Crescent Calling: The Crescent Witch Chronicles - Book One by R Nicole (essential reading TXT) 📗

down represented vulnerability and an uncertain fate hanging over one’s head. I felt a lot like that person depicted on the card this morning, especially after Boone’s attitude last night.

The bell jingled above the door as Mairead walked in, and I almost jumped out of my skin. She clomped across the shop, her earphones stuck in her ears, and disappeared out the back.

The bell jingled again, and I glanced up. This time, Boone walked in, and I rolled my eyes and turned back to the tarot cards.

“I just wanted to let you know—”

“What. Ever,” I declared, not even looking at him.

“Skye.”

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

“You’re mad at me,” he stated.

“Duh.”

The way he’d glared at me last night still cut, and the command he’d barked—go home, Skye—grated my raw heart. I didn’t expect him to act that way, and I’d only been trying to help. It wasn’t like I was going to take advantage of a drunk man or vice versa. Sean couldn’t even walk without being propped up, let alone go in for a grope. What was the big deal? Maybe I’d broken some sort of unspoken Derrydun bro code.

“Skye…”

“I’m not in the mood, Boone,” I said thinly. “Not right now.”

He sighed and shuffled from foot to foot. When he finally got I wasn’t going to give him any more one-syllable words, he turned and strode from the shop. The bell dinged violently, and the door slammed shut. Lifting my head, I watched him power across the road and disappear into Mary’s Teahouse.

Mairead appeared in front of me, and I glanced away.

“What’s going on with you two?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

I sighed dramatically. “I found Sean McKinnon in the gutter last night and tried to help him, but Boone got his knickers in a twist over it.”

“Ah, he’s always takin’ Sean home,” she explained.

“Well, he must have a crush on the guy because he didn’t like sharing,” I said sullenly. I knew I was acting like a spoilt child, but the one-liners kept coming.

“Nah, he’s not that way inclined,” Mairead said, sounding offended.

“Oh, that’s right,” I said with a smile. “You’ve got a crush on him.”

“Have not!” She stamped her foot. Like, she actually raised her boot off the ground and thumped it onto the floorboards.

“You’re too easy.” I laughed and shook my head.

At that precise moment, the serene and sunny morning was split apart by the musical sound of flutes blaring over a loudspeaker. I glanced at Mairead. Then the soft crooning of a female voice began singing, “Far across the distance…”

“Is that…Celine Dion?” I asked, screwing up my face.

“Holy shite!” Mairead declared, pressing her nose up against the window. “He’s gonna jump!” Then she threw open the door and ran outside.

Leaping off the stool, I rounded the counter and followed Mairead outside. A little group of people had begun to gather around Molly McCreedy’s, and I followed their stunned pointing, wondering what was going on.

Shielding my eyes from the glare of the sun, my mouth dropped open as I saw Sean McKinnon sitting on the thatched roof, holding a little wireless speaker high in the air, swaying side to side to the music, and singing at the top of his lungs. Needless to say, he wasn’t any good.

Standing beside Maggie, who was watching on with her arms crossed over her chest, I realized he was drunk. He’d have to be to sit up there and play a Celine Dion song at that volume.

“It’s not even lunchtime, and he’s drunk as a skunk,” I said. “What’s gotten into him?”

“It’s the anniversary of his wife’s death,” Maggie replied. “It’s been four years, but every day is the same for him. She’s not here, and he barely hangs on.”

Thinking back to last night, it all made sense. He’d been sitting in the gutter, muttering a woman’s name. Juliette. I thought he’d been dumped, but she’d died. It was so much worse.

I frowned, my shoulders sinking. “The poor guy. Is anyone going to get him down?”

“Ah, here comes Boone with the ladder now.”

Turning, I saw Boone’s curly hair come into view. He appeared from behind Mary’s Teahouse carrying a long ladder, which he leaned against the side of the pub. Ignoring the gaggle of onlookers, he climbed up onto the roof and edged over to Sean.

“Boone!” Sean exclaimed at the top of his lungs. “You’re Boone!”

“That’s right,” he replied, reaching for the speaker. “What are you doin’ up here?”

“My heart will go on,” he said, attempting to snatch the speaker out of Boone’s hands. “I’ve got to let her know. It’s our tradition, you know.”

“I know, but she’s gone, Sean. Juliette’s gone.”

Glancing nervously at Maggie, I was feeling rather foolish standing out here watching a full-grown man fall apart. Thinking about the Nine of Swords, I was beginning to understand its message hadn’t been for me. It was for Sean McKinnon.

“No!” Sean roared, hurling the speaker off the roof. It hit the road and smashed into a million pieces, and the song cut off.

“C’mon,” Boone said, clapping his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Let’s get down, and we can talk about it.”

“No, no, no, no…” Sean cried before bursting out into full-blown sobs.

Boone slapped his free hand on Sean’s other shoulder. The movement set the farmer off, and he dragged the younger man into a full-on ugly cry hug.

Boone’s gaze met mine, and I frowned. I’d overreacted this morning when he’d come in. I had no idea what he’d wanted to say—maybe he’d been trying to tell me he got Sean home safely—but I wasn’t sure it mattered. Not after the way I’d dismissed him. Seeing him up on that roof… Boone was good people.

“Mairead, let’s go back inside,” I said, tugging on the girl’s sleeve.

“But—”

“No buts,” I scolded her. “This isn’t a sideshow. Leave the poor guy in peace.”

“You sound more and more like Aileen the longer you stay here,” she grumbled, stomping into the shop.

“I’m choosing to ignore that,” I declared, following her inside.

Glancing over my shoulder