Holy moly, that spicy daub of salsa is talking to me. Poor guy.
Did he really think she was a cutie? Maybe he was crazy too? Fascinated by the shimmering blue-black highlights in the man’s hair, she took slow steps toward the food truck. The closer she got, the more dazzled she became by his coppery skin and megawatt smile. This gorgeous guy was a freaking show horse.
He offered a paper cup in his outstretched hand. “I made this special for you.”
Accepting the cup, she felt it was heavy yet saw it was only half-full. A sprinkling of crimson rose petals floated on top. When she tipped the cup, the dark viscous liquid the color of coffee flowed slowly. “What is it?”
“Something unusual. This is my version of Oaxaca hot chocolate. It’s sort of a compilation of the New World’s greatest hits melted together in one cup.”
Her heart raced. This fabulous man had done something nice just for her. “What’s in it?”
“At home I would use different ingredients and more of them, but I had to make do with what we had available on the truck. First there’s semisweet chocolate. I melted it and added a shot of fresh espresso, grated smoked vanilla bean, cinnamon, plus a good-sized pinch of powdered ancho chili, topped off with a dash of heavy coconut cream to get it all to liquefy. I had to use a wooden spoon to stir it, but it’s best to use a wooden molinilo and really whirl the mixture to get it frothy.” A beautiful expression bathed his face. “Go ahead, try it.”
She tipped the cup. The rose petals arrived first and kissed her lips like the silky skin of a baby’s cheek. The chocolate was rose fragrant, thick, and flowed over her tongue like tepid lava. The espresso’s toasty aroma and slight bitterness hit first. The sweet, earthy fragrance of the vanilla lingered. The chocolate was so rich and smooth that it came as a surprise many seconds later when the heat from the cinnamon and ancho chili powder kicked into high gear and left her face flushed. “Wow! This is magical stuff. This is....” Lost in sensation, she gave up trying to find the perfect words.
“Alchemy?” He winked.
“Yes! That’s the exact word. It’s alchemy.”
“I’m happy you enjoyed it.” He handed her a tiny piece of brown paper folded into the shape of a teardrop.
She reached for the paper. “What is this?”
“Open it,” he urged.
Estele unfolded and unfolded the piece of paper, which was much larger than expected. When she was finished, it revealed a paper heart with the word “VALENTINE” printed across the top, a cartoon sketch of a charging bull and a phone number scrawled beneath. “It’s August.” She grinned. “A little early or late for Valentine’s Day, but thank you.”
He shook his head. “My name is spelled like Valentine, but pronounced Val-en-teen. I’m Valentine Del Toro. I go by Val. That’s my phone number. Maybe you’ll call me sometime?”
Estele stood frozen, looking back at Val. “Oh, I get it. I forgot to ask your name! I’m such a ditz sometimes.”
He smiled and looked like he wanted to say something but remained silent.
The dude was gorgeous. Why did he have to show up today, while a huge magical mistake was still fresh in her mind? When would she get a break? “You have a nice name.”
Hope flickered on his face. “Thank you. So do you. You liked the food?”
She stared. This guy made it hard to breathe or think. Why was she reacting this way? “I loved you food.”
“There’s more where that came from. Maybe we’ll meet again soon.”
Did he mean it? “I hope so. Will you be here tomorrow?”
He turned to the side and his thick lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. “Probably not. The regular food truck will be back. Today was a temporary thing. We were just filling a need.”
So it was now or never? Why did this feel like an important meeting, one she shouldn’t take for granted? She started to get nervous. “Where do you usually work?”
His gaze returned to Estele and made eye contact so strong, she felt pinned to the spot. “San Diego.”
Was she sensing a solid spark between them or was that just wishful thinking? “Wow, that’s hours away. What brought you all the way to San Buena?”
“We were called here on an emergency.”
Val was just passing through; soon he’d be on his way. “I see.”
He pointed to the brown paper heart in her hand. A faint smile curled his lips. “You should call me.”
