Chapter 9 #2
“You’re a nice young pixie—too young to be saddled with such a large responsibility. I, however, am already tied to the town. One more asset will not be a burden to me.”
“Are you saying you want to buy the tea shop?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m aware you’ll lose your aunt’s estate unless you run the shop for several years, and that’s why I’m willing to make you a generous offer so you don’t take that loss. Instead of waiting for the money, you’ll have it now.”
“But…but this is the Merriweather Tea Shop. It’s my family’s business.”
“The name means little to me. If it’s important to you, I’m happy to carry on as your aunt established.” He leans forward, his expression hungry. “What do you think? No more fuss, no responsibility. No leaky roofs, destroyed attics, or…gnomes.”
I exhale all at once, feeling a little dizzy. Then I whisper, “You know about the gnomes?”
He nods knowingly and then stands. “Think about it. You, of course, would retain your cottage. I only want the shop.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I enjoy running the tea shop. Yes, there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but it’s rewarding as well. I cannot imagine selling it.”
“We can work with that. If you like working here, I would consider hiring you.”
Incredulous, I ask, “You want me to sell you my tea shop and then work as your employee?”
“As a financially set young woman, it would be a hobby at that point.” He holds up a hand when I shake my head, asking for silence. “Don’t make any hasty decisions. We can discuss it again later. I need to return to work.”
“What about your tea?”
He wrinkles his nose at the tin. “I don’t consume anything that could be considered a byproduct.”
Dejected, my shoulders sag, and any argument I might have had is lost to my disappointment.
“That man,” Anna says when he walks out the door, relieved that he’s gone.
“On paper, his offer might sound smart,” Rowan says to me carefully. “But Mr. Eastwilden wouldn’t be interested in adding the tea shop to his properties if he didn’t believe he would make back his investment and more in a reasonable amount of time. You would lose money, Kit.”
“I have no desire to sell the shop,” I say, and I mean it. “If all goes well, I should be able to fix the roof by the end of the summer.”
Satisfied, Rowan nods. “Kukicha was a solid suggestion, by the way. He was trying to ruffle you. No matter what you picked, he would have complained.”
“I know you’re right, but…”
“I’ll try it,” Anna says. “Since Rowan hasn’t started my fog yet.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure.” She smiles, and it feels like a warm show of solidarity.
Grateful, my magic swells, chasing away the clouds that I felt looming.
As I prepare the tea, Anna sighs. “He’s been giving us a fair amount of trouble, too.”
“Sounds like he’s suddenly decided he doesn’t like the Saturday night fireworks?” Rowan rubs one shoulder, then the other. He rolls them several times, looking mildly uncomfortable.
“That too, but no. It’s the miniature golf course drama again. He’s now put in his own offer for the property.”
“What does he want to do with it?”
“Apparently, he plans to put in a hot springs pool and spa.”
Rowan frowns. “We don’t have hot springs around here.”
“Not natural ones.” She gives him a pointed look. “He plans to fix that.”
“How’s he going to manage it?” Rowan drops his voice. “Any human geologist will know it’s not possible.”
“That’s what Gideon told him.” She groans, frustrated. “I don’t know. The whole thing is a mess.”
“Who owns the property?” I ask.
“My mother.”
“It doesn’t seem like she and Mr. Eastwilden get along very well. Would she even sell to him?”
“Only if Gideon felt his project would be good for the town.”
“And what does Gideon think?” Rowan asks.
“He’s undecided—and he’s not sure he wants the Eastwildens buying up any more of the town. They already own the hotel, the stationery store, the divination store, and the microbrewery. They have enough clout as it is.”
“Another reason not to sell him the tea shop,” Rowan says, like he has to convince me. “He’s treating Moss Hollow like the properties are cards to be won in a board game.”
“He’s not getting the tea shop,” I assure him. “I won’t participate in his goal of town domination.”
Somehow, I’m going to have to figure out how to pay for the repairs on my own.
I could deposit Russell’s check and be done with the whole mess.
But Emerson confirmed that if I want to file the restraining order, I probably shouldn’t take the criminal mage’s money.
It would be impossible to explain to the human judge should Russell bring it up during the final hearing, potentially creating questions I wouldn’t be able to answer and possibly ending up with the restraining order being denied.
So, do I tear up the check and move forward with a likely worthless restraining order? Or cash the check, put the money toward the repairs, and hope Russell leaves me alone?
It feels like a no-win situation.
I suppress a sigh, deciding I’ll worry about it later, and finish Anna’s tea.
She takes a sip, contemplating it, and then nods to herself. “This is the best twig tea I’ve ever tasted.”
“I suspect it’s the only twig tea you’ve ever tasted,” Rowan jokes.
“You like it?” I ask, glad for the small win. “Ours is premium shade-grown, made from the same plant as gyokuro. It’s really nice, even if it’s not super expensive.”
“You could have offered Mr. Eastwilden Da Hong Pao from one of the original mother trees, and he still wouldn’t have been happy,” Rowan says. “Don’t let him get in your head.”
“I didn’t come to Moss Hollow expecting to make an enemy in the first season, and now I’ve made two,” I say miserably. “I hope it’s not a trend.”
“Two?” Anna asks.
“Keira and Mr. Eastwilden.”
With a scowl, Rowan glances out the window, toward the hotel. “Mr. Eastwilden is just a miserable, greedy old codger with a deep pocketbook.”
“And to be fair,” Anna says, sipping her tea, “he doesn’t really like anyone.”
“All right. But what about Keira?”
Rowan and Anna exchange a look, and then Rowan laughs. “She probably dislikes you.”
I turn toward the back counter, feeling the need to tidy something. “You know, life would be so much easier for us both if you’d held out for true love instead of dating someone to get back at your cousin.”
Darkly, he says, “Believe me, it’s a lesson I learned well.”