Page 14 of Faking with the Fae King

I chuckle and shake my head as I walk past the closed ice cream shop, for once not upset by the infamous pothole that dominates the street in front of it. That pothole has been the bane of my existence for years, swallowing every bit of blacktop poured into it and the town’s entire road-works budget. “I’ll get you yet,” I mutter. “I’ll get my magical fiancé to fix you once and for all.”

Or for at least two weeks, until our initial deal runs out, because without control of my witchy powers, I’ll lose this Bachelor-style competition, and all the wonderful magical protections and perks will fade away.

No. I’ll find my magic and win these bride trials so I can marry Severin and make the protection permanent.

The key twists in the lock, the front door of I Touch My Shelf swings open, and the familiar scent of paper wraps around me like a hug. My fingers find the light switch without fumbling, the bookstore like a second home. Table and floor lamps snap on throughout the shop, in an eclectic assortment of Tiffany stained glass thrifted over the years, no two alike. Their golden glow lights the display tables piled with featured books as well as the wooden bookshelves that line the walls and fill the side of the store. I head straight for the seating area, made up of comfortable velvet-covered couches in burgundy and old-gold.

“Oh, good, you’re here!” Skye shoulders through the door, her hands full of a wide tray covered in…

“You made your special cupcakes!” My mouth waters as the sweet scent hits me.

“Of course I made cupcakes! You got engaged,andwe’re finally starting a book club.”

Skye’s grandmother used to run the town bakery, but it closed a few years ago. The old woman gifted one of her famous recipes to each member of her family, and Skye got cupcakes. But not just any old cupcakes. No, these are cupcakeperfection—moist vanilla cake topped with buttercream icing laced with the rich hint of butterscotch. The only thing missing from the ones she carries are sprinkles, but I bet that’s on purpose.

“You mean our excuse to drink and hang out?” Autumn steps inside. Unbleached canvas tote bags dangle from each hand, glass bottles clinking softly in time with her metal bangles. She bustles over to the side table that holds a small coffee maker and starts setting up, pulling out a handful of liquor bottles, vodka, rum, coffee liqueur, and cinnamon whiskey. The rest of the bags are filled with paper cups, cereal milks, flavored syrups, and ziplocked bags of cereal. My friend specializes in three different cereal milk cocktails and makes them better than any bartender: cinnamon crunch cocktails, cocoa puffs white Russians, and crunch berry cocktails.

“You brought extra!” Skye snatches up a bag of cinnamon toast cereal and sprinkles pieces onto one of the cupcakes. She’s topped her bright-pink dress with a black shrug cardigan and changed into platform pumps to match, taking her outfit from day to night.

“Of course I did!” Autumn grins at Skye and startsmaking a cinnamon crunch cocktail for her. The sweet and shy librarian has a hidden spicy side.

“You guys are the best!” I step between them so I can wrap an arm around each. “Thanks for doing one of your coordinated cupcake and cereal milk cocktail nights for me.”

“It’s not every day we get to celebrate an engagement.” Autumn gives the cocktail shaker a good swirl. “Plus, I don’t get to do this that often. The farm has been busy.” Her family owns a goat farm that uses the milk to make soap, and my friend’s been working extra to save up to open a retail store featuring all of their products.

“I’m glad you’re both early, because I have something to tell you, but I can only tell you two.”

They stop what they’re doing and look at me.

“The engagement and marriage to Severin? It’s all fake.”

They both shake their heads as a tiny ripple of magic zings through the air.

“Oh, my god!” Autumn presses a hand to her face. “Why wasn’t I worried about you marrying a complete stranger until just now?”

“My head feels funny,” Skye says, her face scrunched.

“Severin did some kind of spell to make our fake engagement seem real and to get people to accept the fae,” I say. “Me telling you the truth broke its hold on you.”

“You just said fake engagement. You’re not going to marry him?” Autumn asks as Skye just gapes at me, her eyes filled with worry.

“Oh, I’ll marry him,” I mutter. “But it’s all fake. It’s only for a year, and he made it crystal clear he’ll never feel anything for me.” I’m just a “simple” little human, after all.

“Then why are you doing it?” Skye asks.

I outline his promise to protect Ferndale Falls from people unfriendly to magic. They both frown at me, so I add on the part about him getting new businesses for the town.

“You’re going to marry a stranger just to protect the town?” Autumn says. “That’s a bit much.”

“Hey! You’ve seen the movies! What do you think will happen if wedon’thave some kind of protection? I don’t want to wind up in the magical equivalent of Area 51.”

My friend’s lips twist, but she doesn’t tell me I’m wrong.

When the door handle jiggles, indicating someone else is about to enter the shop, I blurt, “We can’t talk about the marriage being fake in front of the others. It’s part of the agreement.” As the door swings open, I whisper-hiss, “So act happy for me.”

“Yo, bitches!” Jasmine bursts through the door in a whirl of bright color and smiling joy, her turquoise top making her warm brown skin gleam. A matching satin scarf lifts her brown hair high so it fountains from the top of her head in a riot of curls. She’s about as tall as me, except she’s got better curves.

“Hello!” I laugh, trying to act as happy as I’d be if I genuinely got engaged.

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