“Yes,” I replied, staring at myself in the mirror. How happy my mother had looked the night she wore this gown. I didn’t even know where she’d gone. I suddenly missed her terribly.
“You have a date for the ball?” Dorothea asked as she helped me out of the gown.
“Yes. I’m going with Rayne.”
Dorothea chuckled. “Better make sure he has a tux.”
“Already checked,” I replied, joining her laughter.
“I like that boy, though. He turns the ladies’ heads, but he doesn’t seem to have his mind on anyone. He’s just busy out in his fields. Are you going as friends or…”
“As more than friends…a new development.”
“Well, how about that? And here I always imagined you with some CEO, not a beekeeper. It’s a good choice, Viola. That kind of man will always stay by your side.”
“You think?”
She smiled at me. “Yes.”
My cell chimed. I was late. “Crap.”
“Good thing you’re the boss, Miss Hunter.”
“You’re right about that,” I said then looked at the dress. “You sure it will be okay?”
“Oh, we’ll get it ready in time. Not a thing to worry about. Now you just need to find a pair of shoes.”
Shoes. Dammit. Well, that was a problem for tomorrow. And a good problem to have. I was never sad to have a reason to look for a new pair of shoes.
I arrived at the restaurant half an hour later to find the place completely packed. There were at least two dozen people outside waiting for a table. And, of course, problems abounded. The outside heat lamps weren’t working, the lamb chops delivered that morning—for the evening’s special—had gone bad, and two waitresses were out with the flu. While I’d agreed to take over the management of the restaurant for the first year, nothing could have been further from my real intentions and desires.
Taking a deep breath, I dove in and spent the night racing from problem to problem. As I waited tables, made salads, ran the register, and called repairmen, it seemed like the world was working in chorus to remind me just how far being a restaurateur was from my real dream.
Pausing just a moment at the bar to take a break, I pulled out my phone to see I’d missed calls from Horatio, Alice, and two calls from Rayne.
Crap.
I was never going to get a chance to call him. My feet hurt, I was sweating, and I was totally exhausted, but it no longer mattered. I didn’t want him second guessing. I’d grab a quick drink then give him a call.
I slipped behind the bar a moment to pour myself a glass of water when I heard a familiar laugh coming from the other end of the bar. Much to my surprise, I spotted a familiar redhead sitting there. Cassidy. She was eating a huge basket of calamari while Rick was slinging mixed drinks like a madman, all the while flirting with the girl.
Now, what in the hell was she doing here? Why did I keep running into this girl?
“Cassidy?” I called, heading down to the end of the bar.
“Miss Hunter?” one of the chefs called from the kitchen.
“One sec,” I replied.
“Hey, Vi,” Cassidy said, grinning at me. “Awesome calamari.”
“Thanks. I’m surprised to see you.”
“Yeah, long day. I wanted something tasty to reward myself,” she said. “And I’m trying to convince Rick to come to my hot yoga class.”
Rick laughed as he dropped cherries into the drinks he was making.
“Well, did she convince you?” I asked him.
“Apparently I’m going to sweat my ass off first thing tomorrow morning.”
I grinned. “I’m sure you can handle it.”
Rick shook his head, laughing, then lifted a tray of drinks. “We’ll see. Excuse me a sec,” he said then took the drinks to one of the servers.
“I sure as hell hope he doesn’t sweat that sweet ass off. The food here is awesome, but the view is even better,” Cassidy said, lifting her drink and taking a sip. “Fixation worthy, even.”
“Rick is single, but I thought maybe you and Rayne…”
“Miss Hunter?” one of the chefs called again.
“Just one minute,” I replied.
Cassidy burst out laughing. “Rayne? No way. He’s like a brother to me. Besides, he’s got his eyes…elsewhere,” she said, winking at me. “Oh! Speaking of, did he call you back?” she asked, popping another bite.
I was an idiot. My worries about Rayne and Cassidy were completely pointless. I was stupid to think Rayne would play me. He wasn’t like that. I suddenly felt very childish.
