A Southern Charms Cozy Potluck Box Set Read online

  For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought.

  Fees to be determined on case basis

  “Where’s the quote from?” I asked.

  Horatio smiled. “Edmund Spenser, from his epic poem, The Faerie Queene. I thought it very appropriate.”

  I stared at the card and read it over again. “You know, I’m not opening a business, right?”

  Both he and Juniper chuckled. The troll patted my head. “With every case that you solve, your renown will grow. Already there are stirrings of people willing to pay for your assistance. Do not dismiss the opportunity lightly nor close the door when Fate comes knocking.” With a wave, they both left to greet others who were appreciative of the way both ex-candidates had contributed to tonight’s victory.

  I stood at the back of the crowd, half-listening to the council speeches and half-tangled up in my own emotions. Unbeknownst to my friends, the effects of drawing on the magic from the tree still lingered. No telling how the extra boost would affect my magic, and frankly, I wasn’t ready to find out yet.

  And there I stood in the middle of it all—A town that I loved. Friends and family that I would die for. A man that pushed my intellect and made me better in so many ways. And another man who just rode a motorcycle out of town, taking my wilder side with him.

  Shaking myself out of my head, I tried to pay attention to Flint as started his acceptance speech. I agreed with him, that only when we banded together as a community would we be strong and worthy of the little slice of paradise we’d cooked up here in our small Southern town.

  I started to lift my cup to toast the gnome’s sentiments and found it empty. Focusing on what I wanted and feeling the buzz of magic in my veins, I snapped my fingers. Sweet iced tea with the floral scent of honeysuckle filled the red plastic to the top. What other spells were just waiting to be discovered inside of me?

  Lifting my glass, I toasted with everyone else. “To our future.”

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  Sweet Tea & Spells: Book 3

  Chapter One

  Sweat beaded on my temples and upper lip. I dashed the back of my hand under my nose, wiping away the fine mustache of moisture with guarded embarrassment. Behind the smiles of the Hey, how’re you doin’s and polite nods accompanied by the You look so nice today, darlin’s, every female tongue in Honeysuckle wagged with my name.

  Delicately gloved hands holding tall glasses of sweet tea or waving decorated paper fans failed to hide their interest, and curious eyes followed me like I had a unicorn’s horn growing out of the middle of my forehead. To distract myself, I tried to guess which one of the impeccably dressed ladies would stop killing me with Southern kindness and finally ask the burning question on everybody’s mind, including mine: What in the Sam Hill was I doin’ attending the bridal shower for the girl about to marry my ex-fiancé?

  Clarice Hawthorne had gone above and beyond her normal natural snobbiness. An enormous white canopy sat in the family’s considerable backyard. Held up by some powerful magic, the large structure cooled and shaded everyone from the day’s humidity since my almost mother-in-law had paid extra for a heavy-duty air conditioning enchantment.

  Everything underneath the tent, from the sprigs of orchids mixed with twinkling fairy lights to the wooden floor beneath our feet, felt over the top and out of place in our tiny town. The whole set up was a preview for the actual wedding and reception right around the corner…something I definitely would not be attending.

  I did my absolute best to stay out of the way, sipping on a perspiring glass of iced tea and watching. Despite my attempts at hiding, the fates decided to have a little fun, and the crowd parted at just the right moment. Aunt Nora caught me staring as she stood poised next to Clarice regal as only the mother-of-the-bride could. She shot an icy sneer in my direction and grabbed Clementine by the arm, dragging her daughter to stand next to her like a prize that would buy her way to the very top of the social heap.

  My aunt would blow a gasket if she knew that not that long ago, Tucker had made one last declaration of love to me. Of course, at the time, I was dying from a death curse brought on by the circumstances of her trust in a nefarious outsider. Maybe sharing that little nugget of truth about her future son-in-law might wipe that smug smile off her face?

  Lavender and Lily spotted me from across the room. Excusing themselves from their current conversation, they weaved through the throng to join me.

