The next morning, Suzanne’s mind was not on her job of operating the register. She forgot orders, keyed in the wrong amounts, and even mixed up two of their favorite customers’ names.
“Mrrow?” Trixie asked in concern during a lull.
“Yes.” Maddie turned to Suzanne. “What Trixie said.”
“Sorry, guys.” Suzanne grimaced. “I don’t know what’s wrong with my head today. I just can’t concentrate. All I can think about is having lunch with Ramon. And then I get a sick feeling in my stomach.” She bit her lip. “Maybe I should cancel.”
“No way.” Maddie shook her head. “You know you want to have lunch with him.”
“But I’m such a mess!” Suzanne wailed. “And that’s not me.”
“I know.”
“Mrrow!”
Maddie studied her friend. She’d worn the outfit they’d chosen last night, the floaty teal dress, hidden at the moment behind a voluminous apron. Instead of her customary ponytail, her hair fell straight and shiny to just below her shoulders.
“My hair is driving me nuts.” Suzanne shoved a strand of hair behind her ear. “I should have worn a ponytail like usual, and then brushed it out just before twelve-thirty.”
“Mrrow.” Trixie furrowed her furry brow, then scampered off the stool. She hooked her paw into a low drawer and pulled. Nosing in the drawer, she trotted over to Suzanne and bunted her hand.
“Thanks, Trixie.” Suzanne smiled as she showed Maddie a hair elastic. “How did you know I had one in there?”
“Mrrow,” Trixie said coyly, before jumping up on her stool.
“This feels so much better.” Suzanne drew back her hair and twisted the band around her ponytail. “Now I’ll be able to focus more.”
Maddie hoped so, for their customers’ sakes. But she was sure she’d been just as bad when going out with Luke for the first time. Even now, she couldn’t stop smiling and blushing when she saw him.
Midmorning, they had a stream of customers. Suzanne was nearly back to her efficient self, only making a couple of minor errors.
“Hi girls.” Amy, a middle-aged woman who worked at the small supermarket, greeted them.
“Your usual?” Suzanne asked with a smile.
“Please.” She brought out her wallet.
Maddie started on a double cappuccino.
“I heard you had some trouble the other day,” Amy continued, pushing back her wavy chestnut hair.
“You mean Claudine?” Suzanne frowned.
“Yeah. And her cousin Veronica.” Amy shuddered.
“Do you know her?” Maddie asked curiously as she sprinkled a generous amount of chocolate powder on top of the foam.
“Unfortunately.” Amy grimaced. “That woman is bad news. You girls should stay away from her.”
“We plan to.” Suzanne’s ponytail bounced.
“Mrrow!”
“That’s good.” Amy nodded in approval, reserving a smile for Trixie. “I definitely need my coffee today. A new guy has started as acting manager since Mr. Jenkins is away on an extended vacation. He’s younger than me, but seems to like bossing me around.” She scowled.
“But you’ve been working there for years,” Suzanne exclaimed. “Why didn’t they make you acting manager?”
“I applied, but didn’t get it because I don’t have a college degree.” Amy took a big sip of her coffee, as if hoping that would make things better.
“That’s terrible!”
Maddie nodded in agreement.
“Mrrow,” Trixie murmured.
“And it’s all that – that – Veronica’s fault.” Amy cast a glance at Trixie. “I don’t want to swear in front of sweet Trixie.”
“That’s very thoughtful,” Maddie replied.
“I had a decent chance of going to college,” Amy continued, as if she couldn’t hold her grievance in any longer. “I was always a good student, and I was in the running for a scholarship that would pay for practically everything. But Mom got sick in my senior year and some of the time I should have been studying I spent looking after her instead. Not that I resented her for it,” she added hastily.
“That must have been tough,” Maddie murmured.
“It was.” Amy took a fortifying sip. “My grades slipped, and I didn’t know what to do. Then Veronica suggested I ...” she hesitated. “Oh heck, everyone knew about it at the time, anyway. She suggested I break into the principal’s office and get the answers to the final exam. If I could ace it, I could probably still win the scholarship. So I did.” She lifted the cardboard cup to her lips.
