Spells A La Carte (Mystic Cafe Series Book 3) (2 page)

Mary Jane had known about the magic long before I had. She’d promised Grandma Imelda she wouldn’t tell until the time was right. I was surprised that she’d been able to keep the secret. Mary Jane had a voice loud enough to break the sound barrier. She loved to talk and she was known to let a few things slip once in a while. I’d learned that the hard way.

Not long ago I’d learned that my sensitivity to magic had increased. Thank goodness things had started to settle down now. I still felt magic all around town though. It was so strong at times that it gave me a headache. When someone used it nearby, I felt it. I thought the particularly strong spells were the ones giving me the headaches. It was hard to get used to this since not that long ago I hadn’t even known about the magic around town.

Not to mention that now I was sending out a magical aura. Grandma Imelda told me that Mary Jane was sensitive to my magical energy. It was affecting her. She had never been sensitive in the past when Grandma Imelda had used magic. Grandma Imelda didn’t know why this had changed. What would happen now that my energy was affecting Mary Jane? I had no idea. Maybe that was why my magic had been improving.

As Mary Jane carried the plate to the table, I decided to head over and see what happened. I wasn’t sure if the spell would work, but I had my fingers crossed. Also I wanted to see if the customer liked my new peach pie recipe. After the café closed I was seriously considering having a slice.

As soon as Mary Jane left the plate, I sashayed over to the table behind the man and pretended to sort the sugar packets in the little container. The recipient of my magic was with another man, who hadn’t ordered dessert. I wouldn’t hold that against him though.

His phone rang again. I leaned a little closer to eavesdrop.

“You’re kidding,” he said.

I held my breath, waiting to hear the outcome of the call.

“That’s great. Thank you,” he said.

Now I was excited.

The man clicked off his phone. “Yes! That was them. I got the apartment,” he said to his friend sitting across from him.

“Yes!” I said without thinking.

He turned around and looked at me.

“I got the sugar packet to go back in the container,” I said.

He quirked a smile and nodded. I knew he thought I was wacko, but I didn’t care. My spell had been successful. I had been on a roll lately. I slipped back toward the kitchen with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

Yes, things were definitely better in the spell department. I was thankful that the rough time I’d had when I first took over my grandmother’s café was behind me. Sure, it had taken a while for me to get the hang of the spells, but I guess there was a bit of a learning curve. But I finally think I was getting the hang of things.

I grabbed a couple of oven mitts and pulled the freshly baked biscuits from the oven. I placed them on the counter so I could add the final dose of the spell. That would come in the form of a dot of butter on top. I’d also added a happiness spell to the dough. 

I’d just finished the last biscuit when Mary Jane bounced through the door. I’d seen that look on her face before and I knew I probably wouldn’t like what she was about to say.

“Is something wrong with the food?” I asked.

Mary Jane frowned. “No, not that I know of.”

“Okay, then what is it? I know something’s wrong by the look on your face.” I pointed at her face.

She picked at the hem of her apron. “There’s someone in the dining room asking to see you.”

The last time that had happened I had been under investigation for a spell gone wrong. I was doing better with my magic, so I really didn’t think that was the case now. At least I hoped not.

Mary Jane and I slipped over to the little service window so that we could spy on this person.

Mary Jane nudged me. “Scoot over, you’re taking up all the room.”

I inched to my right. “Who is it?”

Mary Jane threw her hands up. “How am I supposed to know?”

“I mean is it that woman over there?” I asked. She was the only one I didn’t recognize.

Mary Jane shook her head. “Yes, that’s her.”

The woman wore her dark hair pulled up into a bun. She wore a tailored black suit with a white shirt underneath. A pearl necklace was draped around her neck and matching earrings decorated her earlobes. She looked as if she was on official business with a black leather briefcase in her hand.

I kept my gaze focused like a laser on the woman. “I don’t like the looks of this.”

“I don’t either,” Mary Jane whispered.

“I suppose I should go out there and see what she wants, right?”

I wasn’t looking forward to this encounter. What could the woman possibly want?

Mary Jane didn’t look at me, but she said, “Yeah, I suppose you should. Just think positive. It’s probably nothing bad.”

“Thanks for trying to cheer me up. But you’re not a great actress.” I wiped my hands on the apron and pushed through the swing door toward the woman. She had taken a seat at the counter now and was perusing the menu. By the scrunched-up look on her face, I guessed she didn’t like what she saw.

