Page 58 of Potions and Proposals
“Thank you for trying– I’m sorry for being impatient.” Lucy glanced over at Emerson and Rosie huddled together in the study area of the library, going over some magical cold case. “I’ll collect the rest soon.”
She hung up, trying not to let the pressure get to her. Emerson was being unbelievably patient about the grimoire, and Lucy suspected it had something to do with wanting to be around Rosie. Given how he looked at her friend, Lucy was sure his arrival had nothing to do with the spell cast to findherperfect match. However, it wouldn’t be long before the Order demanded he collect what was promised and be on his way. She had the spell and nearly all the ingredients; realistically, she didn’t need the grimoire any longer, but she worried that as soon as she handed it over, she’d discover there was something else she needed to check in it. She only hoped Rosie wouldn’t be too upset when he left.
Since the day was coming to an end, she decided to sneak off home and leave Rosie and Emerson to their ‘work’. She was packing to leave when her phone vibrated with a text. For a moment she thought it might be from Myrtle.
Benedict: Fowler’s Bakery. Come now.
Lucy: I’m not a dog you can summon. You said you would handle today’s meeting.
I got the map, and the university agreed to the changes with the Ferris wheel. However, Mrs Crawford and Mr Lark have decided that we need a cake for our binding reception. If you don’t get here, I’m going to flood the place just so I can escape.
It’s cake! I’m sure you can handle such an important decision.
Okay, I’ll just tell two coven members that you don’t care about our binding banquet. I’m sure that will go over swimmingly.
She glowered at her phone. Since theirs wasn’t a traditional binding, she’d hoped they could skip the whole show. It seemed the coven didn’t feel the same way. At least there would be cake.
Fine, I’ll be right there. There had better be samples.
Just wait and see. He added a cake emoji and a wink.
Outside Fowler’s bakery, Lucy felt a little green. She pressed her hand into her cramping stomach. It wasn’t just her nerves about seeing Benedict since the incident at the Manor– though she found herself hesitating as she reached for the door handle. The last time they’d been in the same space, he’d almostkissed her and she’d almost let him. She’d put it down to their elements, but the idea of seeing him again used to fill her with dread, and now she didn’t knowwhatshe felt. The worst part was, she’d been awake most of the night thanks to such horrendous cramps. She didn’t have the energy to deal with petty squabbles today. But she wasn’t about to say, “Sod off, I’ve got cramps and I want to go home and crawl into bed.”
Inhaling deeply, she mustered the courage to face her betrothed. A few cake samples should perk her right up.
The smell of pastries and frosting hit her like a cloud of powdered sugar as soon as she opened the lime green door. She noticed the chairs in the bakery were already up on the tables, except for where Benedict sat looking off into the distance, nursing a coffee.
“Pumpkin, how good of you to come!” he said as she reached the table. Lucy couldn’t remember him ever looking so happy to see her. He clearly wasn’t suffering from the same emotional turmoil she was. She’d have reasoned it was for the coven members’ benefit, but Mr Lark and Mrs Crawford weren’t at the table.She’d expected a few others to be joining them, but many were busy with other details, and it wasn’t odd for smaller groups to focus on specific tasks for the festival.
“You didn’t give me much of a choice,” she began, but he kissed her cheek, silencing her.
The warmth of his lips against her skin made her blush; she noticed that he paused and cleared his throat, as though he hadn’t intended to do it. To be so close to one other still felt foreign.Mr Lark and Mrs Crawford must be driving him mad.
Heavy rain pelting against the bakery windows broke the tension. They both stared out at the sky, darkened with thick rain clouds; Lucy had missed the downpour by mere seconds.
“I’m sorry to call you away from work,” Benedict said. He checked his watch, looking as tired as she felt. “I’ve got a vampwedding reception once the sun goes down, and I need to get back to the manor for the final checks. I figured with you here we could get this sorted as soon as possible.”
“It’s fine, I was hoping to sneak off home anyway. I don’t think Rosie and Emerson will even notice I’ve gone.” Lucy wanted to talk about anything but what had just occurred.
Benedict arched an eyebrow, but she decided it wasn’t the best time to elaborate on Rosie’s brewing feelings for an Order member, considering what had happened the first time he’d met Emerson. There was no point in telling him if it was only a passing flirtation.
“Where are the others?” she asked, slipping off her long coat and hanging it on the back of the white-painted chairs. She recognised Mrs Crawford’s orange beehive through the small kitchen window behind the long counter. Her mouth watered at the sight of all the sweet treats. Even if cramps were killing her appetite, she never said no to baked goods.
Benedict pulled at the back of his neck. “There’s been a slight mistake. Mr Lark was meant to order the samples in advance to surprise us.”
“And he didn’t order them?”Then why did you drag me here?
“Come and see for yourself.” Taking her hand, he led her through the swing doors into the kitchen.
“I thought you said the issue was about the choice,” she whispered.
“Did I?”
She stared at their clasped hands. It seemed so natural for him to reach for her. Then again, he probably wanted to appear united in front of the others.
They heard Mrs Crawford talking about festival preparations before they saw her. In the professional chrome kitchen, Ms Fowler, the owner and head baker, stood with the covenmembers in a green candy-striped apron with matching hair net. It was a rather cheery look for someone wearing such a deep scowl. Then Lucy registered the problem. Cake samples hadn’t been prepared, but multi-tiered cakes had. Two, to be precise, ornately decorated. In spite of the queasiness from her teleport here, her cravings – always on the sweeter side during her time of the month – propelled her forward. Red velvet… her favourite…
Mrs Crawford noticed Lucy’s arrival and broke away from the others.“Lucy, how good of you to come. We’d hoped to make this a surprise for you both to enjoy, since everything has been going so well with the festival arrangements, but then Benedict said you’d got caught up with work, and now there has been a mix-up,” she exclaimed, side-eyeing Mr Lark. Her red cheeks could’ve equally been caused by a sudden rise in blood pressure or the heat of the kitchen.
