Page 190 of Blue Moon Mistress

“People aren’t up for barter or trade.”

He chuckles, uncomfortable. “Right… Did I ever have a chance?”

“You’re a nice guy, Anthony. Try being a good one.”

He nods, but it’s a stilted, jerky movement. “Okay…” He looks down at my empty hands on the counter and seems to shake loose of the confusion that’s held him. “Did you just come to tell me? Or did you need supplies?”

“Both. Can you get the ladder?”

He looks up at the top shelves with a little concern. “Sure.”

While he works on that, I pluck one of the slim baskets from beside the door and scoop up four green candles, a few dried bundles of rosemary and a small box of dried chamomile. The other items I pluck from baskets and racks are all things I have at home, but driving there and back would take far too long. And I don’t want to leave them alone—even with Elaria—for that long.

“What do you need me to get down?”

“The tektite please, and that chunk of Carnelian that’s been languishing for three years.”

“Really?” He looks up at the two stones with a scowl. “That’s a hefty price tag, Scar.”

“I know.” And getting the guys back to normal is worth any amount of money.

He places the ladder and then slips back behind the counter, coming back with two pairs of white gloves.

He hands me one and I put them on as he climbs the ladder.

The strangely round piece of tektite comes down first.

It’s about the size of a softball, and it doesn’t even have a card in front of it with a price. Those who can’t afford it assumed it wasn’t for sale. Those of us who can… know that the number would scare the others away from looking at anything else in the stone section.

I take it to the counter, placing it on the velvet mat he’s laid out to keep the stones from scratching the glass. He’s beside me a moment later with the enormous chunk of carnelian. It’s so big, I honestly thought it was fake the first time I saw it.

“You sure you want these?”

“Ring me up and tell me the damage.”

I hand my card over to him though, and we both know he doesn’t actually need to say the amount out loud.

Once he’s got the stones wrapped up, and the rest of the purchase bagged, he scowls at them. “How far away are you parked?”

“The usual distance.”

“Pull up to the loading dock. This is too heavy to carry that far.”

Ten minutes later, they’re in Elaria’s trunk and Anthony is eying the car with a look of pure jealousy.

“Don’t drool on it, it’s a friend’s.”

He smiles, which is an improvement.

“See you later Scar. Don’t do anything to get yourself in more trouble.”

“Of course not.” I slip into the car and look at him in the rear-view mirror. “I’m the one cleaning up the messes.”

Elaria has made a literal ton of food. And as soon as I get my boxes inside, she takes me by the hand and drags me into the kitchen too.

“Sit.” She says, placing a souffle style quiche in front of me. “You can’t take care of them if you don’t take care of yourself as well.”

There’s another knock at the door and Elaria points at me. “Don’t you dare.”

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