No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells (Mystic Cafe Series) (19 page)

“
Ideally that would be nice, but I don’t know how the magic works. Maybe it stops him from saying what he really wants to say.”

She shrugged. “I guess. What about Tom? Do you really trust that guy?”

“
I guess so, I haven’t checked up on him, though.”

“
Maybe you need to. Sometimes people aren’t always who they claim to be. Perhaps a little background check is in order. What can it hurt?” Mary Jane asked before stuffing a forkful in her mouth.

I chewed my bottom lip, considering the question. “I wouldn’t even know where to start. Who would I ask?”

“
I don’t know, Elly, but we have to think of something. Mystic Café is where you need to be. This is what you need to do. You’re good with people. And I must admit, I didn’t think you’d do so well with the cooking, but you’ve managed to keep the burnt items to a minimum.”

“
Gee, thanks for noticing.” She ducked when I threw a towel at her.

“
What do you know about this National Organization of Magic place?” She licked her fork.

“
Well, I asked my grandmother and she backed up everything Tom claimed about them. And I trust her. She says they keep law and order within the magic world. So I have to do what they tell me to, if I want to keep the café.”

“
What happens to you if they close the café?” Mary Jane asked, then frowned.

I knew she didn’t want to hear the answer. The last thing I wanted was for Mary Jane to be out a job. “I guess I’d move. Maybe go back to the city and look for a job and pray I found one.”

“
I’d miss you. Things wouldn’t be the same around here without Mystic Café.”

“
I’d miss you, too.” I reached across the table and hugged her. The smell of peach pie tickled my nose.

“
Hey, it’s not goodbye yet, we don’t know anything. Everything will work out. We have to keep a positive attitude.” Her words were garbled by a mouthful of pie.

“
Think positive.” I nodded. “You’re right.”

“
Besides, maybe you wouldn’t have to move, maybe there’s something else in this town you could do.”

I raised a brow. “Seriously? I don’t think so. Even you know that.”

At the sight of my lifted brow she said, “Well, I’m not going to stand around and let that snake, Kim, ruin everything.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Besides not wanting you to lose the café and my need to keep this job at least until I finish night classes, I want you to be with Rory. You two would make a perfect couple.”

Just her mentioning us making a perfect couple made me blush and I was sure Mary Jane noticed my flushed cheeks.

“
You do like him. Admit it.”

I shrugged. “He’s okay.”

She dipped her finger in the
whipped cream
and licked it off. “And he likes you, even if you did spray whipped cream in his face.”

“
Thanks for reminding me, I was trying to forget.”

“
I’ll never let you forget that. He probably got a good laugh out of it, too.”

“
Oh, he laughed all right, but I think he was laughing at how much of a fool I am.”

“
Nonsense, he likes you, too. I think he doesn’t know what to do now that Kim is back in the picture. I don’t see how any man could be with that woman. I mean, sure at first, the pretty package on the outside is tempting, but once they open it up, they have to want to return it immediately.”

I laughed. “I know I’d want to return her as soon as possible.”

Chapter Twenty-
Six

Twenty-four hours until the café was closed for good and I intended to make the most of the day. I’d make the best food Mystic Hollow residents had tasted. Well, the best food they’d tasted since Grandma Imelda left. And unless I figured out something in a hurry, the café would be history and so would any romance with Rory.

“
So, Mary Jane, you got any wild plans tonight?” I asked, as I handed her a customer’s order.

“
Me? Wild plans in Mystic Hollow? You know better than that. Wait. Maybe I’ll head over to the Dairy Queen and check out the new blizzard flavor. Or cruise around the town square a few hundred times.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’ve made your point.”

She delivered the food, then returned to where I stood. “No, no plans. Not tonight or any other night as far as I can tell. There’s slim pickings around these parts.”

“
Oh, come on, there has to be somebody you’re interested in.”