“What happened?” Suzanne asked, her eyes wide.
Maddie noticed that even Trixie was leaning forward, intent on Amy’s next words.
“I got caught.” Amy closed her eyes in remembered regret. “And I was expelled. There went my scholarship, and there went college. It was on my permanent record. Even if I could manage to get student loans or a work-study program, what sort of college would accept a cheater?”
“But ... how did you get caught?” Suzanne crinkled her brow. That question had been on the tip of Maddie’s tongue as well.
“Veronica.” Amy’s expression darkened. “She was the only one who knew what I was planning to do. It had even been her idea! And guess what? She got the scholarship I’d applied for.”
“Goodness!” Maddie stared at Amy. “That’s – that’s—”
“Diabolical? Fiendish? Take your pick,” Amy said bitterly. “And her scheming ruined my life – or I allowed it to. I got my GED, but I couldn’t face applying to colleges, throwing myself on their mercy, and getting turned down. My family couldn’t afford to pay for college, which might have been one way to get in, if there was a university that wasn’t so fussy about their applicants.
“So here I am, fifty, and being bossed around by a kid half my age, because he has a college degree and I don’t.”
“I’m so sorry,” Maddie replied.
“Mrrow,” Trixie added softly.
“So stay away from Veronica. If she wants something you have, I think she’ll do whatever it takes to snatch it from you.”
With that piece of advice, Amy headed across the square to the supermarket.
“Wow.” Suzanne sank down on a stool. “I can’t believe that.”
“I know.” Maddie flopped on her own stool. “Poor Amy.”
“Make sure I remember this if we have another run in with Claudine – and Veronica.”
“We better not,” Maddie said with feeling.
“Mrrow!”
The two girls turned to look at the Persian, who looked definite in her agreement.
“I think we should take Trixie’s advice,” Maddie said.
“Deal.” Suzanne’s ponytail bobbed.
A couple more customers stopped by, then Suzanne checked her watch, shrieking.
“It’s twelve-twenty, Mads. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know,” Maddie replied truthfully. The lunch crowd had been slower than usual today, which was why she hadn’t realized it was nearing the time of Suzanne’s lunch date with Ramon. “Sorry.”
“I’ve got to fix my hair!” Suzanne pulled out a compact from her purse and unfastened her ponytail. She grabbed a comb and yanked. “Ow!”
“Slow down,” Maddie told her, manning the register as a customer approached, asking for an iced coffee.
“Thank goodness it’s not hot today,” Suzanne continued. “Trix, how does my hair look?” She bent down slightly.
“Mrrow,” Trixie sounded approving.
“Thanks!”
“Apron.” Maddie pulled an espresso shot.
“Oh, yeah!” Suzanne yanked off the brown smock and smoothed down her dress. She placed a hand on her chest. “I think I need to sit for a second.”
“Mrrow?” Trixie patted her mouth area as she stared at Suzanne.
“What is it, Trix?” Suzanne knitted her brow as she peered at the cat. “What are you trying to tell me?”
“Mrrow!” Trixie patted her mouth again, this time more urgently.
Maddie stifled a giggle, glad the iced coffee customer had just wondered off, slurping his drink.
“I think she’s asking if you want to put on some lip-gloss,” Maddie told her friend.
“Eeek!” Suzanne jumped off the stool, as if stung by a wasp. “How could I have forgotten?” She rummaged through her purse, her hand shaking as she colored her mouth. “Thanks, Trix,” she mumbled through her half open lips.
Putting away the gloss, Suzanne sank on the stool again. “Maybe I should cancel, Mads. I feel really weird. Like I’m going to be sick. Maybe I’ve caught a virus or something. I should just go home and rest.”
“You’ll be fine,” Maddie said bracingly. “It’s just nerves, that’s all. Isn’t that what you said to me when I started dating Luke?”
“But that was different.” Suzanne frowned. “I never feel like this.”
