Onyx (Jewels Cafe Book 10)

by Melissa Adams

  Robyn reacts immediately:

  “I had no idea that you liked her too, dude! I’d been crushing on her for years and I thought that was why you invited her!”

  I scoff at his lame excuse, I’ve been hearing that for four years.

  “Since we both like her and neither of us was willing to back down, we decided that she’s off limits.”

  Dylan shakes his head.

  “That’s fucking bullshit! So you couldn’t come to an agreement and the solution is to both be miserable?”

  I sigh.

  “You don’t understand, dude. Robyn and I have been best friends, brothers even, since kindergarten. After that party, we didn’t talk to each other for a whole week. It was the first, and so far only, time we fought. Onyx is the only thing that’s ever come between us and this is why we decided that to be fair, neither of us could have her.”

  “So in four years, neither of you has lost interest in her?”

  I don’t miss the disbelief in Dylan’s eyes but the reality is that we both still like her.

  It’s not only that she’s pretty, she’s so smart, funny and kind.

  She’s witty and fierce and her smile has the power to make my heart beat faster and to get me hard in seconds.

  Especially when I imagine her luscious lips wrapped around my cock.

  She’s perfect and she doesn’t even know it.

  I have English Lit and History with her and I always make sure to sit behind her in class, so I can look at her.

  I know it’s stupid but that’s the only thing I let myself have.

  Dylan’s looking between me and his cousin with a mischievous smirk on his face.

  “So if you two are cock blocking each other, there’s no reason why I can’t ask her out, right? I bumped into her this morning and there was an instant spark between us. I know she felt it too because she looked hella flustered.”

  I’m about to tell him no way but Robyn’s faster than me.

  “Absolutely not! You live with me and we’re family, dude. So you’re bound to the same pact we have: unless any of us loses interest, we’re all staying away.”

  Dylan doesn’t budge easily.

  “That’s the most idiotic solution to a problem I’ve ever heard! Have you thought about the opposite? You could both date her. Or even better, we all could. She might not like all of us, in which case, the others should be honorable and let the best man win, or ... we could just all date her and like that we’d all be happy.”

  Robyn and I look at each other and I can tell that Dylan’s idea is as shocking to him as it is to me.

  He shakes his head.

  “That sounds like a recipe for disaster. Have you thought that she might not even like any of us? I say let’s stick to what works and stay away.”

  One Month Later

  Miss Devlin

  I TREAD CAREFULLY AROUND the cobblestones that pave the road in front of Jewels Cafe and smile at the old sign right outside the cafe’s entrance: I remember one exactly like this one outside the cafe at the academy.

  Weathered dark brown wood, slightly chipped around the edges.

  It says: ‘Now Serving Pumpkin Spice Lattes” and has a hand-drawn cup with whipped cream drawn in white and orange chalk.

  I wouldn’t expect any less from Julian and Amber and I’m truly happy to see them again, especially because I think they can help me.

  I’ve known them since high school, I was their student counselor at the time.

  Sometimes I miss the academy but I’m getting old and human students are much easier to handle than their supe counterparts, so now I teach Drama at Stone Hill High and I love it.

  Julian is busy stacking some mugs on a shelf behind the counter and doesn’t see me until I clear my voice, startling him and almost making him drop the last mug.

  “Is it you, Bean? Oh sorry ma’am, I thought it was my business partner.”

  “Is Amber not here? I was hoping to catch her too.”

  Recognition sparks in his gaze and he rushes out from behind the counter to greet me with a warm hug.

  “Miss Devlin! What are you doing here? It’s been so long ...”

  I smile indulgently: he’s not saying that I look much older than I used to but I use an aging spell to make me age at the same rate humans do, or it would be problematic to work amongst them.

  And while other supes should be able to see through it, I got an extra strong spell, impenetrable to every type of creature, to avoid trouble.

  After some chit-chat and a delicious moka, I get to the reason why I’m here.

  I was very careful in choosing the right time to visit, after the lunchtime rush and before school ends and all the students start coming in for an afternoon treat, so Julian and I are alone and he can sit with me enjoying a latte.

  “So, I believe that one of my favorite students works for you?”

  He smiles fondly.

  “You must be talking about Onyx. We hired her about a month ago: she’s a very nice girl: kind, smart and hardworking. Our customers really like her.”

  I nod with a smile: this is where I need to be careful with my request, so I don’t ask directly but I start by telling him about the Christmas play.

  “Oh yeah, Onyx told me all about that.” He chuckles. “I won’t lie to you, though ... she was pretty upset when she got the lead. And she really doesn’t like Christmas.”

  “You’re right, darling. But I think our Onyx has judged Christmas too hastily. Regardless, she has a really kind heart and while it might not look like it at first, she’s quite shy when it comes to her feelings.”

  “How so?”

  Here it goes:

  “Well, I’ve been observing her and it seems that Onyx has a crush on at least two of her co-stars. And I suspect that ‘the ghosts’ like her back but something is keeping them from opening their hearts to one another.”

  I don’t tell him that I’ve been observing Onyx and the boys under the guise of a little black bird.

