Page 35 of Secrets & Spells
“I come bearing treats.”
“I see that. Here, let me help you.” She takes the drink tray from me.
“Where do you want them?”
“Um, in the back office, I think. Follow me.”
We pick our way around the boxes and weave through the shop to a door marked ‘employees only’. The narrow corridor is lined with a couple of doors, and Selene knocks on one of them but enters without waiting for an answer.
“Hey,” a woman who must be Selene’s older sister looks up from what looks like a stack of invoices and receipts. “Oh, who’s this?” Shrewd hazel eyes look me over.
“This is Jared. He’s brought us treats, so be nice. Jared, meet my sister Gwyneth.”
Gwyneth instantly perks up. “Ooh, in that case, I approve.”
“Dove helped me out with the order,” I admit.
“You know Dove?” Is it just me, or is that jealousy I hear?
“We just met today. I taste-tested her pumpkin spice recipe, and she helped me out in return.”
Selene grimaces. “How was it? I know humans enjoy the flavour, but I’d rather stick to chocolate.”
I laugh. “So would this human—we don’t all have the same taste—but she did a good job. I’m sure they’ll be a hit with the tourists who come for the Halloween festival.”
“So, Jared, what brings you by—aside from the much-appreciated delivery?” Gwyneth asks.
“I was hoping to make a proper plan for that dinner I owe you,” I tell Selene.
Pink blooms on her cheeks like cherry blossoms. It’s adorable. She’s about to answer when her niece bursts into the office.
“Do I smell coffee?”
“You could smell it from the stockroom?” Selene asks, impressed.
“You can’t hide the good stuff from this nose.” She taps her nose playfully. “Oh, fainting dude,” she says, finally spotting me.
“Manners,” her mum chastises, standing. “Come on my little bloodhound, let’s give these two a moment.” They take their treats and head out to the shop floor.
I look hopefully at Selene. “So, dinner? When are you free?”
She bites her lip. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but this is our busiest time of year. We just got a huge delivery, and there’s so much to do before the festival.”
“Then put me to work,” I offer.
“Seriously? You want to organise stock with me?”
“Not really.” Her face falls, and I rush to continue, “But Idowant to spend time with you. If that means organising stock, then so be it—I’ll take what I can get.” I shrug. “Besides, you have to eat at some point, right? If I help, then you’ll be done sooner, and we can grab food after—if you want that is.”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “OK then. Let’s get to work.”
We make it out of the shop by seven and head to a little diner on the edge of the town square. It’s got a 1950s America vibe—Selene says the owner is a vampire who lived in the States for a few decades.
“Stop laughing,” Selene scolds me through barely contained giggles of her own.
“Sorry.” I raise my hands in surrender, and she throws a balled-up napkin at my head. “I didn’t expect a shop run by actual witches to need so many black cat plushies, that’s all.”
“I told you—they’re for the humans. We can’t have any of our usual stock out during the festival, so every year we get in things you’d expect to find in a human costume shop around Halloween. The locals love it too—they get a real kick out of dressing up in the human-designed Halloween costumes.”