I stepped over to the woman and plastered a huge smile on my face. “Welcome to Mystic Café. May I help you?”

She looked me up and down. ”Are you Elly Blair?”

At that moment I wanted to say no, but I knew that wasn’t an option. “Yes,” I said, a little guarded.

She shoved her hand toward me. “My name is Reagan Baer-Turner.”

I stared at her. Was I supposed to recognize the name?

“With the National Organization of Magic,” she added.

That was what I’d been afraid of. I released a deep breath and then asked, “Did I do something wrong?”

She chuckled. “No, not at all. I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Whew. “In that case, can I get you something to eat or drink?” I gestured toward the glass dessert display as if I was a gameshow hostess. “We have some of the best desserts this side of the Mason-Dixon line.”

She glanced down at the menu again and then placed it back on the counter. “No, thank you. Actually, I’ll just get right on with why I’m here. I came to tell you that you have won an award with the Organization.”

“Wow, I didn’t see that coming,” Mary Jane said from across the room. I’d known she had been listening.

Now I was excited. I’d never won an award before. Me? An award? “What’s the award for?” I asked.

“Most Improved Magic,” she said. “And in such a short time, I might add. I came to present you with the award.”

An actual award! Something I could display so that people wouldn’t think I was lying when I told them my magic was better.

I glanced down at Reagan’s bag. She waved her hand. “Oh, I don’t have it with me right now. I thought maybe you’d like to call your grandmother first. I know she would be proud.”

“Do you know my grandmother?” I asked.

“Yes, everyone knows your grandmother. She makes the best potions around.”

It was hard to live up to my grandmother’s skills. “Calling her would be great. I’m sure she will be just as excited as me. Maybe even more.” I knew there was a time that Grandma Imelda had thought I’d never catch on to the spells. Even though she would never admit it.

“Great. I’ll give you some time to place the call and then come back.” She grabbed her bag. “I just arrived in town. Can you point me in the direction of a quaint little inn?”

“Well, there is the motel out on highway twenty-two. But you’d probably like Roxanne Beams’ place. She has a cute little inn here in town. The setting is so tranquil. It’s like something straight out of a magazine.”

“That’s great. If you have the address I can map it on my phone.” She pulled out her cell phone.

I jotted down the address and handed her the paper. “If you drive by the old gas station you’ve gone too far.”

I had to say this was a surprise. Why hadn’t anyone called me and told me about this award? Of course the person who came to mind was Tom Owenton, but it had been some time since I’d spoken with him. Why would I expect him to call just because I’d gotten an award?

Reagan pushed to her feet. “I’ll see you soon. And congratulations again.”

I waved. “Thank you.”

As soon as Reagan reached the door, Mary Jane raced over. She grabbed me and gave me a big hug. “Wow. I guess you really showed the Organization. I knew you would be great at the magic.”

I grabbed my cell phone and dialed my Grandma Imelda. After a couple rings, she picked up.

“Is everything okay, dear? What happened?”

It was a little sad that the first thing she thought was that something had to be wrong. And it wasn’t because I didn’t call her. I called at least once a week to check in, but she was just a little jaded after all that had happened since I’d taken over the café. 

“Nothing’s wrong, it’s just that someone just stopped by from the…” I stopped myself. I wouldn’t start the sentence with that because that would freak her out. “The Organization wants to give me an award,” I yelled into the phone.

I’d barely spoken the words when she let out a scream. “See, I knew you had a natural knack for the magic. Didn’t I tell you that?”

“Well, yes, you did.”

“When do they give you this award?”

“I’m not sure. She said she’d give me a chance to call you since she thought you’d like to know.”

“Who is this woman?” Grandma Imelda asked.

“Her name is Reagan Baer-Turner. She said she knows you.” I waved at a group of people who entered the café.

“Hm. I’m not familiar with the name, but maybe it just slipped my mind. You tell her not to give you that award until I get there.” Grandma Imelda used her strict voice, which wasn’t all that stern.

“What? You’re coming here?” I asked.

“If my grandbaby is getting an award then I am there.” Her excitement practically bounced through the phone.

Her enthusiasm made this that much more exciting. “I’ll see what I can do, Grandma.”

“Good. I’ll call you with my flight info and when to pick me up from the airport.” Grandma Imelda ended the call abruptly. She was probably already packing.