She glanced down at the number. An odd feeling, as if fate was finally knocking on her door, overwhelmed her. Why not be brave and do the unexpected? “Do I have to call? Why don’t I invite you out right now? The quesadilla and chocolate were so good. As far as novelty goes, you don’t have any culinary competition around here. Maybe I could take you out for a drink at the Voodoo Hoodoo cocktail lounge sometime? No pressure. Totally casual.” Her thoughts raced. “Wait! No! We shouldn’t go to the Voodoo Hoodoo—” What an idiot she was. After her last stunt, she might not be welcome at the lounge.
“Why?” Val’s eyes lit. “I love the name. It sounds exactly like the sort of place I’d want to go.”
When would she learn to separate her private life from the enchantment community? “I have to warn you—the Voodoo Hoodoo cocktail lounge is eccentric. Perhaps we should go someplace else?”
His eyes sparkled. “I like eccentric.”
She held a hand up to shield her eyes from the brilliant gleam of the truck’s chrome. “We could get injured.”
He leaned forward on his elbows. “Then I insist we face the danger together. Are you free tonight?”
“Yes,” she said breathlessly.
“Then let’s meet. I’m new to San Buena. Where is it?”
Drawing a deep breath, she pointed down the street. “Two blocks north. There’s a giant neon martini glass on the sign. You can’t miss it. What time?”
“I have a lot of prep work on the truck. It will take a few hours. How about seven?”
Feeling giddy. “Okay. See you at seven, Valentine. I mean Val.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” He smiled and ducked inside the truck.
Chapter 2
ESTELE WALKED INTO the LuLu Beauty Academy prepared to face a tense afternoon of dirty looks.
On the first floor behind a glass door, Miss Dahlia had gathered all the affected students and patrons of the LuLu Academy and placed them under a thrall. The group sat frozen in the classroom as Miss Dahlia walked amongst them, whispering spells and sprinkling enchanted herbs above their heads.
When Miss Dahlia saw Estele standing near the door, she frowned and motioned for her to move on with a brisk wave of her hand.
Witch Griselda materialized at Estele’s side in a poof of steam and a thump of her staff. “You should go home, dear. Let us put things right.” Pointing a bony finger at the brown paper heart, she grinned a yellowed smile. “I see you’ve already made a romantic conquest at the taco truck. How exciting. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Enslaving lovers is so much fun! The scorching memories I have of wandering hands on buggy rides. Scandalous. Do young people still court in the back seats of buggies?”
“No.”
The edges of Griselda’s eyes drooped like a bloodhound’s. “That’s a pity. Bouncing in a carriage behind a horse’s ass was mighty fun, and quite the conversation starter when the horse broke wind. How do young ones meet nowadays?”
“They swipe right on Tinder.”
Alarm animated Griselda’s face. “Tinder? Watch out! You’re a witch, dear, and witches burn. It would be prudent to stay away from tinder, wooden stakes, hay bales—anything flammable. Avoid dunking stools as well. You never know who’s going to freak out and go Malleus Maleficarum on you and bring down the hammer.”
Estele held up Val’s note. “I invited a man for a drink at the Voodoo Hoodoo cocktail lounge. Aunty, was that a mistake?”
“Not a mistake so much as rushing things. If a lemming is already headed for the cliff, there’s no need to
fire a starter’s gun.”
What the hell was the old gal babbling about? “Headmistress, I don’t understand. Was I wrong to invite an outsider to San Buena’s enchantment community’s private watering hole?”
“Yes and no.” Griselda’s eyes bulged. “If a love affair is meant to be, it will happen. If it’s meant to end in disaster, it will. We’re all held captive in the hands of fate. Live with it. You’re young and pretty in a wacky sort of way. It’s likely you’ll have many foolish lemmings running over your cliff to their doom.”
Yes, it was a weird compliment, but that was how Griselda saw the world. Cheered, Estele smiled. “Thank you, Aunty. You always say the kindest things.”
“You’re welcome, Estele. Now go home before someone dies.”
A pinch of shame needled her. “Aunty, I don’t mean to hurt others, but I do. All my friends walk on eggshells waiting for me to do the next stupid thing. I love my friends. I care about people. Why doesn’t my magic reflect that?”
