of ginseng bath balm for a customer. When she’d followed that little tug on her sixth sense and crossed this very room to speak to him for the first time? When she’d bowed to that spark of curiosity and attraction and kissed him?
Perhaps she had made her first serious misstep only last night, by allowing herself to be led by pure emotion. Taking him into the grove, to that spot where the air hummed and the moon spilled.
She had taken no other man there before. She would take no other man there again.
At least, dreaming back, she could almost make herself believe it was the place and the night that had caused her to believe she had fallen in love.
She didn’t want to accept that such a thing could happen to her so quickly, or leave her such little choice.
So she would refuse to accept and put an end to it.
Morgana could almost hear the spirits laughing. Ignoring the sensation, she walked around the counter to help a customer.
Throughout the morning, business was slow but steady. Morgana wasn’t sure whether she preferred it when browsers drifted in or when she and Luna had the shop to themselves.
“I think I should blame you for the whole thing.” Morgana braced her elbows on the table and leaned down until she was eye-to-eye with the cat. “If you hadn’t been so friendly, I wouldn’t have assumed he was harmless.”
Luna merely switched her tail and looked wise.
“He’s not the least bit harmless,” Morgana continued. “Now it’s too late to back out. Oh, sure,” she said when Luna blinked, “I could tell him the deal’s off. I could make up excuses why I couldn’t meet with himanymore. If I wanted to admit I was a coward.” She drew in a deep breath and rested her brow on the cat’s. “I am not a coward.” Luna gave Morgana’s cheek a playful pat. “Don’t try to make up. If this business gets any farther out of hand, it’s on your head.”
Morgana glanced up when the shop door opened. Her lips curved in relief when she spotted Mindy. “Hi. Is it two already?”
“Just about.” Mindy tucked her purse behind the counter, then gave Luna a quick scratch between the ears. “So how’s it going?”
“Well enough.”
“I see you sold the big rose quartz cluster.”
“About an hour ago. It’s going to a good home, a young couple from Boston. I’ve got it in the back ready to pack for shipping.”
“Want me to take care of it now?”
“No, actually, I could use a little break from retail. I’ll do it while you mind the shop.”
“Sure. You look a little down, Morgana.”
She arched a brow. “Do I?”
“Yep. Let Madame Mindy see.” Taking Morgana’s hand, she peered, steely eyed, at the palm. “Aha. No doubt about it. Man trouble.”
Despite the accuracy, the very annoying accuracy, of the statement, Morgana’s lips twitched. “I hate to doubt your expertise in palmistry, Madame Mindy, but you always say it’s man trouble.”
“I play the odds,” Mindy pointed out. “You’d be surprised how many people stick their hands in my face just because I work for a witch.”
Intrigued, Morgana tilted her head. “I suppose I would.”
“Well, lots of them are nervous about approaching you, and I’m safe. I guess they figure some of it might rub off, but not enough to worry about. Sort of like catching a touch of the flu or something, I guess.”
For the first time in hours, a laugh bubbled up in Morgana’s throat. “I see. I suppose it would disappointthem to learn I don’t read palms.”
“They won’t hear it from me.” Mindy lifted a jade-and-silver hand mirror to check her face. “But I’ll tell you, honey, I don’t need to be a fortune-teller to see a tall blond man with great buns and eyes to die for.” She tugged a corkscrew curl toward the middle of her forehead before glancing at Morgana. “He giving you a rough time?”
“No. Nothing I can’t handle.”
“They’re easy to handle.” After setting the mirror aside, Mindy unwrapped a fresh
Perhaps she had made her first serious misstep only last night, by allowing herself to be led by pure emotion. Taking him into the grove, to that spot where the air hummed and the moon spilled.
She had taken no other man there before. She would take no other man there again.
At least, dreaming back, she could almost make herself believe it was the place and the night that had caused her to believe she had fallen in love.
She didn’t want to accept that such a thing could happen to her so quickly, or leave her such little choice.
So she would refuse to accept and put an end to it.
Morgana could almost hear the spirits laughing. Ignoring the sensation, she walked around the counter to help a customer.
Throughout the morning, business was slow but steady. Morgana wasn’t sure whether she preferred it when browsers drifted in or when she and Luna had the shop to themselves.
“I think I should blame you for the whole thing.” Morgana braced her elbows on the table and leaned down until she was eye-to-eye with the cat. “If you hadn’t been so friendly, I wouldn’t have assumed he was harmless.”
Luna merely switched her tail and looked wise.
“He’s not the least bit harmless,” Morgana continued. “Now it’s too late to back out. Oh, sure,” she said when Luna blinked, “I could tell him the deal’s off. I could make up excuses why I couldn’t meet with himanymore. If I wanted to admit I was a coward.” She drew in a deep breath and rested her brow on the cat’s. “I am not a coward.” Luna gave Morgana’s cheek a playful pat. “Don’t try to make up. If this business gets any farther out of hand, it’s on your head.”
Morgana glanced up when the shop door opened. Her lips curved in relief when she spotted Mindy. “Hi. Is it two already?”
“Just about.” Mindy tucked her purse behind the counter, then gave Luna a quick scratch between the ears. “So how’s it going?”
“Well enough.”
“I see you sold the big rose quartz cluster.”
“About an hour ago. It’s going to a good home, a young couple from Boston. I’ve got it in the back ready to pack for shipping.”
“Want me to take care of it now?”
“No, actually, I could use a little break from retail. I’ll do it while you mind the shop.”
“Sure. You look a little down, Morgana.”
She arched a brow. “Do I?”
“Yep. Let Madame Mindy see.” Taking Morgana’s hand, she peered, steely eyed, at the palm. “Aha. No doubt about it. Man trouble.”
Despite the accuracy, the very annoying accuracy, of the statement, Morgana’s lips twitched. “I hate to doubt your expertise in palmistry, Madame Mindy, but you always say it’s man trouble.”
“I play the odds,” Mindy pointed out. “You’d be surprised how many people stick their hands in my face just because I work for a witch.”
Intrigued, Morgana tilted her head. “I suppose I would.”
“Well, lots of them are nervous about approaching you, and I’m safe. I guess they figure some of it might rub off, but not enough to worry about. Sort of like catching a touch of the flu or something, I guess.”
For the first time in hours, a laugh bubbled up in Morgana’s throat. “I see. I suppose it would disappointthem to learn I don’t read palms.”
“They won’t hear it from me.” Mindy lifted a jade-and-silver hand mirror to check her face. “But I’ll tell you, honey, I don’t need to be a fortune-teller to see a tall blond man with great buns and eyes to die for.” She tugged a corkscrew curl toward the middle of her forehead before glancing at Morgana. “He giving you a rough time?”
“No. Nothing I can’t handle.”
“They’re easy to handle.” After setting the mirror aside, Mindy unwrapped a fresh
Similar Books
