I sit at the counter and glance at the chalkboard behind her—the drink offerings.
The Velvet Hex. The Obsidian Heart. The Alchemist Kiss. Moonpetal Elixir.
What the heck?
Whack.
The coffee machine splutters and purrs, and soon the scent of freshly ground espresso fills the air.
“Damn. It works.”
“Told you. Works with everything.” I may have whacked one of Maxwell’s race cars a few years ago when it wouldn’t unlock. I could’ve sworn I was a dead woman.
But then it worked. Ha!
“So, what can I get you? First time here?” The redhead grins as she ties on a green apron.
“Just moved here, actually.” I look around, taking in the people quietly chatting, a brunette with ivory skin in a turtleneck stocking books on shelves, and the rows of spice jars—willow bark, lemon balm, calendula, echinacea, among other things. “What is this place? Bookstore and coffee shop mixed withPractical Magic?”
She grins. “Exactly. It’s one of a kind. Aria,” she points to the brunette, “and I came up with it. We wanted our favorite things in one place. I’m Scarlett.” She sticks out her hand.
I shake it and smile. It feels good—chatting with regular people, getting a drink at a new café. Normal life things.
Brow arched, I motion to her hair. “Scarlett…with red hair.”
She mock groans and sighs. “I was named after Scarlett O’Hara fromGone with the Wind.My parents didn’t think things through.”
Scarlett tells me she and Aria met in the University of Chicago’s nursing program. Aria graduated and is now a nurse at Chicago Memorial. Scarlett took her family’s investment and opened this shop instead. She wanted to use her herbology obsession to make weirdly perfect drinks and build a place where people want to linger and read. Aria hangs out here on her days off.
“Special perennial plants. Experimental strains.” She motions to the flowers.
“And trust me, my drinks are magic. Head cold? Bad luck in the love department?” She leans in and points to the jars behind her. “I’ve got you covered.”
“And some awesome books to read while you’re at it.” Aria drifts over and sits next to me.
She gives me an impish smile. “I saw you before with that scary dude outside. What are you? Part of the mafia? They are around here, you know.”
I swallow, my mind flashing to The Association, and that pause has her eyes widening.
“No way! Not judging though.”
“All are welcome here,” Scarlett comments. “We have a mix of folks from different ‘backgrounds’ in Saints Hollow. This is a safe haven.”
“It’s not really like that.” Heat crawls up my neck. There go my plans of making new friends. “Ren looks scary, but—”
“Hot. Killer vibes. Model body, though. Dude, see those shoulders. And that mask. I’m a sucker for men in masks.” Aria grins.
“Don’t let Blake hear that. You’re engaged, missy,” Scarlett teases.
Aria flushes and explains, “Blake’s a surgeon at the hospital, and he—”
“Is not a killer but does wear a mask.” Scarlett snickers. “A surgical mask, so it’s different.”
“Heeey. Surgical masks are…hot.”
“If you say so.”
Aria eyes Ren again. “Why doesn’t he come in? It’s freezing outside.”