Griselda leaned close. She patted twig-like fingers against Estele’s arm as her lazy eye wandered. “It will. You’ve had so many emotional setbacks in your young life that you’ve not yet come into your full power. Love, especially self-love and self-respect, would do you a world of good. When you learn to harness all that’s wild, pure, and free within, your magic will become formidable. You could be a witch without equal.”
Wiser than Miss Dahlia? More competent than Fredi? The words were so welcome, tears hovered in her eyes. “Really?”
“I’ll prove it.” Reaching to the top of her staff, Griselda unscrewed the polished ruby. “This is the Heart of Hecate. It’s been passed or plundered between witches for centuries. I won it unfair and square in a power showdown with a German sorceress at the close of World War I.” Pressing it into Estele’s hand, she muttered, “Because I respect you, I’m going to let you hold on to it for a little while just to see what its powers can do for you.”
With her hand trembling, Estele gasped for breath. “Is that a good idea? The Heart of Hecate is priceless and powerful. Aunty, even I don’t trust me.”
“Experience teaches trust. I’m fricking ancient, but even I don’t expect to walk the earth forever. The enchantment carried within the stone is potent and demands responsible action. I’ll consider this a short-term experiment. Let’s see what you can do when the pedal hits the metal.”
“Whoa, I don’t like the sound of that.” She shook her head. “The ruby is warming. My palm is tingling. Is that normal? It’s not going to burst into flames, is it? I have to go on the record as saying I don’t feel good about this.”
Griselda gave the stone a gentle tap. “Examine the flawless exterior. The gem was once a raw, clunky rock covered in lesser material. Its now-brilliant crimson core didn’t shine, but someone saw its hidden potential and little by little polished the dross away. The Heart of Hecate is lovely now, beyond price. The value is in what it is, not what it was.” One eye went left and the other pulled right. “Put the ruby in your handbag and for Circe’s sake, girl, don’t allow any misfortune to befall it.”
Estele dropped the stone into her fringed leather pony express bag. “Now I’m scared. What if some creep wants to steal it? Won’t someone notice it’s missing from your staff and ask questions?”
“You’d be shocked at how unobservant most people are. Odd as I am, I walk the streets almost invisible to the people beside me. Not ironically, now that you possess the ruby, you will be surprised at how observant you’ll become. That’s what the Heart of Hecate does. It brings the world into vivid focus, and focus is exactly what you need, my dear.”
“I’ll do my best to protect it. Thank you for your trust, Aunty.”
“Don’t thank me yet. There’s stormy weather ahead. Lots of bumps in the nights. Hang on to your broomstick!” Griselda pounded the staff on the floor. “Off I go. I TiVoed Wheel of Fortune. Goodbye.” Poof! She disappeared in a burst of steam.
Clutching the purse under her arm, Estele glanced from side to side to see who may have witnessed the past moments in the hallway.
There was no one around.
“Pheew!” Turning, she decided it was best to avoid the Master Mage Magic Academy for the rest of the day and go straight home. In fact, she should probably avoid outdoor activity and social contact of all kinds while she was possession of the stone. Now she was honor bound to steer clear of trouble.
As she walked into the parking lot, an uncomfortable thought arose. “Valentine,” she mumbled. “Oh crap. I’m going to have to cancel our date.” Looking around, she saw the food truck had already driven off the lot.
“That was fast.” She felt instant relief at not having to confront Val and tell him on the spot that she couldn’t meet him for drinks.
But another thought followed. She wanted to learn a little more about Val. He seemed like such a nice guy, grounded, generous, and just the sort of man she longed for in her life. The decisive feeling was so intense she paused. For once she was having an unmuddled thought, and it felt as welcome as morning sunshine pouring through a kitchen window. Reaching into her purse, she touched the ruby. “So, it’s okay to meet Val for a drink?”
The gem warmed to the touch. A sense of confirmation rolled off it.
“Wow. This is amazing. You’re going to help me by doing all the thinking? Thank Goddess!” She gripped the ruby. “What should I wear?” The image of ripe, juicy cherries popped in her mind. “Okay,” she grumbled. “You want me to dress like a cherry strudel? Can’t say I’m 100 percent sold on the idea.”
