Page 35 of Rafael

Gisele nodded. “Of course I do. Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

Lena frowned as Gisele walked past her. “We have a counter agent?” she whispered.

“We do,” Gisele assured her. She walked into the small bathroom at the rear of the shop and dug in the cabinet until she found what she was looking for. She poured a medicine cup full of the special elixir that would set Derek on a course to full recovery and carried it out to the afflicted teen. “This is my grand-mère’s go-to tonic for overdoses of LP#9. Drink up. It might take a few hours for the magic to work, but by morning, you should be just fine.”

Derek managed to pour the fluid past his swollen lips and swallowed. He handed the little cup to Gisele and gave her a distorted smile. “Thank you.”

“Thank you.” Lana hugged Gisele, whispering in her ear, “If not for you, I might never have known Derek loved me. You really are magical.”

Gisele smiled and waved a hand toward the contents of her little shop, giving it a touch of drama. “I only use Voodoo to help people,” she said.

“Well, you helped us.” Lana smiled, tucked her hand into the crook of Derek’s elbow and left the shop a lot happier than when she’d blown through the door minutes before.

Gisele’s gaze followed the young couple until movement near Johnny’s cage caught her attention.

Rafael stepped out into the open, a smile spreading across his face.

“How long have you been standing there?” Gisele asked.

“Long enough to bond with your feathered friend.” He tipped his head toward the entrance. “I came in behind the lovebirds.”

“So, you saw all that?”

He nodded. “I did. You might want to consider renaming LP#9.”

Gisele sighed. “I thought it was a fun play on Love Potion #9, and I’ve been very careful to tell customers it’s not a love potion but a lip plumper.” She shook her head. “But you’re right; it’s time to rethink the name.”

Lena walked past Gisele, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. “I hope you and your man don’t need me to stay late. I have a date for the concert tonight at the festival. Want me to turn the sign over?”

“Please,” Gisele called out to her assistant as the younger woman reached the entrance.

Lena flipped the sign fromOpentoClosed. She paused in the doorway. “You’ll have to show me where to find the elixir to counter LP#9 in case I need it for another overdose.”

“Tomorrow,” Gisele called out with a grin.

Lena left the shop with a wave.

Gisele followed her to the door and twisted the deadbolt. Then she turned and leaned against the door, aware that she’d just locked herself in withRafael. A shiver of excitement almost reenergized her tired body. “What a day.”

“I bet you’re tired,” he said. “You’ve had a constant flow of customers all day.”

She nodded. “Nothing like a little drama to cap it off.” Gisele pushed away from the door and walked back to the counter where Lana’s bottle of LP#9 sat next to the empty medicine cup. “Someday, I’ll look back on that little episode and laugh.” She smiled. “I’m just too tired right now. Poor Derek.”

“You have antidotes for all your potions?” Rafael asked.

“No,” she said and scooped up the medicine cup and lip plumper bottle. “But I have a bottle of liquid antihistamine in my first aid kit for allergic reactions to peanuts, wasp stings, mosquito bites,” she snorted and held up the hand with the bottle in it, “and now LP#9.”

Rafael chuckled, the sound warm and intoxicating.

Gisele could get drunk on his laughter. Or was she just weak from hunger? “Can I help you with something?”

“No. But I might be able to help you.” He held up a bag. “I brought you a present.”

She swayed toward the bag, a little lightheaded. “If it’s food, I’ll love you forever.”

His lips twisted. “Sorry. It’s not food. However, I whipped up a pot of taco soup in my apartment. Playyour cards right, and I’ll share with you…after I install your present.”

Her mouth watered at the prospect of taco soup. “You certainly know a woman’s love language.”

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