She walked around me and put the box down on my counter, next to the cash register, and it immediately started playing"How Sweet it is to be Loved By You."
"No," she told it sternly. "No Marvin Gaye. You don't love me. I don't love you. You're abox. I want to live my life and go follow Molly's band around to cities and have adventures! I'm tired of being a country mouse—"
"Country Girl"started playing.
"Luke Bryan?" Jack said, stepping closer and looking interested despite himself.
"No! I won't shake it for you! Stop! I can't take any more!" Evie covered her ears with her hands.
The music box went silent.
The three of us who weren't made of wood stood and stared at each other and then at the box and then back at each other for a minute or two and then finally, when the box stayed silent, I sighed.
"Listen, Evie, I'm sorry. I can see that this box is a problem for you, but I don't have the bandwidth for more problems right now. Maybe you could find somebody who specializes in music boxes on the internet. Maybe I could find a buyer if it played classical music, but—"
The music box blared back to life, blasting"Rock Me, Amadeus."
"ActualMozart," I growled at it, before I realized I was growling at an inanimate object.
"Five dollars," Evie blurted out, looking desperate.
"What?"
"You're a business owner who needs to make a profit. I'm a desperate woman who needs to get rid of that music box. Give me five dollars so the Bargain will be met. Bargains are important to the Fae. Then I get on with my life and you can sell it and make a profit. Win, win. Everybody parties."
"Party in the U.S.A."pealed out, and poor Evie's face drained of color.
"One dollar. Please.Please."
Jack walked over and nudged my shoulder. "I can protect you from the scary music box if you want to help her out."
I gave him a look, but he just grinned. And I knew he had a soft spot for people in trouble, so I sighed and gave in, because I had the same soft spot.
Not that I'd admit it.
"Okay. Let me look at it."
"You Give Love a Bad Name"started to play, and I shushed the box. "Don't you Bon Jovi me."
I walked behind my counter and pulled out the soft cotton gloves I wore to handle valuable pieces, not because I thought I might damage the walnut by touching it, more that I didn't know what kind of magical jolt the box would hit me with.
Whether because of the gloves or just that the box wasn't in the mood to mess with me, nothing horrible happened when I picked it up. It didn't shock me or sting me or burn my hands off, all of which were genuine possibilities when dealing with an unhappy Fae artifact.
"It's beautiful," I murmured, almost despite myself, and the wood beneath my gloves warmed up.
"This Magic Moment."
"It likes you," Evie whispered, her eyes widening.
"The Drifters," Jack said. "Hey, I like this box. MaybeI'llbuy it."
"The Lion Sleeps Tonight."
"Or maybe not," Jack growled. "Tiger here, box. Not lion."
"You realize you're growling at a box," I pointed out.
"What's New Pussycat?"
