Page 12 of The Heartbreak Hex

“Sorry . . .”

Sorry, Gertrude.”

“Sorry, Mr. Mayor.”

“You should all be sorry,” I concede. “Ms. Nightshade is right. But, in light of not wanting to punish the whole town for your antics, I’ll call this a draw.”

“But if it’s a draw,” protests Silas, “whose pumpkin is going on the top of the wishing fountain?”

That’s a very good question. I don’t know the answer either. But Gertrude steps forward and says, “How about we change the contest? You all have some beautiful pumpkins, the growing potions made sure of that. But how about you take them home and carve them? We’ll meet here before the Halloween Welcoming Ball to judge your work and the best jack-o-lantern gets put on top of the wishing fountain and the rest can be decorations around the village square. That way your hard work doesn’t go to waste and the whole village can enjoy them, but no one gets rewarded for cheating.”

It’s an elegant solution and the farmers all look more enthusiastic about it than I would have expected.

“An excellent idea, Ms. Nightshade,” I say, beaming at her. “On the night of the ball, we’ll all meet here again an hour before midnight, and pick a winner. But next year, I expect everyone to actually obey the rules.”

“And I’ll be there next year to make sure that you do,” Gertrude says sternly, looking out over the farmers.

The farmers murmur amongst themselves and then Silas steps forward, once again the voice of the group. “Alright. We’ll go along with this. And, for what it’s worth, wearesorry that we used the growing potions. The contest just went to our heads a little. Won’t happen again.”

“We’ll see that it doesn’t,” I say. Then I put out my elbow in open invitation to Gertrude, who, to my delight, takes my arm and I lead her proudly out of the atrium.

Chapter 6

Gertrude

The day of a mayor is busier than I would have thought. I assumed that it would be mostly desk duty and signing things, but Vlad is always on the go, flitting all over City Hall, meeting people, planning the big day, and I, being tied to him, follow along. I help where I can and stay silent where I can’t, but Vlad gives me smiles and companionable chatter all day, never making me feel like a nuisance. In fact, he almost makes me feel like he’s glad that I’m here, which is nice of him, all things considered. He makes me feel like we’re a team and that I’m contributing, even though I’m sure he could get things done easier without being tied to me.

Speaking of being tied to me, it would appear that no one else can see the string tying us together. I noticed it first at the pumpkin judging, but after that I noted that no one looked at the string, even though it’s glowing and red. I tried shaking it in front of a few people, but no one even batted an eye. So it would appear that whatever it is that is tying us together is only visible to me and Vlad.

At the end of the day, the autumn sun is sinking in the horizon, painting the sky with golds, oranges, and purples as Vlad and I exit City Hall. The poor vampire looks wiped out by his busy day, but it’s not over yet. We need to get to Eye of Newt and start trying to reverse engineer this potion.

“Ready?” Vlad asks, holding his arms out.

I blush a little as I nod, wrapping my arms around his neck and his arms come up to pick me up into a bridal carry again. As I adjust in his arms, I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to be in a relationship with the vampire. In one day he’s already made me feel more valued and welcome than Harry did practically our whole relationship. And the fact that I feel so safe in his strong arms isn't helping my wild imaginings. But I need to remember that Vlad’s not here because he wants to be. That practically needs to become my mantra, to keep reminding me to not read into what isn’t there.

Vlad summons his wings and takes off with a jump and soon we’re flying through the air. I really forgot how much I like flying. I haven't really taken time formelately. It’s all been about the shop and keeping Harry happy. My lips twist. One of those things turned out to be a complete waste of time..

The flight is short to get to Eye of Newt and we land on the cobblestones in front of the entrance. The “Closed” sign is flipped forward, with minimal lights on inside through the big front window, so I know that Gretchen must be gone already. I hope that the day wasn’t too taxing on her, running the whole shop for me. Potions are definitely not her strength, just like candy isn’t mine, and I’m sure that filling my orders means that she’s gotten behind on her own, so I appreciate the sacrifice.

Reaching into my purse, I pull out the ornate key that opens the shop, sliding it into the keyhole and turning. The door opens with a jingle and over my head I feel, rather than see, Vlad put a hand up on the top corner of the door, holding it open.

“Ladies first,” he says.

I give him a smile over my shoulder and walk into the shop before he follows me, letting the door shut behind us.

It doesn’t escape me that Vlad and I are totally alone. Except for the hour spent at my house trying to break the red string, we’ve had people around all day. It felt friendly and companionable, but there’s been a professional bit of distance. But now, under the dim lights of the front of my shop, the air feels different. Charged somehow. Like something thrilling is just about to happen.

So I flip on the lights. I don’t want to give myself the wrong idea.

“Welcome to the shop after hours,” I say. “Can I get you anything before we start? You didn’t get your brew this morning. I could make a Type AB reheated but with a shot of relaxation and a hint of good dreams, instead of vitality and energy. It’ll help you unwind.”

“That sounds great,” Vlad says. “But I wouldn’t want to put you out.”

I wave away his words. “It’s nothing. It’s a simple potion.”

“What about you?” the vampire surprises me by asking. “You barely ate today. What do you usually do for dinner?”

“Usually I get home and make something light. I’ll just summon something from home and eat while I work.”

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