Epilogue
Ava
Istudied theyoung man sitting across the table from me. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Still, he was the only applicant for the manager position, so I couldn’t afford to be choosy.
“Harrison, it says here that you’re a graduate student at UT. What are you studying?”
“Art history,” he replied.
“Do you have any teaching assistantships that will require your time?”
“Not this summer or next semester. After that, I’m not sure.”
I appreciated his honesty, though the way his eyes kept dropping to my breasts might become a problem. I didn’t want to fend off the advances of a horny college student, but I was desperate. I needed someone to keep things running at the store. I would have preferred a witch, but most of the witches I knew considered themselves above making coffee. They would help customers with the books, amulets, and candles, but they would flat out refuse to make a latte.
“I have a question, if you don’t mind,” Harrison said, interrupting my train of thought.
“Of course,” I replied with a smile.
“I see you have a reading room here, what services do you offer?”
My brows lifted in surprise. “Tarot, palmistry, and tea leaves.”
He nodded. “No futures?”
I squinted at him. “No. I don’t currently employ a seer.”
“What about the spell books, candles, and amulets? Do you actually prepare the spells for the customers or do they mostly come in for supplies?”
“Most of the customers prefer to make their own potions and charms, so they buy supplies separately. From time to time, I’ll make them if the customer is having difficulty or doesn’t have the talent necessary. Will that be a problem?”
Harrison shook his head. “No, not at all. It sounds as if you’re running a very responsible business that deals in magic.”
I bit back a smile. “How old are you, Harrison?” I asked him.
“I’ll be forty on my next birthday.”
My eyes widened. “Forty?”
He grinned, revealing sharp canines. “I’m a shifter. We tend to look young until we reach our fifties or sixties.”
My witch’s sense quivered. I hadn’t recognized him for a shifter and he hadn’t set off any alarms within the store. “I’m surprised I didn’t recognize you for what you are,” I commented calmly as my brain whirled, thinking of ways to defend myself.
The shifter lifted a hand. “There is no reason to fear me, Ava,” he stated. “I’m here about the job, but I wanted you to give me a fair chance.”
“So you disarmed my wards and spells and misled me?” I asked. Shifters shouldn’t even have the capability, which meant he had magic in his bloodlines as well. What really ticked me off is that the sneaky bastard had gotten away with it until now. I couldn’t afford to have weaknesses in my security. Not with Rhiannon on the loose.
He sighed. “I wanted to be certain you were using your abilities ethically before I told you what I was.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to trust you after this,” I stated, studying him closely.
“I can understand if that’s the case.” He got to his feet. “If I don’t hear from you, I’ll take it as a statement that you’ve decided to hire someone else.” The tone of his voice suggested he wouldn’t care one way or another, which made me like him a little. Damn the hairy pup.
I watched him leave and waited until the door shut behind him. Lifting a hand, I twisted the lock with a quick spell. Something about him unsettled me and it wasn’t just the way he ogled my breasts. But I also liked the idea of having someone who was knowledgeable around so that I wouldn’t have to be. The fact that he understood magic and he was willing to make coffee and serve pastry made him the perfect candidate. Which put me in a difficult position.
I decided to worry about it tomorrow. After a good night’s sleep, I would have a better grasp of the situation. I hoped.
I got up and turned out the lights. I’d kept the shop open later than usual so I could meet Harrison for his interview. Now it was getting late and I was ready to go home, drink a glass of wine, and take a bubble bath before bed.
