A Hint of Magic by Alaine Allister

was simply what happened in a town the size of Sugarcomb Lake.  Curious glances, raised eyebrows and hushed whispers were the norm. 
    Even so, Clarissa couldn’t help but feel flustered.  She knew every person in the coffee shop was wondering if she and Parker were dating.  Couldn’t anyone ever just mind their own business?
    “Hi,” Clarissa murmured, nodding cordially at a table of women she recognized.
    Truthfully, she knew a lot of people in the coffee shop – almost all of them, probably.  Even the ones she didn’t know by name still looked vaguely familiar.  She had likely seen them around town before. 
    Over by the window were The Pearl Clutchers.  The middle aged, excessively prude ladies were busybodies who took pleasure in judging those around them.  Even now, they were staring down their noses at Clarissa, their lips pursed in expressions of blatant disapproval.
    They were probably thinking she was dressed like a slob.  Or maybe they didn’t like the shape of her nose or the way her hair was cut.  With those ladies, everything was fair game.  And they were notoriously hard to please.  Clarissa had stopped caring what they thought a long time ago, as the mental gymnastics were far too exhausting to bother with.
    “I’ll get the coffee,” Clarissa told Parker.
    “Okay,” he said, pulling out his wallet.
    “No, put that away,” she ordered.  “You bought last time.  It’s on me.” 
    She snuck a glance over her shoulder at The Pearl Clutchers. 
    The old fashioned, highly critical ladies were within earshot.  They were, of course, listening intently.  Clarissa felt a strange sense of satisfaction at the looks of horror and disapproval on their faces when they heard that she was buying.
    She smirked to herself and sauntered up to the counter as Parker went to find them a booth.  She had accepted long ago that it was impossible to keep a low profile in Sugarcomb Lake.  It was a town where everyone knew everyone else’s business. 
    So if she couldn’t keep a low profile, then she was at least going to have a little fun at the busybodies’ expense.  Actually, it would be fun to play a little prank on The Pearl Clutchers sometime, provided they pushed her far enough.
    Clarissa wouldn’t do anything too terrible, of course. 
    She didn’t want to actually hurt anyone.  She simply wanted to entertain herself a bit.  As she stood there at the counter waiting for the coffee, she couldn’t help but daydream about ways she could use her magic powers to have a bit of harmless fun. 
    She wondered if there was a spell in her aunt’s book of potions to turn them into toads – that would be awesome!  But really, she would also settle for bestowing the “gift” of a long-lasting bout of hiccups.  Was that too cruel?  Or was it just cruel enough?
    Realistically, Clarissa wasn’t actually going to do anything to the women.  She wasn’t quite that spiteful, and they weren’t treating her any differently than they treated everyone else.  But she nonetheless liked knowing that she had the power to do something to them if she was so inclined.
    “Here you go,” the coffee shop owner said, sliding two coffees across the counter.
    “Thanks,” Clarissa smiled. 
    She located Parker at a booth by the front window and carried their coffees over.  He was just ending a phone call.  She sat down across from him and waited patiently as he finished up his conversation.  When he hung up, he looked pleased.
    “I called the gym Greg used in Green City,” Parker informed Clarissa.  “I spoke to a very nice, very chatty employee.  She verified what Ted told us.  Greg got in a fight there about a week ago.  It was over something minor – equipment or something – but it escalated quickly.”
    “So Ted was telling the truth,” Clarissa concluded, unsurprised.  It fit what everyone else had been saying.  Besides, she couldn’t imagine Ted badmouthing his deceased brother without