Ember nodded. “I like it. Gives the place some class — and plays on the witch theme of the town.”
“I’d like to order enough for all of us to wear while we’re working, and more to sell to customers. I have ideas for mugs and other Hungry Cat items, too.” Cassie’s excitement was electric, and she twirled her hair. “I’d like to decorate and add a little knick-knack area in that empty nook. It would still leave room for Jinx’s table. I have tons of ideas.”
I smiled. “I’d like to add a Lotions and Potions section, too. I haven’t said anything yet, but I’ve been thinking about it ever since we agreed to stay here.”
They both looked at Ember, who raised her hands and laughed. “Don’t involve me in your crazy schemes.”
Cassie tipped her head. “You told me the other day that you’d like to make homemade candles.”
Ember looked embarrassed, but finally admitted, “Yeah, but I need a supplier of fresh herbs to put in them.”
“I have fresh herbs,” I said. “I raise them. Back in Sedona.”
Ember looked at me and I could tell it was hard for her to ask, “Could you get some herbs for me?”
Touched at her words, I nodded. “Sure. I’d love to.”
Ember grimaced. “We probably need to get permission from the aunts.”
I laughed. “And I bet you hate asking permission of anybody.”
“You got it,” she said. “I hate authority figures, too, so I barely tolerate your jeans boyfriend.”
“Levi is hardly my boyfriend,” I protested. “I went on one walk with him, that’s all.”
“Whatever,” Ember said, knowingly. “So one of you can talk to the aunts.”
“I’ll do it,” Cassie said. “Let’s brainstorm what else we’d like to do, maybe sketch out what we’d like the new area of the store to look like.”
We smiled at each other, and then it was like we couldn’t stop talking — about herbs and aprons and mugs and lotions and candles and everything we wanted. All of our individual dreams, combined and brought together in our bigger dream of making the Hungry Cat Café wildly successful.
And then I realized we were so excited we’d grown loud enough to bother the customers closest to our table.
Oops! “Sorry,” I muttered to the frowning faces around us.
My sisters apologized, as well.
As the other customers went back to their meals, the three of us exchanged glances — and immediately fought back laughter.
The laughter settled into something more serious as we all three seemed to realize that we really could do this. That this was a pivotal moment.
Cassie twirled her hair again. “We could really do this. I can do designs. October, you already have Lotions and Potions. And Ember, you can bring in candles.”
Ember said, “I’ve never run a shop before. October is the only one who has.”
“Good thing she’s on our team, then,” Cassie said.
“We’re running one right now at the Hungry Cat Café.” I smiled, more happy, hopeful, and scared than I’d been in a long time. “Let’s do this!”
I put my hand on the table, palm down. Cassie placed hers on mine.
After a long paused, Ember placed hers on top.
We exchanged glances and smiled.
Ember said, “We’re really going to do this, aren’t we?”
I nodded. “Yes, we are.”
~ The End ~
Want to read more? Click here to find other books by Heather Horrocks (several books are currently free … Bah, Humbug!, The Artist Cries Wolf, and Pride and Precipitation).
About the Author
Heather Horrocks is the USA Today bestselling author of numerous light-hearted, funny, feel-good books (Moonchuckle Bay paranormal romances, upcoming Hungry Cat Café paranormal cozy mysteries, Chick Flick Clique and Christmas Street romantic comedies, Who-Dun-Him Inn cozy mysteries), plus the Women Who Knew inspirational series. The first book in her Christmas Street series, Bah, Humbug!, is currently in development as a TV movie.
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Cupid in a Bottle
Danielle Garrett
Summary
Climbing the corporate ladder in a pair of fabulous stilettos isn’t easy, not even for a witch. Anastasia Winters is on a mission to become the supernatural world’s go-to event coordinator. With a high-profile wedding in the final stretch, she needs everything to go just right.
But when the groom gets dosed with an experimental potion and professes his undying love for the maid of honor, Anastasia’s shot at the wedding-planner big leagues goes up in flames.
Can she get the wedding back on track, or is she destined to be demoted back to coordinating birthday parties for baby dragons and filling the guest list for the Tooth Fairy’s Halloween bash?
1
Generally speaking, when your doorbell rings at three in the morning, there’s nothing good waiting on the other side.
Buzz. Buzz. Buuuuzzzzzz.
Unfortunately, my “ignore it and it will go away” policy wasn’t working. Cursing the oft-tipsy wizard that lived next door—the most likely culprit of the incessant noise—I tumbled out of bed. Blindly, I patted the bedspread until my fingertips found a pool of smooth satin. I pulled the robe on and then stalked into the living room, tugging the sash closed around my waist.
I frowned at the door and forced my voice into a low growl that I hoped sounded menacing. “Who is it?” It occurred to me that it was a wasted effort; a crazed murderer probably wouldn’t answer, or come to think of it, bother with the doorbell either. This is why I need my full eight hours of sleep.
“Stace? Is that you?”
Relief collided with a fresh wave of irritation and the scowl on my face deepened when I recognized the voice on the other side of the door.
