Cinnamon and Sunshine Read online

He watched me carefully. “It’s just that—”

  “We’re so different,” I cut in, trying to stop the flood of awkward I was about to drown in. “Yeah. I know. You and I,” I pointed a finger at him and then back at myself, “we got caught up in the moment. But a kiss can just be a kiss, right?”

  “Right.” He nodded slowly, watching me through hooded eyes. “Right.”

  “Right,” I repeated as I stood. “Well, I think the excitement of the night has caught up to me. We should probably keep this to ourselves, huh?” I forced a laugh, trying to prove to myself that I could be as carefree as the semi-famous women Cruz was often photographed with.

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes like it had earlier. “Good night, Lexi.”

  “Night, Cruz.” I turned and heard him curse softly under his breath. He probably thought I would tell Ivy about this. No way. I didn’t want to be embarrassed at owning the fact that I had fallen for his rakish ways and had then been rejected by him. I’d never hear the end of it.

  Cruz and I? We would never work. Sure, it was fun sending flirty texts back and forth and calling each other on occasion, but it was all in fun. He was a player who had a new girl on his arm every other night. I wanted to fall in love. Cruz was a rising TV star, while I was a simple girl from Missouri who baked cookies and cupcakes. We’d gotten caught up late one evening and kissed. That was it. That was all there could be.

  CHAPTER 2

  “Hi there,” I said later that evening as I opened the door to find Justin standing on the porch of my new home.

  “Hey yourself,” Justin returned, leaning down to kiss my cheek.

  I held my breath, hoping to feel my heart do a little jump or dance or show excitement at Justin’s close proximity.

  But I only felt a dull thud.

  That was the issue I’d been pretending not to notice the last few dates. Justin was everything I should want. He was handsome, dependable, proper, intelligent. He was even a veterinarian, which worked out great because I loved animals. But something inside my heart didn’t agree with my mind. Then again, maybe that was normal. I mean, Ivy didn’t immediately take to Oliver. Eliza ran from Jake when he told her he loved her. Maybe my heart was just taking its time in deciding.

  “Oh, is this something I should expect?” Dorothy asked from the front porch. “You invite a man over for an unchaperoned rendezvous? Well, in my day—”

  I quickly took Justin’s arm, jerking him into the cottage, and shut the door to stop Dorothy’s tirade. Justin ceremoniously bent down to untie his shoelaces to remove his shoes, which wasn’t necessary, but it left me with a chance to remind Dorothy of our deal.

  “You promised,” I whispered, hastily drawing the curtain as she peered inside through a window. She opened her mouth to protest, but I snapped the soft material into place, blocking her view.

  “What did you say?” Justin asked, spinning toward me while looking around the living room.

  “Oh, nothing. Umm, I was just asking how your drive from the city was.” I pushed my bangs from my eyes as I fibbed. I hadn’t exactly shared my ghost-seeing ability with Justin yet. I wasn’t sure how or if that would happen. It wasn’t like I had a guide that stated: “Date 6: Casually drop any supernatural abilities into dinner conversation.”

  “The plants along the driveway look amazing. Did you do that?” Justin asked, looking out the bay window—right through my great-aunt’s translucent head as she gazed in.

  “No,” I said, refusing to make eye contact with the ghost. “The last owner did a lot of gardening. I’ve just been watering them, but with it getting cooler out, I’m sure they’ll be dying soon.”

  “What happened to the former owner?” Justin asked, letting the curtains drop, effectively ending my nosy aunt’s snooping.

  “She, uh, died.” I tugged Justin’s hand and led him into the living room.

  “That’s morbid. She didn’t die in the house, did she?” He looked around the room as if he expected to see a chalk outline of a body on the floor.

  Dorothy had died unexpectedly in June as she tended the gardens Justin had just complimented. Then Dorothy had come to find me to explain my new responsibility, which would have gone a lot smoother if she’d prepped me a few years ago. But that would have required her trusting someone, namely me, with—

  “Not a bad place you have here,” Justin said, interrupting my thoughts. He ran a hand over an exposed wooden beam. “It’s a little rustic for my tastes, but I can see why you’d like it.”

