Buttercup (Spell Library #10) - Helen Scott Page 0,9

the girls as Rose, the bartender and mate of the owners, handed us our drinks.

"Already on it," Iris said as she moved toward a booth that must have just been vacated, since it was the only one available. The red velvet cushions were cozy against the exposed flesh of my legs as I sat down and watched the bodies writhing on the dance floor, all the while feeling Logan's gaze on me.

4

Buttercup

"So, what's going on with you? Why the need for a girls' night out? Not that I'm opposed, just curious. I can always have Wren and one of the guys step in if you need it, maybe pay someone a visit? Or maybe Jasmine could give you a reading," Lupine called, leaning over the table so she could yell in my general direction and be heard over the music, and nodding toward the quieter woman at the suggestion of a reading.

I glanced at Iris who just shrugged, as if to say it was up to me what to tell them, while she sipped on her drink, her butt wiggling in her seat to the beat of the music. These two women were amazing from what I knew of them, and though it was hard for me to open up to strangers, I found that when I thought about it, I didn't want them to be strangers. Lupine ran the local orphanage, and Jasmine was a business owner like Iris and I. Her shop, Jas's Jewels, was all about healing, of the crystal variety as well as reiki, and doing readings, through either her tarot cards or her crystal ball.

"It's mainly my ex," I began, and all three women just nodded their heads as though they could already see where this was going. "We were together for almost ten years, high school sweethearts and all that bullshit. Turns out I was his place holder. He'd never intended on staying with me, just used me to keep his bed warm while he went around behind my back looking for Mrs. Right. When I found out, I left. That was just over three years ago. An old friend of mine texted me and told me he was getting married and that his fiancée was already pregnant. He'd sworn to me he never wanted kids. Said he didn't want to be tied down like that, that he wanted to travel the world, although the furthest we ever got was Niagara Falls. I just...I knew he'd lied to me all that time, that I'd wasted some of my best years on him, but I guess I'd hoped he hadn't lied about everything. Turns out I was wrong." I sighed and stared down into my almost empty glass. I didn't even remember drinking most of it. "Anyway, it was just a shock. Combined with the hot and cold I'm getting from a guy here in town, and one of my ovens breaking, it was just a lot."

"He sounds like a grade A douchebag," Iris said as she drained the last of her drink.

"Another round?" I asked, needing some space after just spilling my heart to them.

"I'm good," Lupine said as she still held on to her seltzer and cranberry.

"Sure," Jasmine said, handing me her glass.

I tipped the last of my cocktail into my mouth and headed toward the bar. My pace slowed when I couldn't see Rose anywhere. Fuck. Was she on break or something? I really didn't want to deal with Logan.

He'd already seen me though and smiled. Too late to back out now. I smiled back and headed up to a small space between a couple of groups that were standing at the bar.

"What can I get you, sweetheart?" Logan asked, his voice seeming to resonate and rumble through my whole body even from across the shiny black bar.

"Just some refills, and open a tab for me, would you?" I replied, feeling bold. Tabs weren't really my thing, well, letting something out of my control wasn't really my thing.

"You've got it, babe," he said as he took my card and set about making the drinks.

I watched him with curiosity burning in my veins. This man was a mystery to me, and while I wanted to just treat him like I would any other bartender or server, I felt a pull to him that was irresistible and so much stronger than before. Like I wanted to Coyote Ugly my way over the bar and ride him like a freakin' cowgirl or something.

The girls thanked