by Gina LaManna
“We’re your second choice?” Hettie turned to me. “I’m not being your sloppy seconds. You should choose your family over Gus.”
“It’s a work date! I was kidding. Usually we just eat dinner as I read and memorize more herbs.”
Hettie wrinkled her nose. “You need to get out more, child. Else you’ll never find a man.”
“Good thing I’m not looking for one,” I grumbled. “What about you two? Any plans?”
Zin wrinkled her nose. “My mom is running some committee or another tonight, so I have to watch the rascals.”
“I would normally love to go,” Poppy said. “But my mom’s on a date with your mentor, and she asked me to feed her guinea pig.”
“Her guinea pig is fat enough,” Zin said. “His name is Chunk for crying out loud.”
“You’re just mad because you transformed into a hamster last week and I made you race Chunk,” Poppy said. “And you lost.”
“He had like, three pounds on me!” Zin crossed her arms, her eyes blazing. “You know I can’t help my size.”
Poppy winked at me. “I know, and I can’t help teasing you about it.”
“I’m going home,” Zin said. “I have to feed the twins dinner.”
Hettie followed her with a brief wave. “I’d love to go, but I can’t either. VanderVamp Rules is on the projector tonight. Can’t miss my show.”
I raised my eyebrows at Poppy. “What do you say to a quick bite?”
“I’m really sorry, but my mom will kill me if I don’t feed Chunk,” Poppy said. “You can come with me if you want, though.”
“You hate that guinea pig.”
Poppy blushed. “Yeah, but you know Mimsey. She loves that thing.”
“You’re lying.”
“Fine!” Poppy threw her hands up in the air. “I worked a double shift. I helped out Mimsey and Trinket at the supply store this morning, and then went straight to fill in for another six hours at Ranger HQ. I kind of want to watch VanderVamp Rules with Hettie and have her cook me some pasta. I’m tired, that’s all. My feet hurt, I’m all talked out, and Hettie makes me age ten years every time she sets foot in HQ. I have to watch her like a hawk and it’s exhausting.”
“That’s all you had to say,” I said with a grin. “Look, I get it. I have errands to run tonight anyway, so it’s probably best if I just get on with it. I was mostly procrastinating.”
“Are you sure? You can absolutely come by and hang tonight if you want. I’ll even share my bottle of wine. I just don’t want to put clothes on and head over to Sea Salt.”
“Really, don’t worry. I’ll see you later, okay? If I’m done in time, I’ll stop over on the way back.”
“Okay, great. Be safe! You don’t need anything, do you? What about your Hex on the Beach potion to keep the guys away?”
I dug into my pocket and pulled out a small vial of the potion, waggling it in front of Poppy’s face. “Got it. Plus, I have a good old tube of Pepper Spray around my keychain. Have a good night, Poppy.”
She pulled me in and kissed both cheeks European style. We parted ways, Poppy hurrying to catch up with Hettie while I strolled in the opposite direction. The coins jangled in my pocket as I set my sights on the path that would take me across town to the B&B where I’d hopefully find my target.
The Isle was relatively small. It was similar in size to that of a condensed city, not unlike the square space of downtown Minneapolis. It was entirely walkable, though a jaunt from one side to the other could take up to thirty minutes.
My feet carried me across a white sandy path in lazy twists. The path started at the beach in front of my bungalow, wound its way past the dock and the supply store, curled over the open ground, and finally across the Lower Bridge. A canal cut The Isle in two, leaving us with a West and an East side.
Hettie, Mimsey, Trinket, and their children—along with myself—were the only witches who dared inhabit the West side of The Isle. Most people chose to stay on the opposite side of the bridges for safety reasons. Hundreds of creatures lived in The Forest, and those creatures were much more likely to wander down to the bungalow than across the bridge and into the highly populated East side.
I crossed the Lower Bridge, since the Upper Bridge was reserved mostly for Rangers. The latter led deep into The Forest, and most of the islanders would suffer a ten-minute detour just to use the safer route.
