I laughed. “Nice try, but you’re still getting dragged to that one.”
He frowned but amusement danced in his eyes.
“The bookstore might be nice, though.” I pushed up to a sitting position. “I can’t even remember the last time I read a book all the way through.”
“There you go. Go to the one on Phoenix Way. They have a coffee shop inside and baked goods from that place you like, Sugar and Spice.”
“They do?”
“Mhmm.”
“Stars,” I sighed. “It really has been too long since I took a real day off.”
“I’ll call you later,” he said, getting to his feet.
I said goodbye and he slipped out of the bedroom. I heard him and Harmony exchange pleasantries and then the front door closed. Seconds later, Harmony poked her head into my room. “I’m going to a potion workshop,” she said. “Do you need anything before I go?”
I smiled and resisted the urge to tell her to stop mother henning me. “I’m fine. Have a good time at your class.”
“You’re sure? I could cancel and we could—”
“Harmony, go. It’s fine. I’m not staying home wallowing, I swear. I’m not going to be here anyway. I’m going out for a walk. Maybe do a little shopping.”
“All right. Well, text if you need anything.”
She ducked back out into the hall, closing my bedroom door. Peaches rolled over and yawned. For the first time in my life, I wished she was a dog so I could take her out with me for the day. I’d seen witches with their feline familiars wandering the streets of the haven before, but Peaches wasn’t that kind of familiar, or cat, for that matter. She required a fluffy bed, soft blankets, and gourmet cat food. Anything that had the potential to dirty her paws or muss her fine fur was out of the question.
“Your loss,” I told her, leaving the bedroom.
I hopped on a Shimmer Bus just outside my building and rode it to the stop on Pheonix Way. My stomach rumbled during the ride and kicked into overdrive when I stepped inside the bookstore Caleb had mentioned. The scent of fresh baked goods, sugary desserts, and rich espresso mingled in the air, wafting toward me in a cloud that smelled good enough to eat all on its own. From the outside, the shop didn’t look like much, but that was part of the magic of the haven. You never really knew what you’d find once you opened a door. A tiny, hole-in-the-wall cafe could open up into a spacious eatery with twenty-foot ceilings and crystal chandeliers.
The Sugar and Spice bakery annex was tucked in one corner of the spacious retail space, and it was clear the clientele of the shop appreciated a slow, uninterrupted experience while shopping. Several cushy seating areas were appointed throughout the space and provided a welcoming feel. Soft lighting and instrumental music completed the cozy ambience. Three steps inside and I could feel myself getting sucked into the floor, wondering if I’d ever find a reason to leave.
“Why have I never been in here before?” I wondered aloud as I perused a rack of used paperbacks in front of the short queue of customers in front of the bakery counter.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?”
“Hmm?” I glanced up and saw the woman in line ahead of me had turned around.
She smiled. “It’s a hidden gem, that’s for sure. Are you from the Seattle Haven?”
I nodded politely and selected a book with a swarthy-looking wizard on the front cover. “Born and raised.”
“Oh, how nice. Do you work around here?” she asking, giving me a quick appraisal. According to Harmony, I didn’t do casual. I wore a pair of heather-grey slacks, black slingback pumps, and a button-up silk blouse in a jewel-tone green.
“Not too far, I’m a—” I stopped short, the rumbling hunger in my stomach froze, turning to cold anxiety in an instant.
What was I? Nearly a decade had gone into crafting my life around being an event planner and then, finally, a wedding planner. Before Caleb and Harmony came into the picture, it had been every breath, every moment. Even with a serious relationship and my younger sister back in my life, my job still dominated the lion’s share of my time.
Or, at least, it had.
Now, in the middle of a Monday morning, I was in a bookstore, perusing paperbacks as I waited to buy a pastry.
“Are you all right?” the woman asked, a gentle look of concern on her face.
I nodded, or at least I’m pretty sure I did. I slowly spun in a circle, taking in my surroundings as if I’d just been dropped in through a hole in the ceiling. What was I doing? This wasn’t where I belonged. No … no, no.
