Page 111 of Welcome to Fae Cafe

“My new house?” Kate raised a brow.

“The one you move into when you leave this city.”

Kate slid her hand out of his with a sigh. She pulled off her hat and raked her fingers through her hair. “Is that what this is about? You’re going to try to convince me to move from Toronto again?”

Cress turned to face her, his expression serious now. “It’s the only way, Katherine.”

“I outwittedyourassassins. I’m sure I can survive any other fae that show up after you leave.” She thought of her phone in her pocket. “You’re being ridiculous.”

Cress stared at her until she put her hat back on. Then his eyes lifted to something behind her, and his face lit up. “That one!” he said, pointing to a painting by the entrance. “Give me your wallet, Human,” he said. “I’ll buy that one for you.”

Kate turned to find a watercolour painting of a sunny countertop. Atop the counter was a detailed painting of a basket full of chocolate chip cookies.

37

Kate Kole and All the Things She Couldn’t Say

The painting fit better with the café vibe than Kate had expected. It brought a new warmth to the space and seemed to bring the scents of fresh baking to life whenever someone made a cake or tart in the kitchen.

Cress took on the role of Santa Claus. He came into the café with new presents every hour, and Kate continued to find the cash in her wallet gone. He left his mark on everything: small presents under the tree, a handsome “selfie” he took on her phone and got Shayne to turn into her wallpaper, a failed cake baking experiment he turned into a trifle and put in the freezer “for later, when we all missed him.” Kate didn’t tell him that a whipped cream trifle wouldn’t freeze well, and it would likely end up in the garbage.

When the Bonswickguy first let Kate in on the bargain Cress had made, Kate thought Cress was trying to find a way out of it. But as she watched the Prince make up for the time he lost while locked away letting the enchantment wear off, she realized a shift had taken place at some point. It seemed like Cress had accepted he was leaving.

Mor bristled every time Cress mentioned “for when he was gone.” Dranian mumbled things under his breath like, “Foolish Prince,” and “…walking to your death,” and “Someone needs to get you a sweater that isn’t so faeborn tight.”

Snow speckled the evening before Christmas Eve. Everyone went to bed early so they wouldn’t be tired for the ugly sweaters party Lily had planned the next day, but Kate remained at a bistro table working on her novel. Cress carried over two teas and slid one over, warming the air with steam and the spicy scent of chai.

“You seem rather invested in that story,” he said. “But you know the ending is cursed.”

Kate slowed her typing. “I’m going to fill this bookshelf with copies of this book.” She nodded toward the ledge behind the counter. “We’re going to sell it here as aRead and Sip combowhere people can buy a book, get a free coffee, and stay as long as they like to read by our fire. And everyone is going to get to learn what a fae is really like.”

“Aren’t you worried the humans will grow suspicious that the story is true?” Cress sipped his tea.

Kate laughed. “No one will think this is a true story. People don’t believe in fairies, Cress.”

Cress chewed on the inside of his cheek. “Let me finish it.” He took the computer and slid it to himself before Kate could say yes or no.

“What are you going to write?” she asked warily. She leaned to try and spy as he began pecking at the keys, but he tilted the screen down so she couldn’t watch. Kate slumped back into her seat.

“You can read it when I’m finished,” he said. But a second later, he glanced up and seemed to take in her unbrushed hair, the bags under her eyes, and her stretched collar. “Go to bed, Katherine. You’re tired.”

“I’m fine. It’s just stress.”

“Why are you stressed?”

“Because of you.”

Cress’s turquoise eyes turned doubtful. “Your feelings about me leaving are your own fault. I never successfully enchanted you.”

Kate snorted a laugh. “Right, it’s always my fault.”

Cress grinned. “Now you seem to be getting it, Human.”

He went back to reading the novel, and Kate’s smile faded. “You can’t go, Cress,” she rasped. “All I think about is running off and doing something crazy to make you stay.” Her phone felt heavy in her pocket.

Cress pursed his lips, his brows bunching together. “Yes, I know. It’s been written all over your faeborn-cursed face all week.” And then he added, “Do you know how difficult it is to have a girlfriend who speaks with a tone like that all the time?”

“What does my tone tell you?” she asked.

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