by Rose Pressey
“Well… that is awfully sweet of you. Thank you.”
Rory smiled at me and there was no resisting his dimples, not to mention his crystal blue eyes. Now it looked as if I had two gorgeous helpers.
As he moved closer to the counter, my thoughts strayed back to what had just happened. What would adding too much potion do? Would the Organization know that I’d messed up a spell? Who was I kidding? Of course they’d know. They’d send an investigator out before I could say hocus pocus. I couldn’t tell Tom about what had happened. What if it really was a set up and he was obligated to tell the Organization? Besides, he already had enough to worry about. When the Organization showed up at my door, he’d figure it out. Until then, I’d keep it quiet. Heck, maybe I was panicking over nothing. Maybe everything would be just fine. Ugh. I knew I shouldn’t have been allowed to use potions yet.
Chapter Thirteen
A couple hours later and the café was swamped. The spell was being delivered around the dining room in the form of burgers, soup, and every other dish on the menu. Saying this was an orchestrated event across the town was an understatement. This kind of pressure was too much for me. What if I really had goofed and messed up the potion? Would it affect the whole town adversely?
Tom and Mary Jane rushed around the café. Like yesterday, it was as if somehow everyone knew to come into the café today. But there was no way they could have known. Not everyone was aware of the magic in Mystic Hollow. Of course, not everyone in town had stopped by the café today. Some went to the barbershop, coffee shop, or other boutiques to get the potion.
The whole scene was somewhat surreal. I watched as the man in the booth across from me lifted his forkful of red velvet cake to his mouth. Once he had a mouthful, a look of delight covered his face. I couldn’t help but smile in the knowledge that he was enjoying my cake. It made me proud.
Now if only the spell went as planned and Grandma could be proud of me for that, too. Why was I worried about it not going right? Other than the little detail of me pouring almost the entire potion into the mashed potatoes, I had no reason to doubt that it would go off without a hitch. I’d had no other problems since I first took over the café. One teeny mistake wouldn’t make a difference, would it?
“Don’t just stand there, Elly, I need a cheeseburger and a roast beef sandwich.” Mary Jane pounded on the little bell several times.
Mary Jane’s frantic order snapped me back to reality. I had cooking to do and there was no time for distractions. As I wiped my forehead with a towel, Tom rushed past with his arms full of dirty plates. I had to admit he was doing a great job, but was there anything he wasn’t great at? Something told me he’d rather be traveling and investigating magic than washing dirty dishes though. He winked when he moved past and my heart beat a little faster. Rory was at the register handing out change to customers. Good thing he hadn’t caught Tom winking at me. It was strange to be working with the two of them.
The day had gone by in a blur. One odd thing though, customers seemed a little more wild than usual. Slurping and burping echoed across the café. That definitely wasn’t the norm. The noise level grew to an all-time high. All that potion was probably giving them indigestion.
After my day of crazy magic, all I wanted was a relaxing bath and a slice of chocolate cake. Thank goodness, nothing had been too bad with the potion. Other than the bad manners of customers, but I wasn’t positive I could associate that with the spell. Mr. Fry had been singing television theme songs the entire time he was in the café and Mrs. Harper and Mrs. Clark had been hitting each other during their visit. Their behavior was very odd to say the least. I was still waiting for the big bomb to drop though. Call it a gut instinct, I guess. I still found it weird that the people of Mystic Hollow had subconsciously known the food had special magic today.
A young couple sat in the booth at the front of the café. At first, they seemed like any of the other customers, but then I noticed their strange behavior. The woman flipped her blonde curls back from her shoulder, then batted her eyelashes at the honey-color haired man across from her. With each of her flirtatious movements, he smiled. She picked up a French fry and slowly placed it to his mouth, then he took a bite. Each time I glanced over at them, their movements became more sensuous. Perhaps I needed to take cold water to the table. My thought of hosing them down didn’t last long, because on my next glance she threw the French fry straight at his face with ketchup landing on his cheek. The batting of her eyelashes had stopped, and a scowl covered her face. He never changed his expression. Her actions didn’t seem to bother him.
