by Viola Grace
Nessa blinked and nearly dropped her teacup. The jewels were the size of her knuckle, and she stared. “That is daily wear?”
Orvis nodded. “We would like to see it. The scale is off in the display.”
“Of course, Miss Orvis. Let’s select a few other pieces, and you can make the decision.”
Nessa sat, and her friend made the choices for necklace and bracelet sets with matching earrings. When about a dozen items had been requested, Stella smiled brightly. “They are bringing them in from the vault.”
While they waited, Stella smiled. “You must be excited to be marrying into such an illustrious family.”
Nessa smiled. “I most definitely am.”
Orvis smiled. “Miss Northern is too modest. When her connection with Mr. Twilight and Mr. Poldan was obvious, the senior Mr. Twilight set about convincing her family to accept his son as a suitor. Negotiations were intense, but an agreement was settled, hence the speed with which the wedding has been arranged. They truly do not want her to get away.”
Stella looked at Nessa with an expression bordering on fear. “I am delighted that you came to us. I confess I have not met one of your family before.”
Nessa shrugged. “Tons of power, minimal funds. The jewellery is part of the bride price.”
Stella blinked. “Oh.”
Orvis smiled. “Miss Northern is a fertility faerie.”
Stella flushed and got excited. “Oh. Forgive any offense I have given during your selection process.”
“It’s no problem. You have been very polite.” Nessa stared at Orvis, wondering what the hell was going on. Her talent wasn’t something that she publicized in the faerie community.
Two guards came in next to a young woman with a rolling cart covered with leather boxes. She pulled a display table out and rolled it toward Nessa, locking the casters, and then, she set about opening all of the boxes under the careful gaze of the guards.
Orvis smiled. “Did you want to pick three?”
“They are all lovely. I can choose the ones I don’t want?”
Orvis nodded. “Good plan. I can help you narrow it down when we get to six. We are looking for heirloom-quality pieces, good stones, nice clarity, and comfortable design.”
Nessa was handed the first set, and it didn’t catch her interest. She set it aside with a grimace. She culled six sets in a matter of minutes.
Orvis went over the remaining sets and said, “Mirror.”
The first necklace was pretty. A dark opal was set in diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. The metal was platinum.
Nessa smiled and looked at the hand flower that had the same gems in place. That was definitely not daily wear.
“The hand flower will be nice for the cocktail and dinner events. The bracelet with the set is subtle, and the earrings will be striking no matter what you do with your hair.”
Nessa smiled. “Good. I will take it.”
Stella beamed, and Nessa went for a second set and a third.
They discussed pros and cons, and the wave of chains that cascaded into her cleavage was one necklace, and the black pearls were the third.
Orvis signed the receipt. “Pack them up, Stella. We have a lunch reservation.”
Reese entered the shop, and he nodded.
“We will be at the teahouse.”
Reese nodded. “I will be nearby.”
Orvis smiled, and they left the shop. “There, that gets your collection off to a good start. I know you could not care less, but as you are now no longer just representing yourself, it is important to stun those who come to greet you.”
“I can do that by dropping my glamour.”
“Yes, but you can’t do that too often around humans. The jewellery stops them in their tracks and keeps them from staring at your eyes.”
They walked toward a door with a doorman, and it was opened for them as Orvis gave the man a slight nod. “Miss Orvis. Good day.”
Orvis nodded again, and they went in.
Nessa caught a whiff of what was inside, and she started to drool. “Is that...”
“Barbeque. Correct. We are going to tax your manicure.” Tolly laughed.
Nessa looked around, and the place was filled with women who were dressed in outfits that cost more than Nessa’s first, second, and third cars. Each woman was wearing a smock over her expensive outfit, and they were laughing, talking, and sitting together at a series of long tables. It was an exclusive community event.
An extremely attractive young man came forward. “The private room is ready, Miss Orvis.”
They followed his tight trousers and were seated in a room that was clean, bright, and had another long table, but it was set for two.
When the door closed, Orvis sat and exhaled, rubbing her neck. “Damn, it is hard to keep that up.”
Nessa laughed. “Hello, Tolly. How do you manage to pretend that none of it matters and all of it matters?”
“Practice. When I was hired, the boss made me promise not to embarrass the company, so I have been building its reputation by being a cold and scary bitch. So, how have you been keeping? Oh, and congratulations on the wedding, by the way.” Tolly grinned and picked up the menu.
Nessa laughed. “Thanks. I have been good. Meeting with a few couples per year to help with getting things moving along. I get pictures of the babies sent to me now and then, but I like the one with the birthdays the best.”
“So, you didn’t do anything with that accountancy degree, after all?”
“Nope. Just me being a transient and getting babies started. It pays my bills.” Nessa smiled. “So, why does Stovos have such a relationship with the jewellery store?”
“Oh, easy. He owns the mines that all those gems came from. It’s good to be the king.” Tolly laughed.
Nessa settled on the pulled pork with a baked potato when the server returned.
Tolly smiled. “Good choice. I had the garlic mashed potatoes and ribs one day, and I could almost feel the boss trying to figure out where the scent was coming from.”
