Chapter Two
Savannah
Iopened thedoor toThe Magic Beanand the scent of freshly brewed espresso immediately washed over me.
“Good morning!” Ava called from behind the counter.
“It’s too early for you to be so cheerful,” I grumbled beneath my breath.
“What was that?”
I approached the counter, moving around to join Ava behind it. “It’s too darn early for you to be so cheerful,” I repeated, raising my voice a little.
Ava smirked at me as she handed me a cup and saucer, the froth on top decorated in a pretty design. I figured it was witchcraft because no matter how much I practiced, I could never get any design I tried to turn out right.
“You are a goddess,” I breathed, accepting the cup and lifting it up to take a whiff. The perfume of espresso, vanilla, and bourbon hit my nose, perking me up. “Why do we have to open at the crack of dawn anyway?” I asked her after I took a sip.
“Because most people like to drink coffee in the morning, not at noon,” she replied, going back to the antique glass case to finish arranging the pastries and scones inside.
“Any true coffee lover drinks it any time.” I set the cup to the side and stowed my purse beneath the counter. As I pulled my apron from its hook on the wall, I glanced around the store. “Um, there’s no one here now.”
“That’s because it’s after eight. The worst of the morning rush is over.”
I scoffed and picked up my latte. I wanted to give her a hard time for having me come in when she clearly didn’t need me, but I wouldn’t. Ava was my boss and my landlord, but most importantly, she was my friend. Even though I had to be awake earlier in the day than I liked, I still enjoyed spending time with her.
Ava Amaris saved me from myself. When I met her ten years ago, she took one look at the trembling wreck that I was and held out her hand. She was an exemplary woman. She was also the easiest person for me to be around. With my condition, I found proximity to people for prolonged periods to be exhausting and wrenching. The constant bombardment of emotions, the minute changes in mood that accompanied everyday life, they wore me down.
Not with Ava. I’d known as soon as I met her that she was much more than an exceptional person. She was magical. In the literal sense. It hadn’t taken me long to see that there was more to Ava Amaris than met the eye.
Her emotions and her moods were never overwhelming. She soothed me. I knew that part of the reason we fit so well together was because she wasn’t a typical human.
“Also, I wanted to tell you about your new neighbor.”
That got my attention. “What? Neighbor?”
She smiled as she closed the glass case, brushing her hands over her apron. “Yeah. A man rented my house across the street from you. Haven’t you seen him?”
I shook my head and drank more coffee. “When did he move in?” I asked, curious about him.
“Last week. Surely there was a moving truck.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I never saw one.”
“Strange,” she murmured.
I waited for her to elaborate but she remained silent, using a clean, damp towel to wipe down the counter. “Why is it strange? And don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Hm?” She hummed in the back of her throat, her face the picture of utter innocence, which immediately made me even more suspicious.
I squinted at her. “I know what your game is, Ava. You brought him up for a reason.”
“Well, he’s single and new in town.” She stopped speaking, but I waited. “He’s…different.”
“Different?”
“Like you and me. He has power.”
“Oh.” I wasn’t sure what to make of that. In my experience, most supernatural beings avoided me. Secrets, thoughts, even emotions were carefully guarded in this community. Knowledge like that could be dangerous for magical creatures of any kind.