“Yeah, um, he tried,” I said, pulling out my phone. “I’ve been swamped all day. We can’t reach one another. I was just going to call him back.”
“He was trying on tuxes when you called this morning. I went with him, tried to save you some embarrassment.”
“You were at the suit shop?”
She nodded then lifted the olive out her drink. “Yeah. I think he was afraid he was going to mess up and look stupid. You know his wardrobe basically consists of jeans and flannel shirts. He wanted some advice. I think he only called me because he was too nervous to ask your brother. Well, anyway… Um, I think that guy is bleeding,” she said then, pointing behind me.
I turned around to see Charles, the sous chef, trying to discreetly hold a heavy towel around his hand. The fabric was turning red, and the chef was turning white.
Oh shit. “Charles? What happened?”
“Knife slipped. I need to go to the ER.”
“Oh god. I’m so sorry. We’ll get Kenny to drive,” I said, referring to one of the bus boys. “I’ll call Erica in to work.”
“You sure? The place is nuts.”
“You’re bleeding,” I said, aghast. “Of course I’m sure. I insist.”
He nodded then headed into the back.
“Sorry, I need to go,” I told Cassidy. “Nice to see you again. And thanks for your help with the suit,” I said with a grin, suddenly feeling a bit guilty for forcing Rayne so far out of his element just to please me. Maybe I was doing the wrong thing. “Oh, and enjoy the yoga tomorrow.”
Cassidy winked at me, tipping her drink in toast.
I hurried back to the kitchen. Kenny had already grabbed his keys, and he and Charles were headed out the back door.
“Call me as soon as you get there,” I told Kenny. “Let me know what happens. We’ll take care of everything, you just get patched up,” I told Charles.
He nodded and they headed out.
I went into the office just off the kitchen to phone Erica, our other sous chef. As I walked, I sent Rayne a quick text:
Sorry I keep missing you. Slammed today. Restaurant is so busy. Everything okay?
Perfect. See you tomorrow night at six?
Yes, please. Pick me up?
Need to get my pumpkin and mice in order first.
Naturally. Thank you, again, for agreeing to take me.
Anything for you.
I set the phone down and stared at the last message. My emotions tripped over themselves, each begging to be heard first. This was either the beginning of a great love affair or a great heartache. I wasn’t sure which. But more than anything, I couldn’t wait to find out.
Chapter 15: Rayne
The following morning, I wandered into the massive ballroom at Arden Estate, which sat along the shoreline of Lake Erie, looking for Horatio. The estate, a gem which now belonged to the Chancellor Historical Society, had once been the home to Archibald Arden, captain of the shipping industry in Lake Erie. While Chancellor’s trade had turned from its roots to wine and education, the first money man in Chancellor had been a sailor and captain of commerce. The touches of old money were everywhere. The Historical Society had lovingly restored the old building, with the help of the city, the Chancellor Arts Council, Chancellor College, and Blushing Grape Vineyards, but the annual Cherry Blossom Ball kept the old estate flush with cash for day to day expenses. The Cherry Blossom Ball was so-named
in part for the cherry trees on the property, all of which were currently blooming with pearly white and pink blossoms. The event also celebrated Chancellor’s relationship with its Japanese sister city. Cherry blossom viewing, an important rite of spring in Japan, provided the perfect venue for the ball. And my friend, Horatio Hunter, was responsible for making the event come off without a hitch.
“Thank you, Jennifer. Yes, over there,” I heard Horatio say, directing a florist with a cart full of flowers toward the other side of the room. Completely lost in his work, his finger gliding across the screen of his tablet, he hadn’t noticed me enter.
I cast a glance around the room. The orchestra was all set up, and some of the musicians were there testing the acoustics. Violins and flutes filled the massive old room with the soft sounds of a waltz. Nicely bedecked tables, still being dressed by the florist’s team, circled the marble ballroom floor. I cast a glance up at the stained glass windows. Each window featured Chancellor images: the waterwheel outside Falling Waters restaurant, the Grove, a public park noted for its ties to the witches said to have once lived in Chancellor—and of course they still did live there, you just had to know where to look—and a blonde-haired mermaid with a glimmering blue-green tail.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply once more. Horatio and I had been friends for years. Before Julie came onto the scene, and before I’d started seeing Viola for who she really was, Horatio and I had our fun. What would he think now that I’d turned my attention to his sister?
