to eating with a crowd, not even a small one. He loved all his animals, he liked a handful of people, but he also cherished his time alone. He ate alone, slept alone, spent the large majority of his hours in solitude. He liked it that way, which is why he’d always been in favor of closing off the town permanently.

He didn’t need to meet anyone else, didn’t need more friends, didn’t feel the need to leave town for vacation, for a change of scenery or a change of pace. He was at peace here, he liked his life as it was.

If Springers kept leaving town for bigger and better things, if the population continued to dwindle, there wouldn’t be a Mystic Springs left. Things were looking up, with more babies coming, with powerful young people like Felicity Adams and her friends proving what Springers could be, but that might not be enough.

Gabi ruined the initial step of his plans, stepping onto the porch alone and closing the door behind her.

She’d fixed her hair and put on some makeup. She wasn’t dressed up, but the jeans looked new. So did the form-fitting blue sweater. For a split second he forgot why he’d asked her out in the first place.

She met him in the driveway.

“Where’s the kid and the dog?” he asked.

Gabi smiled, for some reason amused by his question. “Marnie insisted on babysitting.”

“Oh.” Well, shit. “That’s nice.” Shit again.

They walked toward Main Street, side by side but not too close. Silas tried to hide his distress. This would still work. After they ate they’d walk back to Gabi’s house, she’d ask him in, he’d get his hands on the kid and then maybe he’d have a clue as to what might be going on with her.

“I love the food at Eve’s,” Gabi said as they passed the police station. “You never know what she’s going to have, but it’s always good. Special. Not just sustenance, but food for the soul. It was weird, when I first moved here. I…” She glanced across the street, then momentarily down at her feet. “Never mind.”

Like all Non-Springers, she would’ve been affected emotionally by her first few meals at Eve’s. The food would’ve ignited emotions of some kind. Good or bad, strong or weak. She would’ve felt something. That wasn’t a conversation he could have with her. It would involve a long explanation she wouldn’t understand.

“She’s a good cook,” he said. “So is her sister.”