Chapter 25
Julia’s words from last night still rang in Sabrina’s ears. Julia was convinced that Gideon had been about to tell her he already had a woman in his life. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t, but it wasn’t Sabrina’s business.
She and Gideon weren’t a thing. They weren’t going to be a thing. He’d made that clear. Yes, she’d kissed him. But just, she reminded herself, to say thank you for his kindness and generosity.
Despite all of that, she felt mopey and couldn’t quite shake it. Like a dark mood had settled over her for reasons she couldn’t pinpoint.
Maybe it was just the stress of this music box business. Or maybe she just needed more coffee. She went to the kitchen to refill her cup.
Korrie was still passed out on the couch. Trip had at least gotten up for breakfast when Sabrina had, even lying on the bathroom rug until she got out of the shower.
She’d decided to go into work early again today. Not as early as yesterday but enough that she could open the shop at nine instead of ten. It was worth trying to see if she could make a sale in that first hour.
If there was business, she might make nine the new opening time. It wasn’t a big deal to work an extra hour, not if it meant making a little more money.
She dressed in tan pants and a Nordic-style sweater. She added boots and thought about putting on gloves and a fleece vest. Fall had definitely arrived, and winter was on its way. But maybe it wasn’t quite that cold yet.
It would warm up as the day wore on. Even though the sun didn’t shine in Shadowvale, its warmth could still be felt, so long as the cloud cover wasn’t too thick.
She tugged her sweater into place, reaching under it to adjust her temporary necklace against her skin.
She’d taken to wearing the music box key on a chain.
It was easier and safer than bringing the music box home with her every night, and it seemed to work just fine for Korrie.
He claimed he had to be close to the music box at all times, but she wasn’t sure how he knew that. They hadn’t tested it either.
Thinking about that, she went back to the bathroom to put on a little makeup. Moisturizer first, then a little blush, some mascara, and a slick of berry-tinted gloss. She brushed her hair, then pulled half of it back into a cute clip. That would keep it out of the way when she was painting.
Korrie had been in the front of the shop when the music box housing had been in the back room. That had to be thirty feet? How far away could he get? And what would happen when he finally did reach the limit? Would he get sucked back into the box? Or just hit an imaginary wall?
She kind of wanted to know. Julia had gone home with two of the balloons he’d blown up, which should be plenty of breath for her to work with, but if that spell didn’t work, he might still have to go back into the box.
Sabrina couldn’t very well deliver it to Amelia without its magic intact. She’d played out that scenario in her head a dozen times. It never went well.
She took her coffee cup into the kitchen, popped two frozen waffles into the toaster, then topped off her cup. While the waffles toasted, she went out to wake Korrie. She nudged him with her finger. “Hey,” she said softly. “Time to get up, sleepy sprite.”
His birthday crown lay on the coffee table. The crepe paper streamers and balloons still hung everywhere. She’d take them down when she got home. And maybe vacuum. There were snippets of wrapping paper around the chair he’d sat in.
Korrie stirred, stretching his arms and yawning. “It’s too early.”
“It’s quarter after eight. Not that early. You want some breakfast?”
He sat up. “Can I have cake?”
She wasn’t his mother. What did she care? “Sure. I’ll plate it up for you. You want a cup of coffee to go with it?”
He nodded.
“Okay, coming up.” She could imagine how he liked his coffee.
Lots of sugar and a splash of coffee in a cup of creamer.
She used a small espresso cup from a set she’d found at a yard sale.
One of the four cups had been missing, two broken, and this was the remaining perfect one.
The broken ones she’d turned into mosaic pieces, but she hadn’t had the heart to smash the good cup to use it that way.
She got him a slice of cake, fixed his cup of coffee, and set both on the table. Her waffles popped up. She transferred them to a plate, spread them with some peanut butter, drizzled them with honey, and took them to the table as well.
Korrie flew in.
She nodded at his food. “We’re leaving for the shop in twenty minutes or so.”
He sat by the plate and used the small fork she’d put out to eat. “Okay. Still early, though.”
She just smiled and ate her breakfast. Trip wandered in and checked to see if there was anything interesting in his food bowl since the last time he’d eaten. Apparently, there was, because he had a few more bites.
She downed her waffles, cleaned up, and went to brush her teeth.
By the time she stood at the shop door, she was more than ready to work. Looking forward to the day and what it might bring, but especially ready to make some progress on painting the music box. It was arduous but not in a bad way.
It required concentration and patience. And making a damaged thing right soothed her curse in a way that nothing else did.
She got her key out and smiled in the direction of the Clockwork Owl, hoping Gideon was making progress on his part. She knew he would be. If the man was anything, it was dependable.
She went in, released Trip from his carrier, grabbed a bottle of water from the little fridge, and got the shop open. Korrie stayed in the back room, which was where Trip was headed. No doubt going to hang out with his new flying buddy all day.
Once the CLOSED sign was turned over, she did her usual walk around the shop with her duster, straightening things, dusting whatever needed it, making a note where new inventory was needed.
But her mind wandered. Would Trip miss Korrie when he was gone?
She would. Even if he was a little crazy.
It was the good kind of crazy, though. The sweet, funny, life-loving kind.
Maybe he’d eventually be free of the box and stay in Shadowvale. That would be nice. She put the duster up and went to get another cup of coffee.
Korrie, energized by his breakfast of cake and milky coffee, was trying to teach Trip a dance.
“I don’t think that’s going to work.” Sabrina laughed. “He’s already down a leg, and cats aren’t known for their dancing.”
He shrugged. “Worth a try. What do you want me to fix today?”
“Um …” She looked around. There were several boxes of tile offcuts that she’d been given by a local builder. They really needed to be sorted by color, but that wasn’t fixing anything. “You mind sorting some stuff?”
“I can try.”
She showed him the boxes and where the rest of the already sorted pieces were. Once she was done with the music box, it might be time to tackle a new mosaic piece. Those always sold well. Probably because she underpriced them. She knew better now.
“I can do that.” He got to work. A few seconds later, he started whistling a tune she didn’t recognize.
She opened the back room door wider so she could hear if someone came in, then got her bottle of water and sat down to the music box. She hoped to finish the scene she’d worked on yesterday, then get at least halfway through another.
She laid out the brushes she expected to use, got out her palette tray, solvents, and an old rag.
The shop door opened just as she was mixing paint colors to match the green dress of the shepherdess in the scene. She capped the paint tubes, wiped her hands on the rag, and went out to greet the customer.
But it was Gideon, and he looked grumpy, but then he usually looked that way. “Morning. Glad to see you’re in early.”
“Yep.” She smiled regardless of his expression. “I figured I’d give it a try, see if there was any business to be had, but I don’t suppose you came in to buy something.”
“No.”
“Why did you come in?”
He sighed. “Because I think we have a problem.”