Giant goldfish swam in the canal beneath the bridge, and I paused as one particularly orange fish swam circles around his silvery friend, their movements smooth as a dance. It was so mesmerizing I lost track of time standing there, until a crack startled me from my flip-flops.
The crack came from the bushes to my left, jolting me out of my trance. I pressed deeper into the East Isle territory, the air full of spells, protective hexes, and many other safety precautions.
The sizzle of magic surrounded the entrance from the West to the East side, but it didn’t do much to calm my nerves. With one last glance toward the bushes, I picked up my pace and didn’t slow down until I’d reached Main Street.
Main Street was a small section of the East side neighborhood. The narrow, cobblestone paved street wound its way between a few local shops and food stands. Decorative white lights dangled from the palm trees lining the sidewalks, and despite the late hour, many folks milled about the street. Families waltzed between the stores, some of the children carrying candies and balloons that roared and squeaked, just like the animals after which they’d been molded. The younger adults held lemonades or iced slushies in their hands, while the older witches and wizards carried much larger beverages in the vein of Pina Coladas and Strawberry Daiquiris.
My breathing eased, my chest finally loosening as I realized how uptight I’d been on the walk over. Between the men in cloaks, the theft of the spellbook, and my mentor’s odd behavior, strange things were happening, and it had me on edge.
Strolling down Main Street, however, allowed me to relax. Shop owners sold their wares and conversed with the townsfolk while parents whistled, chatted, and skipped through the streets with their kids. The sense of normalcy was refreshing.
By the time I reached the end of Main Street, I was smiling again. I’d returned the pepper spray to my keychain and the vial of defensive potion to my pocket. Turning off of the cobblestone road, I entered a smaller walkway—not much more than a garden path—that led to the sole B&B on The Isle. I followed the flat stones to the front steps of a quaint, cottage-like building.
I raised a hand and knocked on the front door. Yellow walls made for a bright, cutesy building with pink shutters and a sky-blue door. The theme was very Cozy Country Escape, despite the tropical setting.
The door opened a second later, though I couldn’t see who was behind it.
“Can I help you?” squeaked a voice somewhere around my knees. “I’m Midge, I run this place.”
“Oh, hello.” For a moment, I debated getting on my knees, or at least crouching down so that we could see eye to eye. As it was, she was staring at the scar just above my knee while I was looking down at the top of her head. “I’m here to visit a friend.”
“A friend, you say? I wasn’t told to expect any guests.” Midge turned around and bounced her petite frame over to the front desk. “What’s this friend’s name?”
Her gray hair was knotted in a bun on top of her head, and her face was wrinkled from years and years of living. But her wrinkles weren’t the tired, sun-worn battle scars of a hard life. No, her wrinkles were pleasant, as if they’d been formed from smiling instead of frowning, from looking at the world with kindness instead of judgment. I immediately liked her.
“His name is Liam,” I said, still standing in the doorway. “He said he was staying at the B&B, and I only know of one. I assume it’s here?”
“We’re the only B&B on The Isle.” Her face crinkled in an amused expression. “You’re new here, aren’t you?”
I nodded.
“Well, what are you doing standing over the
re? You look harmless, come on in.” Midge waved a hand for me to enter the room. I took a step forward as Midge took six steps upward and stood on a platform behind the desk. Now, we were eye to eye. “Liam, you say?”
I nodded again, sneaking a glance at the step stool she’d used. It looked like stacks of old, hardcover books in a language I didn’t recognize. “Liam, that’s right.”
“He’s here, but he didn’t say he was expecting company.”
“Well, he didn’t know I was planning to come,” I said. “But he did invite me to come by...sort of.”
Midge’s pleasant gaze froze. “May I ask the nature of your business before I call up to him?”
My face must have turned into a beet. “Um, I’m just returning something of his.”
“Let me call him.”
