No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells

by Rose Pressey

  To tell me he was leaving with Kim and that I’d never see him again? No, he barely knew me. He wouldn’t bother telling me something as personal as that.

  Rory’s cheeks turned red and heat rushed to mine. “I think you know why I’m here.”

  He knew about the magic? My heart thumped until I thought it would pop out of my chest. “Not for the pie? Maybe a flying cheeseburger?” My voice faltered and I chuckled, trying to cover my nervousness. He didn’t return the sentiment.

  Rory stared straight at me. “I don’t really know how to say this, so I guess I’ll just come right out and say it. Elly, will you come on a date with me tonight?”

  “Yes!” Mary Jane yelled from a table a few feet away.

  I shook my head and Rory frowned. “No, you won’t go out with me?”

  “What!” Mary Jane stomped toward us.

  “No. I was shaking my head at my crazy best friend.” I gestured her way.

  “Never mind me, I’m invisible.” Mary Jane walked backwards away from the counter.

  His smile made my heart rate spike every time he flashed his pearly whites. I needed Mary Jane to come back over to make sure I didn’t say anything stupid. A poke in the side from her every time nonsense slipped out of my mouth might work, but there was no time for that now. She needed to help me before I did something I might regret. Like plaster a big kiss on Rory. I wasn't sure, but the way he was looking at me, I thought he wouldn’t mind if I did, though.

  His gaze remained focused on my face. I licked my lips; there was no stopping my involuntary reaction to his stare. Had someone turned off the air conditioner? Heat gathered in my cheeks and my legs shook. I glanced down, but lost my balance. When I looked up, it was too late to avoid the chair in front of me.

  I stumbled forward and Rory grabbed my arm. “Whoa. Easy does it.”

  “Thanks.” My cheeks tingled again, but that wasn’t all that tingled. His touch made my whole body quiver like Grandma Imelda’s Jell-O.

  He leaned against the counter, waiting for my answer. If I didn’t answer him soon, Mary Jane would probably have a heart attack. I fiddled with my apron, buying myself time to allow the redness to disappear from my cheeks.

  “Mary Jane told me she’d cover for you tonight. You know, do all of the cleanup here at the café.” He studied me for a reaction.

  A big piece of duct tape had Mary Jane’s name written all over it. That would shut her up.

  “Did she now?” I shot an evil glare her way. She didn’t look up, but I knew she felt it.

  “What can I do to get you to say yes? I’ll do anything. I’ll let you spray me with whipped cream again. You can knock another burger out of my hands.” One side of his mouth hitched up, then the other as his taunting grin burst into a wide smile. “Come on, we’ll have fun.”

  I bit my lip to stop from laughing. I wanted to say yes. But should I? There were many reasons to say no, but many to say yes. No woman in her right mind could say no to that smile.

  Rory gave me a long, appreciative look. Blood rushed to my cheeks. His masculine voice drifted across the room, knocking thoughts of my magical ineptness out of my head. “What do you say? Tonight’s the first night of the county fair. Or we could go for a walk? Maybe get some ice cream?”

  If I didn’t answer him soon, he’d think I was brain-dead and retract his invitation.

  From behind Rory’s back, Mary Jane scolded me silently by waving her index finger so hard I figured she’d need a trip to Urgent Care.

  When I thought she’d almost burst from frustration, I said, “I’d love to.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Darkness had settled over Mystic Hollow. The sounds from the Ferris wheel, Tilt-A-Whirl and other rides echoed across the night air. My arms ached from pushing the mop over the dirty café floor and my feet hurt from standing for so long. That mop grew heavier every night—and it had only been a couple. In spite of that, I was anxiously awaiting Rory’s arrival.

  Traffic had slowed to only a few passing cars. Fireflies flickered in the nearby tree and a cricket sounded from somewhere beside me. While I waited for Rory, I contemplated walking to the fairgrounds and meeting him there. It was a short walk, but my dogs were barking so loud, and anyway the thought of strolling to the fairgrounds with Rory by my side was more appealing than going alone.

