‘Gina?’ she called. ‘It’s your babysitter.’
A thoroughly sloshed redhead from the rowdy group of women stepped forward. ‘My name’s Gina,’ she said, somewhat dazedly.
‘And do you have a babysitter?’ This was sort of an important part of the conversation, after all.
‘Do Ilooklike I have a babysitter?’
Bonnie garnished Terrance’s drink. ‘I couldn’t tell you that. But she’s saying that her employer, whose name is Gina, said she’d be back by eight. The babysitter has a family function she needs to get to.’
‘Oh shit!’ said Gina. A horrified look of realization dawned on her face, and she pulled the base of her glass out from her bra. Bonnie made a note to double-sanitize the glassware tonight. ‘I havekids! I’mold!’
Throwing a few twenties at Bonnie’s tip jar, she raced out of the bar and out to the square.
‘She’s on her way,’ Bonnie assured the babysitter, holding up a finger as the birthday girl pressed forward, her eyes bleary. Birthday or not, Bonnie was going to have to cut her off soon, before she started ugly-crying in the corner. Or before poor Winston made a formal complaint. There was, of course, a third possible outcome, which would require Bonnie to break out the cleaning chemicals, and which she didn’t particularly want to think about.
‘Can we have another pitcher of the purple stuff?’ begged the birthday blonde, batting eyes dark with smeared makeup. ‘And one for this one here. She looks like she needs it. Wow, has anyone ever told you you’re so pretty?’ The woman leaned against the bar, holding up one of the coasters to the light. ‘I’m going to take this. As a birthday gift. And a glass. And maybe one of those long spoons.’
‘Let’s compromise and say just the coaster,’ said Bonnie sweetly. ‘Did you want one?’ she asked Tessa, hefting the forget-me-not-hued pitcher of Memory Lane.
Tessa shook her head. ‘Not for me. I’m already two bubblies deep. And I’m skating home.I’mnot a danger. It’s the kids on scooters I don’t trust!’
‘Scooters are theworst,’ agreed the birthday girl. ‘We’ve gone backwards as a society. Except for this cocktail. This cocktail is amazing. Hang on, what was I doing here again?’
With a sigh, Bonnie closed out the woman’s tab. She’d had quite enough.
‘Drinking,’ she said. ‘For your birthday.’
‘Drinking!’ shrieked the woman, spilling half the pitcher on the hardwoods. ‘For mybirthday!’
Chapter 19
LET’S SIT AND WEED A SPELL
Effie
‘Welcome to weeding day,’ said a despondent Effie to the empty library.
Not a single soul had shown up.
Well, this was disappointing, and rather surprising. The townsfolk of Yellowbrick Grove might be scattered, but they tended to support the library’s initiatives. And Effie had heavily promoted this one. She’d put signs up throughout the library, sent out a newsletter, and had Kirsty put together a social media post which had garnered a record number of likes, and, in a library first, a comment! She’d even gone to the effort of ordering pizza, as well as treats from The Golden Hour Bakery, which she’d now have to consume all by herself, without even the Friends of the Library group to help.
The only upside was that if no one else was around, Effie could use her magic to help speed up the process. Her wrists crackled green as she pored over the weeding lists. If she focused, she could have this wrapped up in a few hours.
The warmth of her magic was just starting to pour from her wrists when the door swung open. A familiarly athletic, well-dressed figure stepped through, clad in a coat that Effie was a bit envious of, and beautifully shaped boots that Effiedefinitelycoveted. She wasn’t a fashionista like Bonnie, but she was a thoughtful thrifter, and she liked to think she had an eye for things that were classic and wellmade. Especially when said things were being worn by someone so good-looking.
She swallowed, willing her magic back inside, and tugging her cardigan sleeves down over her wrists.
‘I hope I didn’t miss the party.’ Theo raised an eyebrow at the ample spread of snacks, and the clearly empty library.
Ah. So at leastoneFriends of the Library member checked their email. Effie felt slightly effervescent at the thought that Theo had made the effort. And slightly anxious at the fact that they were about to spend an evening together. Her and Theo! Never in a million years could she have anticipated it.
‘You know readers.’ Effie did her best to keep the dismay out of her voice. She reallyhadwanted tonight to be a success. ‘They like to be fashionably late.’
‘To weeding day, the social event of the year?’ Theo put his hands on his hips in a show of indignation that made Effie smile. ‘I’m surprised they’re not banging on the doors like a horde of invading zombies.’
‘I know,’ said Effie. ‘I’m sincerely surprised that Freddie Noonan hasn’t shown up.’
Theo frowned, then grinned as he got the reference. ‘Ah, the guy with the fabulous lawn.’
