Page 44 of Hex and the Kitty (Whispering Pines #9)
FORTY-FOUR
T wilight painted Whispering Pines in shades of lavender and gold as Molly tucked the last macaron box into her wicker basket. The “Rose Radiance” and “Chocolate Charm” treats nestled among cloth napkins, each pastry delicately infused with a whisper of joy magic. Through the bakery windows, fairy lights blinked to life along the cobblestone streets, welcoming the approaching evening.
Warrick’s scent lingered on her skin from their morning embrace. The memory of his golden eyes, dark with desire when they’d kissed good-bye, sent heat coursing through her veins. Her hands trembled as she locked the bakery door, fumbling with the key.
“Sweet cinnamon,” she murmured when the lock finally clicked. Since allowing Warrick into her heart, her magic had developed a mischievous streak—sugar bowls danced across countertops whenever she thought of his touch, and spoons stirred of their own accord when she recalled the rumble of his voice against her ear.
The night air caressed her face as she made her way through town. Phantasm Pharmacy stood three blocks away, its windows pulsing with multicolored lights that danced like the Aurora Borealis. The cobblestones hummed beneath her feet, resonating with the town’s ancient magic.
Her phone chimed with Celeste’s message: Hurry up, cupcake queen! Daisy won’t start brewing until you arrive with those magical macarons!
Molly quickened her pace, the basket swinging from her arm. Shopfronts closed for the evening, though magical residue lingered—fairy lights twinkling in Ivy’s tea shop window, animated bookmarks dancing behind glass at the bookstore, spectral Jasper Moon arranging a new display in the library.
The door to Phantasm Pharmacy swung open before her knuckles could touch wood.
“There she is!” Daisy exclaimed, her pink hair piled atop her head in a messy bun secured with what appeared to be potion stirrers. “We thought Warrick might have kidnapped you for a private evening.”
Heat rushed to Molly’s cheeks. “He’s on duty tonight. Meeting with David about increasing patrols.”
“Such dedication,” Daisy winked, ushering her inside. “Though I notice you didn’t deny the possibility.”
The pharmacy’s interior had transformed from its daytime configuration. Shelves of remedies and ghost consultation areas had retreated to create space for a circular mahogany table surrounded by plush velvet-covered stools. Vials and bottles of various sizes glowed on surrounding shelves, casting prismatic shadows across the hardwood floors.
“The pastry witch has arrived!” Daisy announced to the waiting group.
Celeste waved from her seat, her green dress complementing her auburn hair. Beside her, Ellie cradled a steaming mug while round-bellied Tabitha leafed through a leather-bound book. Sera sat primly beside her, ash-blonde hair swept into a neat bun, her modest baby bump barely visible beneath her flowing blouse.
The air swirled with scents of lavender, citrus, and ginseng, punctuated by stronger notes from a cauldron bubbling in the corner.
“Perfect timing,” Celeste smiled. “We were just debating whether your bakery’s psychic pastries inspired tonight’s adventure, or if Daisy’s obsession with future-telling is entirely her own fault.”
Daisy playfully swatted Celeste’s arm. “Excuse me! Molly’s the one who got us all obsessed with peering into the future with those prophetic cupcakes of hers.”
“True,” Ellie nodded. “Remember when Kade ate that ‘Destiny Delight’ cupcake and saw himself proposing to Celeste? His face turned whiter than your icing, Molly.”
“The poor wolf nearly fainted,” Tabitha added with a giggle, rubbing her rounded belly.
Molly set her basket on the table. “At least my prophecies come wrapped in buttercream. What’s Daisy concocting tonight?”
“A glimpse-of-potential-futures spell,” Sera explained, her methodical tone belying the excitement in her eyes. “From her grandmother’s grimoire.”
“Potential futures?” Molly raised an eyebrow as she distributed the pastel macaron boxes. “That sounds unpredictable.”
“Says the witch who serves visions of the future with coffee every morning,” Daisy retorted, hands on hips.