Page 15 of The Magical Tea Shop

“We all do.” He gave a nod at the clientele pouring in the door. In that moment, Ivy suddenly realized that all her new business this morning consisted of members of Jaxon’s baseball team. “I like to have fun, too. We could have fun together, don’t you think?”

Ivy opened her mouth to reply and choked on her response as a disconcerting thought struck her.Had Jaxon’s entire baseball team sampled her cookies?Was that the reason for her sudden uptick in business?

Prickles ran over her skin. She shivered at the realization that her plan to gift her Very Special Cookies had gone so far awry. That insight was followed by a wondrous recognition.

The Hazard Blessing works.Magic is real.

*

Jaxon glanced atthe time and shut down his laptop. He’d decided to do his business accounting from home instead of walking to his office. His stomach rumbled. Already after one p.m. meant time for lunch. Dropping in downstairs meant he could take the contract to give to Ivy.

Just the thought of seeing her midday put a spring in his step. At the shop, he paused. Her place was jam-packed. Normally, business was dropping off this time of day. She often complained her lunch business was dismal.

It didn’t normally pick up until midafternoon when the bakery shut down. At the window table, Kyle and Rob, two of his teammates from last night, were having a heated discussion. That was strange—not the arguing per se, as Kyle and Rob were usually in vehement disagreement over everything—but that they would be in the tea shop at all, especially seated together. They kept glancing over their shoulders to the back of the shop. Kyle was waving his arms and Rob crossed his in dissatisfaction.

Jaxon spotted Ivy, light on her feet weaving through crowded tables, setting down plates of sandwiches and bowls of steaming soup. At the counter, pastries stacked under glass domes beckoned. His mouth watered. The sight of Ivy and pastries was inviting, but he’d been hoping for a moment when they could talk.

That was absolutely not possible with so many customers. He realized he should be happy for her, that her business was doing well. He watched while Ivy smiled and chatted as she placed down order after order. She was more enticing than the treats. He gazed, mesmerized, until he realized what he was doing. Hmm, he wasn’t the only one watching her. Joel was there by the register leaning in and smiling, along with Roman, too, and Pedro.

What on earth was Pedro doing here? He had his own restaurant to run. But then Ivy was setting aside the glass dome and, with a flourish, filling an order of scones and sending him on his way.

The diner was carrying Ivy’s scones now? He was pondering that when Pedro burst out the door and nearly collided with him.

“Hey, Jax, you going in?” Pedro let the door close when Jaxon glared. He shrugged, “I figured I should pick up some scones for the diner. It’s the only way I can compete.”

“What do you mean? Why? You have pie.”Really good pie.

“Ah, man, no one wants pie anymore, not apple, not peach, not lemon meringue. All they want isIvyand whateverIvymakes.”

Jaxon raised a brow.

“Her cooking, her baking, her. Ivy Wayland’s all the rage. I’m losing business since the Rebels ate her cookies.”

“You meanmycookies,” Jaxon said dryly.

Pedro laughed. “Sure. Man, you missed out. Those cookies were something special.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Just like her.”

“It’s only been one day since you all high-graded my cookies.”

Pedro kept grinning, and Jaxon was fast losing patience.

“One day, sure, and the diner was dead today, man, and not just the diner.” He motioned at the bakery and a scowling Holly through her plate glass window.

Jaxon blinked. Not a single customer graced her store. Ivy’s was packed. Usually, it was the other way around. Holly, as competitive as he knew she was, must be royally pissed.

“Huh.” Feeling brave, Jaxon shrugged, nodded goodbye to Pedro. He stepped up to the bakery and opened the glass door. Holly’s chime jingled jangled merrily. She stood straighter and brightened at his appearance. She swallowed and put on her professional smile as she smoothed a hand down her tunic.

“Good afternoon, how can I help you?”

“I just came in to—” What? See how you’re taking Ivy’s sudden success? He didn’t know Holly well, but knew saying that would go over like a fastball in a Little League game. “To let you know there’ll be some changes in the near future.”

The scowl was back. “Oh?”

He nodded. “I’ve accepted an offer on the building.”

Holly’s breath came out in a whoosh. Her expression turned queasy before she smoothed it out. “This building?”

Jaxon nodded. “I want to let all my tenants know.” As soon as the words left his mouth he could’ve kicked himself. Why was he telling Ivy’s sister? She would tell Ivy and…he blinked. Ivy needed to know. He was supposed to tell her last night and instead he’d negotiated a new lease. He’d planned to tell her this afternoon. He shook his head to clear it.

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