“What is this place?” I whisper, afraid of what the answer might be. Afraid of what it mightnotbe. Afraid and elated and overjoyed and overwhelmed in the best possible way…
No. It can’t be. Itcan’tbe. They wouldn’t do something so crazy.
Would they?
Didthey?
I close my eyes, hope rising inside me like a balloon.
Warm hands land on my shoulders from behind, and a glimpse of Doc’s moonlit ocean flickers through my mind.
“It’s yours, my Star,” he says softly, breath tickling my ear. “Fully stocked, paid in full.”
“Mine?” With a gasp, I open my eyes and find Kirin standing before me.
He cups my face, his green eyes calming the storm inside me. “We wanted to give you something you love. Something that’s just yours. Something no one can take away from you.”
“You can change it up if you want,” Ani says. “Get different artwork, paint the walls, move around the tables, get different supplies. We just wanted to give you a starting point.”
“And if you don’t like it or decide you’d rather pursue something else,” Doc continues, “that’s okay too.”
“You guys… You… You did this for me?” They bought me a café. I’m hyperventilating. Holy balls, they bought me a café.
“Your our Star,” Baz says with a shrug. “There’s nothing we won’t do for you.”
“I… I… I… I’m stammering like an idiot because I have no idea what to say.”
“Say you love it,” Ani says, the hope in his eyes on full display.
“OfcourseI love it!” I choke out, my stammering quickly turning into sobs. Seriously, this is a code-red situation. We are fast approaching ugly cry territory. “It’s the most thoughtful, incredible, generous thing anyone has ever done for me!”
“Then why are you crying?” he asks.
“Because I’m so happy!”
At that, my ridiculous crying turns into laughter, andthatturns into a very emotional, very dramatic group hug.
“Next time let’s skip the drama and get to the tea,” Carly says, trying to play off her own tears. “I told you she’d love it. It was foreseen.”
“Don’t think this excuses you from your studies,” Professor Maddox says sternly, but her eyes are warm and teasing too. “We’ve got big plans for your academic career, Miss Milan. So you’ll need to find a way to juggle both.”
“I can do that,” I say on another bubble of laughter. “Goddess, I wouldloveto do that.”
I take another look around, my mind already racing with ideas for new blends, new techniques, new sales, new everything. I love the decor though—I won’t change a thing in that regard. My mages picked it out, and no one knows me better. It’s perfect.
Still half in shock, I walk up and down the space, exploring every inch. When I get back to the front, I notice the shelves behind the counter.
They’re full, stacked with colorful teacups and saucers from my parents’ collection.
My eyes blur with tears, my heart threatening to burst. The last time I saw those teacups was the last time I stood inside Kettle Black—the last time I set foot in Tres Búhos. Jessa told me she’d boxed them up for me, but I assumed she kept them with her in Mexico.
“Where did you get those?” I breathe.
“Oh, they were hand-delivered late last night,” Doc says. A wave of mischief and giddiness flows through his energy.
I narrow my eyes, still trying to puzzle this all out. “But I thought Jessa had them? And—”
“Yeah, I heard this place might need a baker, so I decided to throw my hat into the ring.”