I had to get my job back!
The woman gave me a strange look as I placed the book in my hand back onto the shelf. “I have to go.”
“Oh—okay, dear. Well, have a nice day.”
My heels clicked frantically on the floor as I made a beeline for the exit. A Touch of Magic Events occupied the third floor of an office building a few blocks from the bookstore. I didn’t bother with a Shimmer Bus, opting to race on foot to the pristine building. As I scurried down the sidewalk, I searched for the right words. I’d have to apologize to Hyacinth. The idea made my lips pucker, but it was the only way forward. If I wanted my job back, I’d have to grovel. Would she make me get on my hands and knees, begging like a dog for table scraps?
I skidded to a stop.
The building was in sight, hulking on the corner ahead. Emotions wrestled and warred in my stomach as I stood, staring up at what had been my office window. Was it worth it? Worth the embarrassment and barrage of sideways insults that were guaranteed to fly in my face the moment I stepped into Hyacinth’s office? Then there was Kait. A separate dragon I would have to conquer. There was no way she’d go down without a fight. I had no doubt Hyacinth had already promised her my office and position. I’d be shocked if she hadn’t already moved in and sent out engraved invitations to a party celebrating her promotion.
Even if I could somehow talk Hyacinth into taking me back, Kait would be furious and make my life a living nightmare every opportunity she could get. She’d been a piranha before, taking little, needling bites here and there, but if I got my job back and she was demoted back to the associate role, she’d become a great white shark.
She’d take her time, plotting and planning. And then … one bite and she’d swallow me whole.
Foot traffic moved around me on the sidewalk and a man bumped my arm as I stood anchored in place, staring up at the office building. “Are you lost?” he asked after apologizing for running into me.
Considering his question, I nodded. “Yes. I think I am.”
“Well, maybe I can help. Where are you trying to go?”
A bemused laugh bubbled from my lips. “I have no idea.”
The helpful pedestrian’s face fell, a wrinkled line appearing between his brows. “Miss?”
I started and then shook my head. “Never mind. I’m all right. Thank you anyway.”
He gave me a lingering look but then shrugged and hurried on his way. I watched him turn the corner, gave one last look at my old office, and then pivoted on my heels and marched in the opposite direction.
I might have no idea where I was going, but I knew where I’d been, and there was no going back.
Chapter Six
I didn’t return to the bookstore. Instead, I caught a Shimmer Bus across town to Aurelia’s boutique. Aurelia Bernard was one of the supernatural community’s most famous fashion designers. I was fairly certain she could turn a burlap sack into something worthy of a runway in Milan, but her specialty was wedding dresses. Beautiful, jaw-dropping, one-of-a-kind couture gowns. Her workshop and boutique were located in the heart of the Seattle Haven, but she had clients all across the globe. I’d been spoiled working in close proximity to the legendary designer, and most of my brides wore Aurelia for their big day.
Aurelia was a witch who channeled her magic into every stitch of her creations and took the art of wedding gown design to an entirely new level. We’d always gotten along as industry friends
, but six months ago, we’d both endured a traumatic attack by a sorcerer that had cemented our bond and deepened the friendship into one that would survive outside the wedding industry.
“Ana! What a lovely surprise,” she greeted me from the front counter of the exquisite shop. A few customers were exchanging awe-struck whispers in the corner as they studied the beadwork and lace on the gown worn by the display window mannequin. “Or, was I supposed to be expecting you?” she added, arching a delicate brow as she leaned over to study the large appointment book spread open on the counter.
“No, no. I’m just dropping by.”
She looked up again and smiled. “Good. Then we can have some wine and catch up.”
I glanced at the customers in the corner. “Um, Aurelia, it’s like ten o’clock in the morning.”
“Oh. Right. Coffee, then.”
“That would be nice,” I said with a smile.
“MacKenzie!” Aurelia called, her voice a tinkling sound like a wind chime.
