Southern Wishes (Sweet Tea Witch Mysteries Book 14)

by Amy Boyles

  Mischief alighted in Betty’s eyes. The expression gave me goose bumps. I wasn’t sure what Betty was thinking, but she had me worried.

  “What is it?”

  “The old Pepper never would’ve done that.”

  I shrugged. “The old Pepper did a lot of things I wouldn’t have done. Except marry Rufus.” I let my arms rise, and I slid down the chair. “That’s one thing we both agree on.”

  “Is that right?” Betty said.

  Before I could answer, the door swung open. Amelia stormed in, muttering to herself.

  “I don’t understand why it’s so hard to just give me one little kiss. Is that too much to ask?”

  She pegged her purse on the wall and whirled around. Anger filled her eyes, and her fingers were clenched tight. “I mean, is it?”

  My happy place evaporated. “What are you talking about?”

  She nabbed an apple from a bowl on the coffee table and spoke between mouthfuls. “I’m talking about Sherman. He won’t kiss me. We talked half the day and spent most of the evening together, but when it came right down to it, he wouldn’t pucker up.”

  Betty rolled her eyes. “Might have something to do with the fact that you just dumped one guy.”

  “Maybe he thinks you have cooties,” I offered.

  Amelia glared at me. “I don’t have cooties and you know it. And that”—she pointed at Betty—“is what he said. Sherman Oaks declared he didn’t feel comfortable kissing me when I’d just dumped Garrick. Sherman thinks he’s a rebound.”

  She kicked her feet onto the table and chewed vigorously. “He’s not a rebound. How do I convince him?”

  I shrugged. “No idea. You know some of us are actually playing by the rules on this.”

  “I don’t like the rules, and some rules were meant to be broken. Like a stupid wishing stone rule where we have to accept what we’re given. No thanks. That’s not for me. So”—she dropped her finished apple in the trash—“how do I convince Sherman to kiss me?”

  I sighed. “Why don’t you let it happen naturally?”

  “Because I don’t want to be stuck here my whole life. I want to return to our Magnolia Cove.” Her gaze darted to Betty and Ratchet. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” Betty said. “If you want to kiss Sherman, we’ll have to increase the romance. Up the pressure, so to speak.”

  Amelia perked up. “How?”

  “We have to get the two of you in a situation that reeks of romance. Something that forces Sherman’s hand.”

  “I like it.” Amelia rubbed her hands. “How do we do that?”

  Betty stroked her chin in thought. “We’ve got another ceremony tomorrow night. It’s not supposed to be filled with romance, but I wonder if I could pull some strings. Get a band to play. Maybe a little dancing? Do you think that would help?”

  Amelia nodded vigorously. “Do I think it would help? Yes. Put the two of us pressed together with fairy lights and really awesome slow music. I’d bet I could get Sherman to kiss me. He would want to. I’d even wear dark, smudgy eyeshadow so that he’d find me irresistible.”

  “Good luck with that,” I said. “He’s either going to kiss you or he isn’t. Manipulating him won’t help.”

  Amelia scoffed. “I’m not manipulating him.”

  I shot her a pointed look.

  “Okay, so maybe I am a teensy bit, but I have no other choice. I want out of here, and if you were smart, you’d be hurling yourself at Axel.”

  I hiked a shoulder to my ear. “Why? I love Rufus. This life isn’t so bad.”

  Amelia’s jaw fell. She shot Betty a panicked look. “Forget about me. We need to be working on Pepper. She’s forgotten who she is.”

  “No, I haven’t. But we’re supposed to go along with it. I’m going along with it.”

  Amelia tapped a fist to her knee. “That stupid unity ceremony.” She shook her head. “This is bad. This is horrible.”

  I rose and stretched. “It’s not so bad.”

  “Pepper,” Amelia said gently, “one of us is wrong about the wishing stone and one of us is right. I’m revolting and if I get out of here but you end up trapped, then you’ll be stuck here. Married to Rufus.”

  I crossed to her and placed a hand on my cousin’s cheek. “Now would that be so bad, Amelia? I don’t think so.”

