Page 27 of Bewitched & Bewildered
I move out from behind the counter. A few otherwitches browse the shop, my cat prowls around, and the bun is safely upstairs. Aiyla doesn’t like crowds.
“What can I help you with?” I linger near the pair.
The younger one looks me up and down. A slow smile appears on her face. It’s as if she’s noticing me for the first time.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “Do you own this place?”
“Yes…” I chuckle nervously.
Where is she going with this? It should be evident that I’m the owner. Hasn’t Juniper told her about me? My eyes drift to Juniper, and I tilt my head to the side, begging her to answer a silent question.
What is going on here?
“Wow,” the stranger says. “You have got to be the hottest shop owner I’ve ever seen.”
My eyes widen. That’s not what I was expecting. This Hawthorne seems to handle things differently from her sister.
“Laurel!” Juniper hisses. For once, her glare is pointed at someone else. “Be professional.”
“It’s fine.” I scratch the back of my neck. “Let me know if I can help you guys with anything—any supplies, I mean, not?—”
“We get it,” Juniper says.
“Cool.” I turn away, desperate to avoid the younger Hawthorne. “I’ll just…”
Juniper’s voice makes me freeze. “Actually…we have a few questions for you.”
I wheel back around. “Oh?”
Juniper nods. “We were wondering how much you charge for, say, a tarot deck.”
Last I knew, Juniper was planning on reopening herfamily shop. I can’t imagine why she’s interested in one of my decks, but I’m curious. I’ll bite.
“That would depend on the deck,” I say. “Come on.”
I have an impressive collection of cards. Some I brought from Boston, and others are from local artists. We stop in front of the display, and I gesture vaguely.
“The traditional one,” I say, “goes for twenty bucks. But if you want this hand-painted… that’ll be closer to fifty.”
“This one is gorgeous.” Laurel gasps, brushing her fingers against the gold-foiled letters on the box.
Juniper swats her hands away. “We have better decks at home.”
“I guess…” Laurel frowns. She doesn’t seem so sure.
Juniper hesitates before turning away from the decks. Her eyes wander to the stack of bundled herbs—rosemary, lavender, and more. “What about the bundles?”
“Five bucks,” I say. “For any of them.”
“You go with a flat-rate price?” Juniper asks.
“It’s easier that way,” I say.
My suspicion grows by the moment, but I continue playing her game.
“And your crystals?” Juniper asks. “Let’s say, a generic clear quartz.”
I click my tongue. “That depends on the size. You know that.”
