Page 2 of Hexed & Hazy

Farrah beams and bends down, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “You’re the best!”

I turn back to my date and smile sheepishly. “Sorry about that. Business never stops, you know?”

And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like what I do. The tips are good, the people are great, and I make enough to take care of my mom. What more could I want?

Probably for my date to stop looking at me like I have five heads—her eyes are wide, and I think her nostrils flare just the slightest bit. It’s hard to say if she’s mad about the coffee spill or that work is getting in the way of pleasure. Hey, I’m not happy about it either.

I’m usually a lucky guy, I think. I’ve been on a lot of great dates, met a lot of cool people, and I have the best friends. Sure, my family life has never been easy, but everything else? A walk in the park.

Until recently.

“You work here?” Her brow draws down.

“Uh…” I run a hand through my hair. “Well, yeah.”

She would probably know that if she asked me a single question about myself.

Working here is what makes it my favorite date spot. I know the menu well enough to impress anyone with my secret drinks, and it’s a quick walk from my home. Most people around Starbrook know I work here. They know who I am: my family, my life, and every medal I won in high school. But not everyone is from Starbrook.

This woman, a regular human like me, definitely isn’t.

She shakes her head and stands. “I’m leaving.”

Well, that was fast. Obviously, it’s time for the date to end, but I’m expecting her to let me down easy. The way she moves and speaks is so abrupt that it sets my heart on edge.

“Wait.” I hop up. “Things are slow right now. We can still hang out.”

She tilts her head to the side, fixing me with a look of complete, utter disbelief. “Do you really think I want to hang out with you? After you brought me on a first date to your job and spilled your drink all over me? And you weren’t even listening to anything I said.”

“I was.” I shift on my feet, avoiding her gaze and muttering, “It would have been easier to talk if we weren’t talking about your ex on our first date. Kind of a faux pas, but I’ll let it slide⁠—”

She lets out a loud, outraged laugh. “Goodbye, Seth.”

“Uh… yeah, okay.”

What else is there to say?

It’s too late. She’s gone. It would be a lie to say I don’t know where I went wrong. Maybe I should have brought her somewhere else, and I shouldn’t have accepted Farrah’s shift, and…

I don’t know. I’m completely off my game lately, aren’t I?

Donnie, the newest owner of the flower shop side of things, is closing up by the time I’m done working.

Watching him tend to the plants is like witnessing an artist at work. The way he snips, even with his long claws out on display, is ballet. His vibrant purple skin makes him look like he fits in among the flowers, as do his fashionable—always purple—outfits. His impressive horns curl upward.

“Tell me you have some good news,” I say, leaning onto the counter.

“About the calathea?” He lifts an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t consider it bad news.”

Laurel suggested I pick up a new hobby, but I don’t think either of us foresaw me enjoying it as much as I have.

Gardening. My mom was always good at it, and I liked helping when I was young, back when she had the energy to spend all her time in our backyard. So, I bought a few plants of my own. And then, it felt natural to up the ante, getting a plant that’s notoriously hard to take care of.

The calathea. They thrive in bright sunlight and high humidity, which is hard to find in the winter in Maine. What was I thinking?

“Give it to me straight.” I sigh and close my eyes, preparing for the worst.

“Well… I relocated it to the greenhouse for the time being, and it seems to be doing better. It’s probably for the best that it stays there for now. You may need to get a grow light.”