Page 48 of The Magical Tea Shop

Ivy pulled off her mask.

“Thank you! What better time to win paintball than on his birthday? I was hoping, and then I saw you, and I just knew you understood my signals.”

With a groan of disgust at Ivy’s excited spiel, Ronnie stomped off with a backward comment. “You can have her.”

“What does he mean by that?”

Jaxon shrugged. “Oh, you know, kids.”

“I’m thrilled Alden won.”

“Me too.” They grinned, basking in the moment.

He glanced over and saw Ronnie boasting to Rebecca how he almost won the game.

Jaxon ruefully rubbed the paint spot on his shirt. “You hit me straight in the heart.”

Ivy bit her lip. “Did I?”

Jaxon swallowed. He needed to get back to chaperoning. He muttered, “You have no idea.”

Chapter Seventeen

Tired, but stilljazzed after her paintball success, Ivy decided to pop into the tea shop on her way home. She adored the building with its quaint style, cheerful, striped awning, and how peaceful it was when she was there by herself. She could ponder her afternoon, and maybe make sense of the sizzling chemistry between her and Jaxon. Just after sunset, dusky blue encroached on the bright orange and mauve streaks high over the square. She stepped into her shop and froze.

She wasn’t alone.

Her heart rate picked up. Her breath grew short as her fingers grappled for the light switch. She released her breath in a whoosh as she recognized Holly seated at the back table, still in her pink smock.

“Good lord, you scared me. What are you doing so late in my shop?” Ivy pressed a hand to her chest and took a couple of breaths to steady herself. She let the door swing closed and stepped inside to plop her purse and jacket on the counter by the register. It was unusual for Holly to work past three in the afternoon, since she rose well before dawn to begin the day’s baking. Holly, alone, in the dark could not be good. It meant Holly was in a mood. And, Holly in a mood meant…

Her sister spoke, and her voice had that grating edge Ivy hated.Here it comes, she thought, and deflated in anticipation of total negativity. Really, it had been such a fabulous day, and now her sister would ruin it. Ivy tensed, prepared for the customary tirade. Of course, Holly would be angry about Ivy stealing her customers, even if it hadn’t been on purpose. It was always a contest. If Ivy succeeded, Holly must not be. Ivy was tired of the tightrope walk between success and pleasing her sister. Success didn’t need to be an either-or proposition. Shoulders hunched in preparation of Holly’s verbal attack, she missed Holly’s initial words and paused as what her sister had said sunk in.

“I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”

“You need to be more careful.”

Okay, not totally negative, but it might be interpreted as a threat. Not her sister’s usual style, but…

“All these dates,” Holly continued, waving a hand in the air. “I heard about the brawling in the square. It’s all over town.”

Who would have shared that?She certainly hadn’t, and she couldn’t imagine Jaxon telling anyone. Kyle and Pedro definitely wouldn’t want it to get out. Fighting was bad for business.

“Dina,” Ivy said aloud.

“Cece cut my hair while Dina was getting a perm.”

Of course. That juicy bit of gossip would’ve been too good to not pass on. Dina was not known for restraint. If she hadn’t already made the rounds to all the businesses on the square, sharing it at Cece’s Salon would do the trick. Soon the whole town would know men were fighting over Ivy.

“You could’ve been hurt.” It came out on a wail, as if the idea of Ivy being hurt was painful to Holly.

“I wasn’t the one brawling.” Ivy hung up her jacket, put her bag under the counter, and put water on for tea. She chose a pink, floral teapot, perfect for two, and filled it with hot water to sit until the kettle boiled. She set about creating her special tea blend planned for the fundraiser. By reflex, she glanced at the shelf where her magic cookies waited in the clear glass cookie jar with its pretty etched design until the moment she would gift them. She hadn’t decided how to package them for Jaxon, or even if she should.

“Wait!” The etched cookie jar was gone. She knew she’d placed it smack dab in the middle of the shelf. She’d tied a pretty green and pink ribbon on the rim.

Ivy glanced around. She reached up and hurriedly began to shift items on the shelf. She was certain she hadn’t moved it, and it was too big to be hidden from sight. She stepped closer to extend her reach and felt a tiny crunch under her foot. She stepped back and felt another. She focused her gaze at the floor and spotted a glass shard. Then another in the kick space under the counter.

Had it broken? “My etched jar!” It had been a gift on her last birthday. Aunt Lydia had had the cookie press design etched into the jar.

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