  My cell phone rang, startling me from my reverie.

  “Hello?” Mary Jane yelled. Her voice was barely audible over the roar of the crowd and the rides. Well…what constituted a crowd in Mystic Hollow.

  “You’re already at the fair? I didn’t know you were going.” I shouted into the phone.

  “I decided why not go, what have I got to lose? Are you with him?” I might as well have asked Mary Jane to come along on the date. Was it a date? Either way, she’d want a play-by-play.

  “Not yet. You’re not at the fair to spy on us, are you? I don’t think we need a chaperone.” I sat on the bench in front of the café to rest my feet.

  “If you’re lucky, you will.” She giggled.

  “Well, in that case, I guess I’ll see you there.” I laughed. “I’m assuming you’re applying for the job?”

  “I have no intentions of being the third wheel. You probably won’t even see me.”

  “Now that I think of it, I might need you. How much of a third wheel can you be in a couple of hours? Come on, what will I talk about?” I gulped. “And they have the candy apples you love,” I said, suddenly desperate to persuade her to be there. “Just think of the gooey, nut-covered yumminess.”

  “Darn you, you know I can’t resist caramel and nuts. But why do you need me?”

  “So I don’t say anything completely brainless and embarrass myself.”

  “Honey, you snatched food out of his hand and drenched him with whipped cream. There’s nothing left to be embarrassed about.”

  “You make a valid point. Nonetheless, I’ll see you there,” I chimed.

  I hung up and stuffed the phone back into my pocket. Before Rory arrived, I dabbed on a little lip-gloss, not bothering to use the compact mirror in my purse to apply it. Staring at my reflection and realizing what a mess I looked wouldn’t help my nerves. It was almost pointless to wear makeup with this kind of heat, anyway. The sticky air made breathing difficult. Fighting the humid temperature for a little cotton candy and gooey apples wasn’t worth the effort, but seeing Rory sure was.

  Something didn’t seem right, though. Being happy didn’t seem appropriate.

  For all I knew, I only liked Rory because of a stupid magic spell—along with every other woman in town. Not to mention, he practically had a wife following every move he made. Okay, she wasn’t his wife, but in her mind, she’d probably already sent out the invitations.

  “Am I late?” The voice startled me and I spun around. My heart thumped wildly, as if I’d run several sprints.

  “No. The café was slow tonight, so I closed a few minutes early. Mary Jane didn’t need to cover for me, after all. I was just sitting here enjoying the night sky.” I shifted on the bench.

  Rory took a seat next to me on the old bench, stretching his long legs out in front of him. His thighs bulged under the restraint of his jeans. His blue shirt was buttoned up except for the first two buttons; the sleeves were rolled up exposing his tanned muscular forearms.

  “It is beautiful. So, are you ready to go to the fair?” He ran his fingers through his hair, making it even more mussed. Just the way I liked it.

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  The light from the café sign lit his gorgeous face, showcasing the strong cheekbones, blond hair, and dreamy eyes. Rory looked out of place in Mystic Hollow, unless he was modeling for a magazine. But I was positive a photo shoot would never be held in Mystic Hollow, much less right outside my front door.

  The lip-gloss didn’t seem like such a stupid idea now. I peered down at my clothing. Remnants of flour and chocolate remained on my jeans. I hadn’t had time to change. R
ory took me by the elbow and helped me up from the bench. His masculine scent circled me again, making the butterflies return, not that they’d completely disappeared since he’d showed up in the café that first day.

  I surreptitiously wiped at the flour on my jeans, hoping he wouldn’t notice. Was he thinking about what it would be like to ride the Ferris wheel with me? Not that I’d go. Heights and me don’t mix. Maybe Rory was daydreaming about sharing a cotton candy? Or about winning me a stuffed animal? Or was he thinking of something even better, like a kiss?

  Twinkling lights filled the night sky with not a cloud in sight. The fairgrounds sat a few blocks away from the café in an open field. We set out down the sidewalk through town, our bodies so close that we almost touched. I tried not to look back and check out his butt. He’d had enough ogling for the day.

