Today's Reading
"The simplest explanation is usually correct," Rose said, nodding. "Okay, and what do you love about being an art conservator?"
"Um..." To her horror, Emily drew a blank. "Geez, that should be an easy one, right?" She looked up at the knight again. "Well, I've always wanted to do a big one like this. But on any project, I get this sense of the history, and everything it's been through&It's almost like time travel. I don't know how to explain it, but it's magical." She laughed. "Is that too weird?"
"No, it's perfect!" Rose lowered the phone. "That should do it. How's your week going?"
Emily scrunched up her face.
"That good, huh?" Rose asked. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Emily said, and Rose regarded her expectantly. "I have an aunt in Pittsburgh who's giving me a hard time about getting married again fast, so I can have babies." The truth was, Emily did want babies...but even more than that, she wanted to avoid another relationship disaster. And that meant not rushing into anything.
"You have a fur baby," Rose pointed out brightly.
"That's what I told her! Though Tom said he wanted Andy back once he gets settled."
"So, never, then," Rose quipped, and they both laughed.
"I told him he'd already be settled if he wasn't a cheating liar."
Emily had found out last Thanksgiving while she'd been at her parents' house in the Chicago suburbs. He'd stayed in California, claiming he was too busy at work.
The other woman's boyfriend had messaged Emily on social media. Emily had ignored him, figuring he was some kind of scammer or troll, until he'd followed up with screenshots of Tom's texts to the woman. When she'd recognized some of the same flirty and dirty phrases he'd used with her, though not recently, she'd felt as though she couldn't breathe.
She'd called Tom while sitting in her childhood bedroom, staring at her old My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At the Disco posters, shaking with anger. She'd rehearsed her answers for when he'd say, She means nothing to me.
But he hadn't said that.
I'm sorry, he'd moaned like a child. I should've divorced you first.
She'd never suspected a thing. Not even once.
Rose sat down in the empty chair by the far wall. "How are you getting settled in? Here at work?"
"Okay." Emily moved closer to her and said in a lower tone, "Laurie still doesn't like me."
"Is she still being all critical? I could try doing a spell to help."
Yikes. Like a hex? Emily gave a strained giggle. "Um, no thanks. No curses necessary."
"Oh, I never hurt people," Rose said quickly. "Sometimes I just keep them from doing bad things. Like I could do a Fiery Wall of Protection spell. It'll protect you from her being mean."
"Okay, that doesn't sound so bad." It didn't matter, anyway. It wasn't like she actually believed in magic.
Rose said, "You know...you may think this is weird, but since you were talking about symbolism before, maybe you'll get it."
Emily blinked. "What?"
"I brought you something." Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out a lumpy, polished bright green stone. She held it out to Emily. "It's malachite."
"Uh...wow. Thank you." Emily took it and weighed it in her palm. Was she supposed to understand the significance of this? What should she say? No one had ever given her a rock before. "I love the swirly rings." She traced the surface with a finger.
If you want to touch a stone, touch me.
Emily stiffened.
She could've sworn she heard that coming from the sculpture. An accented, baritone voice, delivering a cheesy pickup line.
Cheesy, but effective. She would've touched him if Rose hadn't been there. Touch him where? Where did he want her to touch him?
This was ridiculous. She was lonely. And her imagination was getting the better of her. Dating medieval sculpture, indeed.
This excerpt ends on page 12 of the paperback edition.
Monday we begin the book The Devil's Charm by Megan Frampton.
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