Page 31 of Made

I immediately recalibrated thinking I needed to switch to thin-ice mode. My version of thin ice goes something like this. “Um. Well. You, um…”

He laughed. “Joking, love. I know we look very similar.”

I suppressed an impulse to shout, “SIMILAR?!?” Instead, I deadpanned and nodded like no one could argue with that.

“Now I feel bad for Kagan. That story makes me dislike Maeve even more.”

“If you ever divulge this to anyone, and I meananyone, I will move into my den and lock you out.”

Interesting that his threat was to move to another room in our house, but not out of our house. I took that to mean he was hedging bets, leaving room for a comeback.

“You mean you’d stoop to withholding sex to get your way?”

“Without hesitation.”

“Wow. Does that mean sex isn’t all that important?”

“Does that mean I’ve made an indelible impression?”

“In more ways than one.”

“In that case,” he chuckled, “see you later.”

He turned and headed toward Molly’s without looking back. I didn’t know if Keir would make good on his threat, but it was irrelevant. I wouldn’t share something so terribly personal about Kagan, but Iwas very serious about having less regard for Maeve. Since my respect for her was already running on fumes, this latest information meant that, in my mind, she might’ve crossed the line into the category of villain. Did I want someone so thoughtless and cruel influencing my granddaughter? With a sigh, I realized that question was pointless. Not my call to make.

“Maggie!” I called as I entered the store and took a deep sniff of great great-smelling air. Somewhere in the building, a candle with yummy fir-tree-based scent was spreading holiday cheer. It made me want to pull up a divan and order a Starbucks. I was certain there was marketing brilliance behind the scheme. Something like making customers want to linger and buy more. I was lucky to have Maggie in charge of The Hallows. But really, who was I kidding? The Hallows washerstore. My technical ownership was just that. Technical.

Who would’ve guessed that a banshee would be so perfectly suited to moonlight as a shopkeeper? Managing The Hallows was not her principal gig after all. Since the occupation that claimed her as a species was conducted in hours of darkness, it might be said that her work at The Hallows was “sunlighting”?

Those were the thoughts I was entertaining when I froze in place. In front of me was the most beautiful, larger-than-life-sized carousel horse I’d ever seen. I say “larger than life” because it was as big as an actual war horse. Furthermore, it wasn’t an actual carousel horse. I knew that because there wasno mechanism, like a pole, that would attach it to an amusement ride. Technically, it was a statue.

It wasn’t beat up or missing parts like what you’d expect if you were lucky enough to come across one in an antique store. It looked like it was as new as the day the artist applied the finishing touches. It was a white stallion proudly tossing his glorious, long mane and looking defiant. I knew it was a stallion because his smooth-edged teeth were showing. Mares only bare teeth if they’re truly crazy. His red and green, jewel-encrusted saddle was trimmed in gold leaf with black accents. Gorgeous.

“What?” I realized Maggie had been talking. Apparently, she’d asked a question and was waiting for my reply. “Sorry. I was mesmerized by this.”

With more effort than it should’ve taken, I managed to pull my gaze away and acknowledge Maggie. She normally wore water shades, every hue of blue or green, but she was wearing a deep cranberry dress that made her cheeks and lips rosy. “Wow. You look great in that color. You never wear red.”

“’Tis true. Thank ye kindly for noticin’. Thought I’d make an effort to look a bit spicier for the season.”

Spicier?I didn’t think that word meant what she thought it meant. But that’s not what I said. What I said was, “Good call. And it fits right in with some ideas I’ve had for decorating.”

“I heard Lily took a delivery of fresh greenery.”

“Heard the same thing. We need to claim some before it’s gone. If we want to take the prize for best dressed shop, we have to bring our A game.”

“Oh, well, we can no’ actually take the prize. ‘Twould no’ be seemly since ‘tis your contest and all.” She smiled brightly. “But we can show ‘em how ‘tis done!”

I laughed. “Exactly.” The horse nagged at my attention until I couldn’t help but turn to look at him again. “You know, he should be our focal point.”

Maggie’s head swiveled to look like she hadn’t seen him before. “That horse?”

“Yes.”

After a few seconds’ lull, she said, “What’s a focal point?”

“The thing that grabs you visually. OH!” I exclaimed and clapped my hands like a Hallmark movie. “Let’s put him in the front window and decorate him with greenery, little white lights, and red and white roses. Then we’ll frame the outside of the window with greenery, stems bursting with red berry clusters. And more lights. When it comes to holiday lighting, more is more, don’t you agree? People will run to look at our display and then, of course, want to come in and be enchanted by something… um, enchanting.”

Maggie was staring dubiously at all the stuff currently in the front window. “’Tis quite a job of work you’re proposin’.” She sized up Thunder. Yes. I’d already named him. Maggie put her hands on her hips in a gesture that, for Maggie, meant there were tasks that required her attention. “As to the horse. First, the thing is likely heavier than yer thinkin’. Raisin’ it intothe window would require either queen-sized magic or four men.”

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