  I smiled at her and Betty. “Well, I’m off to bed. See y’all in the morning.”

  Amelia murmured flatly as I headed up the stairs, “Yep. See you then.”

  I headed to Familiar Place first thing the next morning after a hearty Betty Craple–style breakfast filled with grits, buttered biscuits, sausage gravy and soft, fluffy eggs.

  Needless to say I was stuffed by the time I arrived, though much of that stuffing was due to the fact that Amelia and Cordelia barely spoke to me. I guess Amelia mentioned my feelings for Rufus and neither of them approved.

  Oh well.

  I called CJ on the way and told him not to bother coming in. After all he’d been through dealing with screeching and attacking animals, he deserved a break—a paid break at that.

  I unlocked the door and greeted the animals, watching them intently to make sure we weren’t back to ground zero with them.

  They behaved nicely, greeting me as if I was one of their own.

  Good morning, the macaw said after a yawn.

  I opened the front door and took out the clapboard, announcing we were ready for business. I’d only been there for about ten minutes when the first footsteps sounded on the floor.

  I was in back digging out more pet food. “I’ll be right out,” I called. I grabbed a ten-pound sack of chow and headed into the main shop.

  I dropped it on the floor, dusted my hands and turned, smiling at my new customer.

  “Good morning. What can I get for you?”

  Axel stood in the middle of the shop. A breeze slid through his hair, rustling it atop his head. His blue eyes blazed with an intensity that stole my breath.

  “Oh,” I said. “I didn’t realize it was you.”

  “It’s me.”

  I cleared my throat nervously. “What can I do for you? What sort of familiar are you thinking of buying?”

  “I’m not here to buy a familiar.” He took a step forward. “I’m here to talk to you.”

  “About what?” I said coolly.

  “Betty told me who you are.”

  Silence blanketed the room. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Stop it, Pepper. I knew there was something different about you. Not only is your scent different but you’re different. Rufus didn’t notice, did he?”

  I said nothing.

  That seemed to answer his question. “Of course he didn’t. How could he notice when he doesn’t see you as I do? When he’s not connected to you like I am? I mean, it’s not as if you had time to ever really figure out a way to keep me from losing myself as the beast.”

  “Yes, I did.”

  I didn’t know where it came from to admit such a truth to him. But the words flying from my mouth took me by surprise. I sucked air.

  Axel’s eyes narrowed. His fingers twitched.

  “You did?”

  I shook my head fiercely. “No. I don’t know what made me say that. Of course I never figured out how to reach you.”

  Total lie. I had figured it out with the thanks of some magic. I could reach Axel and keep him still, keep him from turning into a complete savage whenever he was in werewolf form.

  But this Pepper hadn’t figured that out. What did that mean? Could I still reach him? Keep him sane and levelheaded when he turned?

  I doubted it.

  He reached for me. I shrank back.

  Axel sighed. “So he’s got you good, doesn’t he? In the unity stuff? You’ve gone completely Rufus, haven’t you?”

  I stiffened. “That’s the point of the ceremony. Look. I don’t know why you’re here. I don’t know what you want, but if you’ve come to try to ruin things for me, you
can forget it.”

  He jerked his chin. “I’m not trying to ruin anything. I’m not here for that.”

  “Then what are you here for?”

  “You.”

  A chill swept down my spine. It fissured to the ends of my fingers, where a tingling sensation took over.

  “What are you talking about?” I murmured. “You and I had our chance, but now it’s over. It’s done. I’ve made my choice and you’ve made yours.”

  “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

  Axel edged forward. I took a step back. “Yes. Of course I believe it.”

  “For so long I didn’t understand why you broke things off. I just didn’t get it. But then I saw you with Argus and I knew.”

  I couldn’t keep the tremble from my voice. “Knew what?”

  “They hate me, you know. Hate my kind. They barely tolerate werewolves, and a half-breed? Well, you can forget about it.”

  Axel extended his arm, and the macaw flew to him and alighted there. Axel stroked the bird’s head.

