Sassy rolled her eyes. “Obviously that, but I can rock a bridesmaid’s dress like nobody’s business.”
I disengaged from her hold. “I’m desperate for breakfast.”
“Perfect timing then.” She charged into the kitchen. “I made you a toasted bagel with butter and jam. I know how you like your carbs.”
“It’s un-American not to.”
I spotted the bagel on the counter, along with a steaming cup of coffee. Maybe I’d complained too soon about Sassy as a houseguest.
She started to empty the dishwasher. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might want to get your pipes looked at. I heard the strangest noise last night.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Rattling? I don’t know. I thought maybe Princess Buttercup was roaming around, but I was too tired to investigate.”
“You’re right. It was probably the dog.” I took a generous bite of the bagel and sighed. Why did all the unhealthy food taste the best?
“It wasn’t the dog,” another voice said.
Alice materialized at the opposite end of the kitchen. Alice Wentworth had been a Chipping Cheddar resident in the town’s early days and had failed to cross over for reasons unknown. She haunted her old stomping grounds, mainly the farmhouse that once belonged to her family. And by ‘haunt,’ I mean she watched television and reported local gossip.
“Can you describe the sound?” I asked.
“Now you’re just toying with her,” Alice said.
I smiled at the ghost but said nothing.
Sassy dragged herself around the kitchen with a limp foot and made a clicking noise with her tongue.
“I sound nothing like that,” Alice said, affronted.
A scratching sound drew my attention to the front door. “Did it sound like that?”
“No,” Sassy said. “That’s probably Princess Buttercup asking to come in. I let her out before you woke up. She seemed to really need to pee.”
“I’ll let her in.” I started to rise but Sassy motioned for me to sit.
“You eat. I’ll do it.” Sassy bounded out of the kitchen with the energy of ten preschoolers. It was almost painful to watch.
“It’s an act,” Alice said.
I looked at the ghost. “What is?”
“She’s not the perky princess she pretends to be.”
“Be kind, Alice. She’s changed since high school.” I knew Alice still viewed Sassy through the harlot lens. The ghost remembered my heartache all too well.
“I’m not talking about high school,” Alice said.
The conversation ceased when Sassy returned with Princess Buttercup trotting happily beside her.
“She seems to like me,” Sassy said, grinning from ear-to-ear.
“You seem surprised,” I said.
“Dogs don’t usually take to me.”
“One bitch recognizes another, I suppose,” Alice said.
I glared at the ghost and—poof!—she disappeared.
“Have you tried on your dress for the party yet?” Sassy asked.
“Not yet.” I devoured the last of the bagel and drank the coffee. It took all my resolve not to spit the bitter liquid back into the cup. How could Sassy possibly ruin a cup of coffee?
“On second thought, I probably shouldn’t have fed you carbs. You don’t want to be bloated for the mayor’s party. That dress is designed for a lumpless body.”
“I’ll whisk myself before I get dressed. I’ll be as smooth as my stepmom’s mashed potatoes.”
Sassy laughed. “Were you funny in high school? I don’t remember.”
“I was too quiet to be funny.” And too afraid of accidentally revealing my true nature.
Sassy seemed upbeat and chipper about…everything. To look at her, you’d completely forget she was suffering from the worst heartbreak of her life. Alice’s comment gnawed at me. If Sassy was putting on an act, a good friend would want to dig a little deeper, right?
I drew a deep breath and put on my friend hat. “How are you feeling about Tanner these days?”
Sassy placed a set of clean dishes in the cabinet. “Tanner who? I’ve completely moved on.”
“Really?”
She turned to face me. “We all make mistakes. Eventually Jade will learn that Tanner isn’t worthy of her. I just hope she figures it out before he’s sucked all the marrow out of her life.”
“You’re still young,” I said. “Plenty of time to meet someone worthy of you.”
Sassy flashed a bright smile. “I’m more interested in my career right now, but if the right guy comes along, all the better.”
