Page 32 of Must Love Libraries and Libations
Juniper’s eyes softened. “Sometimes feelings don’t arrive neatly labeled.”
I smiled faintly. “He’s so…infuriating. I was enraged when I kissed him. And kissing him was like kissing a storm cloud. A very muscular, good-smelling, and attractive storm cloud. I hated and loved every moment.”
“What will you do?” Juniper asked.
“For now, have a cup of tea, pretend it didn’t happen, and go make sure I have everything else for the party ordered and the announcements sent out.”
“So, he agreed to the party?” Juniper asked, a surprised tone in her voice.
I nodded. “An outdoor party, yes. Nothing inside. He…compromised.”
Juniper and Zarina shared a look.
“That’s unexpected,” Juniper said. “Master Erasmus is not known for compromising.”
“No, he’s not,” Zarina agreed. “He’s known for being a pig-headed grump. But you must have gotten under his skin…and then some,” Zarina said with a grin.
“He said it was nothing,” I reminded her.
“Mmm-hmm,” Zarina said, giving Juniper a knowing wink.
“He’s insufferable,” I said, then blew air through my lips. “I need to stop thinking about it. It was an angry nothing. Let me get a tea to go. I have so much work to do.”
“How can I help?” Juniper asked.
“I can’t face Winifred. She’ll nose it out at once, and I don’t know what to say. Can you pass along the flower order for me?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
“Thank you,” I said, then reached into my basket and found the scroll for Winifred, which I handed to Juniper. I then studied her breadbasket. “What’s with all the bread?”
“Oh,” she said with a light laugh. “Granik and I are having a sandwich party when he finishes work tonight.”
“A sandwich party?” I asked.
“Yes,” Juniper said, smiling. “Just a silly idea we came up with.”
“Hmm,” I said, meeting Zarina’s gaze.
It was her turn to wink at me, but Juniper missed it entirely.
“That sounds nice,” I told her.
“Silly but fun. I should be going,” she said, then patted my shoulder once more. “I don’t know what that kiss meant, but I can tell you that I truly believe the stars will align to bring you what you need. And what you need is not Kevin.”
At that we both laughed.
With that, Juniper gave me a wave and headed off, flower order and breadbasket in tow.
Zarina readied my drink while I gazed out the window. I hoped the stars aligned for me soon, because right now, my options were a potato man who bored me to tears and a stone-hearted creature who enraged me…and left me infuriatingly aroused.
Was either a real option?
After spending the rest of the day running from place to place to attend to all the orders, sending announcements to all the message boxes in Moonshine Hollow and the farms thereabout, selecting a menu from The Rose Garden, my favorite Moonshine Hollow restaurant, and sampling enough wine that my head was spinning, I finally headed home. My feet hurt, I was exhausted, and all I wanted to do was rest. I felt elated that I’d won the battle and the party was on, but defeated by the idea that the kiss meant nothing. Too confused to face my mother yet, I detoured on my way home and headed down Buttercup Lane to the pink cottage.
The dusty windowpanes shimmered under the late afternoon summer sun. The garden was a sweet-smelling rosy delight. Bright pink and purple foxgloves lined the walk. I caught sight of a sprite working on cleaning the mossy bird bath before it sprinted away. A pair of fairies flitted around the overgrown clematis growing on the arbor. Giggling, they chased a dragonfly away. From the very back of the property, I could catch the scent of ripe blackberries. The unruly blackberry bushes were absolutely loaded with them.
I rested a hand on the gate’s latch.
