“Due to the nature of the chemical compounds involved, you can get sensitized to it very easily. It works best if you only take it once a year.”
“And you chose tonight?”
“Why not tonight?” And then he took my hand and tugged me onto the dance floor.
The first few songs were fast, and we all danced together, Maci and Alex near us among the dozens of people boogying on the dance floor. Then a slower song came on, and Callan extended a hand like he was a British prince.
I arched an eyebrow but took his hand. Expertly, he slipped his other hand around my waist and tugged me just close enough to be decent then angled our intertwined hands together like a professional ballroom dancer. He began to move, taking perfectly coordinated steps that I followed, letting him guide me through the dance.
“I take it you learned this from all those functions you’ve attended?”
I could feel Callan smile from where his face was nestled above my head. “Something like that.”
“And who do you dance with at those functions?”
“Mostly ladies old enough to be my mom.”
I laughed, and Callan lifted my hand and spun me in a quick circle.
“I’m sure they all love your moves.”
“My dance card’s usually full.”
“And what about girls your own age? Do you dance with them?”
“I’ve danced with Nevah a time or two, and Meadow. And a few other people from my parent’s circles that you haven’t met yet.”
Yet. For some reason, the word lodged itself in my chest with a little bloom of warmth.
I could have asked then. I could have prodded more about his dating history, or what would happen if we found theVanished Compendium, or any of the other million things I wanted to know. But when he pulled me in again and swayed to the music, I made the decision to tamp down my curiosity.
For this moment, I wanted to enjoy the fact that I was at my aunt’s wedding, under a sherbet sky, dancing with Callan Rhodes.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
At lunch the next Monday, Professor East pulled me aside into a quiet corner of the teahouse. “I’ve been in contact with your field studies advisor. We’ll meet her at the park in Mount Shasta after dinner. Let’s drive separately since I won’t be joining you the whole time.”
I was surprised that we were getting such a late start but didn’t question it. One of the many things I had learned from being around magical botanists was that, with plants, timing was important. If my advisor wanted to meet in the evening, there was likely a reason for it.
“Thanks, I’ll be there.”
I hurried off to class, where some of my fellow second-years were already getting to work with their microscopes. Throughout the class period, I cast a few looks across the room at Callan.
He returned them about half the time, giving a slight smile and gentle tilt of his head when he caught my eye. I was remembering how we had danced at the wedding, and the memory sent goose bumps arching on my arms.
“Would you two stop ogling each other? It’s making meblush,” Coral said, carefully slicing a stalk of aloe vera open with a scalpel.
I jumped and refocused on the plants on our table. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, how was the hot date at the wedding?” Yasmin asked.
“Yasmin!” I gasped. “It was not a ‘hot date.’ Well, it didn’t start off that way. We may have shared a slow dance or two, though.”
“So you’re not in denial that he’s into you anymore?” Coral asked.
I considered what I wanted to share carefully. At last, I settled on, “It’s complicated.”
“What’s making it complicated?” Coral pressed.
