Beautiful Darkness (Caster Chronicles 2)

“In my town, the pub is on the same street as the church, and the congregation moves directly from one to the other. Sometimes we even eat Sunday dinner there.”

I smiled. “Is it divinely delicious?”

“Nearly. Maybe not quite so hot. But the drinks are not quite so cold.” She pointed at her sweet tea with a fry. “Ice, my friend, is something you find on the ground more often than in your glass.”

“You have a problem with Gatlin County’s famous sweet tea?”

“Tea is meant to be hot, sir. From a kettle.”

I stole a fry and pointed it back at her sweet tea. “Well, ma’am, to a strict Southern Baptist, that is the Devil’s drink.”

“You mean because it’s cold?”

“I mean because it’s tea. No caffeine allowed.”

Liv looked shocked. “No tea? I’ll never understand this country.”

I stole another fry. “You want to talk about blasphemy? You weren’t there when Millie’s Breakfast ’n’ Biscuits over on Main started serving premade freezer biscuits. My great-aunts, the Sisters, pitched a fit that nearly took down the place. I mean, chairs were flying.”

“Are they nuns?” Liv stuck an onion ring inside her cheeseburger.

“Who?”

“The Sisters.” Another onion ring.

“No. They’re actual sisters.”

“I see.” She slapped the bun back down.

“You don’t, not really.”

She picked up the burger and took a bite. “Not at all.” We both started laughing again. I didn’t hear Mr. Gentry walk up behind us.

“Y’all get enough to eat?” he asked, wiping his hands with a rag.

I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“How’s that girlfriend a yours?” He asked as if he was hoping I had come to my senses and dumped Lena by now.

“Um, fine, sir.”

He nodded, disappointed, and walked back toward the counter. “Say hello to Miss Amma for me.”

“I take it he doesn’t like your girlfriend?” She said it like a question, but I didn’t know what to say. Was a girl still technically your girlfriend if she drove off with another guy? “I think Professor Ashcroft may have mentioned her.”

“Lena. My—her name is Lena.” I hoped I didn’t look as uncomfortable as I felt. Liv didn’t seem to notice.

She took another sip of her tea. “I’ll probably meet her at the library.”

“I don’t know if she’ll be coming by the library. Things have been weird lately.” I don’t know why I said it. I barely knew Liv. But it felt good to say it out loud, and my insides untwisted a little.

“I’m sure you’ll work it out. Back home, I fought with my boyfriend all the time.” Her voice was light. She was trying to make me feel better.

“How long have you guys been together?”

Liv waved her hand in the air, the weird watch sliding down her wrist. “Oh, we broke up. He was a bit of a prat. I don’t think he liked having a girlfriend who was smarter than he was.”

I wanted to get off the subject of girlfriends, and ex-girlfriends. “So what’s that thing, anyway?” I nodded at the watch, or whatever it was.