“If it’s too much trouble, I can just leave it here and he can pick it up later.” I jangled the coins in my pocket for emphasis. “He overpaid me earlier, so I just wanted to return the extra. I didn’t realize how late it’s getting...”
She shook her head, distracted by some sort of Comm device pressed against her ear. A moment later, she shook her head again. “He’s not in his room, but he might be grabbing a bite to eat in the dining area. Follow me.”
Midge hopped down her stack of books and gestured for me to follow her through a doorway on the far side of the lobby. “Even if he’s not eating, you should really consider giving our chowder a try. It really is to die for.”
I laughed. “I bet. It smells heavenly.”
“No,” she said, peering up at me. “Literally, someone once died for it.”
I winced. “I ate already, thank you.”
“I’m kidding,” she said, turning around and winking at me. “Nobody has died for it.”
“Oh.” I forced a false laugh. I’d had enough talk about dying and potions lately, and it was getting hard to tell what was real and what was fake. “You’re funny.”
“Nobody’s died...recently,” she corrected. “Oh, look, there he is.”
I didn’t get a chance to ask if she was kidding a second time because just then she pointed across a small, romantically lit dining room to a table for two. However, one of the place settings was empty. Behind the other sat an impeccably dressed man.
“Shall I set you a place?” Midge asked curiously. “Or mention that you’re here?”
Stepping back from the doorway just as Liam glanced over in our direction, I shook my head. “I’ll go over myself. But first, may I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
Lowering my voice, I took a few steps back into the lobby, out of Liam’s sight. “What do you think of him? He’s new here too, right?”
She squinted at me. “Hold on a second—you’re the new Mixologist.”
I blinked. “Yes, I am. How did you know?”
“I’m ancient. I know these things. Plus, small town. Word—”
“—gets around,” I finished for her. “So I’ve heard. Do you know anything about Liam’s story?”
“May I ask why?” Midge leaned in, keeping her voice on the quiet end of the spectrum. “I don’t mean to be rude, but the reason I’ve been in business for centuries is because I keep my guests’ information private. Their names, their room numbers, and most importantly, their business. I thought you just wanted to deliver coins.”
I decided to play the card that Liam himself had handed me. “There’s a little more to the story.”
Midge raised an eyebrow. “Do tell. Tit-for-tat, you know.”
I tried for what I hoped was a semi-embarrassed, flirtatious sort of wink. Mostly, it just felt like an eye twitch, and I lost my train of thought.
“Are you okay?” Midge asked. “I can recommend a good doctor if you’re feeling ill.”
“No, no, I’m fine.” I slapped a hand over my twitchy right eye. So much for my powers of seduction. “I’m just wondering what you think of him. Liam. He asked if I wanted to get coffee. He’s new, I’m new...I hope you understand.”
“Oh!” Midge let out a high-pitched giggle. “I see how it is now. Liam is a perfectly nice gentleman. There’s only one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, the reason I didn’t put two and two together sooner is because everyone knows that Liam isn’t interested in your type. No offense darling, it’s not just you. It’s all of us.”
“All of us meaning...witches? Magical people? Islanders?”
Midge laughed. “No, you’re not understanding. Women. Liam is not interested in women.”
My spine went ramrod straight. “Wow, I missed all alarm bells going off with that one.”
“He’s a very manly man, you know,” she said. “And he’s been coming here on and off for the last ten years on business. I can tell you one fact—he’s never once laid a finger on a woman in any sort of way, especially not a romantic way. He’s never been on a date as far as I know, and I know everything. He’s just not interested. I’m sorry, but maybe your alarm bells are broken.”
“Guess so,” I said, doing a mental head scratch. “I could be wrong, I suppose.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Midge patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’re certainly not the first, and you won’t be the last. However, he’s a lovely conversationalist, and he’s not bad to look at, either. If you’re wondering whether or not it’s a good idea to get a coffee with him, I say why on earth not? Go for it! You’ll probably have to work with him on business at some point, anyway. Most of the islanders do.”