Mustering up my courage, I approached him. “Got the canapes in order?” I called cheerfully.
Horatio stopped working and looked up at me. He smiled, but a weird expression crossed his face. Tonight was the night. There was no doubt that Julie would agree to marry him, but surely he was nervous. I knew I would be.
“Man,” he said, “you have no idea. Everything with the event is in order, thank god. Oysters went bad but otherwise, all good. Honestly, I couldn’t be less worried about the actual event. It’s the rest. I should have just taken Julie to the beach and asked her in private. Instead, well, I wanted her to know her value. Midnight. Don’t get too far in case I pass out.”
“No worries. I’ll be here.”
“With my sister,” he replied, and this time I heard the hard edge on his voice.
“Yeah, about that…You and I have been friends for years. You know I’ve never been serious about anyone before—”
“What about Cassidy?” Horatio asked, interrupting.
I would have laughed out loud if it weren’t for the look on Horatio’s face. “Cassidy? No, she’s just…” Another faerie, like me, I wanted to say. “A family friend.”
“You sure?”
It was clear to me then that Horatio and Viola had talked. I wasn’t sure what had been said, but clearly Cassidy was cause for concern. If they only knew the truth…well, that truth would come later. “Positive. My brother,” I said then, clapping his shoulder. “Look, I need to be straight with you. My feelings for Viola…changed. I want to take things with her to another level. I’m serious about her, and I think she feels something for me too. I’m done with playing. I respect you, and I don’t want anything to be weird between us, but I really care for Viola.”
Horatio studied my face closely, smiled, then said, “The women of Chancellor will be crushed if you take your twinkle off the market.”
I shrugged, feeling a massive weight melt off my shoulders. “Doesn’t matter. No one ever had a twinkle for me…until Viola. That’s something I can’t let go.”
Horatio nodded. “Do right by her.”
“I will. And in the meantime, what can I do for you?”
Horatio shook his head. “Just wish me luck.”
“None needed. Julie loves you.”
Horatio smiled. “What happened to us?”
“Amazing women. Time for something new, something better,” I said then looked around the room once more. This time, I noticed that one of the stained glass windows depicted a woman in a flowing gown and a small twig in her hand. The glass around her was cut to shimmer with opalescent light. A faerie?
“Cheers to that,” Horatio said, then with a sigh, he looked at his tablet once more.
“I should let you get back to work. Sure you don’t need anything?”
“No. Thanks, though. See you tonight. You’ll be late. Viola is never ready on time. Too many shoe options.”
“I’d wait a century for her.”
“Don’t let her know that.”
I grinned. “Don’t be nervous. It’s going to go great.”
“Thanks. See you tonight,” he said, then turned back to his work.
I walked back toward the front of the building but paused just a moment before I went outside. Pulling my willow wand from my back pocket, I twirled it once around my fingers then aimed it at Horatio:
With the heart of a lion
Let him delight
And fully embrace his magical night.
A glimmering golden light quickly moved from my wand across the hall and zipped around Horatio. He didn’t seem to notice the light, but he did pause, and his posture changed. The spell had worked. Technically, we weren’t supposed to use our faerie magic on anyone other than our assignments, but love magic was my business. What would one charm hurt? As the thought crossed my mind, my eyes were drawn once more to the stained glass image of the faerie on the window. And for a brief moment, I swore the image moved. I frowned and looked harder but nothing seemed amiss. It must have been a brief shift in the light, that was all.
I headed outside to find delivery trucks driving in and out of the impressive estate. I headed back to my truck, passing a water fountain depicting a lovely mermaid. Next time I met Ziggy and Skyla, I needed to ask about the former owner of the property. Whomever he was, he clearly was tuned into the mythology of Chancellor. Like all great stories, there was truth buried behind the fairy tale.
