Chapter 1
The sun hadn’t quite cleared the distant, pumpkin-hued mountains, but the air inside Enchantresso already shimmered with a delicate, cinnamon-laced glow.
Marigold Thorne’s shop wasn’t just brick and mortar; it was a sanctuary carved out of heartbreak, painted in comforting shades of golden-brown and soft greens, with shelves lined with jars of enchanted sugars and spiced leaves.
This cozy haven was where she poured her soul into every cup.
Her own morning ritual was already off-kilter.
She went to start the espresso machine and heard a sputter.
She slapped the outside hoping it would come to life, but nothing happened.
The old espresso machine was spitting steam instead of velvet liquid; it was officially on the fritz again.
This forced a frantic call to Duskbane Repairs.
It had taken her years to get over her own hurt and reach out to the small town of Pumpkin Hollow’s only handyman, Lucian’s father.
She had tried having someone come down from Stonefall City, but the cost got so expensive she couldn’t afford to keep doing it.
So after two years and hearing they couldn’t come out for a week, she had called Luke.
His kindness was a soft balm, his gentleness a warm embrace, never making her feel the sting of being the villain her son made her out to be.
She glanced at the phone; the screen’s cool glow reflected in her eyes.
A familiar pang of worry tightened in her chest, imagining that Luke was taking his medication for his claw tremor.
He had been sick for the past month. She debated calling the old handyman in the city, but figured if Luke couldn’t do it, then she would reach out to someone else.
Her thumb hovered before she hit his number in the speed dial.
Luke Duskbane, Lucian’s dad, answered, his voice gravelly. “Hello.”
“Hey, Luke,” she sighed. “How have you been feeling?”
“I’m fine, Goldie,” Luke said. “You?”
“I’m doing well,” she hesitated. “Sorry to bother you, but the bane of my existence is not working again.”
“So you call me up to fix the beast?”
“Please,” she laughed. “Come rescue me. I am in desperate need of a knight in a rusty old truck.”
“Alright,” he sighed dramatically. “Since a sweet damsel in distress is calling this knight.” He hesitated, a soft sigh coming across the line. “But I should let you know something…”
She waited, the silence stretching thin, as Luke hesitated. Luke had a way of taking his time, a slow burn before he finally reached the core of his thoughts and got to the point. So she finally spoke. “What’s going on, Luke?”
“I guess I just wanted you to know before the gossip mill gets its teeth into the news.”
She felt a flutter and wondered what bit of gossip she could have unintentionally been involved in. She racked her brain, but nothing came to mind.
“Should I be hiding in my dusty, cobweb-filled attic for the next couple of weeks?” She laughed, the sound a little hollow as the joke fell flat.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he laughed back. “People would miss their cups of liquid wake-me-ups. I know I sure would.”
“I will make whatever drink you need when you get here. So what should I know?”
“He’s back.”
A silent gasp that hitched her breath. The answer, heavy and inevitable, bloomed in her mind like a bruise, even before the question formed on her lips. “Who?”
“Lucian,” he murmured. “I just wanted to let you know so there is no drama. I know you didn’t do what he accused you of, and… he’s a good boy, just misguided.”
She gulped, trying to hide the tremor in her body from her voice. “That was forever ago; I’m sure we've both grown up so much since then.”
“Thank you, Goldie,” Luke said, his voice sounding heavy.
“I haven’t thought about that time in forever,” she laughed, a sound that came out more forced than twinkling. “Plus, I should thank you for helping me out.”
“You’re a good kid. I know you haven’t. And I am only doing what you pay me for.”
“I am so not a kid anymore.”
“Sorry, young lady,” he laughed. “Thank you for being understanding.”
“Well, thank you for fixing the beasty.”
"I'll be over in a few hours to take care of it.”
“You are a lifesaver.”
She disconnected the call and let her world tilt.
Closing her eyes, she saw the hatred he had felt for her boiling in those golden eyes.
On that day she had given up on her dreams; she never left town to go to school.
She had settled here. Shifting her dreams because of the heartbreak.
Staying close to the only family member she had left.
More memories flooded back. The sharp scent of rain and damp asphalt filled the air as flashing blue and red lights painted the slick, dark road.
She clutched her worn teddy bear, its plush fur cool and slightly damp against her trembling fingers, as the uniformed officer’s steady presence beside her offered a sliver of comfort.
A child advocate told her that her parents had died from the impact of the car accident and her aunt was coming to get her.
Standing in the hospital corridor, her aunt Lettie ran up and scooped her up into a warm embrace.
Within a week, Lettie had put Goldie in the kitchen of Enchantresso.
That had become her sanctuary. She had spent that first year hiding until she met Lucian.
He had helped her handle her grief, bringing her out of her shell.
Then she met Elena Vale, and they became inseparable besties ever since.
Then Lucian broke her eighteen-year-old heart with his accusations.
So she stayed close to Lettie, to help herself heal.
When her aunt Lettie retired, she took over the cafe.
A smile crossed her lips at the thought of the wild, curly-haired witch.
Shaking her head, she turned to the chalkboard. It’s been ions. I am a different person; he’s a different person. We were young and dumb. I am sure he has moved on and me… She shook her head again to chase the thoughts away as she grabbed a piece of chalk.
She was listing the daily brews on the chalkboard—each with a touch of magic.
Enchantresso was famous for its signature drinks.