  As we strolled along, I said, “I’m sorry about the way I look tonight. I didn’t have time to go home. If I’d known we were going out, I would have brought a change of clothes.”

  “Don’t apologize. I should have given you more notice.” He brushed at my nose with his finger. “You had a bit of flour on your nose.”

  His unexpected touch made my knees wobble, and my stomach flip-flopped against my will. “Oh, sorry.” I let out a nervous chuckle. Why hadn’t I checked my face? The magic and running the café had me befuddled, not to mention the thoughts of spending time with Rory that had filled my brain since he’d asked me out.

  “I didn’t think. I just really wanted to spend some time with you. And I think you look sexy, flour residue and all.”

  When I realized my mouth hung open, I snapped it shut and let out a chuckle. Thirteen-year-old girls were less giddy than me. But in my defense, this gorgeous man had called me sexy, and I was now in need of a cold shower, or possibly a ventilator.

  To the left of the field was a wooded area, full of tall, thick pines. Too spooky to walk past by myself. I was glad I had waited. We turned down the isolated road toward the sound of the screams from the rides and the rickety roller coaster making its ascent echoing through the night air. It reminded me of my childhood when my parents took me to the fair every year. My dad always won me the biggest stuffed animal in the place—one of his hidden talents. I missed him; we had lost my father several years before.

  Remembering the taste of corn dogs with an overload of mustard made my mouth water. But this was far different from my childhood memories. So far, the night was nothing short of romantic…magical.

  The first person I spotted when we entered the gate was Mary Jane. Had she been waiting for us? I told her I’d see her there, but I didn’t think she’d patrol the entrance waiting for us.

  The smile on her face reached from ear to ear.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said. Rory probably saw past our charade and knew the meeting was planned.

  Mary Jane winked. “Yeah, I finally got my boss to let me get away from the café for a night. I came for the candy apples,” she offered, looking at Rory as if he’d asked.

  “Candy apples sound good to me. If you’d like, I can get us some.” He gestured over his shoulder.

  “Um, no, I have to meet friends.” Mary Jane started to walk away, taking a few steps backwards. “Nice seeing you again.”

  At least she hadn’t taken him up on the offer, although I was sure she wanted to. With my chaperone now gone, it was up to me to make intelligent conversation with Rory for the rest of the evening.

  “The candy apples are really good. Mary Jane will miss out.” He smiled.

  I couldn’t help but grin. The tingly feeling had returned.

  “Come on. What are we standing here for? Let’s get a candy apple.” He motioned for me to move forward with him as he took a few steps.

  My stomach danced as I realized this was like a real date. Not that it was a date, but it was like one. He called it a date, but I didn’t. I couldn’t call it a date unless I fixed all that was wrong first, then it could be called a date.

  The laughter and screams from the thrill seekers on the roller coaster, and children playing games around us, was intoxicating, only adding to the excitement.

  We walked up to the concession stand. The smell of cotton candy and funnel cakes lingered in the air.

  Rory turned to me. “Would you like caramel or candy?”

  “I’d like caramel with nuts, please.” Why not go for the messiest, right? I’d already embarrassed myself around him where food was concerned.

  “Two caramel apples, please.” He held up two fingers to the young girl behind the counter.

  Rory smiled as he handed me my apple. The way his dimples appeared on each cheek made my insides light up. “I’m giving you the one with the most nuts.”

  There was something to say about that comment, but I wouldn’t go there.

  “That’s sweet. Thank you. Here, let me pay for mine.”

  I dug around in my pocket, pulled out a couple crumpled dollars, and pushed them toward him. He brushed them away.

  “It’s on me. You want to take a walk around and check out the sights? That’s if you don’t mind eating and walking at the same time?”

  “I think I can handle it.” I chuckled.

  We strolled along with the crowd, men and women yelling at us to try to win a prize as we passed the booths.

