Page 34 of A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street
I look around to see Witt making his way down the street, and even with so many people between us, his eyes catch mine and a smile brightens his face. He excuses himself politely through the crowd until he’s standing right behind me.
‘Where’s Gaston when you need him? Surely they’re about to lead a braying mob up to the castle?’
It really is like the moment Gaston waves around a flaming torch and rallies the villagers to storm the Beast’s castle, and I turn around and look up at him. ‘I don’t think you want to be here for this. The shop’s unlocked; go in and make yourself at home. You aren’t going to like what we’re saying about the person you’re working for.’
‘On the contrary, I’m fascinated.’ Instead of slinking away like I thought he might, he shuffles closer, folds his arms, and leans them on my upper back, trying to make himself shorter so he doesn’t block the view of anyone behind.
I crane my neck until I can meet his eyes. ‘You comfy up there?’
He grins back and leans further into me. ‘Extraordinarily so.’
I smile to myself as I go back to watching the festivities. He’s the perfect height and I love that he’s comfortable enough to lean on me. His body is pressed tight against mine, and Istillwant to reach back and pull him even closer.
My hair is such a mass of curls that it makes me look taller than I am, and I can feel his chin brushing against it every time he moves.
‘What’s the total for petition signatures now?’ Imogen calls.
Lilith, who is well on the way to her hundredth birthday, is sitting down outside the teashop she runs and jabbing at a calculator on the table in front of her. ‘Twenty-two thousand four hundred and twenty-two. An increase of 3,000 from last week. That Cinderella dress has upped awareness.’
Every eye in the street spins to look at me. So much for being invisible.
‘It’s increased footfall no end,’ shouts one of the girls from Christmas Ever After, the year-round festive end of the street.
‘The website’s servers overloaded one afternoon. People who haven’t heard of Ever After Street before are looking it up and making plans to come here,’ Jackson, Scarlett’s boyfriend, says. ‘Bookings at Rapunzel’s salon are increasing daily.’
Even the eyelinered magician who works the carousel is staring with intense dark eyes. ‘More people are bringing their kids. The carousel hasn’t stopped turning since that dress went up, and it’s only going to get busier with half term in a couple of weeks.’
‘Glad to have helped,’ I say meekly, because everyone’s looking at me eagerly. Even with Scarlett’s enthusiasm, I didn’t expect it to makethismuch of a difference, and so quickly. And I never thought it would have such a far-ranging reach that it might help improve things for the other shopkeepers too. It should be a cause for celebration, but with Witt standing so close, the guilt is clamouring a little bit louder than the positive things. All of this is only happening because I’m letting him believe we’re looking for the missing Cinderella when he’s literally leaning on her.
‘Well, let’s keep it going,’ Lilith says. ‘The more coverage we get of this Cinderella story, the better it will be for all of us. More visitors equals more signatures and more anger for the supermarket to come up against.’
‘We’re all feeling so helpless, and that dress makes us feel powerful again,’ Imogen says. ‘The amount of interest it’s getting might give us a chance.’
‘It’s bringing attention to Ever After Street at the time when we most need it.’
There’s suddenly a murmur through the crowd and I hear whispers. ‘Is that him?’
Witt’s hands move to my shoulders and he ducks down, hiding his face behind my hair. So many pairs of eyes looking at him is clearly making him uncomfortable.
The meeting draws to a close, and as people start to disperse, everyone comes over to us.
‘A fabulous idea to create a real-life fairy tale.’ The woman from the Christmas end of the street shakes both our hands.
‘Thanks for your help, handsome,’ Imogen says to Witt.
‘Thought I’d seen you around these past few days.’ Lilith hobbles over and raises an arm to pat his cheek, and he ducks to let her when he realises she’s on tiptoes and still struggling to reach. ‘Tea and coffee on the house for you, pet. Come in any time.’
Witt stutters out responses, blushing red, and clearly surprised by the attention.
‘Hope you find her.’ Ali owns the 1001 Nights restaurant, famous for their unique promise that if you eat there 1001 times, you get the next 1001 meals for free. No one knows whether Ali is his real name or just a nod toAladdin. ‘You’re investigating the castle, right? Have you found out what happened to the missing viscount and viscountess?’
Witt shakes his head.
‘I heard his wife killed him and ran off with all his money,’ Ali says.
‘I heard she cheated on him and he drowned himself in the river because he couldn’t cope with the betrayal,’ Imogen says.
‘No, no,’ Lilith corrects them both. ‘It was murder-suicide. He killed his whole family and then himself.’
