Dan was spared from having to make an immediate reply by the train slowing down again for the next station. Unfortunately, he also received an unexpected smack to the face. Amy’s arms had gone flailing in response to her sudden backward motion.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!”

Then to make things worse, she mistakenly leaned forward right during the train’s final braking. Her forehead crashed into the side of his face with enough force to make him see pinpricks of light. He was still blinking it off as smooth, cool hands cupped his face, turning him forward.

“Daniel, are you okay? I didn’t mean to …”

Amy’s dark eyes were back to normal. Any remaining watery stars were on Dan’s end.

“Hey, it’s all good.” He made a cheerful grin that stung a bit.  “At least I turned so you didn’t smash my nose.” He then gave a little chuckle. “Could you imagine, my getting all through high school and college football nose damage free only to bust it up now?”

Amy’s lovely face scrunched up in worry.

“That’s not funny. I could have seriously hurt you.”

“Well, he wasn’t looking hurt before, but he kind of does now.”

Amy let off an exasperated sound and rolled up her eyes up at Bri’s assessment. Bri had bent forward so that her soft, mocha colored face poked past Amy’s shoulder.

“And what did you mean by ‘so much pain’? He looked perfectly fine. At least until you starting beating the crap out of him.”

A dark hand at Bri’s shoulder pulled her away.

“Amy’s aura sight sees more than just the physical, remember?”

Kim’s face appeared where Bri’s had been.

“You two need more time? We’ve only got a few minutes until we get to Garfield. I don’t want to miss it and end up having to backtrack through Halstead.”

Daniel couldn’t help but run his hand nervously across the back of his head. The motion pushed his cap over his eyes, briefly blocking his line of sight to Amy’s dark, perceptive eyes.

“Well, I have to admit it’s been kind of a bad month. But I swear I’m getting back on track.”

Amy didn’t seem convinced.

“And you said you’re getting off at Garfield. Do you mind if I come with you? I was planning on getting off there too. I’m doing some job hunting stuff in the area.”

Honestly, he’d originally meant to get off back at Indiana, but he’d been thoroughly distracted.

Not that he had any regrets.

“I’m sure Amy would love to have you come with her when you two get off together at Garfield.”

Amy twisted around to give her friend a rather forceful shove to the shoulder.

“Bri, don’t be such an ass.”

Dan was surprised to watch Kim lean forward and join Bri’s side.

“Oo, someone’s got a filthy mind, reading into her words like that.”

Dan got the odd impression that the three of them did this all the time. That still didn’t mean he enjoyed watching Amy getting ganged up two against one. As badly as he wanted to say something cool and snarky in her support, he figured defusing was the better approach.

“Not to break up the fun, but I don’t suppose you three know anyone from the Witch’s Union?”

The three instantly paused and stared at him so intently that Dan wondered if he’d made a huge mistake. Had he asked something he shouldn’t have? Despite their generally positive reputation, witches and witchcraft in general were still mistrusted by …

“Of course we know people from the Witch’s Union.”

Amy was looking at him with a rather concerned expression, as though he’d lost his mind.

“Umm,”

“Yeah, us!” Bri was grinning mischievously. “Did you think the hats were just for show?”

“Well, I didn’t want to assume …”

“Why are you asking?”

Although Kim’s expression was neutral, Dan wondered if he should choose his next words carefully.

“Well, because I have a job interview at the Union at 2:00?”

“Really.” “Oh, that’s wonderful!” “You do?”

The three women’s reactions couldn’t have been any more different.

Kim’s eyebrows were raised as though she’d just been handed a juicy little secret. Bri’s face was lit up as though she’d just heard the greatest news in the world. And Amy …

Wait, was that fear?

Something about Amy’s expression left Dan feeling severely unsettled. Maybe he needed to know a little more about what he was getting himself into.

“Yeah, let me get out my phone and I’ll show you the details.”

He was reaching into his pocket for his phone when Amy grabbed him by the shoulders.

“What position did you apply for?”

The way she was breathing shallowly and licking her lips just screamed ‘don’t do it!’. But damn it, all he could think about when looking at her now glistening lips was how badly he wanted to kiss them.

“What positions did you want him to take?”

Ugh. Dan joined Amy in an exasperated groan and eye roll.

“Damn it, Bri. Read the room.”

Kim had reached forward and pulled her friend’s soft purple hat down until only a dirty little grin was showing. Thankfully, the welcome levity had allowed Amy to relax a little.

Dan whispered toward her ear, “Feeling better?”

“Mmm,” she nodded.

So it had been fear. Or something else equally unpleasant.

As the train once again slowed down on its approach the next stop, everyone braced themselves against the motion. To Dan’s delight, Amy held on to his shoulders, using him as her anchor point. The moment the train stopped, Amy let go and got to her feet.

Oh well.

When she offered Dan a helping hand, he gladly took it.

“We’d better wait near the door. Like Kim said, we wouldn’t want to miss our stop.”

Once he was standing, she leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“And don’t worry about getting out your phone. I’m pretty sure I know what the Witch’s Union job offer is. We can talk about it on the way there if you’d like.”

Dan was happy to note that she hadn’t let go of his hand.

“Yes, I’d like that very much.”

Even if the job didn’t turn out, at least something was going right today.