Page 27 of Guarded By the Gargoyle

Decision made, I put the whole mess out of my mind and tried to relax in the tub.

12

WILLOW

Ihad the best sleep of my life in the Flower Bower. The cottage was the perfect temperature and the bed was just the right combination of firm and soft. It must have been a magical mattress because nothing ached when I woke up—not even my lower back which twinged sometimes if I slept in the same position for too long.

I took a shower—the claw foot tub had turned into a shower stall, probably because the cottage somehow knew I preferred a shower in the morning and a bath at night—and got dressed in my clothes from the day before, which had been cleaned and pressed for me.

“I could get used to this,” I murmured as I finished dressing and checked my appearance in the oval bathroom mirror over the sink. “I just wish I had my makeup so I didn’t look so tired,” I added, frowning at my pale cheeks and the dark circles under my eyes. Even a good night’s sleep hadn’t been able to erase the effects of yesterday’s stress.

At once, a familiar looking makeup bag appeared on the side of the sink. It was mine—from home, I was surprised to see. So apparently the Flower Bower was able to bring things I wantedover to Hidden Hollow as well as making new things appear—interesting.

I used my makeup to cover my dark circles and I couldn’t help thinking that if Kael hadn’t healed me, I’d be using it to cover the bruises Carlo had left as well.

The thought provoked a heavy sigh. I had thought I would never have to worry about bruises or black eyes again after I finally got divorced. I wondered if Carlo might forget me again but I doubted it. My ex was like a dog with a bone when he wanted something. Probably he was thinking of me right now and wondering again why he had ever let me go…

The thought sent a shiver down my spine and I did my best to push it away. Tucking the small makeup bag into one of the roomy pockets of my skirt, I went downstairs.

Goody Albright and Kael were sitting together at the little kitchen nook, talking. The small dinette table and chairs were completely dwarfed by the huge fallen angel—he looked like an adult sitting in a kid’s chair. When he turned to look at me, I felt my cheeks get hot with a blush.

“Er, good morning,” I said lamely.

“Good morning, Mistress,” he rumbled and I thought how beautiful his lips were and how his mouth had tasted…like warm honey.

Luckily Goody Albright was there to break the tension. She stood up with a wide smile on her face.

“There you are, my dear! I hope you don’t mind me being here—Kael let me in.”

“Oh, of course not. It’s your cottage, after all. It’s amazing how it makes things appear,” I added, smiling politely.

“Yes, I had a very strong Heart’s Desire spell put on it when I placed the magical wards,” she explained. “That’s why it’s able to manifest whatever you wish for.”

“Well, it’s been a magical night staying here,” I told her. “And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. But now I really need to get home to my shop and my cat.”

I put a hand in my other pocket for the lion-head key but Goody Albright put a hand on my arm to stop me.

“Wait please—before you go, just come to The Lost Lamb for a pastry. They have the most amazing almond croissants and to-die for donuts in the morning.”

“I really shouldn’t,” I said. But my stomach was growling and the idea of a fluffy, flaky croissant was certainly tempting.

“It will only take a minute—it’s right up the street,” Goody Albright promised. “Please come—you can meet some of the townsfolk.”

“Well…” I didn’t really want to meet a lot of new people, but I didn’t want to be rude either. She had let me stay in her magic cottage for free and all she was asking was that I come meet a few people and eat a pastry with her. I couldn’t really refuse—it would be rude.

“Please?” Goody Albright asked again.

“All right.” I nodded. “I just can’t stay too long—I need to get back to my shop. I left the back door wide open,” I added.

“It’s an hour earlier where your shop is,” Goody Albright reminded me. “You don’t want to go back in the dark, right?”

She was right about that. I would prefer to return to the shop during the light of day rather than running into someone who might have wandered in, in the dark. That decided me completely.

“All right,” I said. “Let’s go.”

“I will come as well,” Kael said. He had been silent up until now, just watching us talk. Now he rose from the kitchen nook table, towering over both of us.

“Er…okay,” I said, since he was looking at me. “But I’m going home alone,” I added.

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