Page 39 of Cursed Fox

"Well, you're about to meet one of her employees, and fair warning, she's the complete opposite of this place."

"Welcome to Wickedly Delicious!" Janie's bubbly voice hit us as soon as we got closer. "Oh, hey, Lex. Maisie saved some orange scones for you in the back. I think she planned to drop them off at the office later, but you're here now, so let me just go grab them."

Janie skipped into the back room—and yes, I mean skipped. The young woman was always full of energy.

"Orange scones saved special for you?" Nancy crossed her arms and popped one brow.

I had to hide a laugh at the little green monster of jealousy she was trying not so successfully to hide.

"Yeah, it's the only thing from here I pretty much eat. When I was helping Maisie and Hendrix with Olivia, Maisie quickly discovered they were my favorite and would bring them over."

I could tell the moment what I said sank in. "You were there to help Olivia."

"Every day. For a while I was the only one she would talk to, and that was rare. Most of the time we just sat in silence."

"I bet you loved that." Nancy bumped my side with her shoulder in a teasing way.

"More like I understood her need to do it. I was the same way after my parents died. I didn't want to talk to anyone, buteveryone insisted I should. The more they pushed, the quieter I became, until I barely ever spoke. It drove everyone crazy. I didn't want that for Olivia."

"And your silence helped her more than talking ever could," Maisie interrupted from the other side of the counter.

I turned to the one woman in town I actually considered a friend. "Hey, Maisie."

"Hey, Lex. It's good to see you. I was starting to think you skipped town?" I didn't miss the disapproving look on her face.

"I almost did," I told her honestly.

"Did Olivia know?" When I nodded my head yes, Maisie just shook hers. "Of course she did. If there was anyone you would tell, it's my niece."

"Hi, I'm Maisie. You must be Nancy. I've heard at least a dozen people in here today talking about how you're back in town." Nancy groaned and Maisie chuckled. "I know the feeling."

"How bad was it?" Nancy asked.

"I mean, I'm not sure what drove you out of town, but everything I heard today was good things. People are excited you're back. I will warn you though that most of the talk was about you and Lex." Maisie wiggled her eyebrows, and from the corner of my eye I could see the faintest of pink tinge Nancy's cheeks.

"So much for not having to worry about that with you," Nancy threw my words back at me.

I was quick to clarify though. "I just meant no negative gossip. I can't help with the rest. This town seems to thrive on other people's love lives."

Maisie leaned on the glass case. "Don't I know it. I found the best way to deal with it is to control the narrative. When I started banging Hendrix, I made sure to go straight to the gossip queen herself and give all the juicy details."

Nancy laughed so hard she had to double over and clutch her sides. It took a few moments before she was able to control it enough to speak, and even then she wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh my God! I never would've thought to do that. It's genius."

"Believe me, it took some time for me to realize I could do that, but I was sick of all the talk in town about what I did."

I expected Nancy to ask what that was, but she proved she didn't care to join in on the gossip. That, or she would ask me later when it was just the two of us.

"So what brings you into my shop today? Just browsing or . . ."

"Your scones,” Nancy offered. “Maverick brought me some the other day and they were so delicious I just had to stop in and see what else you had."

"Maverick, huh?"

I shook my head and Maisie got the message, because she changed the subject quick. "So which ones are your favorite? I know Lex here loves the orange, but how about you?"

"The blueberry."

"Coming right up."

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