“She works with me at the store that I own,” Trevor informs everyone, pleased that he’s captured so many people’s attention.
“Which store is that?” Alex asks quickly.
“The Magick Happens.”
“Your grandmother’s?” A question burns from Alex’s eyes right through my skin. I physically cannot bear to look at him, but focusing anywhere else when he’s right in front of me is impossible.
“We lost the store,” I explain, trying to keep my expressionneutral. For a long time, I couldn’t say those words without bursting into tears. “Trevor bought it a while back, and...” The sudden glower that crosses Mr. Yoon’s face temporarily knocks me out of place. “And, um, we branched out from just being a candle shop into selling fantasy books and flora fortunes, too. As a matter of fact, we’ve recently purchased more property to expand onto, and we’re seeking an investor...” I look to Trevor for a segue, remembering the reason we came here in the first place, but he’s too brain-scrambled to throw out a life preserver. This isn’t going at all the way we’d anticipated.
“What are flora fortunes?” Kristin asks, right as Alex asks, “So Trevor’s your boss?” He lances Trevor with an accusing look but wipes it away when he notices me watching. Trevor nuzzles my temple with his nose; it requires all of my will not to break into strange, pealing laughter.
Alex pivots stiffly. “Excuse me.”
“Trevor isn’t my boss,” I tell Kristin and Mr. Yoon, forcing myself not to watch Alex go. “He’s the legal owner, but it’s a team effort. No one’s in charge of anybody.”
Trevor makes a noise of disagreement under his breath. I know he’s thinking about Luna’s officiousness. She isn’t at ease unless she’s running the show, so in a way, she kind of is the de facto boss.
Kristin begins her quest to get to know her new stepson. First, she apologizes that this news was sprung on him out of the blue and assures him she’s heard so many wonderful things about him. Trevor responds, “Like what?” and suddenly Kristin pretends to hear somebody calling her name.
Before she drifts away, she pats my shoulder. “You’ll come to the wedding, of course?”
“Um.”
“We’ve got fun activities planned for this week,” she goes on. “We rented out all the rooms in the inn”—she points at the ceiling—“and Daniel and I are getting married on the riverbank right outside. Even though I haven’t visited Moonville in years, when Daniel and I were discussing a wedding venue, all I could think of was Half Moon Mill. I always knew that if I ever got remarried, I’d want it to take place right here. Such a beautiful location, with the wooden waterwheel and all the pretty trees. You’ll come to the bachelorette party, right?”
I am so astonished that I cannot possibly articulate my horror at the prospect of attending my ex-boyfriend’s mother’s bachelorette party. Before I can respond, she rushes on: “I’ll send you the itinerary. We have so much to catch up on! What a wonderful coincidence, that you used to date my son, and now you’re dating my future stepson...” I watch her try to wrap her mind around it. “We need to sit down so you can fill me in on everything that’s gone on in your life. I’ve missed you so much.” She kisses me, then Trevor. Pauses, studying me carefully. “It is really good to see you again, honey.” And then she’s gone.
Trevor and I lock eyes.
“Crap,” we say at the same time.
Chapter Six
ASPEN TREE:
How could you leave me thus?
Luna’s visibly struggling to lock in on one emotion out of the extensive menu of them we’ve offered her. For one, we did not come anywhere close to getting ten thousand dollars from Mr. Yoon, and fled the scene having forgotten about the money altogether, which had her so discombobulated that all she could do was gape at us. Her shock over our failure, mingled with anger relating to Aisling’s antics, already had her teetering on a precipice. So when we filled her in on the rest of our interesting non-lunch at Half Moon Mill, she started laughing hysterically and hasn’t been able to stop.
“I wish I could have seen your faces!” she howls. “Pretending to be a couple! Oh my god! And then you go in andAlexis there! Both your exes!” She doubles over. “You’re both so stupid.”
I throw back the rest of my coffee, which is the last thing my nervous system needs. Stupid, indeed. “Shut up.”
“I love that we’re able to laugh about this now,” Aisling tells her mom, beaming. “Ha-ha, look at us all having a good time!”
“You’re not having a good time for at least a month,” Luna replies, and it’s impressive how quickly her tone catches heat.Candles are an apt magical conduit for Luna. In the stories Grandma used to tell us when we were little, the fire fairy’s other form is a firefly. It brings light to others but tries not to get close enough for capture, and strives for harmony with nature. Although a wise, pacifist creature, if provoked it will respond with quite a temper. Grandma gave young Luna a pair of yellow nylon wings, which she wore until they were bent and shredded; to Zelda, who loved to hear about water sprites (mysterious creatures with creepily smooth faces and an appetite for human bones), she gifted a necklace of shells and driftwood. Sometimes I saw myself in characters who were gnomes, sometimes in mischievous pixies or damsel princesses, so I didn’t quite know what to make of it when Grandma gave me a magic wand. I think maybe it was for changing myself into whoever I wanted to be, once I’d made up my mind about who that was.
Aisling slumps into the chair behind the cash register, lower lip jutting out. Her efforts to be cute and sad are fruitless: Luna is a steel pillar. “I only wanted to flavor her tea.”
“Don’t give me that BS. Nobody uses nettle for the taste.”
Aisling’s focus darts to the middle of Luna’s forehead. She braces herself. “Okay. I was trying to perform an exorcism.” We all holler. “But!” She waves her warms. “ButMrs. Davis is awful. I’m not even exaggerating. She said I can’t go on the end-of-year field trip to Columbus Zoo because I turned in three assignments late this quarter. Which isn’t true, either. How is it my fault that she lost my homework?”
Luna buries her face in her hands. Gusts a heavy sigh. “My child. Tried to perform. An exorcism.”
“She needs one!” Ash cries. “That lady’s evil.”
I have to turn around to hide my spurt of laughter. Trevor tugs the collar of his shirt over his mouth.