  “But you’re joining them, and that’s really what happened, wasn’t it? That’s what brought us here?” He shook his head. “Not that it matters because it wasn’t you who made the decision. It was your doppelgänger, I suppose. The Pepper who lives here and who broke my heart. Yes, it was awful when that happened. I changed into the wolf without meaning to and destroyed a lot of things. Hurt a lot of people. But now there’s a chance to change that.”

  Axel’s gaze met mine, and I sucked air. The intensity that burned in his eyes made my heart pound.

  “This can change. You’re not meant to join the High Witch Council. You’re not meant to marry Rufus. This isn’t your life.”

  My head pounded. I was so confused. My reality and this one had merged, making everything melt together into one big soup.

  That Axel would arrive at my store and demand that I change things, that I do something different when I’d already warred so much within myself made me angry.

  I was on the right path, I knew that. Nothing Axel did would change any of it.

  “I think you should leave. You’ve said some interesting things, but you’re way out of line. The theory you’ve proposed is wrong. Betty must be off her meds again. I appreciate you stopping by, but what happened between us? Well, it’s over. I’m marrying Rufus, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Axel lifted his arm, and the macaw flew back to its perch. The wizard, moving like quicksilver, moved to my side, and before I could argue or fight, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me.

  Chapter 16

  Axel’s lips branded mine. It was like I’d forgotten how to kiss. That’s how it felt when his mouth pressed against me.

  Heat flared in my gut and trickled up and down my body, igniting me. I’d started to push him away but found myself clutching him. I curled my fingers into his shirtsleeves, willing him to kiss me harder.

  Which was when my mind snapped. I wasn’t supposed to be here, kissing Axel.

  I pushed him away. We stared at each other. Axel panted. So did I. I fisted my hands.

  “It’s time for you to leave.”

  “And it’s time for you to change the course of things. I know that’s what you’re supposed to do. Don’t you feel it, too?”

  I cocked my chin in defiance. “I don’t feel anything.”

  Footsteps sounded behind Axel. Neither of us turned to see who it was, though it became abundantly clear when Rufus’s voice rang out.

  “What are you doing here, wolf? Come to see what you’ll never have? Deciding to torture yourself?”

  “Rufus, stop,” I said.

  Axel’s jaw twitched. “It’s okay. I’m used to his taunting.” Darkness washed over his features. Pain flared in his eyes. “I only came to wish you a successful ceremony tonight. Tonight is the joining of the mind, isn’t it?”

  I glanced at Rufus because, to be honest, I couldn’t keep them all straight.

  “Tonight is the mind and tomorrow is the heart,” Rufus remarked.

  Axel gave a quick nod. “See you there,” he said, his gaze never leaving mine.

  I moved to greet Rufus, and it was only then that Axel tore his gaze from me. I hugged Rufus, and Axel moved toward the door.

  “Enjoy the rest of your day,” he directed at Rufus before disappearing from the shop out into the street.

  Rufus hugged me to him. “What was that all about?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. Just a strange out-of-the-blue visit.” I hugged Rufus tightly around the waist and tipped my head back to gaze up at him. “Axel doesn’t matter. All that matters is us.”

  Rufus smiled. “Yes, it does.”

  “Now,” I said after a kiss, “did you bring me some lunch? Because I’m starving.”

  During lunch with Rufus, I was able to shove away my encounter with Axel. His kiss had left me shaky and frail, but I pushed past my feelings for him and tried to forget about it.

  After all, I had a job to do, and that job was to stay the course.

  Rufus left after a little while, and I busied myself by cleaning the surfaces and organizing some of the food shelves.

  “Well I declare, I’d heard the store had gotten a makeover. I stopped by earlier and was going to come in, but you looked pretty busy with a certain werewolf.”

  I glanced up to see Idie Claire Hawker peering into the puppy bin.

  I folded my arms. “Idie Claire. So great to see you.”

  When I first arrived in Magnolia Cove, my cousins informed me that Idie Claire was really short for I-declare-your-business because not only was Idie a gossip, but she was also a blabbing gossip.

  Idie scoffed. “Don’t try to pretend that you and I are friends, Pepper.”

  Here we go again. This Pepper and her enemies—how could I keep up?