  What was that supposed to mean? I wondered, trying not to feel offended.

  Remembering my manners, I gestured to the couch. “Settle in, and I’ll go grab us a drink. Beer, tea, soda, wine, or water?”

  “Water, please,” he requested. “I’ve got a new teeth-whitening procedure I’m attempting. Can’t stain these babies.” He flashed a smile as he ran his tongue over his pearly whites. “But nothing out of the tap. That stuff has too many unknowns in it, especially out here in the sticks.”

  “Coming right up,” I replied, crossing the space and opening the refrigerator to fetch the one bottle of water I happened to have.

  As I returned, I noticed Justin had styled his hair the way he always did—gelled, with strategically placed locks to give off a tousled look. He’d told me on our first date that it took him twenty-five minutes to fix his hair, which was way longer than I spent on mine. I gently brushed my fingertips along the side of his head as I handed him the water bottle.

  “Careful,” he chastised, quickly pulling my fingers away from his hair masterpiece and placing my hand on his shoulder instead. “It takes time to look this good.” He chuckled, patting my hand before I let it slide off, breaking contact.

  Maybe my heart was smarter than I’d thought. A handful of dates in, and I was seeing Justin in a new light. No way would this ever be love. Now what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t ask him to leave.

  “Do you have anything to eat? I’m famished. I came right over after I closed the clinic,” he said right as I sank into the sofa. “I like seeing your house and all, but it would have been nice if you’d have offered to meet me in Kansas City for drinks tonight instead. I did work all day.” He smiled at me indulgently, reminding me how he had once called Sweet Stuff my “hobby.”

  “Well, I worked today too, which is why I happen to have plenty of food,” I replied smoothly, retracing my steps into the kitchen. I’d feed him and then send him on his way. It was the least I could do since he drove out here.

  “Oh, I’ll pass on the crackers,” Justin said, coming to stand on the opposite side of the kitchen counter. “I’m cutting the carbs.”

  “Really? I didn’t know that,” I replied, recalling the giant slice of pizza I’d had for supper. Followed by cookies. “Is this a new thing?”

  “Not really. I’m usually selective about what I eat, but I’ve been bending to the tremendously powerful force of your baking since we went out on our first date last month.” He winked, which made him look like he had some type of affliction. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from chuckling at the image. “Speaking of baking, have you thought about making some sugar-free or low-carb desserts for Sweet Stuff? I bet that would take off. You might even have to hire an assistant to keep up with the demand.” Justin paused to chomp into a slice of tomato.

  “Does this man not believe in flavor?” I heard Dorothy shout from outside the kitchen window.

  I snorted, which caused Justin to look at me with a wounded expression. “What’s so funny? It was just a suggestion,” he replied, tomato juice sliding down his chin.

  “Oh, um. It was …” I stopped talking, not sure what to say. I had a feeling right now was not the best time to tell Justin about Dorothy, or ghosts in general. Thankfully, my phone saved me.

  “What song is that?” Justin choked out, picking up my cell from the counter and checking the screen. “Ivy’s calling,” he announced.

  “The song’s Starla Stigmata’s cu
rrent hit in Europe.” I grabbed the phone he handed over and answered the call, tamping down the irritation of his prying eyes.

  “Sounds to me like it should stay across the ocean,” Justin muttered as he went back to eating.

  “Hey,” I said into the phone, ignoring Justin’s dig.

  “Are you busy?” Ivy asked.

  “Justin’s over,” I replied, tapping my fingers on the counter as I watched him leave a trail of crumbs in his wake. I could practically envision the ants carrying them off to their hill. The crabby part of me wanted the ants to cart off Justin as well.

  Ivy scoffed. “I don’t see why you’re dating that asshole, even if it is casual. He’s not right for you.”

  “I’m starting to see what you mean,” I answered as Justin mimed two yapping people with his hands and mouthed, Is this going to be a while?

  I nodded to him and exited the door that connected the back porch and the kitchen. I sat on the swing and stared out at the woods behind the house, taking in a deep breath of the fall air. “Okay, now I can talk. What’s up?”

