Page 5 of Beary In Love

"Until I nearly blew up your vintage espresso machine."

"Water under the bridge, dear." Nina waved her hand, purple sparks dancing from her fingers. "The usual for both of you?"

The menu board above the counter shifted, chalk letters rearranging themselves into new specials.

Julie nodded. "What about those amazing roast beef sandwiches?"

"Coming right up," Nina replied with a warm smile.

Serena and Julie soon settled at a corner table beneath floating lanterns that cast a red glow over their faces.

"So," Julie said between bites of her sandwich, "have you given any thought to what you'll do? Since the vet clinics aren't hiring?"

Serena watched a teaspoon stir her drink on its own. "I might have to look for something else. Which sucks because-"

"Because animals are your life," Julie finished. "But maybe there's another way to use your skills?

"Right now, I can barely organize my moving boxes." Serena's sandwich remained untouched. "Let alone figure out how to use my skills creatively."

"You're being too hard on yourself." Julie's water glass frosted over at her touch. "Remember when you saved Mrs. Henderson's cat with that healing potion you invented? Nobody else could figure out what was wrong with it."

"That was before everything fell apart." The warm atmosphere of the café suddenly felt stifling. "Before I realized how spectacularly bad I am at making life decisions."

"One failed marriage doesn't mean you're bad at making decisions. It means some things just weren’t meant to be."

The bell's melodic chime drew Serena's attention to the door, and her heart stumbled. Logan Steele filled the doorframe, his dark hair windswept as if he'd been working outside all morning. The years had been unfairly kind to him - he'd grown more rugged, more solid.

Serena's sandwich suddenly became fascinating. "Oh no."

"Oh yes," Julie whispered, a grin spreading across her face.

"Don't you dare wave him over."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Julie's innocent tone didn't match her mischievous expression.

Serena peeked up briefly. Logan leaned against the counter, speaking in hushed tones to Nina. His forearms - corded with muscle and bearing fresh scratches - rested on the worn wood. His plain black t-shirt stretched across his shoulders as he gestured with one hand, clearly explaining something with intensity.

"Stop staring," Julie murmured.

"I'm not staring. I'm... observing."

Nina's hands danced through the air as she talked with Logan, purple sparks trailing from her fingertips. Whatever they discussed had her excited - or concerned.

"I should go," Serena whispered, pushing her chair back. "Before he-"

"If you duck out now, you'll knock over that floating tea tray behind you," Julie pointed out. "And then he'll definitely notice you."

Serena froze. Sure enough, a tray loaded with steaming cups hovered just behind her chair, waiting to deliver its cargo to another table. She sank back down, trapped.

"This is karma, isn't it?" Serena adjusted her glasses. "For that time I turned down your brother by pretending to be allergic to water witches?"

"First of all, that was hilarious. Second, you're just going to have to face him eventually. Saltwater Grove isn't that big."

Serena pretended to be absorbed in her sandwich. But she watched Nina and Logan from the corner of her eye.

"Your neck's going to cramp if you keep sitting like that," Julie whispered.

"I'm not sitting like anything." Serena straightened. "I'm eating lunch."

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