Chapter 16: Viola
“Oh my god oh my god oh my god,” Alice said, pacing her living room apartment above her bagel shop. “This is like something from a fairy tale. How can this be happening?”
It was the morning of the Cherry Blossom Ball, and Alice, who’d woken me with panic texts, was a hot mess. “Calm your tits down, girl,” I said with a laugh as I finished polishing my toe nails. Setting the paint aside for a moment, I sipped the mimosa Alice had made for me.
“Okay, I’ll calm one tit down…but not my party tit,” she said, making us both giggle. “This never happens to me. He’s hot. He’s rich. He’s French. And he seems to legit like me. We’ve been staying up all night just talking. He gets me. And I get him. He’s staying an extra week. Says he can’t go back yet.”
“Just go with the flow. If it’s working, let it work,” I said then gazed out the window. Take your own advice, Viola.
“Speaking of,” Alice said, seeming to read my mind, “What is going on with you and Rayne?” She flopped down in a chair and grabbed her drink, polishing off half the champagne flute.
“Going on?” I asked innocently, turning my attention back to my sparkly blue toes as I touched up the paint.
Alice laughed. “At Julie’s barbeque….there was a vibe there. I mean, there’s always been a vibe between you too, but it was amped. And then there is the ball tonight.”
“Well…” I said then looked up at Alice who was looking at me expectantly.
“Well?”
I grinned. “I don’t know. I’m just seeing him differently these days. He’s all wrong for me, but I guess I just…I want him.”
“No. Way,” Alice said then jumped up. “I knew it! That boy’s eyes are as big as moons every time he looks at you. So what are you going to do?”
“Go slow. Did Luc tell you about the apprenticeship he offered me?”
Alice nodded. “Mentioned it.”
“It’s time to get my life back on track. I have so many dreams. My own perfume line. A day spa here in Chancellor. More ideas than I can
manage to keep a lid on. I want to go to France this summer. Dad said it was okay. But for me and Rayne, it’s bad timing. I can’t ask him to wait around for me.”
“If he can’t wait one summer, he isn’t worth waiting for…even if he is my friend. Just tell him. It won’t be a big deal.”
I nodded, hoping she was right. “We’ll sort it out.”
“Oh man, this is going to be an awesome night. So, Horatio told me…tonight at midnight he’s going to ask Julie to marry him. Oh my god, I can’t wait. Julie’s going to be your sister.”
I lifted my champagne flute. “To finding a love like Julie’s and Horatio’s?”
“I’ll drink to that. Cheers,” Alice said, clicking her glass against mine.
Sipping the sweet drink, I thought once more about Rayne. Tonight, we’d either go for it or decide the timing wasn’t right. I hoped Rayne would be willing to wait. Hell, if Cinderella could win a prince at a ball, why couldn’t I land a hippie beekeeper?
“Miss Hunter?” Dorothea called. “It’s almost seven.”
“Shoes!” I called helplessly. “I swear to god, I’m so scattered. I never even looked,” I opened box after box of shoes, but nothing seemed quite right. My hair, which had been pulled up in a perfect loose bun, was suddenly starting to slump. If I started sweating, that would be the end of my makeup.
“Rhinestones? The ones you wore a couple of years back to the Dickens event?”
“I forgot about those. The buckle was a little loose though,” I said, scanning the boxes for the shoes she mentioned.
“I’ll go grab the pliers. We’ll squeeze them shut. Go get dressed. Your date is downstairs waiting.”
Finally eyeing the box, I pulled it from the shelf. The lid slipped off as the box jarred sideways. I managed to catch the shoes as the box tumbled to the floor. A tiny slip of paper fluttered out.
Clutching the shoes, I grabbed the paper only to discover my mother’s handwriting thereon. It startled me. While our home was full of her touches, there was something so personal about finding a note written in her hand.
The Chancellor Fairy Tales Boxed Set: Books 1-3 Page 21