Pies and Potions Read Online Free

mystical powers.
    Rory had only recently discovered that the café wasn’t the only place magic was used in town. Right after he found out about the barbershop he went over to for a haircut. Not that the styles looked differently from any ordinary haircuts, quite the contrary actually, but the scissors sure made people feel great when they got a trim. I couldn’t believe I’d been surrounded by the magic for as long as I had without knowing about it. Grandma Imelda was great at keeping secrets.
    She had been adding magic to my food since I was a baby. And I’d worked in the café when I was in high school and never caught on to her hijinks. She’d done an excellent job of keeping it from me. I’d always wondered what that big book was tucked up there on the shelf, but every time I went to check it out it would be gone. And the spices and potions hadn’t been there either. Maybe it was better that I hadn’t known. I wouldn’t have been ready for it. I’d probably have tried to use it on a few people from school and that would have spelled disaster. Pun intended.
    Rory watched Grandma Imelda’s every move as she brought the plate over to him. There was no stopping him now. I couldn’t tell him it wasn’t edible. Or could I? No, no, that wouldn’t be right. Grandma Imelda wouldn’t let me get by with that, anyway. Why did she want him to have the potion before everyone else in town had any? The dreadful thought of Rory receiving a bad spell again was almost more than I could handle.
    Just as I moved to follow her back to the pastry case and ask her why she’d given him the cake, the bell on the door jangled drawing my attention away. A stream of customers entered the café, scattering like mice from one side of the room to the other. Mary Jane was late and I couldn’t keep my eye on my grandmother and wait on all the customers at the same time.
    Where had everyone come from, anyway? It was as if they’d come into the café just to distract me. Like magic. I quirked an eyebrow in Grandma Imelda’s direction and she quickly looked away. If one or two customers has strolled in, fine, but ten? Sure, it was breakfast time, but customers usually trickled in, not in one mad gush. That never happened. I glanced over at Imelda again, but she still didn’t acknowledge my stare.
    I hurried over, grabbed an armful of menus, then rushed around the room plopping down the menus. I didn’t make eye contact and didn’t offer my usual friendly greeting. Yes, I was being a terrible hostess, but there was no avoiding it.
    After plunking down the last of the menus and getting a dirty glare from the woman at table ten, I rushed toward Rory. But as he lifted the fork to his mouth and took a big bite, I realized it was too late.

Chapter Three
    When I had first met Rory and he’d gotten the magic-laced burger, I’d made an ass out of myself by smacking it out of his hand. But I couldn’t do that again. Or could I? No, no. I’d have to trust my grandmother on this one. After all, had she ever steered me wrong?
    Rory cut through the moist, deep red cake with his fork. I’d added more than enough creamy frosting. I stood motionless as I watched him devour several bites. During the first few bites, he closed his eyes while chewing. The more he ate, the slower he chewed, savoring every morsel.
    He must have felt my eyes on him because he looked at me and smiled. “Elly, this is the best cake I’ve ever tasted.” He gestured toward the plate with his fork. “I think I had an out-of-body experience.”
    I felt heat move to my cheeks. “Thank you.”
    Would he still feel the same if he knew Grandma Imelda and I had cooked up a potion in the kitchen and dumped it in the batter? He was getting his fair share of it too.
    “It’s her best recipe, if you ask me,” Grandma Imelda said. She was awfully sneaky.
    She refilled Rory’s mug and placed a couple of extra napkins down as he took another bite. If people weren’t supposed to