********
After a long nap and much needed shower, she headed to the bookstore to explain to her boss why her pet cat was missing. If she confessed early enough, she’d have enough time to put in a few job applications before her dinner with Kody.
When she got there, he was leaning against the wall by the front door.
“What are you doing here? I figured you’d be sleeping the day away.” That’s what she’d be doing if she could, but she was thrilled to see him.
He shrugged. “Moral support.”
“Then let’s get this over with.” She set her shoulders back and opened the door. The bell above chimed as they entered.
Mrs. Burns grinned and came around the counter to give Laney a hug. Apparently, her boss hadn’t noticed Mr. Whiskers missing or she wouldn’t be so friendly. The older witch’s face beamed as she gazed at Laney. “Everything looks wonderful, my dear. I’m so glad I have someone so responsible to depend on when I’m gone.”
Was she adding salt to her wounds on purpose? This was going to be so much harder than she thought. The best way to break an old lady’s heart was to do it quickly, like plucking eyebrows.
“Mrs. Burns, I… I…” She couldn’t do it.
But Kody could. “Your cat’s dead.”
Laney was torn between punching him in the gut for his callousness, and kissing him for taking over the unpleasant task.
Mr. Burns’ brow furrowed as she glanced between them. “What are you talking about? I don’t have a cat.”
Now it was Laney’s turn to be confused. “Mr. Whiskers. You left a note about feeding him but I didn’t see it until last night.” Her stomach twisted at her boss’s puzzled expression.
“Mr. Whiskers isn’t a cat. He’s my rare Brazilian carnivorous plant. I left a carcass for him to eat before I left.”
Laney’s body went numb. She vaguely registered Kody’s bark of laughter behind her.
“I don’t suppose dinner was a gray striped cat, was it?” All the moisture in her mouth vanished as realization set in.
Mr. Burns nodded. “Yes, that nasty one that’s been terrorizing the whole town. He messed with the wrong witch.” Her face scrunched in confusion. “Did you think that was Mr. Whiskers?”
Laney nodded, too shocked to speak.
Mrs. Burns laughed, wiping the occasional tear from her eye. “Oh, poor dear,” she said as she caught her breath. “No wonder Mr. Whiskers gulped down the raccoon I fed him this morning. He must’ve been starving. What did you do with the cat?”
Kody opened his mouth, surely to regale her of the whole, sordid tale, but one jab to his ribs shut him up.
“We buried him in the forest,” Laney said.
Mrs. Burns smiled warmly and patted Laney on her hand. “Take the weekend off, dear. You deserve it.”
Laney hugged her boss before turning to leave with Kody. Everything turned out okay. Well, except for her dog being gored, being chased by zombies intent on eating their brains, and spending four grueling hours burying all those corpses. But her spirits soared knowing her job was safe, her trip to Europe was still a go, and she gained a new friend. Sure, a friend who had a lifetime’s worth of blackmail material on her, but a friend nonetheless. And he was hot.
“So,” he said, opening the front door to the store and holding it open for her. “Shall we go to dinner?”
“Sure.” She couldn’t believe she was actually getting away with everything. Life couldn’t be better.
“Oh, I forgot to ask you,” Mrs. Burns said right before the door closed behind them. “Do you know what happened to all my candles? I can’t find any of them.”
Laney dropped her head to her chest and sighed. “So close.”
The End
Also from R. A. Gates — Pucker Up: A Damsels of Distress Novel
Ivy always thought that breaking a curse with True Love’s Kiss was the ultimate romantic gesture in fairy tales. But when she has to plant one on a prince who’s been dead for 200 years, it’s just gross.
After the “incident”, seventeen-year-old Ivy discovers she’s a witch, and she’s not at all happy about it. An underground organization of human warriors called the Eradicators are hunting her, like they do all other creatures tainted with magic—witches and wizards, werewolves, vampires, and fae to name a few. To escape, she’s found refuge in Salmagundi; a town hidden behind magical wards to anyone who doesn’t use magic.
But she can’t relax yet. The secret she keeps about her past could get her killed if discovered. Keeping a low profile is her main goal. Too bad Garren—the most obnoxious, pretentious, and not hot guy she ever met—won’t leave her alone. No other person on the planet can get her blood racing like he can.
Now the wards are failing, putting every resident in danger of being discovered by the Eradicators.
Thankfully, a possible solution has been found and Ivy is the key. All she has to do is awaken the wizard prince who cast the wards over 200 years ago and bring him back to Salmagundi to save the town. Only two obstacles stand in the way: his whereabouts are unknown and only True Love’s Kiss can break the curse he’s under.
That’s right. She has to kiss the dead guy.
Together with her cousin and tag-a-long Garren, she sets out on a quest to find her prince. After putting up with dragons, vampires and one too many necrophilia jokes, can she survive long enough to take one for the team and PUCKER UP?
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