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CHAPTER 1

ROSALYN

T his had to be the worst first date in history.

The orc’s loud laugh rippled across The Moonlit Chalice, causing Elder Thornberry’s wife, Petunia, to turn from her coveted spot in the garden alcove with a disapproving frown.

The elegant restaurant occupied an old merchant’s manor.

Soft, evening breezes drifted through open glass doors to the wisteria-covered terrace.

Fresh roses in crystal vases graced each table, their fragrance mingling with the aroma of bloomberry tarts wafting from the kitchen.

I cringed when several diners winced at yet another burst of raucous laughter from my date, their romantic evenings disturbed.

The problem wasn’t that he was an orc.

In fact, orcs were relatively commonplace in Moonshine Hollow.

The problem was him .

Since tall, muscular, and brooding were my type, I had been more than pleased when Grakkar Steelfist arrived in Moonshine Hollow.

I’d spent days dreaming about how that wall of green muscle would sweep me off my feet, my toes curling in anticipation of passionate nights, believing he would be the love of my life.

The reality was quite different.

The boorish man talked about himself nonstop for at least thirty minutes.

He’d just laughed at his own joke before launching into more self-congratulation about his successful trading business.

Pushing a lock of red hair over my shoulder, I rested my chin on my hand and considered him as he gobbled down his dish.

“The merchants said they’d never heard a more lucrative idea,” he told me.

“Huge potential. Enormous. They were so glad I’d come to Moonshine Hollow. No one here has ideas as good as mine.”

I highly doubted that.

I opened my mouth to reply, when he continued.

“I shouldn’t be surprised, of course. Moonshine Hollow is full of good people, but not killers in business like me. I’ll have production flowing and people lining up like ants in a line to buy my goods in no time,” he said, then laughed again—loudly.

This time, he earned a shush from Petunia, not that he noticed.

I cringed and mouthed, “I’m sorry,” to her and the other refined ladies at her table.

Ugh.

I looked back at my date.

Was this the person I bought a new blue dress for?

Was he really the man I’d tried six outfits on to find the perfect, sparkly gown that accented my hair, blue eyes, and glowing blue wings perfectly?

My mind wandered to thoughts of life, love, and why I seemed completely cursed when it came to finding a good man.

Was it because I was a pixie?

Was it because I was too friendly?

Was there something inherently wrong with me that made me choose bad dates over and over again?

Or was it that I had decided to ask Grakkar out because I thought he’d be fun for a night—or ten?

Maybe that last one had something to do with it, but it had been too long since I’d had a lover, and obviously, I was getting desperate.

I didn’t know Grakkar well, but I had been hopeful that I would find the love I had dreamed of somewhere under that shaggy black hair and those piercing amber-colored eyes.

My own personal Lord Thornwick—the devilishly handsome, broody, and romantic hero of my favorite novel, Crown and Crumpets .

Instead, I found a self-absorbed bore.

Grakkar knocked back his drink and set it down on the table with a clunk, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Gods,” he said, puffing up his chest, “you should have seen how I handled that trade deal with Master Pepperwort today. That stubborn old gnome thought he could shortchange me on those enchanted crystals. But I showed him who’s boss. I told him straight to his face that his pricing was a joke. Everyone in the room was amazed. No one else would dare talk to him like that, but I put him right in his place. I could tell they were all admiring my nerve. No one else dares to talk the way I do.”

“Oh?” I murmured, not really giving him an answer.

I actually couldn’t remember the last time I’d spoken.

Making noises that acknowledged his awesomeness every few moments seemed to satisfy him.

The orc, having finished his dinner, gazed over at my plate.

I’d pushed the same carrot back and forth across it for the last twenty minutes, trying to decide whether it would be rude to just leave.

After all, I was the one who had invited him to dinner.

I couldn’t bail, could I?

That said, the fact that he had ordered my dish for me, insisting that he knew the best thing for me to eat, should have been the first red flag.

And now, I was left with my plate full of carrots—which I hated—while I was dreaming of bloomberry tarts…

and a better dinner companion.

But if not this guy, who?

I had almost run out of options in Moonshine Hollow.

The dating market had proved no more promising this year than any other.

It was beginning to look like I would end up a spinster like my neighbor Winifred Bramblewood.

We’d end up gossiping together as we watched all the other couples pass our businesses’ windows, Winifred pretending to rearrange her flower bouquets and me standing outside The Sconery and Teashop leaning on a broom while lurking for some new piece of gossip.

The idea was so depressing that I wanted to throw myself into Silver River.

Grakkar looked at my plate, then slowly dragged his gaze up my body in a way that should have excited me but made my skin crawl.

His eyes lingered on my chest, his gaze bouncing from breast to breast.

I started to wonder if he’d forgotten I had a face.

When he finally met my eyes, his expression was hungry in a way that had nothing to do with dinner.

He lowered his gaze then started a conversation—not with me, of course, but with my boobs.

“What’s the matter? You’re not hungry tonight, sweet thing?”

“I was just listening to you. It sounds like you’re very good at your business.” I struggled to keep the sarcasm from my voice.

“Yes,” he said with a slick smile, still talking to my chest, “I’m good at all sorts of things. I could show you exactly how good if you’d like to get out of here and go back to my room at the inn. I’m heading out tomorrow, and it would be a shame if I didn’t get to explore all your…assets before I go.” His tongue darted out to wet his lips as his gaze raked over me again.