A brunette with bronzed skin appeared in an instant from the back room. Without a word, Aurelia gestured at the customers and the young woman scurried across the shop, her three-inch heels clacking on the marble. Within seconds, the customers were deep in conversation with MacKenzie, and Aurelia offered me a satisfied smile. “Come. Let’s talk.”
“She must be new,” I noted as I rounded the counter and followed Aurelia deeper into the shop.
We passed the private fitting rooms and then ducked into Aurelia’s studio, where she designed and created all of her gowns. The large space was a strange dichotomy of order and disorder. Everything had its place but the sheer volume of trinkets, baubles, and materials was overwhelming all the same. A dress form took center stage, and as we walked past, Aurelia made a gesture and two threaded needles sailed to life and began making tiny, near invisible stitches along the hem of the gown.
Ahead, Aurelia opened a door to a room I’d been in a few times. Her personal office. A white desk occupied the majority of the space, but she also had two sleek armchairs and a small circular glass table. She went around the desk, tapped a few buttons on a fancy espresso machine, and it whirled into life, spitting out two foamy cappuccinos within seconds. She handed one to me and then took her seat in the opposite chair.
“Thank you,” I said, breathing in the soothing scent. “Vanilla?”
“That’s right,” she said. “Is it too strong? I have another, if you’d prefer.”
I shook my head. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
“So, tell me, what brings you by?” Aurelia asked.
I drew in a deep breath and then took another sip of the foamy drink. “I wanted to stop by and share some news before you heard it through the grapevine.”
She dropped a quick glance to my left hand. “Should I consider this a consultation?”
“Oh! No, no. Nothing like that,” I replied with a laugh. Ever since introducing her to Caleb at a wedding show six months ago, she’d been dropping not-so-subtle hints about a pending engagement. As of yet, my all-important finger was still ringless, but Aurelia was convinced it wouldn’t remain that way for long.
“I quit my job. I’m not working for the firm anymore.”
Aurelia’s eyes went wide. She leaned forward and placed her coffee on the small table, as if she no longer trusted herself to keep a grip on it. “You what?”
I explained what happened at the Stimpton wedding and Aurelia cringed. “You certainly have had some bad luck this past year.”
I would argue that Evan Stimpton had worse luck, but it seemed a macabre point to make, so I just nodded in agreement.
Aurelia collected her coffee cup and sat back again, her eyes staring blankly into space as she processed my announcement. After a moment, she gave a small shrug. “Well, selfishly, I’m sad you won’t be at the firm anymore. You were my favorite planner to deal with. By far.” She didn’t elaborate, but I could easily conjure up a list of other planners that might not be as accommodating as I was. “But as a friend, I’m eager to see where your road leads to next. Any ideas?”
“Not any good ones,” I replied. “As you know, Hyacinth pretty much has the Seattle market cornered, at least, on the supernatural side of things. There are dozens of firms if I were to cross over to the human side.”
Aurelia gasped. “You wouldn’t.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her shock. “It’s not that bad. You know, I used to work for the human division before I got my final promotion last year to the magic side. Sure, magic makes weddings a lot more fun, but at least I could still do what I love.”
“Hmm,” Aurelia harrumphed, not looking convinced in the slightest. “Well, if you want my advice, I think you’d have a good shot at giving A Touch of Magic a run for their money if you were to open your own planning business.”
I lifted my brows and she continued. “You and I both know brides can often … over-exaggerate their frustrations, and we also know that sometimes things just happen, but even with that in mind, I’d wager that A Touch of Magic has a roster of unhappy clients. I’ve heard dozens of complaints, some directly, others by accident. Up until now, I never felt I should share them, what with you working for the company and all, but since you don’t anymore …”
“What kind of complaints?” I asked warily.
“Oh, all kinds of things. A lot of it seems to revolve around billing issues. Fees and service charges added to everything. Beyond that, I’ve heard complaints about missed appointments, lack of availability, the wrong information going to invitation engravers and calligraphers resulting in late invites, that kind of thing. There were two brides who ended up having all their consultations together, as if they were having one of those twinsie double weddings, because their planner had overlooked one of them and had to squeeze everything together to make her schedule work.”
