I practically drooled over a coffee and walnut cake in the window.
Cosmo rubbed himself against my legs.
Reluctantly, I tore myself away after promising myself a gigantic slab of pie once I had the leisure to enjoy it. Baking for the library was more than enough for this fledgling witch. I didn’t mind leaving the real deal to the professionals.
Next door was a craft shop that offered quilting lessons, sewing instructions, a knitting circle, and anything else under the sun that you could do with your hands, apart from major surgery.
I strolled on.
And then I stopped. I’d come smack up against the one person I hoped I’d never see again.
Linda Chiltern, née Hawthorne, and Mimi's most fervent style follower, had been the record scratch in the anthem of my youth, ever since I first set foot in high school. She was a fifth-generation Willowmere resident, which made her the next best thing to royalty. And boy, did she like to show it.
She’d been cheerleader, prom queen, and teacher’s pet, apart from a few select ones, like Ms. Vine, who joined the resistance. It wasn’t thateasy for them, considering that her mother was the PTA president, and her grandfather had been the mayor.
She clutched her chest that, like the rest of her, was as shapely as genes and cosmetic surgery allowed. "Rebecca Meriwether. It is you. I hardly recognized you."
She glanced at my hair, probably comparing it to her honey-blonde ringlets. "How cute is that?" she gushed. "And such a brave choice! Most people try to hide their age, but no, not you. You were always the real deal—true to yourself, to your wrinkles, and to a little bit of padding." She patted her slim hips.
I caught a whiff of expensive perfume that seemed familiar. Willpower allowed me to stop myself from inhaling it.
"And how are you?" I asked.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she prattled on. "I heard about your husband. I'm so, so sorry, but I'm quite sure happiness is just around the corner for you. We do have a number of retired gentlemen available, and they would appreciate a fresh-faced woman like you."
I still grinned, although my jaw was starting to ache.
"But I mustn't stand here gossiping," she said. "I’ve just returned from the most amazing cruise and I’m busy as a bee. We have to meet up soon, and then I'll tell you all about it. I'm only glad that my husband had to stay behind, or he would have been jealous over all these men chasing me. Not that I’d ever even look at them. But I've got to admit, it is flattering."
She stretched out an arm and waved.
I wasn’t sure if that display was meant for Brad, who I spotted striding along on the other side of the road, or for my sake—because she displayed not just an elegant tan but also a diamond tennis bracelet that must have weighed a ton.
That thing had to cost more than my car. One of the perks of marrying into a jewelry store.
She lowered her voice. "Have you met him yet?"
"Who?"
"Brad," she said, in what I could only describe as a throaty whisper.
"I saw him at theBlue Moon," I said.
"Of course," she said. "You and those gals were always inseparable. Anyway, Bex. It's so good to see you. We really have to catch up." Her gaze still clung to Brad’s back.
"I’ve heard he's got magical hands," I said. Did she blush?
"I wouldn’t know. I'm happily married."
And I was the Queen of England.
Mind you, her husband had always struck me as a decent sort—apart from his taste in women. But we can’t all be as wise as I was now.
She leaned in for an air kiss. "Say hi to the gals."
"I will."
I risked a quick glance at the sky. Blue as far as I could see and not a single rain cloud that could have spoiled Linda's perfect day.