I nodded. At least she was in the dark about Chief Fox. If Sassy knew both Clara and I were in meaningful relationships, it might be the beginning of her villain origin story.
“That poor girl is an undertaker,” Sassy continued. “I can’t imagine she enjoys her work the way I enjoy mine. And if she does, that’s disturbing.”
“Have you seen them around town yet?” I asked.
“Just a glimpse from afar. They were heading into The Cheese Wheel for happy hour. She’s very pale. I think she might be anemic.”
“Probably from all the marrow sucking.”
Sassy tightened her hair band. “See? Funny.”
“What are your plans today?” I asked.
“A morning run and then I’ll see where the day takes me.”
I already knew where the day was taking me—straight to the FBM office.
“I’ll meet you back here in time to get ready for the party,” I said.
Sassy gave me the once-over. “You’ll need at least an hour. More if you can spare it.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said, and took a generous bite of the bagel just to annoy her.
True to my word, I returned to the barn in plenty of time to prepare for the mayor’s party. Getting ready with Sassy was like primping for the Oscars. There was enough makeup to beautify a small country. Multiple sets of heels were tested and discarded. There were selfies with pouty faces and awkward poses that were somehow meant to seem natural. By the time we were ready to go, I wanted a nap.
As we trudged across the backyard, Sassy grabbed my hand. “Wait. We should model for your family. They’ll want to see us.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her it was a wasted effort.
“Well, well,” Grandma said when we entered the kitchen. “If it isn’t the Odd Couple.”
My mother extracted herself from the sofa. “Let me see. Who wore it better?” She tapped her chin in contemplation.
“That’s only when two people are wearing the same outfit,” Sassy said.
“You’re both wearing dresses,” my mother said. “That’s close enough.”
Leave it to my mother to find new and inventive ways to criticize me. “It’s not a competition,” I said.
My mother gave me a disappointed look. “No, it really isn’t.” She faced Sassy. “Maybe you can teach my daughter how to apply makeup the way you do, Sassafras. Your smoky eye looks professionally done.”
“I watch a lot of YouTube tutorials,” Sassy said.
“I think your makeup looks wonderfully understated, Eden,” Aunt Thora said. She sat at the table with a cup of tea, a lemon wedge, and a crossword puzzle. Basically her ideal evening.
Grandma glanced up from her phone. “Understated? You mean invisible.” She peered at my face. “Are you even wearing makeup? I can see all your pimples.”
“Pimples?” I touched my cheek to feel for bumps, but my skin felt flat.
Sassy laughed. “Those are freckles.”
Grandma cursed at her phone.
“Is there a problem?” my mother asked.
Grandma motioned to the phone. “It’s Maxine Fellman from the senior center. She has a Little Critters account now and she keeps showing up at the same raids. It’s irritating.”
“Can’t you work as a team?” I asked. A futile question, I realized.
Grandma lifted her chin.
“There’s no ‘I’ in TEAM, but there is in WIN.”
I sniffed the air. “Who’s wearing floral perfume?”
“Your grandmother has been going out in the evenings,” my mother said, suppressing a smile. “We think she has a gentleman companion.”
Grandma? Not unless she was using him as a human shield.
“I told you,” Grandma said. “I’m out playing my game. Different critters appear at night and the whole point is to catch them all.”
“And what—perfume helps attract them?” I asked.
“I haven’t showered so it masks the smell. I consider it a public service,” Grandma said. “The same way your mother views dating.”
My mother’s smile morphed into a frown and I ushered Sassy toward the door before a fight broke out. I didn’t need to offer my frenemy a front row seat to a supernatural showdown between witches.
“Your family is full of energy,” Sassy said, as we waited for the Uber. I made sure to have the car pick us up at the entrance to the cul-de-sac so we didn’t linger in front of the house. The windows weren’t soundproof.
“They’re certainly full of something,” I murmured.
The Uber arrived and whisked us away to the party. I felt a rush of excitement as we pulled into the semi-circular driveway behind a line of other cars.
