Midlife in Glimmerspell Read online

  “Get on your feet all you want, kid. You’re not going anywhere.” Teddy shakes her head as she sets down a plate of what looks to be those fresh baked chocolate chip cookies that have been accosting my senses in the very best way ever since we set foot inside. “We’re gonna have so much fun, you’ll never want to leave the Roosevelt Inn.” She gives a sly wink my way as she takes a cookie from the plate and the rest of us do the same.

  “I don’t doubt it for a minute,” I say, indulging in a bite of the warm, ooey-gooey goodness. My word, this might just be the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had. “What are you charging for rent?” I ask Teddy. No reason not to get right to financial brass tacks. A part of me is afraid Harold is right. I’ll never make it in this world without him.

  “I charge in cookies,” Teddy says, holding up the last bite of deliciousness in her hand. “But you could toss in a savory dish now and again, too.”

  “Forget about the cookies,” Morgan says as she nods to Sunshine. “You’ll never guess who asked Billie out for a cup of coffee. I’ll give you a hint. He wields a weapon that every girl in Glimmerspell has been looking to get her hands on for as far back as I can remember.”

  Sunny sucks in a quick breath. “Elliot Greenly asked you out on a date?” Her eyes bulge all the more.

  “Oh, it wasn’t a date.” I shake my head before this gets way out of hand. “It was more of a threat after I accused him of murder.”

  Sunny’s shoulders hike to her ears. “A date and murder? Does Iona know about this?”

  “Who’s Iona?” I ask as Teddy rolls her eyes. The name sounds vaguely familiar, but, let’s face it, there was no hope of me remembering anyone’s name after that poor man took his dying breath while his arms were practically wrapped around my body.

  “Iona Slade,” Teddy says with a nod. “Elliot’s ex. You met her. Hot-to-trot, chestnut hair, fawn-like features, perpetual glowing tan, hint of darkness in her soul?”

  “Just a hint?” Morgan teases before she looks my way. “Iona and Elliot have a kid together, a son named Royce. He’s a year older than Sadie, so I guess a year older than Harper, too.”

  “Iona Slade?” I gag on her name as I recall Elliot saying it earlier. “That was the woman working the register who kept giving me the evil eye—then promptly accused me of murder.”

  Teddy and Sunny break out into titters.

  “Don’t feel too bad about the evil eye she was doling out,” Teddy says. “Iona’s got good radar. You’re about to steal her man and she knows it.”

  Sunny quirks a brow. “And Iona is never wrong about anything. She’s as cold, hard, and mean as they come. But if you can get on her good side, you’ll have a friend for life. Except for you, of course. She’s been trying to land Elliot Greenly as her official plus one for as long as I can remember—as in marriage. Even though they share Royce, they’ve never been hitched. Heck, I don’t think they were all that serious either. Elliot is more or less your perpetual playboy. Can’t hold a man like that down if you tried.”

  “He’s not only a playboy—he’s rich,” Teddy spits that last word out like the four-letter word it is. “He comes from old money. His mother, Marceline, owns the Greenly Dairy at the edge of town.”

  Morgan scoffs. “They are not rich.” She shakes her head my way. “They’re hard workers. His mother is sort of eccentric, that’s all. The dairy delivers straight to the bookstore. And once in a while, she makes the delivery herself—in a full formal gown. But his brother Rex is totally down-to-earth.”

  Sunny gives a quick nod. “I should know, I’ve been working at Rex’s Stake House now for the last twenty-years. I’m headed that way now to drop off a couple of packages to Iona. That’s her go-to hangout place after work. Poor thing still lives in the past. She’s desperate to get into the Greenly clan one way or another. She’s good friends with their sister Elora, too. You should come with me. I’ll buy you dinner. I get a fifteen-percent employee discount, and I’m not afraid to use it.”

  “That’s very generous of you,” I tell her. “But I really shouldn’t. I think I’m on overload. I hit my head and—”

  “And you’re not going to sue me,” Morgan finishes before looking to Sunny. “That hourglass Marceline gave me toppled over and shattered in a million glittery pieces.”

  “Marceline?” I muse. “Elliot’s mother?”

