Page 9 of Spellbound & Speechless
Coming backto Starbrook is terrible enough, but this? Oh, I’ve fallen to a new low.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m proud of Juniper and Maple. The tavern is gorgeous, and the food smells like heaven. It’s the place I’d want to hang out in this dusty little town. I’m happy that I can finally see it up close.
I’m even proud of Laurel, who seems to be a good bartender. It may be the first time I’ve seen her take something seriously.
Can’t I be proud of them from afar? Preferably from the other side of the bar or dancing across the room. I don’t want to work with them, or to work here at all, but I’m out of money, and Juniper is too generous. How am I supposed to turn down the job offer?
“This place is dead.” I set down my bag behind the bar.
“What do you expect?” Juniper puts her hands on her hips. “It’s four in the afternoon. The dinner rush hasn’t even started.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Then why do you open so early?”
“Because the lunch crew is good for Maple, even if it’s not best for the alcohol sales.”
“Right, right.”
The Moonlit Tavern is less magical in the daytime. It’s warm and cozy, with a few patrons eating lunch at the bar and the little tables. Soft goth music plays through the room, and Laurel chats with a customer in a warm, cheery tone.
I suppose it’s a different sort of magic.
We had potion bars like this back in the city, but this has to be a novelty in Starbrook. Our little town is changing. It’s my fault that I didn’t see it coming. Not only did I neglect my family, but I didn’t pay enough attention to the transformation of our hometown.
The spirit of Starbrook is still as open as ever. It always welcomes me with open arms, even if I don’t deserve the warmth.
“Have you had a serving job before?” Juniper asks.
I cross my arms and pop out a hip. “Come on. YouknowI haven’t.”
I respect the hard work of servers, but I never wanted to become one. I’m supposed to be the patron who gives the workers big tips and compliments their makeup.
“You should be good at it,” Juniper says. “Just work a little of your glamour magic.”
I sniff. “I don’t know if I should waste my charms on that.”
Glamour magic always sneaks into my day. I glamour my perfumes and spray them in my hair, carrying little bits of love dust wherever the wind blows. My reluctance has little to do with not wanting to spend the energy.
If I had used my glamour at my last job, I would have lasted longer—but I wouldn’t then, and I won’t now. If I get ahead, it will be from my work, not my magic.
“Whatever you say.” Juniper beckons with a finger. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
Despite my lack of serving experience, I have atonof practice fetching coffee and smiling for people who couldn’t care less about me. I’m confident by the end of our training. Juniper has me serve a few tables while things are slow, and it’s easy. This job won’t be half bad.
It’s not what I want to spend my life doing, but it’s a fun change of pace for now.
Everything changes when the dinner rush starts. It’s a Wednesday, a slow day, but at seven on the dot, hordes of customers make their way inside. At least I don’t have to work behind the bar. Juniper and Laurel seem even more swamped than I am.
It’s just me and another server, and she’s distracted with her tables. I am utterly alone. I scurry around the floor, desperate to remember which table the food in my hands is for.
Left? Right? Someone ordered fish, someone ordered a Mediterranean sandwich, and someone else ordered chicken. Who ordered what?
There are only four tables in my section. Why can’t I keep them straight?
I plaster on a smile and scamper to the nearest table. Two women. They’re probably about my age, and they look friendly—like the type of people I would be friends with.
“Alrighty,” I chirp. “We have one chicken fettuccine and the house salmon. Can I get you anything else?”
The women exchange looks.
