Read Online Bake This! (A 300 Moons Novella) by Tasha Black - Free Book Online Page A

that Tess curl up on the sofa in the break room with a cup of hot tea, while Will pulled the sleigh back and forth a few more times to get the rest of the crew.
    By the time the whole family was gathered in the break room, Tess was finally warm again. And the price of her magic was nearly paid in full.
    Happily, she’d been able to hang back a bit, and no one had asked anything of her that she couldn’t answer honestly without making a fool of herself. Everything was going to be okay.
    Will had shifted back into his human form. He sat beside her on the lumpy sofa, his big body radiating delicious warmth.
    Across from them, Johnny held Neve in his lap on the floor. The fingers of her right hand absentmindedly caressed the shining ring on her left.
    Kate had the smaller kids sitting at the remaining plank table eating apple pie. Tess was glad she’d chosen the one she and Will had… christened, to make the sleigh. The thought of it brought a warm rush to her cheeks.
    Derek and Hedda were having a heated discussion in the corner. Tess wondered what could be going on with them. She knew she needed to have a serious talk with Hedda about the magic in the storm. But that could wait, for now.
    “I’m going to check on my sister,” she whispered to Will and got up.
    “Okay, baby,” he said, the words sending a little shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature.
    Derek noticed her heading in their direction.
    “Tess,” he said with a smile. “Ethan’s on his way.”
    Oh, no.
    She tried not to make eye contact, but she could feel the words trying to spill out.
    “Do you—” Derek began.
    “—No, Derek. I won’t go on a date with your friend,” she said loudly.
    Tess was almost sure she’d allowed enough time to pass, but she must have used more magic than she thought. The price was still being paid.
    “I broke the irrigation pump,” she continued, unbidden. “I broke the cash register. And I slept with your brother. ”
    Her words hung in the air of the suddenly silent room.
    “I was just going to ask if you wanted him to stop for some dry clothes for you,” Derek replied.
    “You broke the irrigation pump?” Kate asked.
    “You slept with his brother?” Hedda asked.
    “Don’t look at me,” Johnny said quickly. Neve slapped him on the head and rolled her eyes sympathetically at Tess.
    “She means Will ,” Neve said. “Right?”
    “Yes. Yes, I do mean Will,” Tess replied immediately in a clear voice.
    Then she promptly burst into tears and ran from the room.

14
    T ess’s feet carried her up the stairs. She pushed open the door to the Christmas-All-Year-Round Shoppe and dashed into the mini-forest of Christmas trees.
    It was dark in here, and felt reassuringly like being outside. The scent of the dried cranberry wreathes that lined the walls filled the air.
    The felt snow was soft under Tess’s feet. She went to the center of the room and curled up under a tree to finish crying. Though truthfully, she wasn’t sure if she’d ever stop.
    What an awful Christmas. It was just more proof that she ought to be holed up alone in a cabin on top of a mountain with a windowsill full of cats.
    The door creaked open and then clanked, as if it had been bolted shut.
    “Tess,” Will’s voice carried through the trees.
    She buried her head in her hands and bit her lip to stop herself from crying out loud. Maybe he wouldn’t find her.
    “Tess, please,” his voice was closer now.
    “Leave me alone,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut and wishing she could disappear.
    “Why are you hiding from me?” he asked.
    “Because I embarrassed you in front of everyone,” she sniffed.
    “Yeah, that was pretty funny,” He moved next to her on the pretend snow, until she could feel his warmth. “But I’m not embarrassed. Are you?”
    “Yes,” she said.
    “Why?” he asked.
    “Because I told everyone I broke everything,” she said plainly. “But especially because I said that I slept