When I’d taken their refills, they’d been together on the same side of the booth. But when I delivered their check, the girl had moved back to the other side. That alone wasn’t all that weird, but when I’d glanced up, she’d moved back beside him. I watched as she moved back and forth every couple of minutes. She was making me dizzy. It didn’t seem strange to them, though. The couple had continued eating their food and chatting as they had when they’d first entered. She’d scooted her plate back and forth from side-to-side all over that table. By the time they left the café, I had a headache.
Once I’d finished my closing duties, I locked the front door and made my way down the sidewalk toward my car. Heaviness surrounded me, as if someone was using a lot of magic. Rory had left an hour ago to tend to his farm work that he’d ignored all day in order to help me. I spotted Tom up ahead, and as much as I knew I should ignore him, I was compelled to ask if he’d noticed the strange behavior today. If it really had something to do with my accidental potion overdose, I’d be in big trouble.
“Tom, wait. I have something I want to ask you.” I waved in his direction.
“I swear I didn’t eat more than one slice of the cherry pie,” he said when I neared.
I laughed. “No. It’s not that.” I paused, wondering if I should really approach the subject. “Did you notice anything strange today? All the customers seemed to be acting very weird.”
He paused for a moment, then answered, “No. I can’t say that I did.” He looked away.
I knew he wasn’t being honest with me. What was he trying to hide?
“Oh, it’s just that when Mrs. Clark smacked Mrs. Harper upside the head with her pocketbook, I thought that seemed a little out of character.” I studied his face for a reaction.
“She whacked her with her purse?” He shrugged. “Maybe she was eating her French fries.”
Tom moved closer to his car. He was definitely hiding something. He had noticed the weirdness and now he was acting weird.
“Yeah, maybe it was my imagination,” I said suspiciously.
I moved over to my car and opened the door. Tom stood at his car with the door open. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but whatever it was, he kept it to himself.
He stared for a second, then said, “Okay, I’ll see you in the morning. Have a nice evening.”
Tom flashed his devastating smile, sending the butterflies to work in my stomach. He climbed into his car. I waved to him as he pulled out and then drove away. For a minute, I sat there with my hands on the steering wheel, motionless and lost in my thoughts.
A few months ago, if someone would have asked if having two gorgeous men to date would be a bad thing, I would have told them that I thought it would be fantastic. Now all I could think about was how many problems it would cause. Bad, bad, bad.
Movement caught my attention and I peered into the rear-view mirror. Amy Strong was skipping down the sidewalk. That act alone was strange enough, but after a couple skips, she would stop and kick something. First, it was a trashcan, then a tent sign in front of a store, and next she knocked over a bicycle with her foot. Every time she stopped to kick an object, she’d pump her fists in anger.
We’d attended elementary school together and she had liked to skip around on the playground back then… and eat crayons. In her adulthood, she’d stopped skipping and eating crayons, as far as I knew. Skipping was
a happy behavior, but the kicking and clenched fists were not. If not for witnessing other strange behavior around town, I would have thought she’d lost her mind. Yes, something was definitely askew in Mystic Hollow.
Chapter Fourteen
After parking my old Mustang in front of the cottage, I climbed out from behind the wheel. Fireflies danced around the surrounding trees. I walked up the path toward my house and couldn’t help but quicken my footsteps. Stars dusted the black ceiling of sky. The dark always had spooked me and now that creepy feeling was only amplified. It felt as if someone was hiding behind one of the trees in the not too far away distance. In a matter of seconds, they could run up and grab me and I’d be fighting for my life.
The familiar heaviness of the magic hung in the air, almost as if it was following me everywhere I went. I hurried up the steps of the front porch and fumbled with the keys. If a killer was approaching through the cover of night, I’d be toast. After what seemed like an eternity struggling to find the right key, I managed to shove it in the lock, open the door, and hurry in.