  So I was right. It was his fault—in a roundabout way.

  Teddy nods. “Just don’t tell her it bonked you on the head. She might want to have a word with you. She said that hourglass had been in her family for generations.”

  I gasp. “What was it doing at the bookstore?”

  Morgan shrugs. “She gave it to me after Mabel died. She said she wanted me to think of all the good times we had whenever I looked at it.”

  A groan evicts from my throat. “I feel terrible.”

  “Don’t,” Morgan says. “I secretly thought it was gaudy. You did me a favor. Come on, I’ll buy you dinner at Rex’s.”

  “You guys go ahead,” I tell them. “It’s Harper’s first night in a strange town. I probably shouldn’t leave her. Besides, I all but blacked out. I think my body needs a reset.”

  “Blacked out?” Sunny blinks my way.

  “That’s right.” Teddy slaps her knee as if it were the best thing in the world. “A fire ripped through her and she traveled through time, space, and beyond, only to come back and see the ghost of you-know-who.”

  “I saw a ghost?” I blink back, trying to rewind the day. Honest to God, I could have seen an entire pack of poltergeists—this afternoon was laced with that many delusions.

  Morgan and Sunny exchange a sober look but don’t say a word.

  Sunny taps me on the hand. “You had a hot flash is what you had. I’m hitting fifty in a few months and I get them all the time. Why do you think I wear clothes that are easy to take off? No sooner does one of those demon breezes hit than I want to dive into the snow, naked.”

  Morgan grunts, “We all know why all of your clothes have easy exits. Now let’s get to Rex’s so you can find your mark for the night.”

  “But—” Just as I’m set to protest, Harper and Sadie bolt down the stairs, rambling something about taking a bite out of the night by way of a grand tour before dashing out the door.

  Sunny squints over at me. “Are you gonna sit here all night with an ice pack on your noggin while those two squirts have all the fun? Or are you going to Rex’s with us for a bite to eat?”

  My stomach growls as if answering for me.

  “I guess I’m up for the grand tour, too,” I say.

  And in less than ten minutes, we sail out the door and pile into Sunny’s minivan to take a bite out of the night ourselves.

  Here’s hoping it doesn’t bite back.

  Chapter 5

  Downtown Glimmerspell, Main Street to be exact, looks like a powdered sugar dream. Sunny parks in front of the establishment in which we chose to fill our bellies, and we all file out to look up at the large neon sign that reads Rex’s Stake House. Good to the last bite! Blood Bank Bar inside.

  Next to the words blood bank, there’s a caricature of a vampire with pointed, and might I add, bloodied canines.

  I realize it’s the same sign Harper and I were looking at earlier this afternoon when I laughed off the notion of the vampire lore this place seems to exude, but in the dead of night, with that picture of the vampire, it all adds to the drama and the sinister flair Glimmerspell effortlessly seems to evoke.

  What if they were real? The fae, the werewolves, and the vampires?

  A shiver runs up my spine at the errant thought.

  I clear my throat. “You guys don’t really believe in vampires around here, do you?”

  Morgan and Sunny exchange a quick glance before bursting out with laugher.

  “I don’t know. There are plenty of people who wish they were,” Sunny says as she momentarily sets the oversized shopping bag she’s holding down on the snow. It’
s loaded to the hilt with boxes, which I’m assuming are the packages she mentioned she needed to drop off to Iona.

  Teddy huffs as she cinches the belt on her coat. “Don’t listen to these girls. They just don’t want you to know the truth. I bet they think it’ll scare you off. It’s all true, every last rumor, every last urban legend is true as gospel. I’d lay my beating heart right over a stack of Bibles to prove it. I’ve got a penchant for werewolves, myself. There’s just something about a tall, dark, and hairy man that makes me want to howl. And let me tell you there’s not a full moon you won’t find me howling at, if you know what I mean.”

  “Well, that’s something,” I say. A part of me finds that last part about the moon completely plausible.

  “If you think that’s something, just wait until you see me in wolf form.” She wiggles her shoulders and her boobs give a bounce down by her belly. “The dogs of this world find me irresistible.”