  Lily scoffed and nodded at my aunt. “She really is a piece of work, isn’t she? You know, if Nora were to stop in our flower shop, I’d make her up a beautiful bouquet of yellow carnations, a mix of pink and white petunias, some orange lilies, and some deep purple aconite.” The ice cubes tinkled in her glass as she sipped with wicked satisfaction.

  Her cousin gasped. “Why, Lily Rose Blackwood, Grandma would fire you on the spot!”

  “Why?” I asked. “I suppose those flowers have specific meanings?”

  Lavender narrowed her eyes at her cousin, giving her a slight pinch of admonishment on the arm. “Of course. Most flowers and plants do. Yellow carnations symbolize disdain or contempt for the person.”

  I shrugged. “Sounds about right.”

  My sarcasm earned my own sharp tweak of the skin from my friend. “Petunias mean anger or resentment,” Lavender continued. “Orange lilies can symbolize hatred, and aconite…well, that’s just deadly. The purple variety also goes by Monkshead, and once was used to poison arrows and spears.”

  “At least I didn’t say oleander,” grumbled Lily. “The sap from the stem can be lethal.”

  I shook my head with widened eyes. “I don’t want to kill my aunt.”

  Lily’s left eyebrow crooked up. “So maybe just the carnations and petunias?”

  How did I feel about my aunt? Mom had always taught me that the word hate was too strong to use on anybody. That it was our duty in life to find the good in everyone, even if the goodness in a person was as small as a speck of fairy dust. About the only nice thing I knew about Aunt Nora was that my mom loved her despite her meanness. And for that, I could spare her a deadly bouquet.

  I kissed the cousins on their cheeks. “I love you both for trying to cheer me up, girls.”

  Lavender stared at the air around me, studying my aura. “Honestly, I can’t believe you came today. I think it’s really brave of you.”

  “Or stupid,” I snorted. “With Nana off in Charleston for the big meeting thing and TJ feeling a little conspicuous while she’s still cookin’ Charli Junior in her growing pregnant belly, I was the only Goodwin woman left to represent.”

  My sensitive friend squeezed my hand. “At least there’s not half as big of a crowd as there was for the engagement party. I think you made the right choice not to go.”

  When I’d originally received the invitation, I thought I might go out of pure spite. Also, I’d have the cover of a date. At the time, I’d had at least two possibilities to choose from to escort me to the dreaded event. Dash would have been a good way to rebel against the Hawthornes and their haughty expectations. They truly distrusted the wolf shifter. But he’d left town on his motorcycle a little over two months ago, and I hadn’t heard anything from him since.

  Mason would have been the safest pick, but one that came with a couple of minefields around him. Ever since meeting him, our relationship had been very push, pull, and then push away. I loved working cases with him, and he encouraged me to be my best with my strange magical talents. Something about him drew me to him like a magnet, and there had been brief moments of promise. But he always found a reason to throw up a
big wall between us.

  His latest absence was cloaked in secrecy. Even my own brother and fellow warden couldn’t tell me where Mason had run off to. Only Sheriff Big Willie West had the inside scoop, and that sasquatch was keeping his hairy lips tight for once.

  Alison Kate bounded toward us, towing a surprised server with her. “Y’all, have you tried the food? These barbecue thingies are incredible.” She swiped one off the silver platter and popped it in her mouth.

  I shushed her obscene noises she made while chewing. “You better not let Ms. Patty Lou hear you. I feel like it’s kind of a betrayal to her husband Steve and the Harvest Moon Cafe.” Looking down at the tempting bite, I ignored the hungry rumble of my stomach. “What exactly is it?”

  The server brightened at my interest. “This is Duke’s signature barbecue bite with shredded pork barbecue, chopped pickled okra and red onion topped with coleslaw in a mini cornbread cup.”

  Before I could protest again, Lily and Lavender each took a napkin and one of the proffered bites. Alison Kate nabbed one more and flashed her gracious smile at the nervous waiter, letting him go to serve others.

  “Here.” She held out the small piece of food to me. When I refused, she rolled her eyes. “You won’t be doing anything criminal. We all knew that Clarice Hawthorne wasn’t going to use any of the services here in Honeysuckle. It’s not like my feelings are hurt that they chose someone else to make the cakes for all the wedding events.”