Was he talking to my left boob or my right?

I wasn’t sure.

Or did he want to spend equal time with both of them?

The idea of a romp in bed with him had gone from sounding like the perfect romance to a perfect nightmare.

I was all for a good time, but not when I had somehow become a headless stick there for his pleasure…

and eating carrots.

I owned a bakery.

Did I look like the kind of girl who restricted myself to carrots?

Or was he the kind of man who always ordered for his partner to ensure she kept a shapely figure?

I would have to ask my breasts because, apparently, they were in charge.

“I think that sounds like… You know what, I’ll be back in a minute,” I said.

“I need to step to the ladies’ room.”

“Oh. Yeah. Uh, sure,” he said, looking annoyed by the delay, but his attention immediately wandered as our waitress, Jessica, passed by.

His eyes locked on her green skirt and swaying hips.

He didn’t even try to hide the way he was undressing her with his eyes.

Still staring at Jessica, he had the nerve to add, “We’re splitting the check, right? That’s what you said, isn’t it?”

That was not, in fact, what I had said.

For some reason, I had been suffering under the delusion that he might be a gentleman and pay for dinner.

Apparently, my breasts were in charge of half of it.

“What do you think, Lefty?” I asked, looking down at my chest.

“You got this one covered?”

Grakkar, his eyes still on Jessica’s ass, didn’t even hear.

Chuckling to myself, I said sweetly, “I’ll be right back.”

Grabbing my bag and sweater, I approached the back of the restaurant.

When I reached the restrooms, I veered right.

Slipping behind the servers, I made my way into the kitchen, where I was met with questioning stares.

Fortunately, Violet was working.

When she saw me, she gave me an empathetic smile.

“Vi, I am so sorry to crash your kitchen,” I said.

“No explanation needed,” Violet said.

“I already saw him, and I definitely heard him. Scoot before he realizes,” she said, gesturing to the door.

“Thank you so much,” I said, giving her a grateful smile.

“Come see me tomorrow. I owe you a scone and a pot of tea! On the house!”

“I’ll take you up on that offer!”

I was almost out the door but paused when I passed a tray of the bloomberry tarts.

I turned back to Violet, but she was already laughing.

“Take one. You’ve earned it.”

Giving her a grin, I snatched one of the tarts and then fluttered out of the kitchen and onto the cobblestone streets of Moonshine Hollow.

Relieved to be back outside, I took a deep breath and started on my way home.

Enchanted lanterns floated overhead, their fragile colored paper casting rainbow hues on the evening crowds.

Moonflowers bloomed in every window box, their iridescent petals unfurling in the darkness and releasing their sweet, dreamy fragrance.

It was a beautiful summer night with a full moon and fireflies dancing through the air, their lights mingling with the sparkles of fairy dust that drifted down from the wings of the tiny passing fairies that tended the night-blooming flowers.

Summer had come to Moonshine Hollow once more, and the whole world seemed buzzing with cricket song.

A couple walked hand in hand down the street in front of me, passing beneath an arch of moonblush roses that glowed with a soft pink light as they passed by.

The evening was warm and sultry, perfect for spending the night with someone you love.

Unfortunately for me, Grakkar was not someone for me.

I hoped that ditching him in the middle of the restaurant would signal that clearly enough.

With a sigh, I fluttered my pale blue wings and drifted back home, munching on the bloomberry tart as I went.

At the very least, the tart had been as good as I dreamed.

Far better than the date.

I kept an apartment on the floor above my bakery where I lived with the real man of my life.

Being a pixie afforded certain benefits.

I could fly, of course, which meant I didn’t need to climb a flight of stairs to get to my second-floor flat.

Fluttering upward, I made my way to my slightly cracked window.

Pushing it open, I slipped inside.

I was met at once with a questioning meow.

“I know, I know,” I said with a defeated sigh.

“I’m home early. You don’t have to rub it in, Merry.”

I snapped my fingers, causing blue sparks to shoot around the room, lighting the candles in my living room.

Merry was curled up in his favorite spot at the end of my chaise lounge.

Kicking off my heels and dropping my bag and sweater into a chair, I scooped up my caticorn and settled onto the chaise.

“Merry, you may be the only man I will ever truly love. Doesn’t that make you happy?”

The cat purred, rubbing his head against me for pats but being careful that he didn’t poke me with his little golden horn.

He paused, giving himself a little shake before he sneezed.

His golden horn glowed brightly for a moment, the effect blinding.

When it dissipated, I discovered I was covered in a cloud of multicolored sparkles.

“What the—Merry, are you all right?”

Merry merely blinked, then shook his head, getting out the last of the unexpected sneeze.

His golden horn glowed softly as it did when he performed magic.

Merry’s enchantments mostly consisted of zapping mice or growing iridescent golden wings when he had the zoomies.

Sneezing glitter was a new one.

I studied the cat for any signs that he wasn’t feeling well—no runny nose, crusty eyes, and he didn’t seem overly warm.

“Must be the heat of summer,” I said, then settled back, absently brushing the glitter away.

Merry curled up on my lap as I lay back in the chaise and looked out at the moon.

“Where is my great love story? I want bards to sing about the epic love of Rosalyn Hartwood and her soulmate…the greatest love story of all time. Where is that love?” Sighing, I looked down at Merry.

“Well, Mer-Mer, it’s not happening tonight. Now, where did I leave those triple-chocolate scones?”