“Hey, Piper—whoa.”A high, tinny voice sliced through the moment.“Heeeeeeey.Who’s the hottie?”
We jumped apart like guilty teenagers.Tani zipped into view in a streak of pink and glitter, then hovered between us, giving Owen a slow, unapologetic once-over.
“Oh,” she added thoughtfully.“You’re averyhottie.”
“Who’s this?”Owen asked, eyebrows lifting.
“Titania,” she said, landing on his shoulder and lounging there like a glamorous parrot.“But you can call me Titania.”She batted her lashes.“Or just… call me.”
I tamped down an irrational flare of jealousy.“Tani, this is Owen.He’s a friend.”
“Ohhh,” she added brightly.“You’re the one who’s been feeding Willow.”
“Nice to meet you, Tani,” he said, completely unfazed by the fairy currently draping herself across his collarbone.
“Titania,” she corrected primly.“And he looked like more than a friend, judging by the way you two were lip locked.”
“I thought you liked being called Tani,” I muttered.
“I do,” she said sweetly, eyes never leaving Owen.“Just not by Mr.Hottie Hot Hottie.”She flashed him another megawatt smile.“That name’s already taken.”
“You’ll have to excuse my fairy,” I said.“She’s… a lot.”
“I see that,” Owen said, amusement tugging at his mouth.
“You’re not freaking out that there’s a fairy in my basement?”I asked.
“Why should he be?”Tani demanded.“Rude.”
“Because normal humans don’t believe in fairies,” I said.
Tani planted her hands on her hips.“Is that an insult?”
“I think what she means is most people don’t believe,” Owen said smoothly.He met my gaze, steady and sincere.“But I do.In fairies.And magic.”
Something in my chest gave a small, startled flip.
Tani drifted away at last, finally noticing the chaos on the table.“Ohhh.Nice.”She nodded approvingly.“You figured out how to make the real potion.”
“I did,” I said.“Eventually.”
“You better get going,” Tani said, zipping close enough to tug on my tank top strap.“It’s already late.You have to get dressed and get to the hickory tree.I’ll stay here with Owen.”
“You’ll go back to wherever you came from,” I said firmly.“Owen and I are going to the hickory tree.”
Tani stuck out her bottom lip.“I can’t go?Alice always let me go.”
“I’m not Alice,” I said gently but firmly.
“Killjoy.”Tani blew a raspberry, then disappeared in a puff of pink dust.
Owen watched the empty air for a moment.“Maybe you should’ve let her come.”
“Maybe next time,” I said.“Right now, I need a shower, pants, and about six more donuts.Can you wait?”
“I’ll wait as long as I need to,” he said easily.“Go get heroic.”
I grabbed the donut bag and headed upstairs.
