Page 48 of Of Poison & Pumpkins
“Did you get the Waken County Emergency Text?”
We both dig into our pockets for our phones.
“Don’t have service,” I say and glance at Rynn.
“Me either. Is it about flooding?”
“No. The council has sent out a mass message saying that we’re in a state of emergency because of the amount of people affected by the ‘Dazed Epidemic.’ The officials are asking anyone who has information about someone called the ‘Purple Princess’ to come forward.”
“We need to go to the authorities.” I pop up from the bed. “Let them know about the cursed paint.”
“No!” Rynn jumps to her feet, too. “That would be turning myself in. I’ll lose my shop, my independence, my reputation, my freedom.”
“If we explain it right, they’ll understand that you didn’t mean any harm.”
“Yeah, right,” she snorts. “I gave Fuzers a weapon of revenge. Sure, it was stupid little curses like not remembering a towel after showering, driving on an empty gas tank, or accidentally buying expired milk, but they were still meant to do harm. I ran an illegal, unregistered business.” She takes a deep breath. “Do you know what happens to Fuzers who are considered dangerous in Waken County? They’re stripped of their magic. I’ve seen it happen to Tinsley’s cousin.”
“I won’t let them take your magic.”
“Elias, that’s not something you can promise!”
“Fine!”
“Fine!” she hollers back, then quickly takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.
During an awkward few minutes of feeling like we’re all wandering in a secondary dimension of confusion, I’m furious at myself for the drastic turn of our evening.
“I figured out why you look familiar,” Viv says to me. “You have to be Noah’s son. Noah Thoren?”
My mouth must hit the floor. “How do you know my dad?”
“Oh, we go way back. His cousin lives with my neighbor now. I heard from him today. We’re catching up next weekend.” She smiles as if reminiscing from the good-ole-days. “I can’t wait to meet his new partner. They looked so good in that picture. Where did they cruise together?”
No words come.
“Well, they seem happy together,” Viv says. “We have plans to meet at Tanya’s Teahouse on Saturday.”
Speechless. My mind is blank.
Another lightning strikes like a dividing line creating a before and after moment. Before Viv bolted into this room with mind-blowing information and after. Why is Dad in town? To see me? Did he hear about Pumpkins doing well? Why hasn’t he reached out yet? He’s dating someone? Maybe he doesn’t have my number. What if he only has the address of my store and hasn’t been able to find me? Because I’m here, forty-five minutes away, stuck on a unicorn farm in a thunderstorm with someone who doesn’t want to date me.
I need to leave the second this storm blows over.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Rynn
After a tense ride home the next afternoon, Elias rolls his car behind my shop. He takes up two spots, because, apparently, he can.
“Are you going to re-park?” I ask, looking into the side mirror or honestly, anywhere other than his eyes.
“She can speak!” Elias says sarcastically as he steps out of the car. “That’s the first thing you’ve said to me all day.”
How am I supposed to have a normal conversation with him when all I want is to confess my feelings? With a sigh, I grab my backpack and exit. Sunshine splashes on my forehead and the birds chirp a welcome home song. Behind Blake Street, there’s not a shred of evidence from the apocalyptic storm last night, only a soft breeze that wafts his cologne towards me—a refreshing scent I can’t describe but that feels like a blanket on my soul. I breathe Elias in, possibly for the last time, as I have no intention of torturing myself by spending more time together. I’ll have to figure out my problem alone.
We’ll go back to shop owner rivals: that’s a role I can manage. In my store, doing my job, I won’t have to spend my days wondering when and how Elias will kiss me next or what other skills he’s mastered. Once I focus on my routine, like inserting numbers into our spreadsheet, ordering more inventory, and changing the display in the bay window, I’ll be distracted enough to erase his smile from my mind. There are too many tasks to complete to imagine how his hands would feel running up my thigh.
Our little adventure at Hooves of Love was a one-time thing. After my shift, I’ll let Elias know he needs to find a different place to sleep. I’d been naïve to invite him in the first place.
