A
fter Billy left, I decided that enough was enough. I’d give Samuel his answer and let him know that his playtime was over.
I put a break sign up at the store before I walked out. Ten minutes would do it. As I was walking toward Darcorp, I waved to Jack who was on the zamboni. He winked at me before flipping me off.
That was my mate.
My good mood helped my nerves as I pushed open the door into the nearly finished Darcorp building. The layout was similar to the larger stores around the rink. It seemed stale and, well, corporate.
Samuel was directing a pair of workers near the front of their counter. His hair was slicked back again, and as I got closer, my fox wrinkled her nose at the cologne he’d bathed in.
“Excuse me.” I stopped about three feet from him. That was the closest that I was willing to be.
Samuel turned with a frown on his face. When he saw
that it was me, his frown turned into an alligator smile with all the teeth.
This guy was seriously creepy.
“Ah, Cider. Yes! Welcome! I hope you’ve come with good news.” He clapped his hands together, rubbing them.
“Actually---”
He cut me off.
“Wait. wait! Before you give me your answer. Come with me!” He snapped his fingers, as if he were telling me to heel. I pressed my lips together to resist saying what I so wanted to. “I have something exciting to show you.”
He walked into the kitchen, leaving me little choice but to follow him. He went over to one of the shiny new stoves. On it was a pot that was simmering with the ingredients next to it.
My little store had one stove in the back that I used to make everything and it was more than enough. This place had six. Talk about over kill.
Samuel stopped in front of the pot. He picked up the wooden spoon next to it and gave it a stir. The familiar scent had me stopping midstep. That scent. It was my secret hot cider!
I knew he’d somehow figured out the secret ingredient, but it had very specific instructions to actually make it. The ingredients had to be put in very specifically at different temperatures or it didn’t come out just right.
That’s why I hadn’t had a total break down when I’d found that he’d somehow figured out the secret. I had memorized it a long time ago.
“How?” My mouth had gone dry.
Samuel glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, his smug look making anger bubble up within me.
“I can’t divulge my secrets, of course. But, I thought it
would be a good idea to show this to you when you came to visit so that you could rethink your decision. Wouldn’t it be a shame if you turned down our generous offer only to discover that your secret recipe really isn’t all that secret?” He took a sip of the cider from the spoon. “Mmm. That is just delectable. I can see why it’s so popular. The dash of chile really does just give it that kick, doesn’t it?”
The floor fell away and I felt like I had fallen into a pit. How? How had he figured it out? I didn’t even tell Billy about how to make it.
“How dare you?” My fist clenched. I was ready to give this guy the beating of a lifetime.
“I don’t know what you mean.” Samuel faced me. “But, I do hope this gives you more of a push to accept the offer. If you don’t, we will go ahead with our new cider come opening day and you’ll get nothing.” He placed his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels. “I’ll give you the weekend to decide.”
He ushered me out the kitchen, through the store, and out the door before I could think of what to say. I was standing in the middle of the path with people walking around me as I tried to figure out what had just happened.
My fox had started pacing. She was furious. I was furious. Yet, I’d just let him push me out without saying anything. I’d just turned to march back in there, consequences be damned, when Lys appeared in front of me.
“Hey, Cider.” Her hands went to my shoulders. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re in shock.”
I shook my head. “He knows my hot cider recipe. He knows how to make it. He doesn’t just have the ingredients, he knows how to make it! I don’t have that written anywhere and I’ve never told anyone how to!” Okay, there was the hysteria, I wondered when it would show up.
Lys face pinched. “There’s got to be an explanation. Okay. Come on. Come to Triple E. I’ll make you a cup of tea and we’ll figure this out.” She threaded her arm through mine and basically led me to her store on the other side of the rink.
Her shop was larger than mine. The decor was simple. Black and white. Her counter was on the side of the store. Her chairs were red leather.
She sat me at the counter and started moving around behind it.
“Is my brother happy?” I blurted out the question without thinking about it.