  “Okay,” I said slowly, “I won’t. How’s that?”

  She shoved her hand onto her hip. “Don’t act like you don’t remember how you snubbed me when you first arrived here.”

  She slapped her thigh. “Of course you don’t. Why wouldn’t you remember that right after you came here, I tried to be your friend and cut your hair for free, and you told your cousins that I gave you the worst haircut ever. Amelia, that moron, couldn’t keep it to herself, so she told everyone.”

  Which was why I had never ever gotten my hair “did” by Idie Claire. I knew something bad would come of it. My instincts had been correct. Something horrible had come of it. I’d received a bad cut, and now Idie and I were no longer on speaking terms.

  Worse than that, we appeared to be downright enemies.

  Great.

  I hiked a shoulder to my ear. “Listen, Idie, I’m really sorry that all that happened. Really I am. I never should’ve told my cousins, and I’m sorry that Amelia blabbed about it.”

  Idie folded her arms. Malice glittered in her eyes. “I would’ve accepted that apology months ago, but now it’s too late.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly. “It’s too late. Why’s that?”

  “I saw what happened in here.”

  I rubbed my lips together, my mind whirling while I tried to figure out if there was going to be a way out of this.

  “What do you mean?” I asked coyly.

  She scoffed. “Don’t play innocent with me. I watched you with him.” Idie took a threatening step forward. “You just about ruined me, and now I’m going to ruin you. I’m going to tell everyone what happened—that I saw you kissing Axel Reign the week of your wedding.”

  “No one will believe you,” I snapped. It was a weak defense, but the only one I had.

  Idie’s mouth split into a devilish smile. She retrieved her phone from her purse and brandished it like a trophy.

  “You’re right. They normally wouldn’t, but I recorded it.” She smirked. “Don’t bother trying to destroy it because I’ve already made copies. By tonight everyone in town will know exactly what you are—a liar and h
arlot. One that’s not to be trusted. And your precious job on the High Witch Council? Well, you can kiss it goodbye.”

  I would not be intimated by a hairdresser. There was no way. I also didn’t believe that anyone would really think I was capable of cheating on Rufus.

  But now that I thought about it, this Pepper hadn’t even bothered to make her store something special.

  But still, Idie wasn’t about to win. She couldn’t march into my shop and wave around a phone and say she was going to ruin my life.

  I wasn’t having that, which was why I gritted my teeth and said, “Bring it on.”

  By the time I got back to the house, I was emotionally beat, but I was still ticked at Betty for telling Axel the truth about me.

  “What the heck made you tell Axel that?” I said, fuming.

  I tossed my purse on the couch and glared at Betty, who stood over the cauldron, gently stirring what smelled like turnip greens. I wondered if she had the cornbread already made.

  My anger had made me hungry.

  “Tell him what?” Cordelia said.

  I pointed at our grandmother. “About me. About us. She told him who I was.”

  “Ah,” Cordelia said, “no wonder.”

  I dragged my gaze from Betty to my cousin. “No wonder what?”

  She plopped onto the couch. “No wonder he broke up with me.”

  “See what you’ve done,” I said to Betty. “You’re messing everything up.”

  Betty shrugged. “I think it’ll all turn out for the best.”

  “Turn out for the best? Axel kissed me in my store. Idie Claire took a picture or video of it, and she’s going to plaster it around town. How is that for the best?”

  Betty stroked her chin. “Everything happens for a reason.”

  “I’ll say.” Ratchet hopped down the stairs. “I hope there’s cornbread to go with those turnip greens.”

  “There is,” Betty said.

  “Great ’cause I’m starving.”

  I stared at everyone. “Does no one care that Betty is single-handedly screwing things up?”

  Ratchet climbed into the recliner. “Why should we care when you haven’t even considered what could happen to me if you leave? We don’t really know what this place is, do we? Is it a dream? Is it your life just with the players in different parts? Where am I in all this? Because I’m not in your life in your world. But I’m here. I’m solid. I know you. I’ve been your friend. I held your hair when you were sick so you wouldn’t vomit on it.”