“For what?” I’m still staring at the black dahlias, which symbolizedishonesty. It was too marked an action to be coincidental. The man is toying with me.
“For reminding you of what you’re supposed to be doing.”
I pick up Alex’s clumsy crown, settling it over my head. Even though his hands didn’t infuse it with magic, a fuzzy vision appears in my mind, wiping out Luna, the shop. In someone else’s body, I see myself, and I’m wearing white orchids in my hair and smiling up. It feels like five-petaled blossoms of vervain, a forest of them, blooming simultaneously. Like the purest adoration. The vision fades away, but the adoration lingers, and now it ismyheartbeat that thumps wildly.
What is it, exactly, that I’m supposed to be doing? I can’t seem to remember anymore—with these flowers on my head, all I can think about is Alex’s dimple, his thumb caressing the petals of my tattoos, his gentle strokes through Suki’s fuzzy feathers. His wavering line left unfinished: “The way you...”
It’ll come to me, I’m sure. What I’m supposed to be doing.
Chapter Fifteen
RUE:
Do not annoy me with your unwelcome attentions.
A few hours later, Trevor, Luna, and I are huddled in the entryway of Half Moon Mill, watching Kristin and Mr. Yoon from across the room. It’s raining again, so the happy couple is entertaining themselves with Parcheesi. My stomach clenches.
“I hate being rude. How can we interrupt them?”
“What choice do we have?” Trevor murmurs. “They’re leaving for Paris on Monday for their honeymoon. It’s now or never.”
Luna clutches the business plan tightly. “Why couldn’t we have just won the lottery? This is mortifying.”
Alex passes by. Halts abruptly, then turns.
“Look who it is.” His slow, satisfied grin freezes when his eyes fall on Trevor. “Oh. You.”
“Yes, the son of the groom. Shocking of me to be here.”
“And me, colleague of the son of the groom.” Luna gives Alex a pointedly insincere smile, teeth bared.
His eyes flick to her, then back to Trevor. “Hello again, Luna.”
She makes anI am not impressedtsk. We all wait for Alex to go away, but he hangs tight, close enough to hear what we’re talking about. We decide to pretend he isn’t there.
“Beltane’s the ideal time for business ventures,” I remind my colleagues. I am All Business in my peach dress with ruffled sleeves and large pearl buttons. I reach up to adjust my hat, before remembering I’m not wearing one. I’m still wearing the flower crown Alex made.
“Right.” Trevor draws a bracing breath. The three of us link arms. “Let’s do this.”
Alex tails us over to Mr. Yoon. Trevor clears his throat twice before his father says, without looking up, “Would you like a drink of water?”
“I was—we were—we’re hoping to talk to you about a business proposal,” Trevor forces out.
Mr. Yoon is instantly guarded. “A business proposal.”
“Sir, if we could just have a few minutes of your time.” Luna slides a copy of the proposal in front of him. Kristin moves the Parcheesi board aside, her gaze conveying polite interest.
Mr. Yoon heaves a sigh, then begins to read. Flicks to the next page.
“You see, we purchased property—” I begin, but he holds up one finger. Continues to read.
“I seem to recall giving you a significant sum of money, Trevor,” Daniel says. “Surely you can use some of that?”
Trevor shrinks.
“Ah, yes, that would be impossible, because you’ve already spent it all. Stitch and Turn Shoe Emporium. Ken’s Barbecue.” He ticks them off on his fingers. “Mighty Fitness. Two of them figuratively burned to the ground, one of them literally. You purchase properties without thinking, and that is why you findyourself in these unpleasant situations. If you had actually gone to business school—”
“I told you, I’msorry. Everybody makes mistakes! Remember that golf course you opened?”
