I left the library with a basket of party notes and a head full of confusion. One minute, I’d been pressed against a granite chest, with sweet and warm lips pressed against mine. The kiss had made my stomach knot and my head spin. It had felt like…like a beginning. The next moment, however, he’d dismissed it as nothing.
And I’d let him.
Why had I let him?
The sun was bright over Moonshine Hollow as I walked through town, but I felt like a storm cloud was trailing me. I still had errands to attend to…party notices to have delivered, tent rentals to confirm, lanterns to request, musicians to hire, flowers to order, and a visit to The Sconery to finalize the dessert order.
I decided to head to The Sconery first. Comfort in a cup of tea and a friend to talk to was the perfect solution to my muddled mind.
The warm spice-and-sugar scent of The Sconery wrapped around me the moment I stepped inside. Soft music played, filling the room with a relaxing vibe. Bright zinnias in canning jars topped the round café tables. On the shelves, old teapots in a variety of colors brought a sweet charm to the place. Behind the counter, Zarina, the kitchen witch assistant who ran The Sconery when Rosalyn wasn’t there, was up to her elbows in flour. Her black curls were dusted white. A bowl floated in the air beside her, the whisk working vigorously.
“Primrose!” she called cheerfully, flicking her wrist to send dough spinning into a baking tin. “How is my favorite party planner doing? Any success with the sample tasting?”
I forced a smile. “The bookyrms helped. We settled on cupcakes with spice cake and apple frosting.”
“Perfection. I’ll be ready!”
“Thank you, Zarina.”
“So, you won the battle of the cake. Headed back to do battle tomorrow?”
I nodded. “Unfortunately.”
“You might want to consider a little…muffin diplomacy.”
“Muffin diplomacy?”
“I have a fresh batch of magical mini muffins. Mood-soothers. Perfect for cranky creatures with authority issues.”
“Do they come in ‘let me have a party inside the library’ flavor?”
“That’s the blueberry.”
I laughed.
“I thought I heard a familiar voice.” Juniper appeared from the back with two baskets of herbs dangling from her arms. The sweet scents of mint, basil, and rosemary reached me from across the room. She smiled at me, then turned to Zarina. “Where would you like these?”
“Just there.” Zarina gestured with her chin to the sink. “And there’s your order.”
“Thank you,” Juniper said, leaving the herbs and grabbing a massive basket of bread. She then joined me at the counter and fixed me with a thoughtful look. “You look…distressed? Elated? I can’t make it out.”
“Horny,” Zarina said definitively, making us both laugh.
“Confused, distressed, happy, miserable, elated, and vaguely horny, yes.”
“Color me intrigued,” Zarina said, setting aside her work and joining us.
“What happened, Prim?” Juniper asked, gently placing her hand on my arm. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” I said with a confused sigh. “The gargoyle and I had…a moment.”
“A moment?” Zarina asked, raising an eyebrow.
At that, even the nearby zinnias perked up and leaned in, as if to hear better.
“No eavesdropping and no telling Winifred,” I told them, referring to the busybody florist—but also my friend—who had her shop next door. “There’s really nothing to tell, and I don’t want anyone else to know. There was a moment, a kiss. He said it was nothing, but I can’t stop thinking about it.”
Zarina shook her head. “Sounds like a typical man to me. Confused. Not sure how he feels. Not ready to commit…blah, blah, blah.”