She stared at me for a beat. “I know that look in your eye. Your grandmother tried her magic on me before and it doesn’t work.”

“
It doesn’t work? Then why does Rory have women following him around like little lost puppies? Why is his ex-girlfriend back in town? Is it just a coincidence that after I did magic for those specific things that now they’re happening?”

“
No, no coincidence.” She sighed. “The magic works, but let me clarify something. It doesn’t work for me. Okay? So get that little glimmer out of your eyes.” She pointed, giving a dire warning.

“
Do you think the magic doesn’t work for some people?”

She shrugged. “I think some spells don’t work for some people. Like when Imelda did the spell for my hangover, it worked. But I know for a fact she’s tried love spells on me before and, needless to say, they didn’t work. So, to answer your question: I don’t know.”

“
I think maybe I’m only attracted to Rory because of the love spell. Somehow the magic may have gotten to me, too.”

“
Oh, Elly, I don’t think so. In my opinion, there has to be something about the individual people and magic, because I haven’t been affected by the spell. Don’t get me wrong, Rory is gorgeous, but when I see him, I think of my slightly older brother. So don’t be so sure that your feelings for him are based on magic.”

She had a point. I hadn’t noticed her being googly-eyed around Rory like the other ladies. If I only knew how the magic worked. Were some people more susceptible to it? Maybe there had to be underlying feelings for a spell to affect one person and not another. Or some kind of connection? I liked to think of the magic as a little booster of fate. It was only pushing forward what would inevitably happen anyway.

There should be some kind of magical orientation for this stuff. Classes or, at the very least, a pamphlet explaining this stuff. The magical folks were so secretive…even grandma. It was as if they wanted me to learn as I went, and how could they not expect me to make mistakes like that?

I nodded. “You’re probably right. I’ve got so many thoughts in my head at this craziness I don’t remember which way is up. Anyway, let’s talk about Mystic Hollow’s handsome Sheriff Jasper…” An innocent little smile curved my lips. “I saw the way you looked at him the other day when he came in. I think you have the hots for him. You’d really like to butter his biscuit.” I wiggled my eyebrows.

She threw a towel at me. “Stop. He’s not interested in me.”

“
How do you know?” I placed a hand on my hip.

“
I just do. He doesn’t pay any attention to me when he comes in. I saw him just the other day at the Piggly Wiggly and he didn’t even notice me.”

“
Did you speak to him?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

She looked down, picking at the edge of her shirt. “Well, no.”

“
Did you do anything to let the man know you were in the store?”

“
Not exactly.” She picked at a loose thread on her shirt.

“
Uh-huh. Just as I thought.” I clucked my tongue.

“
What was I supposed to do? Go streaking through the store?”

“
Sure. If need be, why not?” I smiled.

“’
Cause I’d get arrested, that’s why,” she chided.

“
Well, he’d be the one arresting you, so is that such a bad idea?”

“
I’d prefer if the first time he saw me naked wasn’t under the harsh lights of the produce section. It’s bad enough with the lights off.”

I chuckled. “Seriously, I think I’ll get him in here for a little lunch. Or maybe breakfast? You know how he loves those pastries. If the café has to be closed and I can’t practice magic, at least I’ll have done one last kind act before I’m locked out. And admit it, he does have nice biscuits.”

In spite of her nonchalant demeanor, as I stared into her bright eyes, a small spark of hope flickered.

“
Whatever you say, but I don’t want someone to like me only because of some magic spell.”

I shook my head. “Mary Jane, Mary Jane. You know that’s not how it works.”

She tossed a sugar packet in my direction. “Shut up. You don’t even know how it works.”

“
I do know how it works. I’ve been reading
Mystic Magic
.”

She quirked a brow. “You’ve been reading the book, huh?”

“
Okay, I don’t know exactly how it works, but practice makes perfect. I’ll just do a spell to make him notice you. Sometimes men can be clueless. What am I saying? A lot of times men can be clueless.”