  My friend did her best to make me believe her, but I knew how sensitive she’d been back when I’d told her that the cake for my almost-engagement party wouldn’t be made at Sweet Tooths. Glancing around the groups of people milling about, I spotted Ms. Patty Lou talking up a storm with some of the regulars from the store she used to co-own with my mother. She enjoyed her time with a smile on her face, eating the offered food and asking for more.

  My stomach rejoiced. If Ms. Patty wasn’t complaining, then I didn’t need to starve in protest. “Fine,” I conceded, and ate the bite of food. The naughty noises I made in response to the delicious explosion of flavors earned me snickers and a couple of elbows in my ribs. “It’s like a tiny barbecue sandwich. But one sprinkled in rainbows and eaten while riding on the back of a unicorn.”

  “Told ya,” bragged Alison Kate. She looked around for another server. “I wish Lee were here.”

  Hooking my arm around her shoulder, I gave her a light squeeze. “He’s only been gone a few days. Are you missing your Snookie Wookums or Cuddly Wuddly Wigglemunch or whatever you like to call him?”

  She pushed me off her. “We’ve never used the term Wigglemunch before.”

  “You sure?” I asked. “I’ll admit, the sweeter the nicknames get, the more we tune you both out, Ali Kat.”

  Wiggling her eyebrows, she beamed. “Exactly.”

  “Speaking of Lee,” I leaned in closer to her and lowered my voice. “I don’t suppose he’s told you whether he’s heard anything from you-know-who?” My heart rate kicked up another notch despite my unwillingness to say his name.

  “No, he’s heard nothing from Dash, and he’s not happy about it.” Alison Kate flagged down a nearby server and took two of what they had to comfort her. “There are deals being made for his spell phones, and not having his business partner there is making things difficult for Lee. He may have to sign things and then be honorable in bringing Dash back in financially.”

  The way she said the wolf shifter’s name matched my own annoyance with him. I snagged another finger food off the platter of a nearby waiter before she sped away. “I can’t lie, I’m a bit worried about him.”

  Alison Kate licked her fingers clean. “Oh, Lee has Ben with him to make sure he gets the best deal possible.”

  “Not Lee. Dash.” Saying the shifter’s name out loud stirred up more emotions I couldn’t deal with. To shove them down, I concentrated on the appetizer. “What’s so special about a deviled egg?” The spicy tang of it caught me off guard.

  Ever the lover of food, Alison Kate explained. “If I had to guess, the chef crisped up some chorizo sausage. Maybe even used some of the oil to mix with the yolk instead of just mayonnaise to make it creamy and seasoned.”

  I finished off the egg, carefully considering its flavorful merits. “It’s good, but I still prefer the good ol’-fashioned ones Nana makes. If you get too fancy, then I think it changes things too much. I say simplicity beats out overdone every time.” My personal view had been a bone of contention that wedged the distance between me and Tucker’s family, which in the end couldn’t be bridged.

  While licking my fingers clean, I spotted Blythe standing with Lady Eveline. A tiny pang sparked in my chest. Ever since that night with Damien, my best friend had become increasingly distant from me and our group in general. Catching her eye, I smiled and waved at her. She replied with a polite nod and leaned in to say something to her constant vampire companion. Anger and disappointment squeezed my chest.

  My other friends circled around me. Alison Kate offered me a second deviled egg in comfort. “I’m sorry.”

  I didn’t have words to say. And if I found any, they wouldn’t be of the nice variety.

  “We have to give her more time,” Lavender said, leaning her head on my shoulder. “She went through a lot.”

  “So did I,” I countered.

  Lily furrowed her brow. “But what she went through…I don’t know, Charli. I think she’ll come around, and then we’ll get back to normal again. You know things were tougher than we thought when she quit her job at the cafe.”

  I sighed. “I know.” I just missed the girl who stood by me through everything. I didn’t understand the one who avoided me all together.