  “You and me both, honey,” I say as I stare up at the stone-covered building with its rounded windows and rustic entry that looks as if someone ripped the doors right off some haunted castle and landed them here.

  Morgan takes me by the hand. “Don’t listen to her, Billie. She’s just trying to indoctrinate you into her paranormal conspiracy cult.” She gives Teddy a wink. “I think Billie has had enough to deal with for one day.” She swings the door open and the four of us hustle inside where it’s just warm enough, the rock music blaring through the speakers is a touch too loud, and the scent of fresh grilled steak enlivens our senses.

  A waitress dressed in what amounts to a red and black French maid’s uniform nods for us to follow her and we head straight into the dimly lit establishment. Tables and booths line the periphery to the right. To the left sits the Blood Bank, aka the bar, with a flashing sign on the black granite that reads fresh AB positive pints available.

  “Lovely,” I mutter to myself.

  The wood floors are stained black, the furniture matches, and the booths are made from tufted red leather.

  They’ve done a great job of vamping up the place, but that doesn’t seem to have scared the customers away. It’s wall-to-wall bodies in here. The tables and booths are nearly filled to capacity. The bar is standing room only, and there’s a smattering of people moving and grooving on a small dance floor near what looks to be an empty stage.

  We’re dropped off at a table near the back and take a seat as the waitress passes out laminated menus. Personally, I’m shocked they’re not in the shape of a coffin.

  Sunny leans in. “There’s Iona.” She gives a wild wave and a hoot that pierces over the music until the feisty brunette at the bar glances our way before heading over.

  Sunny lands the bag of boxes next to Iona and gives it a kick as if annunciating the fact she can’t wait to be rid of them.

  “What’s in the bag, Sunny?” I ask as I casually peruse the menu. Aside from the to-die-for Bloody Marys and the recommended rare steak grilled to bloody perfection, nothing to see here that would turn this place into a B-rated theme restaurant. In fact, everything sounds exceptionally delicious. And judging by the scent coming off the grill, this place knows how to handle their meat. The prices seem pretty decent, too. I guess they’d have to be down-to-earth to pack in the locals like this.

  “Here she comes,” Morgan whispers my way. “I’d lay low if I were you.”

  “Well, well, well.” Iona appears with her hair glowing like a chestnut flame, her eyes dancing with a touch of malice as she looks my way. “What are the odds, Morgan? Your aunt cruises into town, and the next thing we know Professor Barker is toes up in the bookstore.” She smirks my way. “You didn’t happen to know the deceased, did you?”

  I choke in lieu of a response. “No, I didn’t know the deceased. I mean, I met him this afternoon, but that was about it.”

  Teddy scoffs as she looks to Iona. “She was set to have coffee with the man, right before he gave her a detailed tour of his mattress.”

  “Bedroom,” I correct, but heck, she’s probably right.

  Iona glares my way. “I have no doubt the men of Glimmerspell are lining up as we speak to give you a tour of their mattresses. Thanks for my stuff,” she grunts to Sunny, who is quick to slide the giant stack of boxes in her direction.

  “I’m a certified Coddled Chef distributor,” Sunny says as she looks over at me. “But you’ll more than benefit by living at Teddy’s. I’ve outfitted the entire kitchen with the goodies I get for free with all the parties I host. Hey? You want to host a party? You can get a few freebies out of the deal, too.”

  “I love the Coddled Chef’s stuff,” I’m quick to confess. “My neighbor just hosted an event last fall. She made the best cinnamon rolls as quick as anything right before our eyes. And a pizza that was perfection. I bought the pizza stone, but I lost the metal rack with the handles that went with it. I think my ex threw it out. He had a nasty habit of tossing things out that weren’t his if they annoyed him. And oddly enough, almost everything I owned annoyed him.” Come to think of it, he sort of tossed me out, too—in a not so obvious manner.

  I shake all thoughts of Harold and his trollop out of my mind for now.

  Sunny ticks her head to the side. “Sorry to tell you, but that was an old model. Our new pizza stones all come with built-in handles now. Apparently, your ex wasn’t the first husband to chuck the wire rack.”

  For a second there I thought she meant that Harold was the old model, and ironic, considering the fact he’s my unofficial ex, he sort of is.

