Over half.
This was going to happen. This had actually somehow worked. Before I could turn to Ryan and tug on his arm, close as I ever might be to jumping up and down from glee, the girl cleared her throat again.
“So, um, you make all this stuff?”
I nodded. “With some help.”
“What if I need something a little more … specific?”
Pausing, I turned away from the table, wiping down my slightly sweaty hands. “Like what?”
“I need a spell or something that isn’t here. At least, I don’t think it is.” She looked over the quickly depleting table again. “I need to get over my ex.”
“I don’t really do love spells.”
“I don’t want a love spell. Not really,” she tried to explain. “He graduated last year, and we ended things.Heended things, and I’m just—I need to let him go. I’m ready to let him go.”
“You need a new beginning.”
“Yes.” Her shoulders sagged. “That sounds … magical.”
Immediately, I thought of the candles I needed. Slowly, I nodded. Ripping the label off one of the remaining jars, I turned it over and wrote my name and number. “Come see me later, all right? I’ll set you up with something.”
“Really? It’s not like selling my soul or anything, right?” she joked.
“No,” I assured her, chuckling. “It’s harmless. Mostly. It will give you some peace of mind.”
She nodded slowly. “I could use a little of that.”
“Good.” We all could, I was certain.
She took the note, rolling her shoulders back as she walked away through the trees.
Taking a few steps after her, I wanted to say something else, though I didn’t know what. Something was guiding me toward her. I didn’t know her name, nor did I thank her even if the interaction had been nothing more than the other few I’d already had. Glancing back at Ryan, I put up a hand, so he knew where I was.
He didn’t see me, as he was talking to someone else, telling a story with his hands rather animatedly.
I smiled again, shaking my head.
She was already gone, maybe late to a class. I hoped that she would message me, but either way, it was what it was.
Sighing, I shrugged to myself as I turned back around toward the table setup. That was, until another body stepped out in front of me. I nearly came up short on my toes. The sound of my heels clacked back down on the sidewalk.
Natalie’s friend with a sharp bob cut stood in front of me.
“Um, excuse me.” I attempted to step around her.
She moved with me.
Blinking, I extended a hand.What the …
“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, terse.
“Standing here or …”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“Well, I’ve created a small apothecary business today after my recent rejection of funding for my campus event,” I said, proud of myself. “If that’s what you are talking about. I think we’ll be open for a little while longer. What have you been doing on this fine fall day?”
