Page 23 of The Fangirl and the Grump

ChapterTen

Trace

The instant I walk into Moonstone Mystic, something feels off. Not in a bad way, necessarily. Just…different. Almost…electric.

I search the shop for the cause, then freeze when I meet the blue-eyed gaze of Keegan Carpenter. I blink a few times, but she doesn’t vanish.

She’s still there, looking right back at me from behind the counter.

Wait. What’s she doing back there? I search the space for my sister, but she’s nowhere to be seen.

“Good morning. What can I get you?” Keegan calls out, and I let my eyes fall closed for a moment as I take a deep, calming breath.

When I reopen them, she’s watching me with a blank expression. There’s no hint of the angry, hissing wildcat who flipped me off almost a week ago.

“Just a regular drip, black,” I say as I approach the bar.

“You got it,” she says, moving to fill a paper cup for me without further comment.

When she hands me my order, I narrow my eyes at her. “You work here, now?”

“Yep,” she says, moving further down the counter to wipe it with a damp hand towel.

I feel summarily dismissed, and I don’t like it.

“Where’s Willow?” I ask, and Keegan jerks her head to the right without meeting my eyes.

“In her office.”

Spinning on a heel, I stalk around the counter like I own the place. Keegan still doesn’t look at me as I stride past her, and for some reason, her lack of reaction pisses me off. Gritting my teeth, I head straight for Willow’s office, barely sparing a quick wave for Chuck as I pass through the kitchen.

“What’s she doing here?” I ask without preamble the second I lay eyes on my sister.

“Well, good morning to you, too,” she replies, her tone flippant and slightly annoyed.

“Good morning,” I grit out as I grind my molars together. “Why isshebehind the counter?”

“Jesus, Trace, what crawled up your ass and died this morning?” When I just stare at her without responding, she sighs. “I needed help. Keegan needed a temporary, part-time job. I like her, and we get along well. It’s a win-win for both of us, so don’t fuck it up for me. If you’re going to come here for coffee, you need to be nice to her.”

My expression turns incredulous as I absorb her words. Is she actually chastisingme? I don’t like it, especially coming from my baby sister.

She holds my gaze, though, not backing down even an inch.Fuck. She’s serious.If I don’t mind my manners, she’ll fucking blackball me without hesitation. And she’ll be pissed at me on a personal level, too.

“Fine,” I grunt, then spin and leave the room without another word.

I don’t even look in Keegan’s direction as I head back out. I see her in my peripheral, though, watching me as I move around the counter and head toward the exit.

“Have a wonderful day. Come back and see us soon,” she calls out as I reach for the door, and my back stiffens at the note of sarcasm I hear in her voice.

Fighting the urge to spin around and toss out some dickhead response, I keep moving forward until the door swings closed behind me, and I’m safely across the street. Only then do I slow my steps and try to analyze what just happened.

Why does seeing her affect me so…powerfully? It’s like she’s burrowed under my skin. I can ignore the feeling––mostly––until I lay eyes on her, and then something just breaks. My emotions are all over the place. I don’t know what it means.

And I don’t fucking like it.

When I get back to my office at the inn, I sit behind my desk and get to work. And byget to work,I meanpretend to stay busybecause I can’t concentrate on anything. After an hour of getting absolutely nothing done, I pull out my phone and shoot off a text to Bram.

Me:What are you up to today?

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