“Wow. This really is the social event of the season,” Sassy said. “I’ll bet half the business owners in town are here tonight. No wonder Cal made sure to get me on the guest list.” Calybute Danforth was the owner of The Buttermilk Bugle, the local newspaper, and Sassy’s boss.
We exited the Uber and made our way to the entrance where a server greeted every guest with a flute of champagne.
“Classy,” I said and plucked a flute from the tray.
If the bold black and white marble floor and elegant chandelier in the entryway were any indication, the home of Wilhelmina Whitehead was more lavish than I expected from the sensible mayor of Chipping Cheddar.
“If I lived here, I’d be hosting parties every night,” Sassy said in a conspiratorial whisper. “This place is amazing.”
“She’s the mayor, not a Real Housewife,” I said.
Sassy cast a discerning eye around the room. “There are plenty of hot guys to choose from tonight.” She bumped my arm. “Ooh, there’s Chief Fox. I thought nothing could look hotter than his uniform, but apparently I was wrong.”
My stomach flipped at the sight of him. He stood in a small circle with Mayor Whitehead, Hugh Phelps, and Cal. The chief wore a dark blue suit and shoes so shiny they reflected the artificial light. The ends of his hair curled around the collar of his shirt in a way that made me long to run my fingers through them.
“He does look exceptionally good,” I admitted. How could I say anything else? To deny it would invite suspicion.
A glazed look crossed his rugged features when he spotted me. It was a gratifying moment.
“Agent Fury,” he said as we approached the group. “I’ve never seen you so radiant.” He seemed uncertain whether to kiss me or shake my hand. I didn’t blame him. I was experiencing the same confusion.
“Your home is gorgeous, Mayor Whitehead,” Sassy enthused. “If I were you, I’d work from home every day.”
“Thank you,” the mayor said. “It’s one of the things I love about living here. The view of the bay never gets old.”
Sassy craned her neck to see the veranda at the back of the house with its direct view of the water. “Life goals.”
“Clara’s out there now,” Cal said. “She brought her boyfriend. Quinn, is it? Nice fella.”
“I’m very fond of Agent Redmond,” I said.
“That’s right. He’s a colleague of yours, isn’t he?” Cal said. He elbowed me with such enthusiasm that I nearly spilled my drink.
“He is. In fact, I should probably go say hello.” If I stood with the chief too long, I risked lapsing into unconscious habits like pinching his butt.
“I’m going to mingle,” Sassy declared. “Plenty of potential new clients here.”
Cal patted her on the back. “That’s why you’re my top seller.”
As I made my way to the veranda, Sassy threw herself into the party like a professional socialite. I’d never seen anyone work a room with as much skill and charm.
“She seems to be over Tanner,” I said to Clara and Quinn.
Clara looked at me sideways. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I accidentally bumped her arm the other day and I felt…” She hesitated, seeming to choose her words carefully. “Well, it wasn’t the toothpaste commercial you’re seeing right now.”
Clara was an empath, so she’d know better than I would. Still, I’d spent the past few days with Sassy and she seemed nothing but irritatingly positive.
“She comments a little too much on the chief’s looks,” I said.
Clara laughed. “And you’re jealous? Please. It’s pretty obvious he only has eyes for you. I’m telling you, you need to be more careful. Don’t be seen so much together.”
“I’m being careful,” I shot back. “I’m over here with you, aren’t I?”
Quinn laughed. “Oh, so we’re the cheap seats?”
“It’s easier to be around you because you know,” I said. I didn’t have to walk on eggshells and worry about saying the wrong thing in front of them. Keeping our relationship a secret was more stressful than I expected.
“I don’t suppose anyone else here knows,” Quinn said.
“His aunt, Wilfrieda,” I said. “She’s here, isn’t she? He said she’d be his plus one tonight.”
Clara brightened. “Yes, I spoke to her earlier. She’s delightful.”
“There’s no other word to describe her,” I said. “No wonder the chief is so fond of her.”
