Chapter 2 #3
“Hi!” Andrea replied, matching the woman’s warm charm. “That’s a beautiful library. I didn’t see that room in the rental listing. Is it a secret, like with an entrance hidden behind a painting or something?” she teased.
Marren laughed. “Oh, I wish!” She twisted around in her seat to consider her surroundings. “No, I’m still at work. This is my office. Well, uh, not my office, but it’s where I spend a lot of time. I’m an archivist. I specialize in restoring magical texts.”
“Oh, wow!” Andrea blinked. “That sounds amazing! How do you even get into something like that?”
Marren turned back around to fully face the phone’s camera.
“Well, in my case, I was pretty sick as a child and couldn’t go outside and do much, so I spent a lot of time reading, and in libraries.
My school librarian let me shadow her, and when I graduated from college, she helped me get the job.
” She paused, her thoughts seeming to trail off.
A quick, awkward smile flashed across her lips.
“Sorry. I’m rambling. I do that from time to time.
I guess the short answer to your question would be to start out as a giant book nerd, and somewhat impervious to dust, and voilà! ”
Andrea smiled and relaxed back against the sofa. She instantly liked the woman on the other side of the call, and envisioned the rental’s photos in an even cozier light, now that she knew who the space belonged to.
“Your background is quite nice, too,” Marren ventured, peering around what little she could see behind Andrea’s torso in the frame.
“Oh! Right, it’s tour time,” she said with a laugh as she got to her feet. “I’m in Los Angeles. Technically speaking, anyway.”
Marren furrowed a brow. “Is that code for something? Like a suburb? Not that I’m opposed. Any amount of sunshine would be a welcome change!”
Andrea laughed and bobbed her head. “We have plenty of that! But no, definitely not a suburb. Have you heard of Hecate’s Kitchen?”
Marren shook her head.
“It’s an all-magic district near Sunset Boulevard, if you’re familiar.
The whole thing is hidden behind some pretty hefty charms, or warding spells, I guess?
” Andrea frowned. “I’m not entirely sure how it works.
But basically there are certain pockets in the city that can only be accessed by witches. ”
“Oh, yes, I’ve been to a few of those, when I’ve been on work trips to large cities. I haven’t been to Los Angeles, though. But there’s one in Seattle I went to a few years ago, when I was in town for a conference on bookbinding.”
“There’s a whole conference for that kind of thing? Wow.” Andrea winced a moment after the words left her mouth, and hurried to add, “I mean, I’m sure it’s all pretty complicated and—”
Marren raised a hand and waved away Andrea’s concern.
“I know what you meant. Believe me, it’s every bit as glamorous as it sounds.
” She laughed and tossed her chestnut waves behind her shoulders.
She was bundled up, despite being indoors, and just looking at the thick wool sweater made Andrea want to bump the AC up a notch.
“At the last conference I attended, they had a ninety-minute presentation on book lice!” Marren continued, still smiling. “At least the catering was good.”
“Book lice? Ya know what, I don’t want to know.
” Andrea laughed as she strode to the foyer, intending to start the official tour as though she were the real estate agent who had shown her the property four years ago.
It hadn’t been long after the smash success of her first cookbook launch, and the promise of two more books—and the advance money attached to the deal—was enough to make the jump into home ownership.
These days, she spent far more time at the bakery than in her own home, oftentimes coming home late at night, only to leave a few hours later, to go back and ensure everything was in order for the morning rush.
It drove Paige mad, as the woman always assured her she had it well in hand, but still, like a moth to a chocolate croissant–scented flame, Andrea was always there, waiting for someone to flip the Open sign around.
She shook off the thought and began the tour, turning the phone around so Marren could see the elaborate home’s various rooms and living spaces, from the formal living and dining room, to the primary suite, guest room, gym, office, informal dining room and kitchen, to the pool house, infrared sauna, and spa.
By the time she was done, her eyes had glazed over, but Marren looked like a kid in front of a candy shop window.
“Your home is beautiful!” Marren said. “Your bakery must be incredibly successful!”
Over the course of the tour, Andrea had divulged a few tidbits about her life, and what brought her to LA in the first place.
“Thank you,” Andrea replied, turning the camera back to face her. “It’s a lot for one person, but the neighborhood can’t be beat.”
Marren nodded. “I’m already making a travel checklist! LA has some great museums!”
Andrea smiled. “That we do. Galleries, too. And of course you’ll have to check out my pastry shop while you’re in town. Anything you want will be on the house, of course!”
“That’s very kind.” Marren’s smile widened. “So, what do you think? Should we do a little Christmas swap?”
In theory, she only needed to be gone long enough to get her cookbook done, but the idea of rushing right back to work afterward suddenly held no appeal. Taking an extra week or so to decompress and enjoy the holiday season sounded like just the thing.
Andrea looked at Crumpet as she paced back to the living room. The small dog had given up on begging for chicken jerky and resumed his late afternoon nap, one paw twitching as he dreamed. Shifting her attention back to the phone, she arched one eyebrow. “I’ve just got one last question.”
“Shoot.”
“How do you feel about dogs?”
Marren laughed as Andrea panned to the sleeping terrier. “He’s more than welcome, as long as he doesn’t mind sassy black cats.”
Andrea tilted her head to one side, unsure how that would go, but her mind was already halfway through making a mental packing list. And so, as she turned the camera back around, she smiled. “Then let’s do it!”