“Business? What does he do?”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Midge put both of her hands on my shoulders and manually spun me around. She marched me straight over to the table in the corner where Liam looked up, an amused smirk on his face as Midge grinned broadly. “Liam, I believe you’ve already met Lily. Lily, this is Liam.”
“How do you know my name?” I asked in a hushed voice while awkwardly smiling at Liam. “I never told you.”
“Dear, I know everything,” she whispered. “Now, sit down. I’ll have coffee and a snack brought out. It seems like you two have a lot to discuss.”
Chapter 11
“Thank you,” I murmured a few minutes later as Midge herself dropped by our table with two cappuccinos and a small plate of biscotti. “This looks delicious.”
Liam leaned forward from his seat across the table and winked. “Why do you think I’ve stayed here during every business trip all these years?” He cast a teasing glance over at Midge. “Not for the company, surely.”
She gave him a good-natured swat on the shoulder. “Keep that up, and I’ll start putting a pinch of Forget-Me-Not into your potion. You’ll be swooning over me every time you walk into this lobby.”
Liam laughed. “Thank you, Midge. You’re a dear.”
She gave a quick bow of her head, and then studied both of us once more before vanishing from the dining room back toward the lobby.
“She seems like the perfect person to own a B&B,” I said once she’d gone. “Friendly, but strict. Private.”
“Not to mention the cappuccinos.” Liam raised his glass. “A toast before we jump straight into business?”
I raised my mug, and we clinked glasses. I took a sip of the frothy beverage, the creamy warmth just what I needed after a long day at the bungalow. Closing my eyes, I sighed with happiness. “This is good.”
“Wait till you dip the biscotti into it.” Liam reached for the plate and picked up a long, thin cookie with a light frosting made to look like a magical wand. He dunked it into his own cappuccino, and then held out the end. “Try this.”
I hesitated. As positive as Midge was that Liam wasn’t interested in “my type,” I couldn’t help but think this was feeling an awful lot like a date. I didn’t want to be on a date. However, I did want that cookie. Leaning forward, I took a quick bite, smiling despite every intention to be one hundred percent business. “That is tasty.”
“I told you! Now, hold
on, you’ve got a little something...” He trailed off, reaching across the table, his finger gently brushing something off of my top lip.
I blushed. “Well, that was embarrassing.”
“It was just a bit of foam.” He winked. “I thought it was cute.”
For lack of a follow-up, I reached for another cookie.
“What brings you by?” Liam asked. “Did you get my note?”
“Yes!” Grateful for the change of subject, I reached into my pocket and dug around until I extracted all of the money he had paid me. “I also got the coins you left for your meal, and it is far too much. I can’t accept it. So, here you go.”
Liam’s eyes followed my movements as I extended my closed fist across the table, turning it over and exposing the coins on the palm of my hand. It felt odd to dump them on the table, so I waited patiently.
“That’s everything.” Liam hardly glanced at the coins. “You didn’t keep any payment for yourself.”
“The meal was on the house. You’re a visitor. Plus, it was just a few eggs.”
“Keep it all. I left it as a tip. It wasn’t an accident.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You ordered eggs, but paid for an entire chicken coop.”
Liam laughed as he reached forward and closed my fingers around the coins. “Keep it. I want you to have it. Really, you’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
“It’s too much!”
“It’s my money. I earn it, so I get to spend it how I like, and I would like for you to have it. I wasn’t tipping for the eggs. I was tipping for the service. It’s been a while since I’ve been to The Isle, and it was pleasant to receive a warm reception. Don’t read deeper into it.”
I frowned. “You normally don’t receive a warm reception?”
Liam grinned. “You like to ask questions.”
My cheeks likely reddened, and I gave an embarrassed shake of my head. “You don’t have to answer that. I’m nosy by nature. Don’t worry, it’s not just you, I pester everyone with questions.”
