Page 24 of Christmas Magic

How she missed him, as unremarkable as he’d been.

“There’s the soap lady.” Roberta pointed. “Coming with me?”

“All right.” Cora browsed the stall’s selection of goatmilk and other soaps while Roberta talked to the proprietor. Pleasant scents wafted from the table—lavender, citrus, honey—but Cora had plenty of soap at home.

Yearning pulled at her heartstrings; the same instinct that had told her she must attend the craft fair. What she really needed—wanted—were baking decorations; the finishing touches to give her prize-winning cookies that extra wow factor. When she handed a plate of them to Lucian, his eyes should widen with awe.

Yes.

Impressing him with her baking would help lure him away from Molly.

Yes, yes, yes.

Her pulse quickening, she glanced along the row of vendors, most of them helping shoppers. Her gaze landed on a man in the crowd—he looked like the guy who’d bumped into her at the bakery—but she lost sight of him.

Yearning stirred anew, and then she saw the black-haired woman’s table.

Before Cora had even decided to go and look, it seemed, her legs were taking her there.

“Hi.” The curly-haired proprietor smiled at her. “Let me guess. You’re a baker.”

How delightful that right away, the vendor recognized Cora’s talents in the kitchen. “Yes, I’m a baker.”

“An excellent one, I expect.”

Cora couldn’t resist a proud nod. “I won a baking contest a few years ago. The event got featured in the Cat’s Paw Cove Courier. Several photos as well as a lengthy article.”

“Congratulations.” The black-haired woman picked up an item from her table. “You’d like these.” Holding her palm out, she offered a small glass vial. Inside were red, green, gold, and silver sprinkles.

Were the sprinkles twinkling?

Cora blinked and took the vial. The effect wasn’t a visual trick caused by light reflecting off the container. The sprinkles did indeed twinkle like stars on a frosty night.

They’d make her cookies truly exceptional.

“How much?”

For a second, puzzlement flickered in the woman’s eyes, as though she didn’t quite recognize the vial. Her friendly smile, though, swiftly returned. “That’s the last of those special ones. Since it’s Christmas, please take them free of charge.”

Free?No. While Cora had to have them, that offer was far too generous. “Thank you, but—”

“My gift to you.” The proprietor winked. “They’re designed to spark romance and true love. Save them for when you bake for someone special in your life.”

The cookies for Lucian.

“What happens, exactly?” Cora asked.

“I believe they work like magic.”