There was only one person who called me Stace and I hadn’t seen her in over a year. I only knew she was alive thanks to a series of increasingly pathetic letters that arrived in my mailbox on a quarterly basis. The scenarios differed, but it was the same old thing each time: she needed money. I sighed as the small voice in the back of my mind reminded me that the result was always the same too. After a heated rant to whomever would listen, I’d cave and send a reply, informing her that I would transfer some cash to her account.
With a flick of my fingertips, the built-in security wards protecting my condo released and I pulled the door open, coming face to face with my younger sister.
“Harmony,” I sighed. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, Stace.” She gave a sheepish smile. “Can I come in?”
I arched an eyebrow. “You do know what time it is, right?”
“Stace,” she whined.
There was no denying that she was my sister, tempted though I may have been. Harmony was eight years younger than me—barely into her twenties—but there had been more than a few occasions when we’d been mistaken for twins. No one would make that mistake now. My long, chestnut waves were in stark contrast to her latest ’do. She’d chopped her hair into a chin-length bob that was a champagne blonde with shocking streaks of pink and purple.
Her normally peaches-and-cream complexion had deepened into a solid tan, making it clear that whatever she’d been up to over the past few months had provided plenty of sunbathing. Her bare arms and legs were toned and barely covered by a black-and-white mini-dress that clashed something awful with her cotton-candy hair.
I crossed my arms and gave her a pointed look, indicating I was still waiting on her no-doubt fanciful explanation. “Well…?”
Harmony narrowed her blue eyes, the only feature we had left in common. “That’s how you’re greeting me?” She rolled them up to the ceiling, clearly in disbelief that I wasn’t rushing to my linen closet for a makeshift red carpet to roll out. “I was in the neighborhood, all ri
ght? Now, can I come in or what?”
Tamping down another long-suffering sigh, I waved my arm and pulled the door open wider.
She strode into the room as though she owned the place and looked around. Her clever eyes wouldn’t miss a detail. I shut the door a little harder than intended and Harmony spun on her heels to face me. “Where’s Peaches?”
My nostrils flared. “She’s sleeping. You know, the thing cats and people tend to do around this time of night.”
Harmony laughed. “I’m sorry, all right? I know it’s late, but I didn’t want to leave town without seeing you.”
I folded my arms, not one ounce of me buying her story. “If you want to see me, you know I’m only a phone call away. We can go to lunch, see a movie. Whatever you want. But we both know that’s not why you’re really here. You weren’t in the neighborhood and this isn’t a social call. Listen, I’m exhausted, so let’s just get this over with. How much do you need and do I want to bother asking why?”
“Stace, I swear it’s not about money.” She hitched her purse strap up a little higher on her shoulder and dropped her gaze to the wide wooden planks under her scuffed-up shoes. “I’ve missed you.”
Ignoring her, I crossed the room and snatched my checkbook from a kitchen drawer. My tiny but chic condo didn’t have a spare room to use for an office, so the kitchen pulled double duty. It worked well since I wasn’t much of a cook. As long as I had a place to warm up leftover take out, I was all set.
Still not looking at my baby sister, I flipped open the folio and wiggled my finger over the enchanted paper, my signature sprawling across the bottom in sparkling gold before solidifying to black. Glancing up, I pursed my lips. “Last chance, Harmony.”
Her confident smile wavered and then fell entirely. My heart stilled for a moment at the flash of despair reflected in her eyes before they flitted back to the floor.
I set aside the checkbook. “What’s going on, Harmony?”
“Jess and I broke up.”
“Who’s Jess?” Last thing I knew, she’d been seeing some punk-rock shifter named Orson who made me feel old anytime I spent more than five minutes in his self-titled orbit.
“My boyfriend,” Harmony scoffed, before quietly adding, “Well, my ex-boyfriend, now.”
“I kinda figured that part out,” I replied, holding back a scoff of my own. “What happened to Orson?”
She rolled her eyes. “He left me for some backup dancer he met on tour. He’s the opening act for Petra, you know.”
“Riiight.” I nodded slowly. “Okay, so, what happened with this Jess guy?”
And what does it have to do with you standing in my living room at three in the morning? I silently added.
Harmony plunked down on the sofa as though the mere thought of telling the tale sapped all her energy. I didn’t know the particulars, but considering this relationship had to have lasted less than three months, I couldn’t fully understand what was so devastating about its demise. Then again, I hadn’t been on a date in over a year, so what did I know?
“We met at work,” she started, drawing me away from the edge of my own murky pool of dating memories. “He was doing his apprenticeship at the apothecary—”
“His apprenticeship? Stars, Harmony. What is he, all of eighteen?”
She scowled up at me. “He’s twenty-two, for your information. He was changing careers and enrolled to be an apprentice after spending the last three years in charm work.”
“All right, all right.” I glanced at the silver clock hanging above the stove. It was creeping up to half-past three. I had to be awake in less than four hours to get ready for work. Cringing, I rolled my fingers, prompting Harmony to speed up her tale of woe. “What does any of this have to do with you coming back to Seattle?”
She picked up her pace, rushing the rest of the story. “About a week ago, Jess and I were putting in some overtime, doing inventory and stuff like that. We started goofing around and well … we kind of had this competition; you know, see who could make the craziest potion. He made one that he swore would make whoever drank it start quacking like a duck. I made one that would make the person smell like gummy bears for a week.”