  “This brings back memories. My dad and I went straight for the caramel apples first thing when we came to the fair. My mom always got the cotton candy, but my dad ate most of it because she’d never finish it.” I took a bite of my apple.

  “I always hit the biggest, meanest-looking roller coaster when I came.” He laughed.

  I hoped he didn’t want to hit the meanest-looking one next. My face probably blanched at the mere mention of it.

  “So, you hesitated earlier when I asked you out. Did you not want to come with me?” Rory asked.

  He really got to the point; I liked that. Maybe he didn’t hide his feelings like my ex. Rory was probably the type of guy who liked to get things out in the open. Too bad I was doing the exact opposite. I should tell him about the magic right here in the middle of the county fair next to the House of Mirrors.

  “No. I mean, yes, I mean no.” I attempted to wipe caramel from my chin.

  He scowled.

  I took a deep breath and tried again. “I mean, I didn’t really hesitate. And I wanted to come here with you tonight. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

  “I thought maybe Mary Jane was here to give you an out in case I turned out to be a creep.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a sexy grin. “I’ll try my best to be a perfect gentleman.”

  “No, Mary Jane was coming anyway. She was worried about running into us and being a third wheel. That’s why she took off when you offered the apple. If you were a creep, I’d just take off and leave you here.” I took a bite of my apple, dropping little pieces of nuts on my shirt.

  He laughed a hearty laugh again. “Sounds like you got a great emergency exit plan.”

  I brushed off the bits of peanut. “It may not be foolproof, but it’s a plan.”

  We continued our leisurely walk around the midway, eating our candy apples and making chitchat between bites—mostly talking about the sights of the county fair.

  “You mentioned your father. He brought you to the fair a lot?”

  “Yes.” I nodded. “He brought me every year. Sometimes we’d go to the surrounding county fairs, too. My dad had this crazy knack for winning prizes. His favorite was tossing pennies into the little dishes. He was fantastic. Unfortunately, word spread quickly and they hated to see him coming.”

  Rory chuckled. “I bet. I’m sure he wanted to impress his little girl.”

  “Maybe so.” I grinned.

  We walked in silence for a few seconds. With memories of my father in my mind, I felt the need to share some of those thoughts with Rory. He seemed to care. Ray had never been all that sympathetic with the mourning process.

  “I lost my dad severa
l years ago,” I said.

  “I’m sorry.” Rory looked down as he said, “My father recently passed, too.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said softly.

  “Do you mind if I ask what happened to your father?” Rory asked.

  I shook my head. “He had a heart attack. My mama was always on him to eat better, but he liked his fried food extra fried. What about your dad?”

  “Actually, it was the same thing.”

  “Really? I hate to hear that. I plan on making the food at the café as healthy as I can make it. Southern food doesn’t have to be bad for you. There are a lot of alternatives to frying and fat.”

  Well, I’d wanted to make the food healthy, but now I wasn’t sure I’d get a chance to do anything if the café was closed.

  He smiled softly. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

  “Thank you. The only problem is convincing people that it is a good idea. Some people think it couldn’t possibly taste good unless it’s the full fat version. But enough talk about the café.”

  “Where is your mother now?” Rory asked.

  “Um, she’s still in Mystic Hollow, although she’s not here now. I haven’t seen her since I came back to town. She’s in Ireland. She’s been planning this trip for six months. My parents used to travel a lot, so a year after my dad died, mom decided to keep doing it. I think it makes her happy, as if he’s still with her. She feels closer to him, sharing something they loved, you know?”

  My parents had shared something special. Something I thought possibly unobtainable for the average person. But maybe I hadn’t met the right person. I’d felt I settled on Ray just because I hated dating. The whole routine of it put me off.

  “What about your mother? Is she in Kentucky?”

  “No, she lives in Texas. That’s where I’m originally from. She’s in the Austin area. My father wanted to buy a farm here, so I agreed to come with him. Not long after we got here is when I lost him. My brother’s been here a few times to help and I have people who work for me now, so it’s going well, so far.”

  “What did you do in Texas?”