  I take a shiny quarter out of my purse and hand it to Julian.

  “I’ve heard that you and Amber will have a stand at the upcoming Harvest Festival?”

  Julian confirms that they will and I make my request:

  “Would you give this quarter to Onyx and ask her to use it to make a wish at the Magic Spring? I spelled it and while I can’t make someone change her heart, if her love is true, this will get her to open her heart to love.”

  Julian takes the shiny coin, deep in thought.

  “I’ve heard the legend of the Magic Spring. Do you know if it’s true?”

  “No one knows for sure, my dear. But what’s a fact is that the spring’s location is an old magic site. You know how Silver Springs was built along some magic lines that are believed to run across the whole earth. The springs are on one of the points of a particular magic triangle, the academy is on another one, for example.”

  Julian seems to be pondering something and I know I have to make him come to his own conclusions about helping Onyx.

  I’ve heard rumors about his spelled Pumpkin Spice Lattes and how humans and supes alike have been falling in love after drinking them.

  I know the old spell he must’ve used and the magic only works to reveal feelings that already exist: not even magic can change someone’s soul.

  Onyx, like Ebenezer Scrooge, has closed her heart to love after being betrayed and disappointed too many times.

  And those three boys, ‘the ghosts’, for some reason don’t have the courage to open their own hearts to her.

  Julian’s PSL would be the perfect thing to solve the situation, but I know that his magic backfired several times in the past, so he lacks confidence in his ‘wonky magic’.

  This is why I’m going for subtle and I hope that after he gives Onyx the quarter, he’ll decide to provide some extra help.

  I think my job here is done, I’ve planted the seed and I know that Julian will do the right thing.

  I’m about
to get up and say my goodbyes when the shop door opens and Amber walks into the Cafe followed by a huge, hunky guy.

  They seem to be coming back from a shopping trip and are laden with bags and Amber almost trips over herself when she rushes to our table to say hello.

  The hot guy steadies her.

  “Be careful, Ambear. Let me take your bags.”

  He’s protective of her and she looks up at him with a warm smile.

  “Thanks, Wes.”

  I look at Julian and he’s smiling at them indulgently, not bothered by their obvious closeness.

  Amber offers me another coffee and I accept, happy to reconnect with two of my favorite students.

  The Harvest Festival

  Onyx

  IT’S A CRISP OCTOBER afternoon and the whole town has turned up at the Harvest Festival at the Silver Springs Gardens.

  Julian and Amber have secured a prime spot and we’ve been really busy since we opened shop.

  The Pumpkin Spiced Lattes in particular are flying off the shelves.

  I love this time of the year: it’s beginning to get cold but it isn’t freezing yet and the leaves on the trees are changing colors, making everything look prettier.

  I love working at Jewels Cafe: Julian and Amber have taken me under their wing and they’re really cool bosses.

  If it wasn’t obvious that they’re madly in love with each other, I could totally crush on Julian: he’s smoking hot and so sweet and funny.

  But who am I kidding?

  I’m totally doomed in the love department, my unrequited crush for Robyn and Allan has only gotten worse and to make my situation even more hopeless, I also like their friend Dylan.

  He’s actually the most friendly out of the three since we started rehearsals for the Christmas play, but the spark I felt when I first saw Dylan must’ve been just in my head because like the other two boys, he’s all but ignored me.

  They’re kind enough when we interact because of the play but it’s a cold, distant kindness.

  It’s pretty obvious that we aren’t friends and that they aren’t interested in me, not even as a friend.

  They seem to only have eyes for that Valentina Johnson, ‘mean girl extraordinaire’.

  She’s always around and despite the fact that I’ve been playing daft, I’ve noticed how she constantly seeks their attention and she’ll get in the way every time one of the boys even talks to me.

  She hates me because I got the lead role and she was cast to play ‘Tiny Kim’.

  Yeah, in this version Scrooge is a girl, and so is Tiny Tim.

  Marley is the school principal, who scolds Caroline Scrooge for refusing to participate in a charity bake sale to fund a scholarship for injured cheerleaders, after the cheer captain, Kim, has fallen off the top of the pyramid during the Homecoming game.

  Kim’s injury is so bad that ‘she’ll never cheer again’.

  “Robyn, I’m cold and thirsty! Will you get me a hot chocolate please?”

  And speaking about the devil, or Tiny Kim, Valentina’s high-pitch voice pierces the crisp autumn air as she approaches our stand, her arms hooked in the crook of Robyn and Dylan’s arms.

  Allan follows right behind them and when my eyes meet his briefly, I decide that I don’t wanna deal with them and since I haven’t taken a break yet, I turn to look at Julian to ask if I can go now.

  He knows about my crush on the guys, he heard me telling Amber about it one day when they came to Jewels Cafe with Valentina and I all but bailed to the back of the store.

  So when I nervously eye their approaching forms and I ask Julian if I can go on my break now with evident panic in my voice, I’m surprised to get denied.

  “You can go on your break after the next customer, I need to talk to Amber for a second.”

  And he steps away dragging Amber with him and leaving me to face my crushes and my nemesis.

  “Can we have a hot chocolate, please?”