  “You know how Oliver, Eliza, Jake, and I are taking a vacation soon?”

  “Uh-huh.” I watched as my socked feet glided over the worn boards while I swayed back and forth on the swing.

  “Can you open Wicks Before Pricks for me one afternoon? I’ve got a few out-of-town clients coming to do pickups for some special orders,” Ivy said.

  “What kind of special orders? Anything good?” I loved hearing about what my witch friend helped people with. All Ivy had to do was add a few extra herbs and mutter a little chant, and she could make people sleep better, become more self-assured, or even open their eyes to love. I had been after a personalized love candle for some time now, but Ivy was holding out. She said I wasn’t ready yet. Whatever that meant.

  “Not really, but it’s money. I’ve got a few old people who need their next batch of Pump It Up Passion candles,” Ivy replied.

  “Ew, gross.” Just another reminder that even old people were seeing more action than I was.

  “Can you do it?”

  “Yeah, of course,” I replied.

  “And stay out of the love candles in the back,” she warned. “Better yet, I’m locking those up before I go.”

  I huffed. “You’re no fun.”

  “You don’t need to be in love yet. You just got into the dating game a few months ago. Get a dog or something,” Ivy suggested, crunching into something as she talked, probably a chip. “Or maybe a cat. Whichever will withstand your copious amounts of love.”

  She made good points, and I had been contemplating getting my own pet now that I had the space for one. “Yeah, I think I will. Maybe a cute tabby cat. Oh, but wouldn’t a tiny white dog just be adorable?” I gushed, already planning what outfits I’d dress the animal in.

  “Whatever, Princess Sparkles. Thanks for opening the shop for a few hours. I’ll let my clients know.”

  “No problem,” I drew out, not wanting to go back inside my house and face Justin yet. All I really wanted to do was pick up a steamy book and get lost in a fictional world for the evening.

  “Well, I don’t want to keep you from the world’s most boring date,” Ivy said dryly. “I’ll let you get back to chatting about the consequences of holding hands or discussing how great facials are.”

  I laughed at the reminder. Justin had recently asked me who I went to for facials, as he was in the market for a new facialist. His last one had the audacity to raise her price five dollars because he requested a specific blueberry soy exfoliant.

  “Do you have a second?” I asked Ivy hesitantly. I needed to get something off my chest, and while she wouldn’t have been my go-to girl for relationship advice last year, she’d fallen in love and gotten married. Maybe she could shed some light on my situation.

  “As long as you don’t try to spend that second telling me how great Justin is. I’ve met him. Once. Which was more than enough.”

  “I think you’re right. Has he always been so …” I trailed off, unable to find the right word.

  “Pompous? Yes. Are you finally seeing it?”

  I sighed. “Yeah.” I watched the sun as it settled deeper into the horizon. The orangey hue saturated the sky.

  “Eliza and I had been wondering how long it was going to take you to see through Justin. She thought three dates in and you’d be out. I was closer with seven. You always want to see the good in people,” she said, sounding exasperated.

  “Which would explain my string of bad luck this summer.” The wind rustled through the tree leaves that were crisp around the edges, barely hanging on to the branches.

  “I wouldn’t say you had bad luck. I think it was more of you testing the waters,” she reminded me.

  “Yeah, but I’ve been on more than seventy dates since May.” I made a face when I realized how that sounded. “I mean, I didn’t, like, you know—”

  “Who cares if you did?” Ivy argued. “Like I said, you’re entitled. You’ve been waiting years for the right guy to find you, and you decided during the summer to start the adventure of finding Mr. Right yourself. That takes work, Lex. The good ones don’t just fall into bed with you, you know.”

  “Easy for you to say,” I sighed, stopping the swing with my feet. “Oliver was made for you.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s not forget he and I had our own trials to go through.”

  My breath caught as I recalled that thing that had made Oliver human. I shivered. “Oh, I remember.”