Mary Jane looked at me when I hung up the phone. “She’s on her way, right?”

I laughed. “Nothing could keep her away.”

“I don’t blame her. She’s proud of you.”

“It’s not a big deal. She shouldn’t go to all the trouble.” I tried to play off my excitement.

“There’s no way she will believe that.” Mary Jane pointed toward the front of the café. “Check it out. There’s a sign in the window now across the street.”

Mary Jane and I had been watching for weeks now to find out who was opening a boutique across the street.

“Oh! What does it say?” I rushed over to the door with Mary Jane.

Mary Jane and I crowded up to the door. The customers looked at us oddly, but went back to their food. We watched the woman across the street as she placed the open sign in the window. We hadn’t seen this much excitement in town since I had messed up the magic and someone from the Organization had been murdered.

The woman was about my age and had blonde hair cut into a chin-length style with bangs. She wore a tight red dress with gold jewelry around her neck, on her wrists and from her earlobes.

“She’s fashionable.” Mary Jane pressed her face closer to the door.

We looked down at our food-stained jeans and t-shirts. There wasn’t a lot of time to get dressed up when I was always covered with flour and spices. I picked a piece of lettuce out of Mary Jane’s hair.

Just then the woman looked at us. I didn’t think she could see us from all the way over there, but she was staring in our direction.

“Do you think she sees us?” Mary Jane asked.

“It certainly seems that way, doesn’t it?” I grabbed Mary Jane’s arm and pulled her away from the window. “Just in case she really can see us, I don’t want her to think we were staring.”

Mary Jane frowned. “But we were staring.”

“Yes, but she doesn’t have to know that.” I hurried over behind the counter. “I need to get back to work anyway.”

Just then the bell above the door jingled, announcing a customer. It was the woman from across the street. Now I knew that she had seen us. She walked across the floor toward us and for a moment I just stared at her. Not talking to her probably wasn’t an option.

“Welcome to Mystic Café. Would you like to sit at a table, booth, or counter?” Mary Jane eyed the woman up and down.

At least Mary Jane had saved me from looking like a complete dope. I just hoped the woman hadn’t come over to ask what we were staring at. The way Mary Jane sized the woman up, she probably was aware that we’d noticed her.  

The woman flashed her bright white smile. “I came over to introduce myself.”

I stepped out from around the counter and stuck out my hand. At least she seemed nice. I would have to apologize for staring. “Nice to meet you. I’m Elly Blair.”

She reached her hand toward me. “I’m Meredith Meese. I just opened the shop across the street.”

“I own the café here. This is my best friend Mary Jane.” I gestured toward Mary Jane.

Meredith shook Mary Jane’s hand. “It’s so nice to meet you both.” She looked over at the cake in this display case. “Oh, I will be in trouble with your café here. Look at that cake. I gained weight just looking at it. You should just close your doors now.” She laughed.

Mary Jane and I looked at each other. Talking about closing Mystic Café wasn’t something that we liked to joke about.

“I hope you’ll come visit my shop,” Meredith said with a smile.

Her enthusiasm almost seemed forced. I wasn’t sure what made me think this, but it was something about her voice.

“I’d love to,” I said.

“Can’t wait.” Mary Jane waved.

“Well, it was nice meeting you.” She tossed her hand up and marched toward the door.

Before I had a chance to ask any more questions she was out the door and back across the street.

“She seems nice.” Mary Jane picked up a couple dishes from the table next to her.

I stared at the door. “Yes, she does, but there is something that seems familiar about her. I just can’t put my finger on it.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of it,” Mary Jane said.

I tapped my fingers against the counter. “Now I know! She is from around here. Well, she hasn’t been in town for a while. Do you remember her?” I asked.

Mary Jane shook her head. “No, who is she?”

“She was here when we were sixteen. We went to school together. Remember she was here for one year and then she left with her family?”

Mary Jane stared at me wide-eyed. “How do you remember that?”

I shrugged. “Guess I just have a good memory.” 

“Yet you didn’t remember to put the milk back in the fridge yesterday,” Mary Jane said.

I waved my hand. “Doesn’t matter. I wonder about magic. Do you think her shop will be a magic one?” Not all the shops in town were magical.

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Mary Jane leaned against the counter. “It will be good for the town to have more magic.”

I wiped down the counter. “I suppose it will be.”

There was something at the back of my mind and I just couldn’t put my finger on it. What was it about the new woman in town?