For Love or Magic by Lucy March Page B

romantic.”
    Addie smiled and patted my hand. “That’s fine, honey. If you say there’s nothing between you and Desmond Lamb…”
    â€œThere isn’t.”
    â€œâ€¦ then okay. I only wanted to warn you, just in case. Now, let’s talk about the job.”
    â€œOkay,” I said, and at that moment realized that I’d been so flustered at the idea of sleeping with Desmond that I almost passed up the opportunity to get more information about him from the town gossip. “What did he do?”
    â€œWho? Larry? Well, before he inherited the bar he was going to college for—”
    â€œNo, Desmond. Why are you warning me about Desmond? He seemed perfectly nice to me yesterday. Is there…?” I trailed off, trying to figure out the right word to hint at magic without actually saying it, just in case Addie was one of the vast majority who knew nothing and was better off for it. “Is there anything … different about him?”
    I could see the struggle on her face, the struggle every gossip has when faced with the opportunity to share particular information she either doesn’t want to, or can’t, divulge. “He’s just a bad man, that’s all. Keep your distance.”
    I took that in, and my shoulder muscles tensed up. A possible-magical who was dangerous enough to frighten the town gossip … that wasn’t a good sign. But I didn’t have time to try and parse it all out now, so I shifted the conversation back to my gainful employment.
    â€œSo … this job at Happy Larry’s. What will I be doing?”
    â€œBartending, some waitressing. You know, the usual.”
    â€œWaitressing I can handle,” I said, “but I’ve never bartended in my life.”
    Addie shrugged it off. “Can you pour liquid into a glass?”
    I nodded.
    â€œThat’s about all anyone else has done in that job. You’re a sharp girl. You’ll pick it up.”
    I sighed. The good news was, I’d be making adequate money, and tips would give me cash before I starved. Plus, I wouldn’t have to leave Seamus at home alone to chew up my shoes. But still … working for Happy Larry …
    â€œThere’s really nothing else in town?” I asked.
    Addie sighed. “Not really. There’s a fair-to-middling chance that Amber Dorsey will get herself fired from her receptionist’s job, but when I spoke to Emerson about it, he seemed like he was willing to give her another chance…”
    My body processed what she’d said before my conscious mind could, and it was the cold prickle down my spine that made me realize what I’d heard.
    â€œDid you say … Emerson? Like a … Mr. Emerson?” It wasn’t an uncommon last name.
    That’s probably all it is … just someone with that last name.
    But even as I was thinking that, I knew what was coming.
    Addie shook her head. “No, she works for Emerson Streat, over at Community Cares. He has a little office just a few doors down…”
    The shock of hearing his name rippled through me, and it took a moment for my brain to understand what was going on, so it helped that Addie just kept rattling on, making it unnecessary for me to respond.
    â€œâ€¦ does such amazing work. He’s been here less than a year, and already he’s set up a farmer’s market and a community garden…”
    Emerson Streat, I thought. He’s here. But it didn’t feel real. It couldn’t be real. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe there were two Emerson Streats in the world …
    â€œSweet man, and he has the loveliest accent. I think he’s from down south somewhere. Georgia maybe?”
    South Carolina, I thought absently.
    She sipped casually at her tea and kept on going. “I think he only puts up with Amber because he’s just too much of a gentleman to fire her, but that girl is