Page 6 of The Rhino's Rose

“Off you go!” Lexi says, cutting me off while moving behind me to not-so-gently push me toward the door.

Did she put a spell on my feet? Because I’m walking out of the flower shop like I’m on a mission, despite the rising panic inside me.

Even though the shop has been steady since opening, the traffic on the street is light and careful, as always.There’s no risk of being struck by a vehicle when I step off the curb. Nobody speeds here. Dangerous driving—heck, dangerous anything—doesn’t exist in Fate’s Falls. The town and all the surrounding area within the Oracle’s boundary is secret and safe, protected by old, powerful magic. All I get as I cross the main street is a friendly honk and wave from one of the relatively new residents as she drives past.

Like so many of the human women in Fate’s Falls, she’s blissfully happy with a nonhuman male. Ro’s orc mate isn’t the biggest monster in town, but he’s huge compared to her. And from the girl talk I’ve heard on more than one occasion, the orc is significantly oversized in his…private area.

His private area.That’s the best I can come up, even inside my head?

Attempting to talk to Cornelius is a surefire recipe for embarrassment. I’m going to open my mouth and choke on my words, as I always do, only this time will be worse because I won’t have the benefit of casual, neighborly proximity. If I walk over to his jobsite, where I have zero business, it’s intentional. There will be no hiding behind a car or bush. No dashing for the door to escape. It’ll be personal.

I’ll be lucky to squeak out my usual hello. That’s if he stops working long enough to acknowledge my presence. He might not; I’m just his neighbor. Actually, no, I’m his neighbor’s daughter. This whole “offer him a cold drink and a hot view” idea is destined to blow up in my face.

I should turn around and march directly back to myflower shop. Yet, here I am, stepping inside The Brew and taking my place in the short lineup of customers at the town’s most popular coffee house and brew pub. Lexi must have put a spell on me. Meaning, I have no free will in the matter.

And…maybe I’m not entirely mad about it. When I make a fool of myself in front of Cornelius, I’ll be able to play the “this wasn’t my idea” card and blame it on Lexi bespelling me. Cornelius will give me one of those deep, rumbling chuckles that make my insides go from warm to molten in the time it takes to blink. I don’t get to hear his laughter or voice nearly enough.

Plus, I’ll get a few seconds of up-close time. I’d prefer a less-clothed view—like the ones I get from my bedroom window while he’s in his backyard pool—but he’s delicious in his work clothes, too. Every time he carries one of the enormous stones into the store they’re renovating, his t-shirt looks as if it’s ready to come apart at the seams. A girl can hope.

“Rose!” Dela greets me as if we’re two friends meeting for a coffee date, rather than a coffee barista and customer. It’d be fake coming from some people, but not Dela. She’s the most genuinely sunshiny person I know. Which is pretty amazing for someone with her life experiences.

Compared to Dela, I got lucky. Garion rescued me from the clutches of my biological father’s repulsive business associate before anything truly traumatic happened. Dela wasn’t so fortunate. She literally died atthe hand of her ex-boyfriend before getting a second chance at life here in Fate’s Falls.

“We don’t usually see you here in the middle of a workday,” she says while I scan the beverage menu board. “What a treat for us and you.”

“Lexi offered to watch my store for a few minutes.”

“Oh, how nice.” As the words leave Dela’s lips, the other barista, Shay, snorts under her breath while using the espresso machine behind Dela.

It’s no secret that the two women aren’t the best of friends. Shay and Lexi are both witches, but from different covens, and with very different magical skill sets—and personalities.

Ignoring Shay, Dela continues on in her ever-friendly way. “So, what can I get for you?”

“Um…” For the life of me, I can’t call up any memory of what Cornelius drinks. All I know is that he makes me very thirsty.

Dela tracks my gaze as I turn my head and look out the window, toward the store down the street where Cornelius is currently standing out front, assessing a pile of rocks before picking one up with ease and carrying it inside. “Cornelius is your neighbor, right?”

“Yes, for five years,” I say, blinking my attention back to where it belongs.

“Has he told you anything about the renovation he’s working on over there? I’ve tried getting a peek inside on my way past, but the windows are covered up without even a tiny gap in the paper. There’s not much that’s secret in Fate’s Falls, but I haven’t heard a peep aboutwho bought the store, only that it’s someone new to town.”

And just like that, I have a legitimate reason to go talk to Cornelius. A subject to focus on. Maybe today is the day I stop stammering and squeaking in his presence, and have a full, adult conversation with him.

“I don’t cross paths with him very often at the house, but I’ll take him a cold drink on my way back to the flower shop, and see if I can get any details.”

“That’s a great idea! Should I make his usual, or do you want to choose something?” Dela hovers one hand over the takeout cups on the prep counter behind her.

“His usual, please,” I say, accepting another of Dela’s unintentional gifts to me, since I have no idea what kind of drink to order for him.

“Coming right up.” Dela gets to work filling a large cup with several liquids, a handful of some sort of greens that look suspiciously like lawn clippings, and?—

“Is thattreebark?”

Nodding, Dela’s smile shifts from general good-natured happiness to what is unmistakably pride. “When I learned that Cornelius is a vegetarian by nature, I did a little research into his species’ preferred greenery intake, then modified one of our drinks to include local plants that are most similar.”

“That was so thoughtful.” Logically, I know the jealousy creeping up from the pit of my stomach is unfounded. Dela only has eyes for one monster in town, and he’s not my rhino man. Still, her knowledge about Cornelius is like a little kick in the aspirations. I’ve livednext door to him for five years and had a crush on him for every single one of those days, yet I didn’t know he’s a vegetarian, or that it’s innate rather than a choice. It’s my own fault for becoming a blushing bumbler anytime he gives me even brief, basic attention.

“And what can I get for you?” she asks, setting the tall beverage on the counter. Whatever the greens she added were, they gave the drink an almost neon glow.

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