Page 34 of Welcome to Fae Cafe

Kate dropped her gaze to her laptop as her lips suddenly felt light. It was embarrassing to admit she’d never been kissed in her life before last week. She didn’t even tell Lily about that.

When her cheeks grew warm, Kate snuggled deeper into the chair and started her story over.

A horn sounded outside. Kate looked out the window to find an old woman gripping a large paper grocery bag in the middle of the busy road. Oranges spilled out and rolled across the asphalt as the woman teetered. Kate sprang from her seat and pushed out of the café, catching the grocery bag a second before everything could dump onto the street. Held-up cars honked their horns, and Kate cast them a look to say they could wait a little longer as she balanced the grocery bag on her hip and reached for the old woman with her free hand.

“Thank you.” The woman’s voice shook. Sweat pooled at her temples as Kate guided her the rest of the way across the road.

“Don’t mention it. And ignore the horns. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

When they reached the sidewalk, Kate glanced back at the young driver whose engine revved as he took off. “Can I carry this home for you?” she asked the old woman.

The woman breathed a shaky sigh of relief and wiped the sweat at her brows. “Are you sure you don’t have anywhere else to be?”

Kate stole a glance back at her café-fortress. She forced a smile. “Lead the way.”

The woman hobbled away from downtown. A cold wind rushed through the buildings, threatening the first snow of the season, and Kate eyed the bumps forming on the woman’s brittle, bare arms as she followed. “Don’t you have a coat?” she asked.

The woman chuckled and shook her head.

A loud gust of wind tunnelled through the street, lifting dust, leaves, and paper litter into shallow whirlwinds. Kate’s thumb ran along her knit sleeve.

Not her problem. This woman’s cold, weak, bare arms werenotKate’s problem. Kate had already helped by carrying the groceries.

She stifled an agonized noise as she set the grocery bag down, pulled off her sweater, and held it out to the woman. “Here.” There was no point in trying to fight it. Kate knew she would give in eventually and whether she handed over her sweater now or in five minutes, she would be going home without it.

The woman blinked. “Oh, I couldn’t take that!” She hugged her shivering arms to herself.

“I have a dozen more sweaters at home just like this one,” Kate insisted. “Please take it. I’ll feel better if you do.”

The woman stared at it. “What did you say your name was, young lady?” she asked, and Kate smiled.

“You can call me Kate.” She turned the sweater over to find the hole and put it over the woman’s head for her. The woman slid her arms into the sleeves.

“This is the warmest sweater I’ve ever worn!” the old woman said, and Kate laughed.

“I know.” She picked up the woman’s groceries. “My grandma made it.”

Twenty minutes later Kate waved goodbye, holding a large orange the woman had given her as a thank you. Early morning sun pounded on the roads, reflecting off moving cars like blinding mirrors. Suddenly the street felt large and empty, even with the early students and office workers dotting the sidewalks. Brittle leaves detached from nearby maples and brushed over the path ahead.

Kate hugged her cold arms to herself and began the walk home, running her thumb along the orange’s rough skin. She didn’t get gifts often. A small smile found her mouth as she pulled the orange out to look at it again. It was bright and crisp, perfect for eating.

The florist pushed a cart of fresh gourds out the front door of her shop. She nodded good morning to Kate, and Kate stifled a shiver as she nodded back. When Kate rounded the corner, the sweet scents of freshly baked bread and muffins flooded the street from theBread Bakehouse, and she inhaled.

Peace and friendliness ruled the city this morning. For a moment, Kate wondered why she’d hid away all week. Nothing odd had happened in days.

She thought of the therapy brochures Lily left behind last week. Kate chewed on her lip as she considered that maybe she didn’t actually meet a real fae and the mythological knitting club didn’t really exist.

What a terrifying thought that was. More terrifying, maybe, than the thought of it all being real.

A guy leaned against the wall of the breakfast diner across the street from her apartment. He lifted his head as she came closer. He looked right at her, and Kate slowed her steps. His dark, curly hair was pulled back into a bun like before. He wore the same hoodie and jean jacket as when she’d spied on him eating eggs through the window.

His deep, beautiful eyes were piercing. He didn’t look away.

Kate turned around and headed in the other direction, clutching the orange tightly to herself. Her fingers flitted over the pocket of her jeans even though she knew her phone wasn’t there.

Something moved on the roof of the flower shop. A guy stood at the roof’s rail, basking in the sun, his white hair glittering. He released a deep breath and glanced down—right at where Kate stood. When he smiled at her, it was mean. It was inhuman.

It was fae.

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