Page 26 of One Last Wish

“No! And you can’t tell him. He’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Girl, youarefucking crazy. Even with those eyebrows. Why are they dark and not grey like your hair?” She really wasn’t helping. Why was she randomly bringing up my eyebrows? “Look, I’ll be back Saturday. I’ve done some shopping for you so you won’t starve.” She handed me a plastic bag. “The pumpkin pie is in there.”

“Evelyn, you didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but I care about your crazy ass, okay? I don’t give a shit that you probably hate me. I needed to know you’d get a decent meal.”Damn her!

“I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for all this.”

“No problem. Enjoy your alone time. The same as every other freaking day.” It was Evelyn’s last attempt to get me to go to her parents with her.

“Have fun with your folks,” I mumbled, getting up and leaving.

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DAISY AND ALICE WEREbehind the cashier’s desk when I arrived back at Bookends. Malcolm was talking to Theo near the newDark Nexusdisplay. The author was coming in for a signing at the start of next year. Darce must have been on his break. I couldn’t see him anywhere.

“Alora.” Malcolm motioned for me to join him and Theo when he spotted me.

“I need to put this in the fridge.” I held up the food Evelyn had gotten me. “I’ll be two minutes.” Malcom nodded, going back to his conversation with Theo. The guy hadn’t even let me take my coat off.

I internally groaned when I saw Darce in the breakroom, reading a book.The firstFuture of Dawnbook?Hewasdoing his homework.

“Evelyn, your roommate, seemed nice,” he muttered, not looking up from his book. “Well, before you dragged the poor girl away. Why were you so worried about her talking to me?”

“Don’t even start,” I glared, opening the fridge and putting the plastic bag inside. “Evelyn is a flirt. I was saving you.”

“Looked like you were trying to save yourself to me.”Ugh!Slamming the fridge door, I started to make my way out of the breakroom. This man was unbearable! “Alora? Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“WHAT?” I fumed, turning around with a rage so strong, I might have had steam coming out of my ears.

“You’ve still got your coat on?” The smug look on the bastard's face didn’t help. Taking my coat off in a fluid motion, I threw it at him.

“Make yourself useful and hang that up for me,” I seethed, storming off.

With a deep breath, I counted to ten before I reached the ground floor. I walked over to Malcolm and Theo, who were still deep in conversation.

“Alora and I have prepared most of the decorations already,” Theo was saying as I approached them. “Isn’t that right, Alora?”

“Yeah, I’ve ordered some red and yellow drapes to put at the top of the stairs. It will give it that dramatic effect when people walk up to the top floor to get their books. Having it on the top floor will mean they’ll browse and might buy more books that catch their eye.”

“That is really clever marketing, Alora,” Malcolm praised. “Make sure you display all the other wizard books well. Readers like similar stories.” I’d be displayingdragonbooks because that was whatFuture of Dawnwas about, but I couldn’t be bothered to correct him. Malcolm often got books mixed up.

“Alora has it all covered. Darce is working with us now, too,” Theo replied, watching me.

“How many tickets have we sold so far?”

“Around fifty.” I was impressed with myself. For a first ever midnight release party, that was pretty good. When Evelyn and I went to Book Junkies first a couple of years ago, there had only been around thirty people.

“Fantastic!” Malcolm beamed. “Keep up the good work. I’ll lock up tonight. Everyone can get away a bit earlier.”Wow!That was a first. Malcolm acting like amanager. “It’s Thanksgiving, after all.”

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