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want to be caught in the street by the witches who had decided they liked shopping in Balmain all of a sudden. There was a café two doors down. Perhaps she could secure a nice out-of-the-way table where she could brood in peace. As much as she loved her family, some time alone with no one trying to cheer her up or take her mind off things sounded like a plan. It was time to brood—a luxury she wanted to indulge in.
    Checking that there were no more Declan bitch-witches on the prowl, she slunk down the street and slipped into the café. Heart set on the rear table, she ploughed straight into a tall man on his way out. The zing to her senses made her gasp and jerk back. Looking up, she almost passed out. It was Declan Mallory himself. Her mouth fell open.
    ‘Grace? I’m sorry. So clumsy of me.’
    It took a moment before she found her voice. Opening and shutting her mouth a few times helped. ‘Oh, no.’ She swallowed. ‘It…it was my fault. I wasn’t looking.’
    He relaxed his stance and smiled. ‘No. I should have been more careful. I hope I didn’t injure you.’
    Grace shook her head, unable to form a sentence. Of all the people to run into…
    ‘Have you come here for a coffee? I hear they have a good selection of speciality blends,’ he asked, making eye contact.
    Dumbly, Grace nodded, her face heating. ‘I was…er…heading for that table over there.’ It had just been vacated. ‘Excuse me. I better go grab it before it gets taken.’
    She made it past him as he stepped out of her way.
    ‘May I join you?’
    Grace paused and looked over her shoulder. ‘Oh, sure. Ah…fine.’ She faced the back wall so he couldn’t see her face. Her heart beat so fast she thought she was going to faint. Oh goddess. Be calm. Be collected. People will talk, that is all. He’s just being polite. You can deal with that .
    In the back of the café, she took the upholstered booth seat and Declan pulled out the vinyl and chrome chair opposite, ending up with his back to the street. He was wearing a snug pale blue T-shirt that hugged his pecs and sculpted biceps. His strong hands were resting on the table-top, the fingers loosely threaded together. He was wide enough to block out her view of the street. A quick glance at his pale face, and she saw that he was giving her a frank appraisal. He noticed her looking and smiled.
    That smile lit a little tongue of flame along her nerve endings. ‘It’s good to see you, Grace.’
    Grace was doing her best to dampen her reaction to him. He was attractive. She was not immune to his physical attributes, the same attributes that had four witches prowling the streets of Balmain. ‘Imagine running into you here. I would have thought Rozelle, down the road, more your thing.’
    Declan blushed. ‘Er…it was a little crowded up there today.’
    Grace’s tried to look around him to the street. ‘Do you mean there’s a surplus of witches on the street in Rozelle as well? I saw at least four here in Balmain.’
    Declan’s expression became flat, his eyelids lowered. ‘Actually there are five here at the moment. Some are quite close.’
    It rankled that he’d included her in the count. She was not on the hunt for him. ‘Oh well, that’s what you get when you let it be known you’re looking for a mate.’
    He straightened his shoulders, his dark eyes flashing. ‘I didn’t—I’m not.’
    ‘You’re not?’ Grace rubbed her chin. ‘But I heard—’
    He grinned sheepishly and lifted a shoulder. ‘Yeah, my folks are kind of keen for me to settle down. I guess they broadcast the news, but they didn’t really consult me about it.’
    ‘So what are you doing here? You know, back in Australia?’
    Declan relaxed back into his chair. ‘Well, my battle training was over in England and I’m a qualified teacher now. I intend to start a small school, teach the young ones fighting skills. My application is being considered by the council.’
    ‘Not to give offence or anything like