She froze in the middle of pouring the hot water from the kettle into one of her signature mugs.
“I like to think so. We’re still learning about each other.” She turned to me and handed me the cup with an herbal tea. It smelled divine. “The guys are all wonderful. We’re even thinking about going on a trip together.”
I sipped the tea. The tension lessened as I relaxed.
“This is good.” Running my index finger around the edge. “You’ve been good for Quinten. We fight a lot but I love my brother. I just want him to be happy.”
“He makes me happy. He’s kind and funny.” She got a starry eyed look.
Faking a gag, I rolled my eyes. “My brother is a lot of things, but funny is not one of them.”
“He’d surprise you.” She grabbed another cup. “So, I think it’s safe to say that we need to get serious about this guy. Have you talked to Titus?”
“I mean, we talked about finding out about the whole stock issue.” I looked down at the immaculate counter. “We just became mates. I don’t want to be asking him for favors.”
Lys filled her cup up with coffee. I hadn’t known vampires could be affected by caffeine. Learn something new every day.
“If there’s one thing that Titus enjoys, is taking care of the people he loves. Trust me. Took me nearly twenty-five years to get my independence.” She poured a good amount of sugar into her drink. “Talk to him. Talk to all your mates now. You’re all part of each other’s lives now. I can guarantee that they’re going to want to help you.”
She had a point.
“Alright. I’ll talk to them.” I finished my tea. “I think this issue with Samuel might be personal. He’s not going after any of the others as of yet. I need to find out why.”
Lys took my cup and hers to a sink behind the counter. “Same. This guy is a sleaze ball. What if we spy on him?”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “Actually, that was one of my thoughts. Igor said she’d spy on him for me.”
She blinked. “Igor? The talking Venus Flytrap?”
I grinned. “That’s the one.”
She laughed. “That’s a brilliant idea. Let me know if I can help.”
I stood. “Thank you, Lys.” I paused in the doorway. “Really.”
She nodded in response before I turned to leave. I walked back to my store. I pulled my phone out and called Billy.
“So,” I bit my lip. “What do you think about asking Titus and Jack for help? With my situation?”
“I think it’s a good idea.” Billy yelled at one of his workers about moving a plant somewhere. “They might have different ideas that just the two of us wouldn’t think of.”
“I’ll text them.” I smiled as Billy cursed. It sounded like
he dropped something on his foot. “I’ll see you after closing.”
Hanging up, I sent a quick message to Igor, letting her know to go ahead with the plan before I pulled up a text message and attached both Jack and Titus to it.
I hate asking for help. It’s just something I don’t like to do but, I could use some help with the Samuel situation. He escalated it today.
Dots appeared almost instantly. Twenty bucks it was Titus.
Do I need to get rid of him?
Yup. I’d been right.
No. No mysterious disappearances. Yet. Igor is going to spy on him for me. I’d like help figuring out what to do next, though.
Jack beat Titus to a reply.
I’ll see what I can find myself, too. That guy is squirrely.
A chortle slipped out as I unlocked my store, flipped the open sign, and went behind the counter. Jack called him squirrely. I didn’t know if that was cute or funny. Probably both.
I went in the back since there were no customers yet and started the familiar process of making my hot cider. I’d started making this drink years ago, before I’d graduated high school.
I’d always been a little weird. I mean, I am a fox shifter, but I was always bigger than other girls. That would sometimes mean that other kids weren’t always so nice. They were only ever rude once, though.
They found their faces meeting my fist, or if Billy was around, his. But, it never failed that after that happened I went home and started making this drink. My grandpa had taught it to me when I was in the fourth grade and it had stuck with me.
When I’d made my tweaks to perfect it, that had felt like an accomplishment. I loved watching people take their first sip. The looks of shock, enjoyment, or pleasure always made me feel good. It was something that I had continued to make to get those looks.
Now some jackass was trying to take that away from me. I didn’t know how he’d managed to figure it out. I’d find out and make him pay. My fox barked in agreement.