With one giant heave, I slammed the door shut, locked it, then peeked out the curtain. No one was there, at least not that I saw. I let out a deep breath, trying to calm my heart rate. It didn’t help. The strange feeling was right outside my door and I knew it. It was waiting right there on the porch for me. Was it the feeling of magic gone awry? If so, then why was I able to pick up on it now? Wasn’t that talent reserved for someone like Tom? Regardless, that odd feeling made me check the locks on the windows, too. Something I couldn’t remember ever doing in the past. But after Rory’s ex-girlfriend, Kim, had broken into my home and kidnapped me a couple months ago, it was no surprise that I was feeling a bit paranoid.
The entrance led into the tiny kitchen. As I moved through the rooms, the stillness of the empty house hit me. The quiet, dark space did nothing to alleviate my unease. Trying to ignore the feeling, I slipped into the tiny kitchen and quickly flipped on the light. The artificial glow flooded the buttercream-colored walls. Grandma Imelda had painted the rooms with colors named after foods. This had been her little cottage until her retirement. I grabbed a plate and fork. If anything could make me feel better, chocolate cake would do the trick. I lifted the lid off the glass cake plate and cut a large slice. As I poured a glass of milk, the unease as if someone was standing over my shoulder overwhelmed me, but I didn’t turn around and look. I wouldn’t allow myself to acknowledge my paranoia.
As I settled on the sofa with my cake and my Kindle to catch up on some reading, my cell phone rang. Was it Rory? And if so, why had Tom’s face flashed in my mind at that moment? I jumped up and grabbed the phone from my purse.
“It’s me,” the baritone voice said.
Tom had now decided he knew me well enough to just be called ‘me’, as if there was no question that I’d instantly recognize his voice.
“Um, hello, me. I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight. Where are you?” I asked.
“It’s such a beautiful night, so I thought I’d go for a walk. Would you care to join me?”
“What? Where are you?” I asked again. Yes, I was slightly thrown off guard by his phone call and even more so by the invitation.
“Standing on your front porch.” His words almost came out as a laugh.
My stomach did a flip. I hurried over to the door and peeked out the side window. Tom’s smiling face looked back at me. We still held our cell phones.
“Are you going to let me in?” he asked.
I nodded, but didn’t speak into the phone.
When I opened the door, I asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t feel like watching sports, reading a book, or sleeping. I wanted to go for a walk. Sometimes you just feel like company though. I guess this is one of those times.”
“Let me get my shoes.” I gestured over my shoulder.
I slipped on my sneakers while Tom waited on the front porch. He paced as if he was anxious and restless. I supposed that was the reason for the walk. The chirr from the crickets filled the air and the afternoon breeze had vanished. Fall would be here soon, but the heat still lingered. Stillness hung in the warm dark sky. Soft moonbeams blanketed the area with a mystical silence.
We moved along the sidewalk without saying a word. Only the occasional front porch light guided our path. There was no way I would have been able to walk at that time of night by myself. I couldn’t even make it from my car to the front porch without fear gripping me. We walked for several more seconds without a word exchanged. I glanced down occasionally, avoiding the cracks in the pavement and wondering exactly what would be the right words to say.
Finally, I couldn’t stand the silence, and I asked, “So, you want to tell me what’s on your mind? I know you didn’t want to go for a walk with me to discuss pie recipes.”
He grinned. “You’re a smart one.”
“Tell me what’s on your mind,” I pressed.
He stared straight ahead as we continued to walk, but he didn’t offer a reply.
I pushed for an answer. “It’s about today, isn’t it? When I asked you why everyone was acting weird, you brushed off the question. You know why they’re acting so strange, don’t you?” I searched his eyes for an answer.
He nodded and ran a hand through his already heavenward spiked hair. He took a deep breath, and then said, “I do know why. But I know you’re not stupid, so you have your suspicions, too.”
