Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Of course. I just want you to be happy, Iris. I know you’re worried about Mother’s opinion, but …”
“But?”
“But you deserve to find your own happily ever after. With someone you like all the time.”
With that, they ended their call. Iris sucked in a deep breath and made her way back to the building, her big sister’s words still swirling around in her head.
“Oh, good,” she said when she entered the apartment to find Finn standing at the kitchen counter. “I was hoping I would run into you.”
“You were?” Finn asked, his tone hopeful.
“Yeah, I was wondering if maybe you could find a couple of hours in your schedule for us to be alone?”
“Not tonight,” Henry said, coming down from the hallway. “We have that meeting with investors. But you have time tomorrow night.” Hope swelled but was quickly dashed. “You have the charity gala.”
“That’s not alone,” Iris griped.
“You’ll be together.”
“In a ballroom full of other people.”
“It’s the best we can do. Finn’s schedule is booked until election night.”
“Finn …” Iris implored, silently begging him to listen, to hear the plea for more for the two of them, for a real future.
“I can—” Finn started.
“That’s a callback from the Gargoyle Rights Council,” Henry said, holding up his phone.
Finn glanced between them. He was clearly torn. But she could sense which way he was leaning.
“Never mind,” she said, grabbing her purse and storming toward the door.
“Iris, wait.”
“He’s right here,” Henry announced.
Iris glanced back.
Finn was looking at her, his gaze conflicted.
But he reached for the phone.
And she was pretty sure that was his answer.
She took a moment in the elevator, fighting back useless tears, then picked up the phone to call Arden.
“Hey, gorgeous. What’s going on?”
“Any chance we can do the taste test today?” she asked.
“Um, sure. If you’re willing to send your mother that bill. And it will be a big one.”
“Set it up. But wait. Make it for three.”
“Bringing that cynical witch too, hm?”
“Yes.” She needed Selene’s trademark brand of skepticism and empowerment right about then.
“Name your choice and I’ll meet you there in an hour.”
Distraction plan in place, she named one of the places at random, then made her way toward Selene’s store.
“For goddess’s sake, Gerty!” Selene growled as Iris pulled open the door. The witch barely managed to duck in time to avoid a massive tome being hurled at her head. “I put the damn register back, you nasty old crone!”
Another book whizzed through the air, slamming into Selene’s altar behind the counter, sending a small cauldron and little bottles of various herbs clattering.
“Keep it up and I’ll have someone come in here to do an exorcism.”
“Want to get out of here?” Iris asked.
Selene’s head whipped over.
“Hell, yes,” she said, jerking as a book whacked the back of her head. “I don’t even care if you’re dragging me to something nauseating. Like a rom-com.”
“We’re going to eat a ton of food on my mother’s dime.”
“It’s not all going to be seafood, is it?”
“I think we get to pick from a list of proteins.”
“Perfect,” she said, grabbing her bag. “Have fun throwing things around,” she called to her ghost before moving outside. With a wave of her hand, the door locked and the OPEN sign turned.
“What got into her this time?”
“I have no idea. She’s more temperamental than my cat.”
“We can bring Arden back here after the tasting.”
“Ugh. Arden’s coming?”
“He is the wedding planner. Besides, I think you like him more than you’re willing to admit.”
“He’s obnoxious.”
“He’s enthusiastic,” Iris countered. “And charming.”
“What you call ‘charm,’ I call a cry for attention in a tailored suit.”
“Oh, come on. He saved you from vampire glamour,” Iris reminded her.
“I would have snapped out on my own. I think. Eventually. Probably.”
“You’re just salty because he found out you like love stories.”
“They’re not love stories. They’re about … tactical alliances. With emotional side quests.”
“Have I mentioned lately how much I appreciate having you as a friend?” Iris asked.
“Okay. What happened?” Selene asked, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, first, the impromptu friendship appreciation declaration. But even without that, the emotional turmoil is popping off of you like sparklers.”
“What are sparklers?”
“I forget how green you are sometimes. They’re a lot like this,” she said. Selene rubbed her fingers together until they sparked and sizzled. “But they’re on a stick. Kids usually run around with them. But the little dragon shifters like to bite the tops off, the little stinkers.
“Anyway. That’s what your energy is like right now. Add in our little food-tasting adventure, and I’m left thinking something happened with Finn.”
Even just the mention of his name had her emotions bursting through her system.
“Wow. Those are some whiplash-inducing feelings,” Selene said, taking a step back.
“You can feel them?”
“Sorry. I know; it’s invasive. It’s not all the time. It comes and goes with the moon cycle. And, you know, my cycle. I can go back and grab a charm to dull it—”