  Robyn’s tone is formal and his dark blue eyes are looking everywhere but at me.

  I don’t even have time to say sure, that Valentina whines with her neck outstretched to look at him:

  “I want a skinny hot chocolate with non-fat soy milk and sugar free peppermint syrup.”

  Robyn sighs and gives me an exasperated look.

  “What she said, please.”

  Dylan chuckles behind them at his cousin’s pained expression but I’m not sorry for him, not even one bit.

  Valentina’s a pain in the ass, he must be used to it since they hang out all the time.

  I make a point of not looking at them while I pour the hot chocolate in a to go cup and for a second I’m tempted to not fit the lid all the way down and hope that Valentina gives herself at least a first degree burn.

  But then I sigh and do my job right: I don’t wanna cause trouble for Julian and Amber and anyway, I’d just give Valentina the attention she craves if she could play the victim in front of the boys.

  I turn around to serve the hot drink, trying to put on my professional smile and Valentina whines again.

  “The cup’s gonna be too hot. My skin’s so sensitive! Can you carry it for me, Robie, until it cools down a little?”

  Robyn rolls his eyes and takes the cup from me and when his fingers brush against mine, I hate myself for the hot tingle that spreads all over my body.

  I feel my nipples harden inside my bra and my lower belly tightens in a sudden and almost painful throb.

  I’m looking into Robyn’s eyes and I hope he can’t see how breathless I am after such a fleeting touch.

  God knows I’ve never felt this way, not even with Joe.

  “It’s four twenty five, please.”

  He sets the cup down to reach for his wallet but Allan intervenes.

  “I’ve got it. Here. Thank you, Onyx.”

  When he puts the cash in my hand, I swear I could pass out: his hand is warm, dry and a little rough to the touch and my body, already in overdrive after the contact with Robyn, reacts as if I’d been electrocuted.

  I feel goosebumps everywhere and I hope to God I’m not blushing.

  “Come on guys, I want some cotton candy!”

  Valentina’s voice cuts through my daze and I can’t help a snarky comment:

  “I’ve heard they sell non-fat, sugar free cotton candy.”

  She squeals delighted.

  “Really?”

  It’s my turn to roll my eyes.

  Sugar free cotton candy actually exists but I have no idea if any of the vendors here sell it.

  I can only hope that they do and Valentina binges on it, since the excessive consumption can cause laxative effects.

  How do I know?

  Mom has gestational diabetes and when she was craving cotton candy, I found her some.

  Let’s just say that eating two whole bags wasn’t a great idea.

  As Valentina drags Robyn and Allan away, Dylan is the only one who says goodbye and only when he walks away, I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

  A few hours later, the sun has set and lots of fairy lights wrapped around every stand make the park look magical.

  People are still walking around, enjoying the food and drink offered by a huge variety of vendors and taking the kids to the mini carnival at the opposite end of the park.

  I know they have face painting, bouncy castles, snow cones and an ice skating rink: up until last year this was my favorite family outing and my dad and I used to do all the activities we could get away with.

  For a second I think that soon I’ll have a baby sister to bring here but the thought makes me happy only until I realize that we won’t be coming here as a family, unless I wanna see Mom try to drown Dad in the park’s pond.

  “Hey Onyx, everyone’s going to the pie eating contest. Do you wanna come get something to eat? Amber and Wes can watch the stand and we’ll bring them something back.”

  My stomach growls at the mention of food and I nod enthusiastically at Julian’s offer.r />
  We buy some corn dogs from Shanna’s stand and as I turn around to walk back to the Jewels Cafe stand, Julian suggests we take the long way around the park.

  He asks me about school and if I could work one extra day a week during winter break.

  “Sure, that would be awesome.”

  He smiles.

  “Amber and I love working with you, Onyx. If business keeps growing, we might need extra help during the summer. How would you feel about working at Jewels Cafe full-time before you leave for college?”

  I agree and don’t tell him that unless I get offered a scholarship, my only option will be community college, because there’s no way my parents can pay for anything that requires me having extra living expenses.

  Julian stops in front of a well that’s built with weathered gray stones.

  “Hey look! Isn’t this the famous Magic Spring?”

  I nod.

  “Yeah. According to the legend, if you throw a coin in it and make a wish, it’ll come true.”

  Julian digs into his pockets and as he extracts two quarters, he offers me the shiniest one.

  I laugh at the old legend and tell him that I doubt that a pool of water could grant wishes.

  Julian scolds me playfully but his voice sounds extremely serious when he tells me that life would be better if people believed in magic a little more.

  “Let’s try it then! At my three: one, two, three!”

  I throw the coin in the deep well with my eyes closed.

  I wish there were more love in my life.

  And I can’t help but imagine three sexy ghosts who don’t even seem to know that I exist.

  6.

  Jewels Cafe

  Onyx

  I HAVEN’T EVEN OPENED the auditorium’s doors when I hear yelling, it’s lots of different voices.

  “This is our theater, you can go practice in a classroom!”

  Valentina’s voice is so shrill that I almost stop to cover my ears on my way down to the stage where a group of people is engaged in a heated debate.