I nodded. “I hadn’t wanted to say anything when I first noticed it because I had hoped it wasn’t true. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can ignore it anymore. People are acting strange. Something is wrong with the spell, isn’t it?”
He didn’t hesitate to nod. “I’m afraid so.”
“What happened? Where did this bad spell come from?” As if I didn’t know where it had come from. I might as well turn myself in now. How could I have been so careless?
“I have no idea. They’ll be sending an investigator soon. We should prepare for that.” His voice held a dread that I’d never heard from him before.
I swallowed hard. “An investigator? How do we prepare for something like that?” If anyone would know, he would.
“We need to do our research to try to find out what is going on before they arrive… find out where the spell came from. If we can trace the source of the messed-up spell before they get here, maybe we can avoid some serious problems.” Tom’s hand accidentally brushed against mine as we strolled along, sending a tingly feeling through my stomach.
“How long do you think we have?” I asked. The night silence created a false sense of peace that I knew wouldn’t last for long.
“Not long. Hours, maybe. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were here by daylight.” Tom’s tone was calm and steady just as it had always been.
“So I should expect someone who isn’t from Mystic Hollow to show up for breakfast in the morning? I doubt they’ll be in the mood for eggs and bacon,” I said, feeling dejected.
He gave me a sympathetic grin. “You should be on the lookout, yes.”
After the last investigation, I’d hoped there would never be another. I should have known better. We continued walking and the silence returned as we were both lost in thought. I found myself unable to stop fidgeting with my hands. I couldn’t say that I was surprised with the news that Tom had just shared. It was to be expected. The Organization would sense the magical screw-up. The guilt over my mistake was getting the better of me. I wanted to tell Tom, but the words wouldn’t form. Why had I given out the potatoes when I knew I’d added too much potion? Why was I a complete magical moron?
Finally, I asked, “What made you tell me now? Why were you pretending not to know earlier?”
“I didn’t want to worry you, but I soon came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to deny it for much longer.”
“With the behavior I’ve witnessed it would be hard to hide,” I said feeling discouraged.
When we reached the end of
the street, Tom said, “We should turn back and get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will be a long day.”
The wind had suddenly picked up, carrying the scent of flowers with it and the humming energy of magic.
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
He shrugged. “There’s not much we can do tonight.”
“But that doesn’t leave us any time in the morning. What if they get there before sunrise?”
He sighed. “Maybe it’s inevitable. I was just trying to save you from having to deal with the Organization again. I don’t think they’re going to like me being here very much.”
“Every time they turn around, they’re being sent to Mystic Café, huh? Do you think the bad spell came from me?” I asked reluctantly. I needed to gauge his feelings. Did he suspect me?
He shook his head. “No way. I don’t think it came from you, Elly. You didn’t do anything wrong. Just because of the one mistake months ago, doesn’t mean every little thing that goes wrong in the future is your fault.”
I swallowed hard. If he only knew. What would he say? Too much time had passed… I couldn’t tell him now, could I?
Tom reached over and squeezed my hand, his warm fingers tightening around mine. “Try not to worry. You’re good at the magic. I’ve seen you in action and in spite of your lack of confidence, you’re good. Just like your grandmother. You’re a natural.”
He released my hand. I hadn’t wanted him to let go. “I wouldn’t go as far to say that. My grandmother is a natural, yes, but me… not so much.” Sweat beaded on my forehead. “I think you’re being too kind, but if bad potion didn’t come from me, then where did it come from?” My heart thumped faster, waiting for his answer.
“Usually, I can sense when a spell has gone wrong. I didn’t get that this time, and that is very troublesome. It makes it hard to track down. When you did the wrong spell, or Mary Jane gave it to someone else, rather, I followed the magic trail all the way to you.”
And I was sure glad that he had followed that trail. “That sounds so much more fun than it actually was.”
