Maisie continues, “It’s really all good. Ren’s happy to help. He’s sad he had to miss book club though, because we read the book together. Maybe he can join for the next one.”
Lucille joins the conversation as they discuss other book and cake pairings, and slowly more creatures filter into the shop, each one making some kind of favorable remark when they notice Nori’s lovely curls. I move at a snail’s pace in the back, wanting Nori to live in the moment without me stealing any of her attention. She deserves all their accolades for what she accomplished today.
Starry Hill truly values community, and Nori has created a new opportunity with this book club for us bibliophiles to come together. But the cherry on top of this literary cake is how much Lucille loves the fresh light Nori has been able to shine on The Dancing Daisy and the way she’s breathed new life into the shop.
I recognize Peregrine’s voice as the satyr asks someone, “Can you believe Beck missed karaoke last night? He’s never missed a night that I can remember.” The owner of Starry Hill’s clothing store, The Crowned Boot, has always enjoyed a good gossip session, and I guess it’s my turn to be the subject of their discussion.
Unsure if they know I’m here in the back, I keep absolutely still as I process this observation. I do enjoy karaoke, but I always sing the same song. It didn’t even enter my mind to go last night once Nori was in my arms. Perhaps we can go together next weekend and we can duet the song. That’s a suggestion I’ll be sure to make later.
Marisol speaks next, her yawn still apparent as she says, “Can you blame him? If I had Eleanor with me, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere.” I didn’t think the siren would come today, considering how late she usually closes the pub on weekends. It makes me so happy to know that the town is showing up for Nori, even if it’s not strictly convenient for them to do so on a Saturday morning.
Maisie’s voice is filled with innuendo. “Eleanor, hope you made it worth his time and serenaded him with your own voice all night long. Or did Beck give you a private performance?”
I can just imagine Nori’s blush as she replies neutrally, “I haven’t heard him sing in years. But we used to make up dances and sing together all the time as kids.”
Peregrine hums conspiratorially. “Well, every Friday night is karaoke night. You have to come next week and join us. It’s so much fun.”
Not even daring to breathe, I wait for Nori’s response. “I’d love to, but I don’t know if my schedule would allow it. I often work late, so it might be tight coming here straight after work and making it before everything’s over.”
“Just move here already. We know you want to,” Maisie says, sounding very eager to have Nori a permanent part of the Starry Hill community.
My dragon bolts upright, pressing his head against my chest to hear Nori’s answer as nervous scales flit over my skin. Sharing my anxious thoughts with my dragon, I bombard him with a flurry of questions.Will she refuse? Will she say she’s considering it? Shouldn’t I be the one asking her these questions? What do we do if she says yes? What do we do if she says no?
Lucille’s voice pulls me back from my panic spiral as she tells the others, “Stop harassing Eleanor. Let her take her time.”
Nori’s tiny sigh is barely audible, so I quickly shuffle some boxes, making a little more noise so human ears can pick up on my presence before I exit the back room with the refilled jars and stack them in their proper locations.
Tilly waves at me from across the room. “Morning, Beck. You staying for book club?”
“Of course,” I answer simply and incline my head at the other creatures in attendance, a few more than RSVP'd. “Shall I get more chairs?” I ask Nori, quickly counting heads and finding we’re now at eight attendees instead of the five we expected. Nine, if I count Aurelius, the mothman who owns The Lonely Rake next door, hovering by the entrance.
“Yes, please. I think we need a couple more, if you don’t mind,” Nori says, placing a hand on my arm. Everyone else fadesaway as I look at the most beautiful woman in existence and I fight against the urge to pick her up and carry her home so I can make love to her until our bodies are spent and our souls are aligned.
Tilly’s voice cuts through my notions. “Both Doc Calla and I wanted to come today, but one of us had to man The Bandaged Heart. We had to flip a coin to help us decide who got to come, and the other will join for next month’s pick.”
Richard, who brought themed pies from The Flowering Teapot, had a similar experience with Annamae, but she graciously let him come today while she stayed behind to tend to their customers.
Peregrine simply decided to close his shop, saying the first new event on the calendar is more important than the few stragglers who’ll come peruse his clothing store on a Saturday morning.
Eventually, everyone is seated after a few of us carry more chairs over. They snack on cupcakes and pies while sharing their thoughts on the book, discussing plot points and favorite characters. A few came with notebooks, others with annotated copies so similar to how Nori writes in the margins of her own books.
I enjoy every second of watching Nori in her element, talking about all the Easter eggs and red herrings and how they’re woven into the romance subplot, even if it’s still a mystery book.
Maisie sits forward in her seat and everyone’s heads turn to look at her. “I totally liked the mystery of it all. And the fact that he killed the competition so he can be sure to get the girl. Imean, is there anything more romantic than a guy stepping out of his comfort zone to win your heart?”
That thought has my attention. Have I stepped enough out of my comfort zone for Nori? Can I do more to win her heart? I know she’s said she’s mine, but how do I fully convince her to move in and spend the rest of her life with me?
There are a couple of noises of agreement from the others before Maisie continues, “My only complaint is where was the smut? The ravishing? I wanted him to rip her clothes off. No, for her to rip his off when she realized what he’s done and reward him for all his effort.”
Ravishing? Ripping clothes off?That,I can do. I’ve wanted to do that and explore the curves hiding underneath Nori’s clothes for months. Last night I had the privilege of getting a small taste of her, but I’m ready for the full meal, to devour Nori and…
“Yeah, I agree,” Aurelius says with an enthusiastic nod, bringing me back to the present. “This book would’ve been perfect if there was a deliciously smutty reward for the reader at the end.” Throughout the meeting, Aurelius positioned his seat closest to the door so he could hear if a customer needed help at his shop, popping back to assist them before returning to the discussion.
Peregrine wiggles his eyebrows. “Or in the middle.” The smile the satyr sends the mothman’s way has Aurelius’s feathery antennae twitching excitedly.
Tapping her pencil against her notebook, Nori asks, “So you’re saying you want more smut?”
Maisie balls her hands and brings them to her chest. “Weneedsmut. All the smut.