  Morgan pats the spot next to her and Iona reluctantly takes a seat.

  “What did you buy?” Morgan asks Iona as the waitress comes by and lands a glass of water in front of each of us.

  Iona takes a moment to cast another searing glance my way. There’s something cat-like about her. She’s definitely skittish, wary of me, of all people. Believe me, I’ve never been a threat to anyone, least of all not to a cutthroat beautiful woman like her. I’m guessing she’s about my age or a touch younger, a heck of a lot meaner, that’s for sure.

  “I got the quick chopper, and the chopper masher.” She blinks a smile my way. “So Billie, how do you like Glimmerspell so far?” Her eyes widen a notch and her features harden as if the answer I’ve yet to give has already offended her on some level.

  “It’s beautiful,” I say. “I’ve visited before. But it’s been a while. My daughter and I are both thrilled to be here. We’re looking forward to building a new life here.”

  Sunny gives a quick nod. “Harper is sixteen just like Sadie Jean. Those two little minxes have already hit the party scene. Red alert to all the boys. Harper Buttonwood is a looker. I think Sadie has finally got some competition on the scene.”

  My mouth opens as I look at her. I would think since Sadie is about to have a baby she wouldn’t be too interested in any female competition at the moment. And Harper is definitely not a little minx. I’d correct her, but I have a feeling it’s a moot point.

  “Another little minx to contend with?” Iona looks amused as she pulls her lips into a contrived smile. “I’ll be sure to warn Royce. Thankfully, he still listens to his mother when it comes to these things.”

  “Warn Royce about what?” I give a quick blink until it registers she might just be warning Royce about my sweet little Harper, and a breath hitches in my throat at the thought.

  Iona leans over her elbows, her wavy hair tumbling over her shoulders, thick and full of life—there’s a dangerous energy about her that’s unmistakable. Why do I get the feeling I’ve inadvertently stepped on the toes of the queen of mean?

  “If you and I are going to get along, I only have two rules,” she hisses. “Your daughter stays away from Royce, and you stay away from Elliot.”

  “Elliot?” I blink back my surprise. “As in Detective Greenly?”

  “Yeah, you know”—Teddy starts—“the one you’ve got an impending coffee date with?”

  “Consider it canceled,” Iona doesn’t mis
s a beat. “Both Elliot and Royce are off-limits. I’d best be going.” She rises from her seat and snatches up her bag of Coddled Chef treasures. “I guess I’ll see you at the Haunted Book Barn, Billie,” she snarls as if it were the worst news of the night, and I’m getting the feeling it just might be. “Morgan, Teddy.” She nods. “Thanks, Sunny. I’ll be putting in an order for the butcher knife set you were telling me about.” Her eyes slit my way. “I’ve got a sudden craving to slice and dice.”

  She takes off and Sunny rubs her hands together. “Cha-ching! See what I mean?” She nudges me with her elbow. “These products practically sell themselves.” Her lips twitch. “Sorry you had to see the ugly side of Iona on night one. I was sort of hoping she’d hold out for a week at least. I hope she didn’t scare you.”

  “Believe me, it takes a lot more than that to scare me.” I glance over at the woman in question as she stops to chat with a few people on her way out. “But I guess she’s not over her ex,” I muse as Iona dissolves into the crowd.

  Sunny grunts, “With a face like his, it’d be hard to move on.”

  A woman on the dance floor catches my attention and I squint over at her. She has long dark hair and a far too familiar face with full lips and large eyes and I’d recognize her anywhere.

  “That’s her!” I hiss as I point in the woman’s direction. “That’s the woman that looks just like you, Morgan. The one I saw at the bookstore today.”

  Morgan, Teddy, and Sunny exchange a quick look and the table grows strangely quiet.

  Sunny glances to the bar. “I think I see a hot hunk of a man who owes me a drink. Teddy, order the usual for me, would you? I’ll be back before my dinner hits the table.” She takes off and Morgan and Teddy seem to be having a standoff with their eyes, and if Teddy widens her lids another notch, her eyeballs are going to roll right onto the table.

  I’m so hungry I might just snap them up and eat them.