Page 52 of The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1, The Music Box

“Okay, that’s three things ticked off your panic list.” Chan sets a glass of water in front of him and hands him a box of painkillers. “Headache, food, cat. What’s next?”

“Bruce’s cold case,” Danny interjects. “If those are Bruce’s bones, and it’s looking pretty certain they are, you don’t need to worry. I may be officially on leave while my leg and ribs heal, but you have me and Sam, and this is literally what we do. We’ll figure out what happened to Bruce.”

“Danny’s right.” Sam turns back to Tristan with the takeaway menu in one hand. “You don’t have to do this on your own. We’ll help.”

“So will I,” Chan adds as she looks over to Tristan expectantly. “And so will Prickles, won’t you?” She winks.

I’m feeling quite raw and a bit awkward and out of place, so I’m not expecting to be included in this…whatever this is, and it makes me a bit sharp and defensive. “Oh my god, will everyone please stop calling me Prickles.”

“We do it because we like you.” Chan blows me a kiss.

My heart jolts, and I frown. I don’t know what to do with all these overwhelming emotions that for once are bubbling ferociously inside me rather than coming from the people around me. “But you don’t know me.”

“Well, then, maybe you should let us get to know you,” she answers.

I stare at her, then at the others who are all watching me, and I feel incredibly self-conscious. “Fine,” I snap, and I do regret sounding a little ungracious, but I’m seriously confused about everything that’s happening. “I’ll help.”

“Thanks,” Tristan murmurs, looking a bit embarrassed. “Sorry about the whole meltdown.”

“That? Pfft,” Chan scoffs. “That barely counts as a pout. You should try working with a bunch of drag queens. The meltdowns at The Rainbow Room are epic.”

“She’s not wrong,” Dusty agrees. “Instead of employee of the month, we had a meltdown of the month. The winner got a crown and everything.”

“Okay.” Chan claps her hands in delight. “We’ve got our very own Scooby gang.”

Sam grins. “Maybe more like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

“Oh my god, it totally is.” She laughs loudly. “Okay, I think it’s time we divide and conquer.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“I know.” Chan winks. “I say the two dishy detectives find out what happened to poor Bruce. Tris, you and Dusty can go to the bookshop and talk to Bruce, see if he can help figure out what’s up with the magic doorway. And Prickles and I–”

“Harrison,” I correct, and roll my eyes.

“Will help pack up whatever you need and start looking for a new flat for you,” she continues as if I hadn’t spoken at all.

“And you thought I was bossy.” Dusty chuckles. “Trust me, when Mama Chan gets going, it’s easier to just do as she says. She’s usually right anyway.”

“Right,” Chan says as she grabs her bag. “I’m going to go and get changed. Sam, if you and Prickles want to sort out the food, we can then all sit down and hammer out the details of our first Buffy adventure.”

“You really don’t need to get changed on our behalf.” Sam chuckles as his gaze once again skims over Chan’s outfit appreciatively, and I want to kick him or myself, I’m not sure which. I just know Sam is not someone I want to be around a whole lot right now. At least, not until I’ve regained my equilibrium and stopped having these ridiculous pangs of…

What? Want? Jealousy? Urgh, it was so much easier when my sex drive and sense of attraction were both firmly wedged in the off position.

“Sorry, gorgeous, but this is too difficult to sit down in.” Chan laughs as she wiggles her bum, making the feathers ripple.

“There, all sorted.” Danny grasps Tristan’s chin gently and plants a soft kiss on his lips.

And I have to look away, not wanting to think about how sad and empty my life has really been.

12

The rain hammers down, soaking my hair in the moments it takes me to run from my parked car to the front of Harrison’s shop.

There’s no point in trying to use an umbrella, not in this gale force wind. Ducking my head down, I reach the door and open it quickly, hurrying inside.

The door closes behind me, and I shake out my trench coat. I probably should’ve buttoned it because now my shirt is soaked through. Wiping the dripping water from my face and running my hands through my hair to push it out of my eyes, I take in the space around me.