“Yep. I think we’re all heading out. See you later.”
Tawk watched him and the others filter out of the bar. They didn’t say goodbye, but he was glad. He’d always thought goodbyes and hellos were a stupid and a waste of words.
Slowly he stood and made his way to the door. He hated goodbyes, but he felt weird just leaving without saying something to Tammy. When he turned around, she was approaching. He didn’t often get surprised, but seeing her pretty, shy smile definitely froze him into place.
“You forgot this,” she said, handing him a coaster. The logo was facing him.
Huh. Funny girl. “Why do I need this?” he asked.
Tammy shrugged. “Figure it out.”
She walked away and offered one pretty glance over her shoulder before she started taking orders behind the bar again.
Confused, he turned the logo toward her, trying to figure out why she had given him this. Was it something sentimental? His mom had tried to explain sentimental things when he was younger, but she’d given up somewhere along the way. He didn’t attach emotion to material things. Never had.
He flipped the coaster over, and there it was.
A phone number was written on the blank back of the little cardboard coaster.
His heart drummed against his chest faster, and he jerked his attention up to Tammy. She was blushing. Her cheeks were pink as she awkwardly fumbled behind the bar top, glancing at him once, twice. Her smile seemed shy, and fuck…what was this feeling inside of him?
It felt like when Jess fed him power.
He turned to leave, but Cash’s stupid voice was in his head saying,tell her goodbye.
So, he turned and said, “Hey, Tammy?” His voice was loud, and the bar got quiet around him.
“Yes?” Tammy asked, looking flustered.
He looked around at the people staring expectantly at him, and then back to Tammy. He straightened his spine. “Goodbye.”
The slow smile that spread across her lips was prettier than a sunset. “Goodbye, Tawk.”
And then he left that bar feeling filled to the brim with something he didn’t understand.
Something big.
Something as powerful as a witch’s spell.
Something that made the sickness inside of him feel less.
Something as powerful as the cursed locket he’d devoured those months ago.
Now, he wanted to stay near Wreck’s Mountains for Jess…but he also wanted to stay for Tammy. He wanted to know more about her.
He wanted to say more goodbyes and hellos, and see the way she smiled when he talked, and he wanted to know all the answers to the rude questions he needed to ask.
Tawk got into his truck, but he hesitated to leave the parking lot. He looked down at the coaster. He’d already memorized the number, but she’d written that out, in her own handwriting. And she’d given it to him. It felt like a present.
He didn’t want to wad up the thin coaster or toss it in the passenger’s seat. He didn’t even want to shove it in his pocket to throw away when he got to the hotel. It would get all bent up.
Instead, he put the coaster into the cupholder and then gripped the steering wheel as he stared at the number written there.
He kind of wanted to keep this little piece of trash, but he didn’t know why. This was no treasure, and dragons only understood treasure.
Maybe Tammy was secretly a witch. Maybe she was witch-blooded and she’d charmed this thing. That would make sense.
The only way Tawk could care about something is if it had the potential to feed him.
