Page 79 of Fairy Godmothers Aren't Cheap

I watched him until he was out of sight, then noticed Richard had stood up during the exchange, looking none too pleased. He frowned at me and my lack of uniform, pointedly checking his watch.

“Not on for another ten,” I said absently, steering Char through the museum and into one of the exhibit halls. Once we were well beyond the front desk area, I pulled her close, whispering, “Go get yourself a milkshake, then meet me outside the Staff Only door by the cafeteria entrance in ten.”

Her hands were in fists, cheeks red. She was glaring at the direction we’d come. “Greg is such a?—”

“I know.” I planted a kiss on her scowl. She looked surprised, her anger gone as though I’d washed it away. She leaned in, eyes sparkling, as if I was the best part of her day. And that was the greatest feeling in the world.

CHAPTER26

~ Char ~

Iwas still fuming over Greg’s dismissive attitude and wondering if I could sic Estelle on him, or maybe one of her demon friends, if she had any. Possibly lure Igor the ogre away from veganism and toward Gregism?

How had I ever thought that man was cute and charming?

It didn’t help that the museum’s cafeteria milkshakes were substandard. It wasn’t even in the running for bumping Peter’s Drive-In off its pedestal. I hadn’t even hesitated to set the cup aside so I could do a quick cruise-by of the latest pottery fragment additions in the gift shop before waiting outside the Staff Only door for James, as instructed.

“We’re closing, Char,” Glenda told me as she walked past the open space that led to the cafeteria and staff area. She was already sliding into her coat as the cafeteria’s folding metal doors clanked shut behind me.

“Okay. Just a sec.” I eyed the door James had asked me to wait outside of and bent, placing my milkshake on the floor while I retied my shoe. I took another pull on my drink as I stood, my cheeks sucking in with the effort of getting the ice cream and strawberry up the too-thin straw and into my bloodstream. She was still waiting for me to leave.

I winced. “Sorry. James asked me to wait a second. He’s grabbing something for me.”

With a heavy sigh, Glenda turned, shaking her head as she left.

“Hey, we’re closing,” a male voice announced behind me and I jumped. Then a hand grabbed my elbow, pulling me backward into the room marked Staff Only. James.

His arms wrapped around me in the warm, dimly lit hallway. His lips landed on my neck and I swivelled in his embrace to face him. He rewarded me with a lingering kiss that sent rockets off behind my eyelids.

“Come on.” He took my hand, pulling me down the corridor, passing several unmarked doors. I’d never been in here, even while working on inventory.

“As good as Peter’s?” he asked, glancing at my milkshake. He knew Peter’s Drive-In milkshakes were my love language.

I made a face, and he chuckled, then gave a farcical grimace, releasing my hand so he could punch a fist into his palm. “Who needs to die for this subpar milkshake recipe?”

I laughed, angling the straw in his direction. He took a pull. “Yeah, not as good. And not just because it’s strawberry.” He stuck out his tongue in disgust.

He pulled me along again. “Come hang out with me.”

“Don’t you have to kick everyone out of the museum?” The glass doors had been opening and closing moments ago, the last few stragglers leaving—like I should be.

“Oscar went home sick, and I need an extra pair of eyes on the monitors.”

Despite my words, my feet were already moving further into the pleasantly dim and cozy cave of the staff area.

“Richard will make a stink,” I warned.

“I can handle Richard.”

“You sure? He looked cranky.”

“I’m planning on quitting soon, anyway.”

“You are? Why? What are you going to do?”

“I thought this job would be more exciting.”

“You mean pulling kids off fake mummies isn’t exciting?”

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