Page 29 of This Witch Is Not Wicked

“Are you sure?” Nevan asked.

I looked at him and realized every time he’d touched me, it hadn’t actually made me uncomfortable. It had just been surprising.

I steeled my shoulders. “I’m sure. I am capable of showing affection, you know.”

Just because I’d never done it didn’t mean I couldn’t.

He grinned, those damn dimples appearing again, annoyingly charming. “Really? I thought all you knew how to do was throw people into your bog. Or threaten to, anyway.”

I found myself smiling back. It was clear he was teasing, and it wasn’t mean like I was used to when people threw insults my way. It was like he was enjoying this. Having fun with me, and for whatever reason, I was having fun too.

“How about our first date?” he asked, scribbling the words on the chalkboard.

My stomach dropped. “Date?”

His smile turned apologetic. “If we’re courting, we have to be seen out and about. Is there anything you’d like to do? Maybe a drink at the tavern or dinner? We could take a stroll together and window shop.”

I’d never heard of a such a thing. I wasn’t sure how you shopped for windows.

Either way, every single one of those options sounded like torture. But he was right. We needed to do this, and we needed to do it properly.

“You plan a date,” I said. “Tell me the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

He let out a relieved sigh and turned back to the chalkboard, chalk hovering. “Okay, so favorite color? Let me guess: green.”

CHAPTER 12

Enid

Nevan and I walked side by side down the cobblestone road that wound around Fairwitch Isle. Passersby stared at us, some murmuring and whispering to each other while others openly gawked, no doubt wondering what Nevan Wolfgang was doing with the outcast. An elderly woman peeked out the window of the Deerborn, wrinkles lining her ancient face as she frowned at us from behind the safety of glass.

I scowled at her, and Nevan elbowed me.

“Ow!”

“Smile,” he said out the side of his mouth.

“No one’s smiling at me,” I snapped back.

“That’s a fair point, but they’re not trying to win you over.” His voice was low enough that only I could hear. “Remember, you need votes.”

An elderly man hobbled by with his cane, harrumphing at me, and I hissed at him, making him jump and scurry along.

Nevan groaned. “Enid!”

I waved my hand. “Old habits and all that.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets, shooting me a curious look. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?” I asked.

“Hiss and scowl and grumble at everyone?”

I wasn’t offended by the question. Maybe because I could tell Nevan wasn’t judging me or scolding me. Like with all his questions, he was truly curious.

It could be an act, part of his plan to make everyone believe we were a real couple, but either way, I found myself wanting to give an answer, even if I didn’t necessarily know myself.

“I’m not sure,” I said slowly.