  We fell silent, unable to come up with any words of explanation or comfort. My eyes scanned the tent for the quickest way out. I’d made an appearance and been seen. Perhaps slipping away undetected would be far better than waiting until the end when I’d have to actually speak to Aunt Nora.

  “Well, well, my eyes must be sore from the beautiful sight in front of them,” a deep voice with a strong Southern accent rumbled behind us.

  All four of us turned our attention to a man wearing a white chef’s coat sauntering over. He stopped and spoke to a couple of the older women, saying something in a low voice and winking.

  His white teeth about blinded me when he flashed his cocky grin. “Ladies, I trust you are enjoying the event and having a piece of me inside of you.”

  It took a considerable amount of effort to keep my upper lip from curling in disgust. “I beg your pardon?”

  He chose to sidle up beside me, slipping his arm around my waist. “My food. I hope you’ve been eating my food and findin’ it to your liking.” The man pointed at the logo embroidered on his pristine jacket that read Duke’s Delicious Dishes. “I’m Duke, and I assure you that everything about me is delicious.”

  Chills slithered down my back, and I attempted to take a step away from him. He tightened his grip and pulled me closer.

  Not wanting to make a scene or draw more unwanted attention to myself, I gritted my teeth and forced the closest thing to a smile I could muster. “The few things we’ve had have been good,” I admitted.

  Duke pressed his hip against mine. “Today’s just the foreplay. The wedding reception will be even more explosive.”

  With my fingers, I tore his away from my body, bending them in my grasp until they jammed and he hissed in pain. “Thank you, but I’m pretty sure we’ve had enough.”

  Instead of getting the clue and walking away, his eyes glinted with determination. “I like a challenge. I’ll make sure to do my best to convince you that once you sample what Duke has to offer, you’ll be forever changed.”

  Clarice tapped a piece of silverware against her crystal glass with light dings. “Ladies, if I may have your attention.”

  “Oh, thank goodness,” breathed out Lily.

  Duke leaned into me and whispered in my ear, “That’s my cue to take my leave, but I h
ope to be seein’ you sometime soon, Charli.” He patted my behind and walked to the center of the room to join Clarice.

  My fingers curled into fists, and I debated how much trouble a little retribution might get me into. The tsk of a tiny tongue interrupted my thoughts of revenge.

  “Charli Goodwin, you are a horrible tease. First the wolf shifter, then the detective, and now the chef?” Sassy flicked her green hair off her shoulders. “Is every single man within a hundred mile radius supposed to belong to you?”

  I wiped a little of her dust out of my eyes. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talkin’ about, Sass. But you clearly weren’t payin’ close attention.”

  The annoying fairy stuck her nose in the air. “Just leave some of the men to the rest of us girls, won’t you?” In a jealous huff, she zipped off to no doubt gossip about me to a willing ear.

  Between Sassy with her smart mouth and an arrogant chef who dared to blow a kiss at me when he caught me scowling, I couldn’t decide who annoyed me more. My fingers tingled to take care of those who were just beggin’ for a hexin’.

  Chapter Two

  Duke enjoyed my disgusted stare and waved after he blew the kiss. I shuddered and choked on my repulsion. “I feel like I need to take ten showers. And even that might not be enough.”

  Alison Kate joined me in my contempt. “He came into Sweet Tooths earlier this week with another woman, asking us all kinds of questions about our recipes. Even during that short time, he gave me the creeps.”

  Clarice spoke up so everyone could hear her, interrupting our discussion. “I would like to thank you all for comin’ today to celebrate our dear Clementine’s upcoming nuptials to my son, Tucker.”

  Polite clapping filled the air, and my cousin blushed. Her mother pushed her forward to accept all the attention.

  Mrs. Hawthorne took Clementine by the arm and presented her to the attentive crowd. “We are honored that through our children’s union, two of Honeysuckle’s founding families will be joined forever, creating a powerful bond. My son’s choice in the right partner for his life will secure a better future for our town.” While her gaze focused on those around her, the words Clarice chose hit their intended target. The number of eyes that turned in my direction confirmed her aim.