I reared back, horrified. “Who was that?”
“Hmm. A Tawny, maybe?”
“Tawny Lauer?” I hissed. “What the hex was she thinking? She’s been a wedding planner since I was in academy!”
“Well, perhaps it’s time she start thinking about retirement,” Aurelia offered helpfully.
I sat back in my chair, stunned by the revelations. “You know, Harmony said the same thing. Well, not the complaint part, but she said I should start my own business.”
Aurelia gave a knowing smile. “Now, there’s an idea.”
I sighed. “I wouldn’t even know where to start. I couldn’t take any of my existing clients. I’d have to start completely from scratch.”
“You have friends in high places, Ana,” she reminded me, a gleam in her eyes. “As you can imagine, I’m virtually flooded with requests from new brides. You and I both know that the dress is where newly engaged women tend to gravitate first. Not everyone who contacts me has already nailed down a coordinator or even considered it. I’ll speak with Felicia—she deals with all new clients—and make sure she has your information.”
“Whoa!” I said, raising a hand. “I appreciate the offer, Aurelia. Truly. But, I’m not sure that’s the direction I want to go.”
She considered me, her eyes still sparkling, then nodded in agreement. “All right. We’ll put that on ice. For now,” she added with a wink.
Why did I get the feeling my phone would be buzzing with potential clients by the end of the day?
“Besides, I promised Caleb I’d give it a week before I made any big decisions.”
Aurelia smiled over the rim of her coffee mug. “And how is that hunky man of yours?”
I laughed. Aurelia had officially joined the Agent McCord fan club after his role in saving her from the grips of a powerful curse. “He’s good. Busy, as always, especially with this new murder investigation. He’ll probably—” I stopped short.
Oops. I wasn’t entirely sure Evan Stimpton’s murder was intended to be public news just yet.
“Murder?” Aurelia repeated, lowering her mug.
I swallowed. “Evan
Stimpton. Turns out he was poisoned. That’s why he collapsed at the altar.”
“How awful!”
“Caleb’s the lead on the case. He’s interviewing people again today.” I paused and shook my head. “Evan was … difficult … but it’s still hard to imagine someone hating him enough to want him dead.”
Aurelia snorted. “Difficult is putting it mildly, my dear friend. Evan Stimpton was a spoiled brat who was raised by a horde of nannies whose best defense against him was to throw him a shiny new toy anytime he got cranky.”
I blinked, surprised by Aurelia’s brutal take. She wasn’t wrong necessarily, but it still seemed out of character for her to speak that way of anyone, let alone someone recently passed.
“I’m sorry,” she said, shifting in her seat. “But I don’t do well with aggressive men. My ex was a real piece of work and I saw a lot of him in Evan. I’m probably projecting.”
“I didn’t know that. I’m sorry.”
She waved a hand. “It’s in the past.”
“I didn’t realize you’d even met Evan Stimpton,” I said, confusion knitting my brows together. Traditionally, the brides came in to the fittings sans-groom in order to make the big reveal more of a surprise.
“Oh, he came storming in here without an appointment, demanding to see the dress. Charlene was with him. She looked miserable and embarrassed. When I asked her what she wanted, he snapped at me and reminded me that he was the one paying for it and that he would see the dress.”
I exhaled. “I had no idea.”
“It was over the top and not something I’d dealt with before, that much is for sure!”
“What happened? Did she put the dress on?”
“I don’t think she had much of a choice.” Aurelia paused, her lips going into a thin line. “He made some critiques, told her to hurry and change or they’d miss their dinner reservations, and then they left. That was the last time I saw either of them.”
“Stars, what a nightmare. I wonder what set him off like that.”
“I don’t know,” Aurelia replied. “But I’ve never been so glad to write up a final receipt before in my entire career.”
Witchy Weddings: A Magic Witch Mystery Series: The complete Touch of Magic series Page 35