Page 32 of Minions and Magic
I went over to the cooler and surveyed the beer options. Domestic. Craft. Guinness.
“Hey, Glenda!” Trapper buzzed by me with something that looked like a metal modern art sculpture encased in vacuum-sealed plastic.
Stanley snatched the part as the pixie dropped it mid-flight, then grinned over at me. “Getting some beer, Glenda?”
I nodded, randomly pulling a six pack out of the cooler. “Ring me up, Stanley? I’ve only got a twenty.”
He set the car part down and came over to the cash register, scooping up the money the gargoyle had left behind and putting it in the drawer before ringing me up.
“Things okay, Stanley?” I asked in a soft voice as I handed him my twenty.
“Yeah.” He grinned at me. “No more notes or threats or anything. Probably because of the wards around my house, and the deputies driving by, and Cassie occasionally standing outside like she’s going to set the world on fire if anyone so much as lets their dog poop on my yard.”
“Good.” I took my change and stuffed it into my purse. “I spoke with Tink and Clinton, and they promised to support you and Shelby on Saturday.”
Stanley gripped the counter tightly. “Might not stay too long, Glenda. Even if Dallas and Clinton are okay, I still know a lot of the others aren’t gonna be friendly. And Bart…I made him promise not to come. I don’t want to jeopardize his position in the pack.”
I picked up my beer. “Thanks, Stanley. Even if you just stay twenty minutes, it will help. I truly think Accident needs to become a place where lone wolves can be welcome, and as difficult as this is, you and Shelby are blazing the trail.”
His smile was sad. “I never wanted to blaze trails, I just wanted to live my life. But if this is the path I’m on, then I’m gonna walk it like a wolf.”
I left feeling deflated, even though just ten minutes ago I’d been flying high. Everything would eventually work out for the werewolves and Accident. I might not have Ophelia’s divination talent, but I clearly saw where the future of our town was heading. Still, I hated that this change was causing so much pain. Everyone felt the aches of this transformation, but Stanley and Shelby, and even Alberta, were feeling it in spades.
My mood dived even further downward as I saw who was standing beside my van.
Xavier took a step to the side and held his hands up. “Before you chew me out, this is a public place. You don’t have a restraining order out against me, and I have every right to be here.”
“So are you here to buy beer, bait, or car parts?” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to approach close enough to get into my car or stay where I was.
He eyed the beer in my hand. “Is that your secret ingredient in your brisket marinade?”
I couldn’t help it. He’d seriously damaged my career and acted as if it wasn’t a big deal. He’d excused his actions with “I’m a demon. It’s what I do”. I couldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t even speak to him. But my heart beat faster as I saw him by my car and warmth settled down low in my abdomen at the sound of his voice.
Beer. He’d said something about the beer. I glanced down at the six pack of Guinness. “I’m not telling you anything about my brisket recipe. Now move so I can get into my car.”
“I’m not hindering you from getting into your car.” He took another step to the side. “How about we work together on our brisket preparations? I’ll even make you lunch. And dinner. And bring wine. I’ve got quite a nice wine cellar, I’ll have you know.”
I missed him. I missed this. I missed the banter, the companionship. But he’d betrayed me and I couldn’t let that go. How many relationships had I turned a blind eye to the red flags? I needed to learn from the past and realize that Xavier was demon and he’d never change, no matter how charming I found him.
“Afraid you’re going to lose?” I took a few steps forward and unlocked the car. “You want to work with me so you can steal my ideas? Xavier, even if I wrote down exactly what I was doing and you copied it exactly, you still wouldn’t beat me. This is my talent. Food is everything to me.”
“Everything?” He stepped forward and took the beer from my hand, putting it into the back seat of the van. “That’s sad, Glenda. You’re so much more than your cooking, no matter how amazing it is. I’m not trying to copy your recipes, I just want to spend time with you.”
I yanked opened up the driver’s door, which put me far too close to the demon. “Doesn’t matter. I can’t forgive what you did. The one thing that matters to me…. How could you do that after the time we’d spent together? How could you?”
He stepped into me, inches from my body, his breath fanning my face. “I’m the same demon you met at Benjamin Frederick Allen’s party last week. I’m the same demon who helped you cook slugs and turnips, who made love to you six times. Glenda, you can’t ask me to change who I am, just as I can’t ask you to change who you are.”
I clenched my jaw, blinking back tears and turning away so Xavier didn’t see them. He had a point. He had a very valid point. “I’m not asking you to change, Xavier. I just…I just didn’t think about who you were when I got into this…thing we had together. It was amazing, and I honestly wish things were different, but I can’t see myself having anything long-term with someone who can do what you did and not even feel remorse about it. I can’t. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lead you on or anything, I just got caught up in the moment and didn’t stop to think about how incompatible we are.”
I climbed into the car, shutting the door before he could reach out to me.
“We’re not incompatible, Glenda!” he shouted.
I choked back a sob, started my car, and backed out of the parking lot, refusing to look at Xavier, refusing to listen to what he was shouting.
We were incompatible. And I wasn’t going to give a second chance to someone who’d hurt me so badly. I’d done that before and spent two weeks face-down in a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream when that relationship had gone down in flames.
I wouldn’t suffer that sort of hurt again. Never again.