The Enchantresso Drink itself was a velvety espresso, laced with honeyed vanilla, cinnamon, and a whisper of enchanted rose sugar, finished with shimmering cream.
It didn’t force love, but it was known to encourage the drinker to follow their heart’s truest desires.
For the overwhelmed, there was the Steady Tea: a soothing blend of green tea, ginger root, and lemon balm, meant to calm the nerves.
A noise to her right had her turning to see what was going on.
"Nibbles, no!” Marigold yelled, turning toward the counter.
Her three-year-old Grifflet, Nibbles, had that look—big, innocent eyes that always meant trouble.
Nibbles was scarcely bigger than an overfed house cat, a pint-sized fusion of lion cub and bird of prey.
His back half was covered in soft grey, tawny fur, complete with oversized paws and a constantly twitching tufted tail, while his front half sprouted a puff of mottled cream-and-grey feathers that never seemed to lie flat.
Two disproportionately large wings flared from his shoulders, making him look far more majestic than he had any right to be—until he attempted flight and wobbled like a drunken feather duster.
His face was all sharp, tiny golden beak and enormous amber eyes, the kind of eyes that looked heartbreakingly innocent even while he was actively knocking something expensive off a shelf.
Tiny front talons clicked against countertops as he stalked pastries with the focused intensity of a predator.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, his preferred prey was coffee cups, tea biscuits, and unattended whipped cream.
He’d adopted the chaotic habit of knocking things down just to see what would fly. He was currently perched precariously on a shelf, batting a silver spoon until it clattered to the floor, before diving beak-first into the basket of day-old scones.
“Fuck, not today, Nibbles,” she laughed, picking up the spoon.
The door chime rang just as she was scooping the Grifflet up.
Relief washed over her when Rowen stepped in, carefully balancing two large wicker baskets.
She didn’t know why, but the anxious feeling that Lucian was going to come in and insult her was a thought she couldn’t push away.
He will probably avoid me like the plague I have nothing to worry about.
"Morning, Goldie,” Rowen chirped. Vivid magenta hair fell in carefully tousled waves above dark-framed glasses. “You’re Wicked Whisk delivery is here."
Elena rushed over to help grab a basket from him. Ellie, a slender witch with long brown hair often worn in loose braids, had moved back a few months ago, saying she just wanted to be close to home. Marigold had given her a job when she returned.
They quickly transferred the array of treats into the display case: the delicate, floral Lavender Scones (Nibbles’ favorite theft target), glossy Honey Cinnamon Rolls, deep purple Blackberry Moon Tarts, and shimmering Starlight Honey Buns.
"Trouble already?” Rowen asked, nodding towards Nibbles.
"Just the usual Grifflet chaos,” Marigold said, trying to smile around the nervous bite of her lip. “And the espresso machine is throwing a tantrum today.”
“Isn’t that a daily occurrence?” Rowen laughed.
“Touche,” Goldie sighed. “Luckily, Luke is coming to fix the espresso machine today."
“Why you don’t invest in a new machine instead of fixing the old one is beyond me,” Rowan stated, setting the other basket on the counter.
“It has character, Rowan,” Ellie countered with a wink, already reaching for a Starlight Honey Bun to arrange in the display case.
Before Marigold could defend her beloved, temperamental machine, Nibbles gave a sudden, powerful wriggle.
He squirmed right out of her arms, his mottled wings giving a frantic, uncoordinated flap.
With a triumphant chirp, he landed squarely on the display case, his back paws skidding on the polished glass before he lurched toward a stack of porcelain saucers.
“Nibbles, stay!” Goldie lunged, but the Grifflet was faster. One sharp click of his talons and the top saucer went sailing, shattering against the floor in a spray of white shards.
Ellie let out a bright, melodic laugh. “I’ve got it, Goldie. Don’t worry, I’ll clean it up,” she said, already reaching for a broom.
Goldie sighed, planting her hands on her hips as she turned to the Grifflet. Nibbles had already retreated to the safety of a top shelf and was currently busy licking his front talon, his enormous amber eyes fixed on his paw as if the saucer had spontaneously exploded on its own.
“You are a menace, you know that?” Goldie lectured, pointing a finger at him. “A tiny, feathered, destructive menace. No lavender scones for you until you learn some decorum.”
Nibbles didn’t even blink, his tufted tail twitching once before he went back to meticulously preening his chest feathers, completely ignoring her.
She looked towards Rowen, about to make the same tired excuses when she saw his eyes looking out the window. Her eyes followed, seeing the brim of bright light glowing at the edges of the trees.
“I have to get back to the bakery,” Rowen stated. “We have tons of orders coming in. Good luck with that bundle of trouble.”
Goldie closed her eyes as the bell chimed his departure.
“What’s going on with you?” Ellie asked.
“Just lost in my head,” Goldie sighed. She knew she should tell Ellie about Lucian, but the idea of saying his name out loud still made a knot form in her stomach. “With the autumn festival prep going on, there is so much to do.”
“I’ve known you too long to buy that old excuse.” Ellie shook her head. “Now spit it out, the truth this time.”
Goldie sighed, debating her words before she said, “My ex is back and it stirred up some nasty memories.”
Ellie wrapped her in a hug, whispering, “I never believed any of the crap he said. I don’t know where he got it from, but it was bullshit.”
Goldie laughed, throwing her arms back around Ellie. “You are the best friend a girl could ever have. Now get back to work, we’re opening up soon.”
Ellie laughed as she pushed away to put the pastries away.