“I think it just means you really like Ramon.”
“Yeah.” A dreamy smile passed over Suzanne’s face. “I do.”
“You do what?” A faint Spanish male accent.
“Ramon!” Suzanne jumped up. “Hi!”
“I am sorry I am a couple of minutes late,” he said, looking gorgeous in tailored slacks and a long-sleeved cream shirt.
“I didn’t even notice.” Suzanne beamed at him.
Maddie noticed Ramon’s eyes flared a little as he took in Suzanne. She looked cool and collected in her floaty dress, her straight, shiny hair out of its customary ponytail. Nobody would have guessed she’d been a nervous wreck two minutes ago.
“Shall we?” He held out his arm.
Suzanne exited the truck and took his arm, casting a smiling glance over her shoulder at Maddie and Trixie as she embarked on her date.
“That leaves the two of us to handle the rest of the lunch crowd,” Maddie informed Trixie.
“Mrrow!” Trixie looked confident as she settled back on her stool.
Since business was down a little, Maddie was able to handle the customers solo, only wishing for Suzanne’s presence a couple of times. All the while she was making lattes and iced coffees, she wondered how Suzanne’s date was faring. She just hoped her best friend was having an incredible time.
“HI.”
Maddie looked up from her sandwich to find Luke standing at the counter.
“Hi.” She put down her lunch and rushed to the counter, wishing she could bounce like Suzanne.
There had been a lull around one-thirty, and she’d taken the opportunity to eat her sandwich.
“Mrrow,” Trixie greeted Luke.
“Hi Trixie.” He grinned at the Persian. “Still on for our picnic on the weekend?”
“Mrrow!” Trixie purred.
“It’s so cute that you talk to her like that,” Maddie said, unable to stop a smile blossoming over her face.
“I think I picked it up from you.” He chuckled.
Maddie realized with a start she did speak to Trixie like a person – or a creature who could understand everything she said. But she had the advantage of knowing that Trixie wasn’t an ordinary cat – she was a familiar – her familiar.
“Where’s Suzanne?” Luke peered into the truck.
“She’s at lunch,” Maddie said, suddenly having an uh-oh moment. Now she wished she’d told Luke last night about Suzanne’s date with Ramon – but would Suzanne have wanted her to? Not that there was anything to worry about. Ramon was a nice guy – as well as being super hot and having a sexy Spanish accent. But Maddie knew if Luke and Ramon stood side by side, she would pick Luke every time.
“Don’t you usually have lunch together?” he asked curiously.
“Yes.” She hesitated.
“What is it?” Luke looked concerned. “Is Suzanne okay?”
“She’s having lunch with Ramon.” It came out in a rush. She could not lie to him.
“What?” He frowned.
“They’re having lunch.” She turned to Trixie, a help me out here look on her face.
“Mrrow.” Trixie seemed to nod her head.
“I don’t think Trixie has a problem with it.” Maddie attempted to lighten the moment.
Luke cracked a reluctant smile as he looked at the Persian, who suddenly wore a very cute and appealing expression.
“Well, if Trixie thinks it’s okay ...” He shook his head. “What am I doing?”
“Hoping your sister enjoys her lunch,” Maddie told him. “That’s all.” She moved over to the machine. “Maybe you need a latte – with hazelnut syrup.”
He nodded.
“And this one’s on the house.” She waved away his offer to pay.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Suzanne and ... Ramon?”
“I wasn’t sure how you’d react,” she told him, pulling a shot. “Besides, Suzanne’s my best friend. I don’t want to hide anything from you—” like being a witch “—but I don’t want to get in the middle of you and Suzanne either.”
“I can understand that.” He nodded thoughtfully. “I just don’t want my sister to get hurt.”
“Neither do I.” They gazed at each other in understanding.
Luke stayed for a little while, praising the hazelnut latte. When he departed, Maddie let out a sigh of relief. She was glad he understood the position she was in with regard to his sister’s love life. Now all she needed was Suzanne’s new romance to run smoothly.