“My mom always swore by hot toddies for colds. A little ginger, dash of cayenne pepper, and a healthy jigger of whiskey. That’ll cure what ails ya, and you know what? If it don’t, ya don’t care!” Jamie let out a phlegmy laugh.
“Thanks, but it’s probably just allergies. I don’t catch colds.”
“Yeah, right. You keep telling yourself that.”
“So, why are you saying all this to me?” I asked. “I thought you worked for Renee.”
“Are you still here?” Patience interrupted as she emerged from the changing room. The slinky cocktail dress hugged her voluptuous form like a kid glove, and she looked spectacular. Like some sort of exotic plumed bird. Of course.
Jamie let out a low whistle, his eyes raking over her, up and down.
“You hadbetternot be making that noise atme, creep,” threatened Patience. “You don’t know uncomfortable until you’re suffering under a Gypsy curse.”
“Youse two both got a little attitude problem—you know that?” said Jamie. “I’m not gonna hang around where I’m not wanted. Anyway, I’ll be the bigger man and wish you ladies a good rest of the day. Enjoy the cupcakes, courtesy of the Renee Baker bakery.”
Jamie waved his hand over his head as he walked out the door.
“Who the hell was that?” asked Patience.
“Patience, seriously, would you please watch your mouth around—” I started to say “little pitchers,” but caught myself in time. “I mean, in the shop.”
She rolled her eyes. “Who’s the creep? And what’s with the cupcakes?”
“It’s probably nothing. Just feeling a little cautious lately.”
I changed out of the wedding dress and went outside to check on Conrad, hoping the cupcake he’d eaten hadn’t made him feel sick or strange in any way. He responded with his typical “Duuuude!” and didn’t demonstrate any obvious symptoms, though with Conrad it might be hard to tell.
Back inside Aunt Cora’s Closet, I held the pink bakery box and tried to feel any untoward vibrations from the cupcakes. Nothing. I opened the lid and breathed deeply, but I was stuffed up and had a hard time smelling. I touched one after another, but still didn’t sense anything untoward. Still, I wasn’t about to run the risk. Shaking my head, I carried the big pink box into the back alley and tossed it in the dented Dumpster I shared with my Haight Street neighbors.
I turned to go back into the shop, only to find Oscar and Selena standing at the back door, gaping at me in outrage.
“Listen, you two, they’re just cupcakes. I promise to bring you both something special later. But we donoteat gifts from strangers—do I make myself understood?”
“But you knew that man,” Selena pointed out. “You called him Jamie.”
“I know his name, but he’s still a stranger. By which I mean he isn’t one of our friends. Our people. Our circle.”
Oscar and Selena trailed me back into the workroom, but neither looked convinced. Patience had changed back into her usual Gypsy getup and was leaning against the kitchenette counter, arms crossed over her chest, a smarmy smile on her wide mouth.
I tried again.
“Just... for a while, until I figure things out, promise me only to eat things from family, or people like Bronwyn and Maya, our adopted family.Promise?”
Oscar snorted and Selena uttered a sullen “I guess so.”
I glanced around the room in the vain hope that I would remember a piece of pie or a few cookies I’d forgotten. I liked to keep the cookie jar stocked for an energy boost during work breaks, but I’d been so busy lately that I hadn’t had time to bake. Then I remembered a tin of homemade “energy bars” left over from the coven meeting yesterday. I took the little tin from the cupboard where I’d hidden it from Oscar, and offered one to Selena and one to Oscar.
They accepted the peace offering without enthusiasm—the honey-sweetened oatmeal-and-walnut energy bars looked good but were no match for extravagantly iced cupcakes—and joined Maya and Bronwyn on the shop floor.
Patience was waiting for me.
“I don’t have all day, you know,” she said, and as much as I didn’t want to hang out with her, I couldn’t put it off any longer. I left Bronwyn and Maya in chargeof Aunt Cora’s Closet, encouraged Selena to continue trying on dresses with their moral support, and led the way up the back stairs.
I hesitated when I reached the little landing outside my door. I don’t bring many people into my private apartment, so it felt strange to invite someone who wasn’t exactly my best buddy. But that was silly; Patience had been here once before, with Sailor.
Sailor.
The thought of him sitting in a jail cell, facing boredom and worry at best, threats and intimidation at worst, made my stomach flip and urged me to step outside my comfort zone.