  I also remembered Cruz taking my hands and telling me to leave the candle shop that day. The way his eyes grew wide with worry when I refused. The way his warm, lean fingers felt nothing like Justin’s doughy, manicured hands.

  Maybe I should tell Ivy that I compare every man I’ve dated the last several months to Cruz, which could be part of the reason I’ve had no success, I thought. But she might have me admitted to the nearest mental institution.

  A knock on the screen door nearly made me fall off the swing. I caught my balance and swiveled to see Justin pointing at his watch and tapping it, signaling I’d been on the phone too long for his liking.

  “I gotta go.”

  “You going to end it with Mr. Wrong?” Ivy quizzed.

  “I’ll tell you tomorrow when we meet at Clove Crossing for drinks,” I promised. “Which reminds me, I have a date with Phil before that.”

  “Look at you,” Ivy crowed. “See, it’s good you’ve been dating multiple guys. Stings less when you find such a big loser like Justin. Don’t let him down gently. Make it hurt a little.” I could hear the malicious grin in her voice, and I shook my head.

  “Be strong, small one,” Oliver shouted into the phone. “Even I don’t like Justin.”

  I smiled a little at his encouraging tone. “Night, guys.”

  As I walked back into the house, I straightened my shoulders and took a deep breath. “Justin—”

  “Finally! I thought you were going to spend all night out there gossiping with your friend. Ivy’s the one who wears black, right?” He wrinkled his upper lip in disapproval. “Anyway, I’ve been thinking about us, and I think it’s time we take that next step and become exclusive. What do you think?”

  I stared blankly at him, torn between being honest and being polite. I couldn’t seem to find a middle ground as apprehension skittered up my spine.

  “Earth to Lexi.” Justin waved his hand in front of my eyes in the way that was done to make people feel like idiots for getting caught up in their thoughts.

  I was so over being the idiot.

  “Justin, we need to talk.”

  CHAPTER 3

  “He did what?!” Eliza screeched, bringing her hand to her mouth to quell the laughter that slipped out as I told her and Ivy about my conversation with Justin.

  “He cried,” I whispered, looking around Clove Crossing in hopes no one could hear me over the din in the bar.

  “What a wuss,” Ivy cackled. “I’m not surprised, mind you. But
that’s pathetic, even for him.”

  “What’s pathetic?” asked Trysta, our friend and the owner of Clove Crossing. She placed a round of drinks in front of us and slid into the booth beside me. Her long blonde hair was tipped in crimson and pulled into two braids that rested against her busty chest. Leather pants and a crimson corset hugged her ample curves.

  “Nothing,” I said quickly, sipping a cauldron cocktail, comprised of cherry lemonade, vodka, and a sprig of mint. After the last twenty-four hours I’d had, I needed it. First, the whole Justin ordeal, and then dinner with Phil turned out to be very enlightening this evening. I was zero for two in the dating department.

  “I know that look. Spill it, sister,” Trysta insisted, turning to keep a watchful eye on the crowd.

  Clove Crossing was situated close to the river in Kansas City. It catered to the edgy, and seemed to draw in the few people with paranormal abilities in the area who weren’t from Sage Springs. At first glance it was not a pub you’d normally catch me in, but I’d wiggled my way into the regulars’ dark hearts. The average patron had at least four piercings and three tattoos. My cheerful attitude and penchant for pink had earned me a few sour looks from newcomers, but the regulars treated me like a little sister.

  “She made a dude cry,” Ivy cackled, taking a sip of her bourbon.

  “Ivy,” I hissed as my phone buzzed. “You make it sound like it’s something to be proud of.” I turned to Trysta. “I told Justin I didn’t think we’d be a good match. I mean, we’d only been on six dates.”

  I looked at my phone to see a new text waiting for me. I expected it to be a pleading text from Justin, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Cruz’s name.

  Cruz: How about we get together soon? I miss the way you light up a room.

  Grinning at the secret message, I set my phone down. Cruz was trouble, but darn if it wasn’t a hot, irresistible kind of trouble. That thought reminded me I needed to set some internal boundaries before he came into town in a few days. He had a way of making me forget my own name with a mere wink.