Nessa raised her brows. “He has been sniffing around you?”
“He has been looking for ribs and mashed potatoes. Don’t read anything into it.” Tolly put on her smock.
Nessa put on her own smock, and she shrugged. “Sorry. I am not normally gushy and romantic, but recent events make me want to find romance everywhere.”
The food came in, and Tolly said, “Well, I am in love, so take that under advisement.”
Nessa laughed and ate some of the best barbeque she had ever consumed in her life.
Chapter Eleven
After washing up, Nessa sighed happily. “What else is on the agenda?”
“Accessories. You need purses and clutches.”
“I like kittens.”
“So do I, but there are fancier ways to do them. Come on.”
Reese held the door again, and they scooted inside. “Stormers?”
“Yes, Reese. Then back to the office.”
“Yes, Miss.”
The car pulled away from the curb, and they were off to their last shopping stop.
The window showed her leather, rhinestones, and hundreds of patterns.
“Here, just pick what you are drawn to. I will ask about kittens.” Orvis nodded. “They can also do custom work, but for tonight, pick something for the cocktail party.”
Nessa had her assignment, and she headed for the dark clutches then smiled at the thought. She gasped when she found a rhinestone clutch shaped like a black cat with grey eyes. Her inner twelve-year-old squealed.
She saw the price tag and nearly collapsed. A salesperson came up to her and smiled kindly. “Perhaps Miss would care to look at the luggage tags.” She took casual possession of the purse.
The man that Orvis had been speaking to came over in a casual rush. “Mistress Northern, have you found something you liked?”
“Uh, yeah, but now, I am thinking that the
Twilights are just going to have to deal with my utilitarian taste.” Name dropping was tacky, but the woman had hurt her feelings. She could afford anything she wanted in the shop. She just didn’t want to buy things simply because they were expensive.
The saleswoman looked at her in shock, and Nessa flicked her glamour off, sending the woman stumbling back, turning white, and running away.
The man sighed. “Please excuse her. She is new and has not yet embraced the exquisite but accessible part of our business model. Arthur Stormer, at your service.”
She looked around. “That was the only purse that made me smile, so I suppose one of these boring clutches will do.”
He looked around. “Where did it go?”
She looked at him. “It scampered to your backroom, chasing an invisible mouse.”
“I will go fetch it.”
“Don’t. It... the idea of it isn’t fun anymore.” She wrinkled her nose. “If that makes sense. I will just take whatever Orvis puts on the list.”
He looked upset on her behalf. Nice touch. “What if I can find something similar but different?”
She quirked her lips. “Dazzle me.”
He grinned and beckoned for her to follow him to the counter. He used some keys, brought out a box, and slid it in front of her. “Open it.”
She opened the box and grinned at a sleeping kitten surrounded by planets. One of the planets was caught in its paws. The entire thing was picked out in tiny crystals. She looked at him. “It is charming. I like it very much.”
Orvis looked at it, smiled, and nodded. “It’s definitely you.”
She picked it up and sized it next to her scrappy wallet.
He looked at her in surprise. “A Daen Fare? You are using a Daen Fare as a daily-use wallet?”
“Sure. She gave it to me and ordered me to use it. She said if I ever needed a replacement, I just needed to call.” She smiled.
Arthur swallowed. “You have met her?”
“Yes. I spent some time with her and her husband before she had her child. This was a thank you gift for a favour that I did for them.”
“I have a few of her pieces here, but it is nearly impossible to get the originals.”
“Can I see?”
“Please. Have you seen much of her work?”
“A little bit. We had a business arrangement for six weeks. Much of that was at her home and in her workshop. She truly has a grasp of graceful whimsy.”
Arthur grinned. “Exactly. How would you describe her now?”
“A psychotically devoted mother and a very proud one.” She chuckled.
Arthur led her to a corner of the shop where soft lighting glowed on the pieces that she found familiar. She snickered.
“What?”
“I recognize that one. Daen was looking for some designs, and she was using the design book as a coaster. This was the one she was looking for. It looks better in person.” She smiled.
“The dark opal theme was one specific to this grouping.”
Orvis chuckled. “I can’t think of what would have caused that.”
Nessa gave her a dark look.
She looked at a few of the bags and looked at the backpack that was on a high shelf. “I would like that one, please.”
“You don’t need to examine it?” Arthur was surprised.
“Nope. She used the bag that my mom made for me as a base for the pattern. The leather dying and colouration was all her, though.” She smiled as he beckoned, and it tumbled down into his hands.
“Here you go. Holy...” He took the small card out of the bag and blinked.
“Oh, it’s one of those notes that she puts in. Cool. What does it say?” She looked over his shoulder, and it said, Thanks to my friend Nessa for helping me with my little project. He turned the image over, and there was a dated sonogram of the soon-to-be baby.
Arthur looked at her. “You got her pregnant?”
“Of course not. Suulan did that. I just helped start them to spark at the same time.”
“So, you are a fertility faerie.” His tone was strangled.
“Yeah. One of those. I don’t know why everybody gets their shorts in a wad about it.”
Orvis chuckled. “Of course. That is why everyone knows about you.”
