Page 5 of Cursed Touch
She drove to the shop that morning—not because Tyler had suggested it but because their little visit cut into her walk and she’d worn her wedges. There was no way she would hold up all day in wedges if she walked the mile to work, let alone the return mile home.
Vanessa didn’t have the privilege of having any employees. Her small boutique made enough to pay the bills on the shop, rent on her apartment, her cell phone, and groceries for one, and she was able to set a little savings aside. The only reason she could afford as much as she did was because the landlady, Mrs. Ruby, kept the two-bedroom apartment that sat above it and gave Vanessa a killer deal on the place.
For some buildings in town, the second-floor apartments had separate entrances from the businesses below. It was nice because Vanessa was able to keep Mrs. Ruby’s life separate from the boutique.
She pulled into the small lot in the back and parked next to Mrs. Ruby’s Town Car. Vanessa smiled at the boat of a car as she passed it on her way inside. She flicked on the lights before checking all her tables were as she had left them. Satisfied everything looked great, she flipped the sign to open and unlocked the deadbolt.
Her gaze lowered to the planters in the front. Today they held marigolds, but her mind transported to almost a year ago when she found her dead mums had come fully back to life. Something in Helmond was different. She wished she could point and yella-haat the discovery, but would anyone listen to her crazy observation?
She went to the storage closet and pulled out the supplies for her latest project. There was no sense in wasting time or scaring off customers by creepily staring out the window.
Lost in the third intricate ring she had designed, twisting and manipulating the wire just right, she jumped when the shop’s door opened.
“Welcome to Enchanted Ever After. If you have any questions, please let me know,” she told the two women as they stepped inside.
One had a baby strapped to her chest in a black cloth, her hair pulled up high in a messy knot. The other nearly glided in a flowy skirt, her long auburn hair framing her face. They were both beautiful and held a mysterious energy her normal customers didn’t have.
Vanessa lifted the velvet-lined drawer she had created to work on projects and slid it under the counter. She’d learned early on to keep her projects contained so she could help her clientele in a second.
“Thanks, honey, will do!” the brunette called back, a genuine smile tilting her lips.
The women wandered, showing each other varying items, when Vanessa remembered her latest addition. She grabbed two reusable bags with the store’s logo stamped on the side and moved toward the pair. “I forgot. Here, for your shopping needs. Just put whatever you want to buy in there and bring it to me to ring up.”
The women nodded and smiled with a quick thanks. As Vanessa’s hand neared their skin, it warmed. Part of her instincts warned her the women were dangerous, and another part wanted to lean in closer to the energy around them.
“You okay?” the redhead asked.
Vanessa cleared her throat. “Hmm?”
“You look a bit pale,” the brunette said.
Vanessa twisted her wrist. “Oh, shoot, is it really one o’clock?”
They offered her a kind smile. “Yeah, lose track of time?”
She nodded. “Yeah. If you need anything, please let me know.”
Vanessa smiled, but as she returned to the back, her brows pinched at the strange sensation she got from them. Surely her observation was due to lack of food. Moving to the storage closet, she peered back and noticed the women turn away from her. Inside, she knelt at the small fridge she kept with snacks and grabbed the plate of grapes, ham, and cheese. She shoved a few pieces into her mouth, and her eyes rolled back as she chewed.
“How’d you find this place again?” the redhead asked the brunette, and Vanessa paused near the storage door.
“Thattimeat Peter’s. Remember when I needed air? Well, I was walking and noticed these dead mums,” she said before lowering her voice. “Let’s just say I tested earth that day.”
Vanessa’s face scrunched at the words. She wondered whattesting earthmeant, but before she could think more on it, she swayed. Leaning forward, the plate knocked against the door. Her face flamed as she stood straight and sucked in a breath.
“Are you okay back there?” the brunette called.
Vanessa walked out with an embarrassed smile decorating her face. “Yeah, sorry. I skipped lunch and went to grab something, and I just got a bit dizzy. Did you find anything you like? If there is a piece that catches your eye but something on it doesn’t fit, I can customize it.”
“Wait… These are allyourdesigns?” the redhead asked.
Vanessa put her food under the counter, and her gaze shifted from one woman to the other as she nodded. “Yeah, there are a couple pieces in the display over there that aren’t, but the rest of the jewelry is.”
Their eyes rounded. “You’re really talented. Have you ever worked with crystals or natural gemstones?” the redhead asked.
“Wait, before you answer, please take a few bites of food. We really don’t want to scrape you off the floor after fainting,” the brunette said.
The redhead laughed. “New mom,” she said, by way of explanation.
