Devlin grins at me, his eyes glittering, clearly enjoying this. “Violet and I are… We’re… business associates, really.”
“He’sconsulting,” Emmie says, making air quotes around the word.
“I didn’t know you had associates, sweetness,” Althea says.
“I don’t haveassociates! Just… just the one. Devlin’s helping me with some things for the café.”
“What things?” Joslyn taps her unlit cigarette into the ashtray at her side, lips rounding into an O and miming an exhale so perfect I can almost see the smoke. “I didn’t realize Kettle and Cauldron needed help. Why didn’t you mention it?”
“It doesn’t need help,” I say. “Nothelphelp, I mean. We’re just… trying some new marketing tactics. Getting ahead of the trends. Devlin’s in the… entertainment business now.”
“You’re a male escort?” Lorelei sets her knitting in her lap and looks at him, no judgments, just curious.
“Not that kind of entertainment,” I say, at the same time Devlin blurts out, “Not anymore.”
I shoot him a death-glare, but of course this only encourages him.
“Don’t be so judgmental, Violet. Sex is perfectly natural, in all its many forms. With a partner or multiples, paid or otherwise.” He winks at me over his knitting. “Or with oneself, as the case may be. Battery-assisted, perhaps.”
Yes, I’m still here, still bursting into flames!
Goddess, IknewI should’ve canceled today. What was Ithinking?
“Sex work is a legitimate business endeavor,” Althea adds.
“The oldest one in the book.” This, from Joslyn, who’s finished her non-cigarette and is now wrestling with her own magic to regain control of her knitting needles.
“I’m not judging sex withanyone, paid or otherwise!” I widen my eyes at Devlin, like please pleaseprettyplease, shut the hell up! “I’m just saying that it’s… not the job I hired you for.”
“As I recall, you didn’thireme for anything. We’re bound to—”
“To work together really, really closely until we see some measurable results. More tea, anyone?”
“I’ve got a few functions coming up,” Jos says, patting down her curls and shimmying her shoulders like she’s sixteen instead of sixty-eight. “I usually fly solo, but I’d love to bring a manpanion for a change. What do you charge?”
“I’m flattered, Joslyn, but I’m no longer in that line of work. However, I’d be happy to attend as your date—unpaid, of course—if you’re interested in—”
“She’s not.” I set down my teacup and saucer, harder than I intend to. “I mean,you’renot. Available, that is. You’re not available because we have a thing that night.”
“But I haven’t said which nights,” Jos says.
“I’m sure I could get away for a few hours,” Devlin says, knitting away like this is just something we do every month, the knitting and the tea and the conversation with my aunts.
“I’m sure you can’t.” I smile, my jaw aching from clenching so hard. “You and I arestucktogether, I’m afraid! Really,reallystuck.” I sigh through my nose and glare at him again, like,throw me a lifeline, buddy!
Because there’s no way I’m playing third wheel while he gallivants around town, living out his twisted senior citizen fetishes with the aunts. Goddess, what iswrongwith this man?
“No need to get jealous, mushroom.” He reaches over and pats my leg. “Devlin Pierce is nothing if not a crowd pleaser, and there’s plenty of me to go ‘round. And round again, if I’m being honest.”
“I do love a man with stamina,” Jos says, peering over at Devlin’s knitting. “What a clever pattern, Devlin. They look like little snakes wearing halos.”
“Put your glasses on, Jos.” Lorelei laughs. “Those aren’t snakes. They’re dicks with cock rings in the end.”
“Very astute, Lorelei. I’m making a tea cozy.” Giving me a wink, Devlin sets the X-rated knitting project on a side table and reaches for his cup and saucer, balancing it on his knee like he always does, casual yet elegant. “I was just thinking, Violet. Maybe we should host a post-Halloween soiree at Kettle and Cauldron? Nothing ostentatious, of course. Just something to show off the new product line.”
“No,” I snap.
“There’s a new line?” Jos again.