“
I can’t argue with you on that one.”

“
He just needs his eyes opened, that’s all. He’s too busy looking down to notice. He needs to lift his head up and see the world around him. I’ll find a recipe for something wonderful. I’ve wanted to try something new anyway. He won’t be able to resist. Plus, it’ll help me get a little closer to the truth behind this magic stuff. Why certain spells work for some people and not others. Now, make sure to put your lipstick on.” I pointed at her face.

She rolled her eyes. “What for? He isn’t coming in here right now. You’re too much, do you know that?”

“
You love it. Don’t tell me you aren’t a little excited at the prospect. You two would be perfect for each other. Movies and late night walks under the stars holding hands. A little smooching and…” I wiggled my brows.

“
Stop it. Your eyebrows are going to fall off if you keep doing that.” Her cheeks blushed.

“
Okay, I’m getting busy finding a new recipe.” I moved toward the kitchen.

“
I heard he likes cherries.”

I turned around. Her face was still flush. “Is that right? And where did you hear that?”

“
Through the grapevine.” She traced an invisible line on the table with her index finger.

“
You’ve been checking up on him and haven’t told me? What’s wrong with you?”

“
I haven’t been checking up on him, per se. Just asked a few people some questions, that’s all.” She studied her fingernails.

“
But you don’t come to your best friend for a little help? I’m hurt.” I held my chest as if I’d been stabbed through the heart.

“
You’re busy with other stuff. You don’t have time to worry about my love life.” She waved off my feigned hurt.

“
I don’t have time? Mary Jane, you’re my best friend. I always have time for you. Don’t say such things. Now why don’t you help me find a recipe? Grab a few of those cookbooks.” I pointed toward the shelf across the room. “I’ve got some more in the back. I’ll go get them.”

I headed to the back room and collected a few of the dessert and breakfast cookbooks. I’d help Mary Jane find her happily-ever-after man. If I couldn’t help myself, I’d help her. Rallying around others was much more fun, anyway. Seeing a smile on Mary Jane’s face would make me happy.

When I returned, she’d sat at one of the tables. The sun shone through the window, casting a yellow glow over the area. Mary Jane whistled and swung her leg as she flipped through the pages, never looking up to notice me watching her. She was happy already just thinking about Sheriff Jasper. Wait until something really happened, she’d be over the moon.
Mary Jane hadn’t been this excited since Ruby Hawk opened a nail and tanning salon across the street from her house.

“
Here’s a few,” she said as I approached. “Cherries with lots of icing.” She pointed to the page.

“
Sounds delicious. The more cherries, the better off we’ll be.” I set my books down and grabbed hers.

We settled on the
cherry pie recipe
. But not just any cherry pie, it was a new recipe—bigger and better. I decided to call it cherry crumble pie since I modified the ingredients from the original.

Earlier, I’d mixed together silky smooth flour with salt, butter, and water so I’d have dough waiting in the refrigerator for me when I needed it
.
As I placed my hands into
the soft dough
,
I
filled my mind with good thoughts.
Having negative thoughts while preparing the crust wouldn’t help when I cast the spell. Grandma Imelda always said a loving heart made for heavenly cuisine. With one glide of the rolling pin, Rory’s smile popped into my head
.
Another slide across the dough, and Grandma Imelda’s sweet voice echoed through my mind. I rolled the pin again and the smell of my mother’s gardenia perfume filled my senses.

Once I finished with the rolling pin, I patted the crust down with my open palms. When I was sure my crust was smooth, I placed it into the pie dish, covering the glass as if I were covering a baby with a blanket. In the center of the pie, I’d added a little heart, made from extra crust and cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. This would be the ultimate love pie—the magic spell would come later. Proud of my work, I poured the filling into the crust. The smell of cherries filled the air around me as I dotted butter across them, then placed the top crust on. With a knife, I trimmed the top crust, then folded it under the bottom pastry.