Page 2 of The Incubus's Angel
My whole body brightens at the thought of designing a wedding cake. “Oh! I’d love that. Whose wedding is it?” Even if I’ve only been on the island for a short time to help out with the shop, I’ve met a couple of creatures here and there.
Hooking her free arm into mine, we head inside as Aunt Annamae explains, “It’s Tilly and Bodin’s wedding, but in his culture it’s called a claiming ceremony. I think you met them at the hospital in Cape Easton?”
My eyes linger on a vase of wildflowers on a corner table as I try to place the names. “I vaguely remember two others in the waiting room with Uncle Richard, but can’t say I remember meeting them. It was such a blur when I heard you were at the hospital. I honestly just rushed in and didn’t pay attention to anything or anyone else. Oops.” The tips of my ears heat as I cringe at myself, embarrassed that I don’t even remember what they look like.
Aunt Annamae waves a dismissive hand, her viny bangles jostling with the motion. “That’s okay. Tilly is the nurse who moved here not too long ago, and Bodin is Starry Hill’s cottage caretaker and Doc Calla’s son.”
Biting my lip as I filter through everyone I’ve met, I come up blank when I don’t recall seeing anyone who looks like Doc Calla. “Is he also a goblin?”
“He’s an orc and Tilly is human,” Aunt Annamae says as she pours us cups of green tea. I don’t attempt to halt her motion but rather accept my cup with a small smile and pretend to take a sip.
I honestly can’t stand the flavor of green tea, but I don’t want to be difficult either. I’d hate to be a bother to anyone. When she heads home I’ll make myself a coffee just the way I like it.
“That’s cool. I think I’ve seen them both around town. What are they looking for in terms of flavors for the cake?”
Aunt Annamae takes a seat at the long wooden counter next to the pie display case as she explains, “Tilly said she wants something to celebrate the community. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I’d say they’re open to interesting flavor combinations. I think they’re almost as adventurous as us,” she adds with a wink.
I pull out the chair next to her, my mind already spinning with ideas. “That’s fantastic news to me. I think it’ll be good to keep the flavors local then, see what we can find around the island that can represent the community.”
Patting me on the shoulder, Aunt Annamae says, “That’s really clever, Maisie girl.”
I offer her a warm smile and ignore the sweet nickname, switching topics when a thought strikes me. “What about a tangerine base for the cake? There’s that grove between your cottage and the main part of town that I pass almost every day. I picked a tangerine earlier this week and basically fell inlove. It had such a rich tang that I demolished it on the spot, grabbed a bunch more, and rushed back here to start playing around with flavor palates. I have about ten different ideas for tangerine-based desserts alone.”
Head bobbing excitedly, Aunt Annamae’s knee-length hair sways behind her and she brings it over her shoulder to lay across her lap. “Yes! I love that! Remind me later to tell you the interesting tale about how that tangerine grove came to be.” Thankfully she doesn’t continue with that topic because I can only imagine the grove has something to do with her sexy escapades with my uncle, and I definitely don’t want to know more about that.
Aunt Annamae grabs a notepad and a pencil from next to the cash register. Her eyes narrow in thought as she sits back, tapping the pencil lightly against her bottom lip. “What would you pair with tangerine for a wedding cake? Chocolate frosting? Avocado?”
Bouncing slightly in my seat, my whole body tingles with excitement. “I think we can push it a bit further. How about… coffee and… cinnamon?”
Pencil pausing, eyes rounding, Aunt Annamae’s face lights up with an approving smile. “That would be such a memorable statement. Let’s plan a couple more flavor combinations that we can put on the grazing table, and then we can suggest them together to Tilly when she stops by after work today.”
“Yes!” I pull out my own notebook and pencil from my bag behind the counter, trying to decipher my nearly illegible scribblings. “I’ve also been working on a gluten-free cake recipewith almond flour and tangerine puree that we can use to make a smaller alternative to the main cake.”
“Tell me more.”
I lay out about ten more options of flavor combinations I’ve been experimenting with, all based around tangerines—from cakes to tartlets, from profiteroles to tangerine-and-ginger cookies, until Aunt Annamae’s filled numerous pages with my rambling stream of ideas.
Leaning back in her chair, Aunt Annamae studies me with unmasked appreciation, as if seeing me for the first time. “You’re really clever, Maisie. So creative. I think Starry Hill will be good for you, and the gods know you’ll be good for Starry Hill, too.”
I sit up slightly straighter in my seat, my inner self preening at being seen, my opinions being valued.
Maybe this wedding—claiming ceremony—will be the first step to finally cementing my identity, not just for my family, but for myself.
Chapter 2
Ren
It’s way too early to be up by anyone’s standards, but when one of the very few friends you have is getting married, then you’ll do anything to celebrate with them. It’s not often someone finds their forever love.
Though, why Bodin and Tilly chose to have a ceremony at sunrise still mystifies me. It’s almost on the edge of being cruel for those of us who hate early mornings. Not that I’ll share my complaint about it with anyone. That’ll require crawling out of my shy shell and finding the nerve to get superpersonal with someone.
That’s a goal for another day. An eventual goal. Maybe. But not today.
Right now, my goal is to leave the house, plod over to Kraken Cove, and pretend not to be bothered by all the stares in my direction.
I adjust my glasses, pushing them higher up my nose, then take a fortifying breath before I place my hand on my door handle.
You’ve got this, Ren. Who cares if they stare? You’re fine. You’ll be back home in one hour. Two hours tops.
