Fringe Benefits by Ash Fitzsimmons

Author:Ash Fitzsimmons [Fitzsimmons, Ash]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781949861105
Publisher: Ash Fitzsimmons
Published: 2019-08-06T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

* * *

With its walled garden and spacious, well-appointed den, Rancho Escondido would have been an ideal meeting place for a modest group like the Circle. Then again, perhaps the rest of the Circle shared our doubts about the enforcement of the Wigginses’ towel rule, as we ended up across town in a shag-carpeted basement rumpus room that stank of old cigarettes, stale beer, and too much “cleansing” incense.

The witches and wizards of the Circle—even our naturalist hosts—had attired themselves in their finest polyester and velvet robes for the event. Stuart sported an overly long crimson number, assumedly a loaner from Tony, and Amy, Seamus, and I looked underdressed by comparison as we clumped against the wood paneling. While the so-called practitioners moved folding chairs into a rough circle under the antler chandelier, I pressed my back to the wall, feeling the comforting jab of my wand against my spine. As if sensing my disquietude, Seamus reached for my hand, and I smiled at him as our fingers touched.

“You look nice,” he whispered.

“I look like a hairy tomato.”

He grinned and squeezed my hand, and I rolled my eyes. Glancing at Amy, I found her focused on her new mobile, rapidly tapping with both thumbs. “Taking notes?” I murmured, nudging her in the arm to draw her attention.

She looked almost guilty when her head jerked up. “Huh? Sorry, uh…”

“I asked if you were taking notes. Advancing your magical education.”

“Very funny, Miss Hannah.”

Her screen showed the unmistakable back-and-forth bubbles of a text conversation. “Who’re you chatting up, then?”

“Oh, um…Aiden,” she said. “I’m sorry, I thought we had time—”

“Aiden?” Seamus cut in with an evil grin. “Now, that’s surprising. I’m sure you two have loads to talk about.”

I couldn’t be certain in the dim golden glow of the horrible chandelier, but I thought I saw Amy redden. “Just a coding question,” she mumbled. “He’s working on the Fringe network, you know, and he’s trying to build a new security protocol, and—”

Seamus held up his hands and shook his head. “Stop. For the love of all that’s holy, girl, stop. What’s the matter with you?”

“With me?” she asked, befuddled.

“And him! What sort of stupid—”

“What Seamie’s trying to say,” I interrupted, “is that he’s disappointed in your flirting game.”

“Flirting?” Now I was sure that Amy was blushing. “I’m not flirting with him, I’m talking about the network!” she managed after a moment of furious stammering. “Why would you think we’re flirting?”

“Becau—ow!” Seamus yelped as I stomped his foot.

“Because he’s being silly,” I replied. “Carry on.”

She bent back to her mobile, then looked at me again with a pensive frown. “You don’t think Aiden is flirting with me, do you?”

“Over network architecture? I doubt it. Excuse us,” I said, and dragged Seamus into a shadowy corner of the basement.

“Liar,” he murmured once we were out of earshot.

“Are you trying to jinx them?”

“No, but for two clever people—”

“Exactly. Two young, inexperienced, clever people who haven’t the faintest idea what they’re doing. Let them flirt in peace.”

Before

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