I rolled my eyes. “You were getting paid for this?”
“Well … that’s kind of the problem.” She drew in a quick breath. “Mrs. Maddy, our boss, came back to get something and found us messing around with all the supplies. We’d made a bit of a mess. I mean, we were gonna clean it up, of course.”
“Mhmm.”
She frowned at me and continued, “She started railing on Jess for being a bad influence and fired him on the spot.”
“Imagine that,” I muttered.
“I snapped at her, telling her we’d come up with the idea together, and that if she wanted to fire Jess, she’d have to fire me too.” She paused for a moment and then shrugged half-heartedly. “And so, she did.”
It was a familiar story. Harmony had burned through more jobs in her four years in the workforce than most people did by retirement. For one reason or another, things always went up in flames. And usually, the one holding the match was Harmony herself. She was an unnatural disaster and I’d learned a long time ago that I couldn’t do much to help, beyond periodically bailing her out.
Though, that plan was running thin too.
“I thought Jess would be happy that I stood up for him, but instead, he kinda turned on me. Started yelling about how he didn’t need a woman fighting his battles and all this other stuff.”
My mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
She hitched her shoulder. “He’d never said anything like that before. I tried to apologize, but he took off and left me standing on the front steps of the shop with nothing but my final paycheck and the messed-up potions.” She absently patted at her purse. “So, I hopped a Shimmer Bus and came here.”
I dragged in a slow breath and dropped my folded arms to my sides. “I’m sorry you’re having a rough time, Harmony. It’s too late to go back out tonight. You can stay for the night and tomorrow. I can give you some money.”
She nodded, but kept her eyes downcast.
Taking a step toward the hallway, I waved a hand at my tufted sectional. “This place doesn’t have a spare room, so you’ll have to make do with the couch. I’ll get some linens.”
Harmony didn’t reply, so I ducked into the hall. A faint blue light illuminated my way, all of the lights set to motion-sensing mode. I opened the narrow closet off the bathroom and carefully rummaged through the stacks of neatly folded sheets and blankets to find a warm blanket and a flannel sheet.
“These should work,” I said, returning to the living room. “But, if you need more, there’s a—”
I stopped and lifted my brows. Harmony was still sitting in the corner of the couch but had folded in on herself, concave, in a way that made her look like a broken-down dress mannequin.
“Harmony?” I said, my voice whisper-soft.
She looked up and I saw streaks of black mascara running down her cheeks.
I took a deep breath and deposited the sheets on the back of the couch before rounding it to take a seat beside her. “Stace, I can’t do this anymore.” Her shoulders shook as a fresh wave of tears fell. “I need help.”
My heart clenched into a tight ball and pounded in my chest. It went without saying that a generous check wasn’t going to fix the situation. I’d never seen her this way before. Ever since we’d been kids, she’d been the brave one. The first to jump off the roof to see if the charmed fairy wings she’d talked our father into buying her would actually work. I’d always been the cautious—i.e. responsible—one. Everyone chalked it up to me being significantly older, but I’d always known it wasn’t just my age. We were different, from our very foundations.
Reaching for her hand, I offered her the ghost of a smile. “I’m here for you, Harmony. I always am. You know that, right?”
She nodded and sniffled loudly. “I’m tired of being the screwup. The mes
s.”
“Tell you what,” I started, a new idea coming to me. “Tomorrow—” I paused and glanced up at the clock. “Make that today, I have a rehearsal dinner at Luna. It’s an upscale restaurant downtown. The manager owes me a favor. I’ll cash it in and get you a job. You can stay here until you get your feet back underneath you. Now, apartments here in the haven aren’t cheap, but you’ll have some time to look, maybe get a roommate or two lined up.”
“Are you sure? I won’t be in the way?”
Oh, she would inevitably be in my way, but if it meant getting her on the right track, permanently, I was willing to give it a shot.
I smiled. “Hey, at least if you’re here, I know you won’t be off getting yourself into trouble.”
Using the back of her hand, she wiped away the make-up smudges on her cheeks. “I’ll try not to.”
I gave her hand a squeeze and got up from the couch. “We need to be up in less than four hours,” I told her, smiling at the horrified look on her face. “So, get some sleep. The rehearsal tomorrow is for one of my biggest accounts. I can’t have anything going wrong, okay?”
“Got it,” she replied, mocking a salute.
“Night, Harmony.”
“Night, Stace.”
I went back to my bed and exhaled slowly as I fixed my eyes on the shadows cast across the ceiling. “What did I just get myself into?” I whispered. Rolling to my side, I reached out for my alarm clock and set it back half an hour. If I was going to have any chance of getting through arguably one of the most important days of my career, I needed to allow some time for a supercharged elixir from the local potions shop before going to the office.
Maybe two.
2
Weddings, human or otherwise, have always been magical to me. Sure, the celebration was always more fun with a splash of magic, but enchanted flowers, floating lanterns suspended in midair, musician-less string quartets, and winged trays of decadent pastries that served themselves certainly were a lot more fun.
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