“Fine. So, it gets a little annoying when folks start rubbing up against you because they don’t know how it works.” She muttered.
Arthur blinked. “How does it work?”
“Well, if I want to help a couple and there is a chance, I can wake that chance in both partners at the same time. Nothing creepy; I just mark them and hold them in a receptive phase for a few weeks. They do their thing, and I remain nearby in case there is a need to restart the cycle.”
Arthur smiled with a dazed expression. “Do you only work with faeries?”
“No. Suulan is a mage. Half of my clients are mages, but the magic gets in the way of conception. I help cut through the magic and make things easier. There are some couples I can’t help.” She shrugged.
He nodded. “You are staying in town?”
Orvis cackled. There was no other word for it. “There are three tracking spells on her right now. Each fiancé and her soon-to-be father-in-law. If she leaves, she won’t get far.”
Nessa flipped her off before saying in a pleasant tone, “I have signed the marriage contract and will be staying near my spouses.”
“Plural?”
She shrugged. “In our eyes, we are even, but for the vast part of the world, Hector Twilight will be my husband, and Tynan is our roommate? I am not sure how it works. But yeah. Plural.”
Orvis nodded. “We have to be getting back. Those are your two favourites?”
“Oh, yeah. The kittens and the backpack. You picked out the others?”
“Yup. And wallets. We are good.”
Arthur sighed and looked like he wanted to continue the conversation, but he went and wrote up the bill. Orvis signed it and nodded. “Excellent. Everything off the list.”
Reese came in and took the bags with the boxes holding the other bags. It was a waste to Nessa’s mind, but this was what Stovos wanted, so fine. She would cosplay as a wealthy woman if that was what was needed for now, but she would let them know when she was tired of it.
When they were back in the car, Orvis smiled. “The rumour mill is grinding away. This is going to be fun to watch.”
“You are getting gossip?”
“Tons of it.”
“I would ask for links, but I think Hector still has my phone. I think he is trying to memorize it.”
“Well, he had better get it back to you soon. At parties like the one this evening, the ladies exchange contact information just as much as the men do.”
“So, what level of glamour should I use?”
“Just enough to stun them but not knock them out.” Orvis smiled. “So, a level two?”
“That I can manage. So, when does this thing kick off?”
“Seven. Your dress and shoes are at the office, and we can have someone help you with your hair if you like.”
She sighed. “Sure. Trial by fire. Why not?”
“I can’t believe that your parents didn’t present you to the courts.”
Nessa chuckled. “Light or dark court? Nah, we weren’t joiners. I had a rocking eighteenth birthday party on a lake and went to college just like my peers. I just chose a different occupation after I had my degree. Fortunately, my part-time jobs paid for the degree, so I don’t feel guilty that I wasted my time or their money.”
“But you are a qualified accountant.”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Oh, nothing.” Orvis looked at the building. “Looks like their meetings are over.”
“What? Oh boy.” Her guys were standing under the covered entryway of the building, and Tynan was pacing while Hector was leaning against the wall.
When they pulled up, Orvis put herself between Nessa and
the other two. Reese opened it, and Orvis stepped out of the car, and Nessa could almost see her wings flaring wide. The guys stepped back but tried to get around her, and she eventually stepped to the side. Hector extended his hand to her and helped her up.
She wrinkled her nose. “Hello, Hector.”
He kissed her hand and then wrapped his arms around her to kiss her in a manner that left her in no doubt that he had missed her.
He eased her back upright, and she saw a blue flare in his eyes. “Cheating buggers.”
He grinned. “Where there is a will, there is a way, and we will have our way.”
He kissed her hand again and then turned to look at Reese. “Wow. What did you buy?”
“Um, stuff and things. Your dad didn’t like my purse, so he sent me shopping for that, and something he called daily-wear jewellery, and Orvis got me some makeup.” She smiled. “And I got my nails done.”
“My father paid for all of this?”
Orvis chuckled. “The boss said to get it, so we go it.”
Hector looked at her in surprise, and as Nessa watched the bland, competent exterior wrap around Tolly, she became Ms. Orvis, assistant to the CEO in front of Nessa’s eyes.
“Reese, bring it up to the boardroom so we can locate the pieces for Miss Northern for this evening.”
“Yes, Ms. Orvis.”
Tynan helped against Reese’s protests, and their group soon breezed through the lobby and to the executive elevator. The items didn’t take up much room, but there were a lot of them. “Ms. Orvis, how many purses did I get?”
She smiled slightly. “Nine. The two you chose, three wallets, two clutches, and two additional purses.”
“Geez.” She blinked.
Hector looked at her. “Were you wearing lipstick?”
“Yeah, but don’t worry, you aren’t; it wore off at lunch, and the new stuff was in the car.”
Reese chuckled but kept himself facing the doors. When they opened, Orvis exited first, Hector and Nessa next, and then, Tynan and Reese followed them.
Orvis headed for the elevator. “The cars will be here at six-thirty. Be in the lobby.”
Nessa smiled. “Yes, Ma’am.”
Orvis turned to her and winked before she headed up to the next level.
