Page 49 of Of Poison & Pumpkins
As the back door opens of its own will, an orange ball of fur catapults onto the street. Goosie, acting as deprived and lonesome as ever, rubs his face against Elias’s shin, circling him crazily. It’s a miracle that he doesn’t trip.
“Goosie!” Elias lifts him over his head to the skies. “How dare you leave your youngens!” He shoves his face into Goosie’s fur, then looks at me. “Take a picture of us.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now. Because I can tell you’ve shunned me for all eternity, so when you next swipe your pictures, you’ll see us, the adorable pair that you hate to love, then feel obligated to message me.”
He’s wrong, but I snap a picture anyways.
“I know you can’t stand the sight of my adorableness, but I need to put together a bookshelf for Kurt later and could use your help.”
I cross my arms. “I’m super busy.”
“But you loves puzzles. You’ll want to take charge for what thingy goes in what hole,” he says, gesturing obscenely.
I roll my lips in, refusing to smile.
“Get it?” He nudges my side. “Thingy? Hole? Oh man, you’ll miss my jokes by lunchtime, Sunflower. You’ll be begging me to return to your side.”
“Rynn Dynn-a-Lynn is that you?” Tinsley hollers down the hallway.
“Yeah, one second.” I nod to Elias. “Uh, thanks for the ride.”
A puff of lavender greets me as I march into Palooza. Expecting Elias to follow, I wait for him to accidentally knock something over, whether it be the purple pots for the petunias or the purple antique typewriter.
“You got a large package while you were gone.” Tinsley points to the door where a giant box leans, forming a slanted ramp against the wall.
Normally, I’d haul it away immediately so it wouldn’t block any customer’s path, but the store is empty, dead, a dusty vase holding nothing but my failed hopes and dreams. There’s no point in pulling a muscle to lug that thing to the back when we clearly won’t make another sale for the rest of eternity.
I groan, cover my face with my hands, and lean my ass onto the register counter.
“Any luck on your voyage to the magical realm of unicorns?” Tinsley winks suggestively.
I spread my fingers so she can see my glare and roll my eyes. “No. Alexandra is also cursed. So now we don’t even know who took the paint.”
We watch Elias, who is now at the front, singlehandedly moving the massive package. As I admire the flex of his muscles with each tug, Tinz slides next to me, bumping my hip with hers. “Have you noticed the way that man looks at you? Hot tamale, Rynn! Every time you glance his way, his face lights up like he’s discovered a land of treasure. And every time your back is turned from him, there’s a dark hunger in his eyes.”
“You’re …”
“Don’t you accuse me of lying, missy.”
“Fine,” I whisper and clamp my hand over her mouth. “We might’ve kissed a little.”
Her eyes widen, but she takes the hint and doesn’t let a squeak slip out. It’s obvious she wants every detail, that she has a hundred questions, and will be planning a sleepover with three bottles of wine soon. But I’ll have nothing to tell her because that physical connection with Elias, as intense as it was, can only be a one-time thing. I refuse to open myself up to something that won’t last.
“He’s been acting weird,” I whisper.
“How? Like he’s-in-love-with-you-weird or he-buried-a-body-weird?”
“Uh, this is Kurt’s order. I think they delivered it to the wrong address,” Elias yells over to us from a squatted position. “Sorry, we’ll get this out of your way ASAP, but I don’t think I can carry it alone.”
“What is it? A ninety-inch tv?” Tinsley asks.
“It’s gotta be longer than seven feet,” I say.
“That’s what she said,” Elias mumbles, chuckling to himself.
I shake my head and continue our chat at the lowest volume possible. “He’s not himself today. It’s like something got under his skin. I don’t know what it is. Usually, he’s peppy, in that endearing way, ya know?” I pause, watch him grunt in frustration at the heavy box, then continue, “A switch flipped in him. He’s still trying to joke around, but it’s like he’s only half-present, distracted or worried.”
