Chapter Four

“One thing’s for sure,” Fen said as she watched the paddles turn with powerful languor through the vat of thick cream. “I’m guarding any new recipes or ideas for flavors with my very life.”

“It’s not as if you habitually bandy them about,” Kara replied, dabbing at a smear of chocolate on her cheek.

“I know. That’s what worries me. But take this new flavor.” She nodded at the vat. “My recipe’s going into the safe, with the other valuables.”

“When should I dump in the chocolate?”

“Not just yet.” Fen mixed her flavors by feel, or perhaps it was extra-creamery perception. Whichever, it rarely failed her.

“And another thing,” she went on, “we’ll have to open up, at least for a few hours, starting tomorrow afternoon.”

“What?” Kara gaped at her. “But the Grand Opening’s on Sunday. You’re all set—you’ve printed the flyers and you have the press coming. The coupons for a free taster cone are for Sunday.”

“I know. And the Grand Opening will still take place on Sunday, as planned. But Kara, I can’t afford to wait. Sebastian Bane’s open now. And the more regulars who get used to patronizing his shop, the fewer will come here.”

“I thought you agreed there’s plenty of custom to go around.”

“There is.” Fen bit her lip savagely. “Who would have thought he’d be open this early in the season? But the weather’s been so warm, and Kara, when I was there yesterday, he had a line of customers.”

“Well, good. I’ll bet after your opening, you’ll have lines right out the door. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to spoil the Grand Opening by jumping the gun.”

“Add the chocolate,” Fen said. “Now.”

Kara tipped in the top-secret blend of dark, milk, and white chocolates, in turn. They both watched the paddles mix it in.

“You know what it is,” Kara said then. “You’ve let the man get to you.”

“I haven’t—” Fen began, only to break off in consternation. In all honesty, she had let Sebastian Bane get to her, and on more than one level. That wasn’t like her. She’d been battling her way through life so long, and rarely fell victim these days to intimidation.

Sebastian Bane didn’t intimidate her, not precisely. On the contrary, she had to admit to a certain attraction. But she certainly didn’t trust the man. He might come across all charming, but she’d seen deviltry in his dark eyes. And if he’d stolen her recipes, it must have been by nefarious means.

“Add the cherries—now,” she told Kara, who tipped them in. “I need to do some spell work. And as soon as this batch is finished, that’s what I mean to do.”

****

“Boss, have you seen this?” Ryan entered the back door of the mixing room, waving a brightly colored sheet of paper under Seb’s nose. A flyer.

Seb crooked an eyebrow. “One of ours, is it?”

“No. I just picked it up at the Kuppa Jo when I stopped for our coffee. It’s a Grand Opening ad for that other ice cream place, the one with the crazy name.”

“Fen’s Fancy Ice Cream Parlor,” Seb supplied. The proprietor had remained on his mind nonstop.

Ryan gave him a long look. “Is that the woman who came in here the other day? The one who looked so ticked off?”

“That’s her.”

“What’s she have to be upset about? To me, it looks like she’s been stealing your ideas, or at least your flavors. Just look at this.” Ryan spread the sheet on the counter and gestured indignantly. “She’s got different names for ’em, but they sure sound like the same thing. Rum Runner’s Passion—that’s the one you call Smuggler’s Fancy, right? And her Tropical Teaser—says it’s orange ice cream with chunks of pineapple. Sounds like our Tangeri Tango, to me.”

“Yeah, I know.” Seb came over and eyed the flyer unhappily. Done all in shades of purple, it included a pretty image of the shop and a list of what were described as original gourmet flavors. Come let us enchant you, it exhorted. And down on the corner of the sheet? A caricature of a redheaded witch flying on a broom.

Her trademark?

“And this one.” Ryan grew even more indignant. “Marshy Magic. Damned if that’s not your Marshmallow Madness.”

“You’re right.” Seb gave a sigh. “I’ve spoken with her about it. She insists I’m the one who stole her ideas.”

Ryan gave him a look. “Is she crazy?”

“Quite possibly.”

“I was here when you came up with those formulas. Hell, I helped develop some of them.”

“I know. It’s a puzzler.”

“And now she’s announcing a Grand Opening on Sunday, just like she’s proud of it. Like she hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“I’m not sure she has.”

“Can’t be a coincidence,” Ryan declared. “One similar flavor, okay. By a stretch of the imagination, maybe two. But all these?”

“I don’t think it’s coincidence. I’m thinking manipulation.”

“On whose part?”

“Possibly, on the part of the Universe. For some reason, Miss Fenady Clark and I have been shuttled onto the same stretch of train track and have been receiving very similar doses of inspiration.”

“That’s not too likely, is it?”

“Never say never, Ry, my friend. Anything’s likely, when there’s magic at work.”

“Magic?”

“I think Miss Fenady and I need to have a serious conversation and come to terms.”

“I don’t envy you,” Ryan declared. “From what I saw of her, that woman shoots sparks and doesn’t appear likely to listen to reason.”

“Oh, I don’t intend to employ reason,” Seb assured him. “At this point, that would be the coward’s way out.”