Approaching her bright red VW Bug, she unlocked the driver-side door and climbed in. The rearview mirror was hung with colorful purple, green, and gold Mardi Gras beads and crystals. She put the key in the ignition and turned the engine over. The sound of the car’s engine was always friendly and chirpy, like a chubby hamster leaping onto its exercise wheel.
Putting the car in reverse, she backed up, then drove to the edge of the lot.
The LuLu Beauty Academy was located off Oceanside Boulevard, which was a busy main drag with direct access to the freeway, a commuter train platform, and beachfront hotels. Hectic on a slow day, it was congested as hell with summer tourists.
She watched oncoming traffic and waited for a green arrow before inching onto the street, but as soon as she was in her lane, a car roared through a red light and came barreling toward her.
Swerving aside at the last second, she watched in stunned horror as a vehicle filled with jeering clowns zipped past, nearly nicking her bumper.
“Watch where you’re going, bozos!” she shouted.
The clown driver flipped her off with a giant foam finger and continued speeding over a bridge toward the fairgrounds.
She shook her head. “Clowns? Why are they running red lights? Where’s the urgency? Did somebody say call in the clowns—now!” The incident disturbed her.
Putting her phone in speaker mode, she called Fredi.
Fredi picked up immediately. “Hi, Estele. I was wondering when you were going to call back.”
Turning onto a quieter street lined with palm trees, she started to relax. “I’m headed home early today. Fredi, you won’t believe the weird day I’m having.”
“I might.”
She shifted into third. “No. This is beyond even my normal.”
“What’s going on?”
“For starters, a car full of clowns just ran a red light and almost hit me.”
“Hit you with a pie?” Fredi giggled.
“No, hit me with a speeding car. They were headed toward the beach. I hope an enraged sea lion eats them.”
“The beach at Oceanside Park?”
“Yes.”
“The setup for the county fair starts today. Gus can’t wait. He’s such a kid when he talks about fair food. He’ll eat anything fried on a stick. I hope he won’t ask me to go on those horrid rides.”
“You’re nuts, I love fair rides!”
“You’re n
ot a plus-size gal trying to squeeze down the funhouse tube slide. My last visit to the funhouse wasn’t much fun.”
Estele smiled at her reflection in the rearview mirror. “I had a really delicious lunch.”
“Wow, that was an abrupt change of topic. I’m happy for you.”
“This amazing taco truck showed up today, out of nowhere, and the food is out of this world. One of the guys working the truck is super cute. He made me eat flowers—”
“Flowers or flour?”
“Flowers. Big golden flowers, grilled. But that’s not the weird part. He likes me! We’re going to the Voodoo Hoodoo cocktail lounge tonight. And then out of the blue, for no reason, Witch Griselda took the Heart of Hecate from the top of her staff and gave it to me for some sort of experiment. It’s in my purse now. Can you believe it?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Fredi shouted. “Slow down. I’m going to deal with the Voodoo Hoodoo cocktail lounge first. Estele, what the fuck are you thinking? If you like this man and have any hopes of seeing him again, don’t go to the Voodoo Hoodoo! It’s a trouble spot, and I’m not saying that because of that thing you did to me and Gus.”
“I know, you’re right.” She drove up a steep street that wound up the hillside and provided a clear view of the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands beyond. “The other reason to stay away from the Voodoo Hoodoo cocktail lounge is that Sidhe the Fae swings like a pendulum and my new guy looks like a hot Latin pirate fantasy, but Val sort of has his heart set on it, so I guess we have to go.”
“Val?”
“Yes, his name’s Valentine and he’s a total hunkmeister!”
“Sweet.” Fredi sighed. “I’m scared to ask, but I have to. Why the hell did Witch Griselda give you the Heart of Hecate?”
“I have no idea. Oh, Grissy flirted big-time with one of the men on the Brujo Tacos food truck. Did you know that when she puts on a glamour she looks like Florence Welch from Florence + the Machine? It’s awesome!”
“Why would Headmistress Griselda give the Heart of Hecate to you?” Fredi sounded peeved. “I was one of the Master Mage Magic Academy’s youngest honor roll students. I graduated the program when I was only seventeen.”
Alchemy With Benefits Page 3