“Looks like someone else might be growing fond of her.” Clara inclined her head to the far side of the veranda where Wilfrieda was chatting with a man I didn’t recognize. He was tall and slender with snow white hair and a beard so soft and white, it looked as though his chin was covered in clouds. He laughed at something Wilfrieda said and offered her cheese.
I balked. “Wow. He’s offering cheese from his own plate? That’s practically a marriage proposal in this town.”
Wilfrieda caught my eye and waved me over enthusiastically.
“I’m going to check out the buffet table,” Quinn said.
Clara laughed. “For the third time.”
She and I maneuvered our way through the crowd to reach Wilfrieda and her new friend.
“Otto, I’d like you to meet my nephew’s beautiful friends, Eden Fury and Clara Riley.” Wilfrieda tilted her head to the bearded gentleman. “This is Otto Munsen. He’s new in town and he claims to be a wizard. Isn’t that a hoot?”
“I blame JK Rowling for that,” I said. “Everyone claims to be a wizard nowadays.” I did my best imitation of Hagrid. “Yer a wizard now, Otto.” I shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, all the same.”
“Eden Fury,” he repeated. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You and Wilfrieda can’t have been talking that long,” I said.
He chuckled. “No, not from Wili.”
Wilfrieda placed a hand on his arm. “If you’ll excuse me, I need the restroom. Too many glasses of wine. My system isn’t used to the excess.”
She hurried away and I clucked my tongue at Otto. “She’s literally off the bus from Iowa. Straight-up human. Why are you telling her you’re a wizard? You know you can’t go around telling strangers you’re a wizard. This is a small town. Word travels fast.”
His gaze flicked to the doorway where Wilfrieda had disappeared. “Have you ever met someone you’ve found it difficult to lie to?”
My mind conjured an image of the chief. “I guess I know what you mean.”
“I didn’t intend to tell her,” Otto said. “The words popped out before I could stop them. She’s so sweet and innocent, she simply took it in stride.”
“I think the word
you’re looking for is naive,” I said, not unkindly.
Otto nudged me. “I hear you’ve done a stellar job replacing Paul Pidcock. Those weren’t easy shoes to fill.”
My cheeks warmed. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Chipping Cheddar is pretty quiet in the grand scheme of things.”
Otto reeled back. “Are you kidding? From what I hear, this town attracts all sorts of supernaturals. The energy here is incredible.”
“Is that what drew you here?” I asked.
“Partly. I’m in the process of building a couple motels in town. A seaside town like this is prime real estate.”
Clara’s brow lifted. “You’re the one that bought the land from Edgar Fulke?”
His head bobbed. “That’s right. Took a little time to get my permits approved after that, but the mayor was instrumental in helping me move things along.”
“What’s your secret?” Clara asked. “That land has been in the Fulke family since they first settled here. I thought they’d never sell.”
Otto shrugged. “They decided it was time to relocate. They’d had enough of Maryland winters.”
“Can’t blame them for that,” I said.
“I don’t know,” Otto said. “I haven’t experienced winter here yet, so maybe I’ll eat my words, but this place is magical. Days on the Chesapeake Bay and nights at the best seafood restaurants on the eastern seaboard.” He shook his head. “I’m living my best life here.”
“I’m glad one of us is,” I said.
He cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t love it here? I thought it was a requirement for residence.”
I laughed. “I grew up here. My family still lives here. It’s different for me.”
Otto pressed his lips together. “Ah, yes. Family is complicated. I understand.”
He had no idea. “Have you met any of the local wizards? There are quite a few.”
“I haven’t had the pleasure yet, but I’ll get around to it. I’m somewhat of an introvert, but I would love to make an effort to tap into a network of supernaturals in Chipping Cheddar.”
“There are plenty of us here thanks to the portal and the vortex,” I said. The powerful energy from those places drew supernaturals here like kittens to catnip.
“I see your flute is empty,” Otto said to me. “Can I offer either of you lovely ladies a glass of wine? I spotted a bottle of Bordeaux with an excellent review from Wine Enthusiast. Smooth as a velvet glove, I believe it said.”
Playing With Fury Page 3