Scent of Magic by Lori L. Clark Read Free Book Online Page A

with Nate. Nate was a very lonely man. Nate needed a date. She bit the inside of her cheek. Attractive enough, but totally not her type.
    "Were you looking for something special?" Juliette asked, and even though she knew he had no one whatsoever in his life, she added, "Wife, significant other, sister? Unless of course you were perhaps looking for something for yourself?"
    Nate hung his head. "No significant other, I'm ashamed to admit."
    "No shame in solitude," Francesca interrupted. "You know what they say."
    Nate's eyebrows dipped in the center. "No, I'm afraid I don't know what they say."
    Francesca took a deep breath. "They say that you have to love yourself before you can give your heart away to another person."
    Nate rubbed the back of his neck. "Am I that obvious? Do I have 'Loser' written on my forehead?"
    "Of course not," Juliette said. "We're businesswomen; it's our business to intuit exactly what our clientele needs."
    "I'm an attractive guy, maybe not God's gift to women, but I don't think my looks send people screaming in the other direction like a bad zombie movie," Nate said. "I'm intelligent. I bathe regularly. What's wrong with me?"
    Francesca's eyes crinkled at the corners. "Fate will bring love your way when it's time, and not one instant sooner."
    Juliette smiled and handed Nate the bottle of her latest creation.
    "What's this?" he asked.
    "Go on, try it. See what you think," Juliette said, urging him to open the bottle.
    Nate touched the glass as though he was afraid it might burn him. He carefully took it and sniffed. Peacefulness passed over his face. 'Say, this stuff doesn't smell half bad."
    Nate paid for his purchase and was about to leave the store when Starley skated up.
    Starley removed her skates and walked into The Perfumery stocking footed. Her eyes went wide when she saw the man at the counter. A giant tortoise. Starley never realized turtles could walk on their hind legs. When he noticed her, his neck disappeared, almost as though he was trying to withdraw into his shell.
    She blinked a few times and shook her head, watching him go down the sidewalk away from the store. "Was it my imagination, or did he just float down the street?"
    "He just needed a little something to come out of his shell," Francesca said.
    "You have no idea," Starley whispered.
     
     
     
     
     

PRINCE CHARMING
     
    Starley and Rue sat together at lunch every day. Sometimes a few other girls sat with them, other times it was just the two of them. One day, Starley heard a loud commotion outside the cafeteria.
    "Wonder what's going on out there?" Starley said. She stood on her toes, craning her neck to see. "Rue, let's go check it out."
    Rue looked at her chips and sandwich longingly. She sighed and hopped to her feet to tag along.
    Starley pushed through the cluster of people gathered around a girl. Several people watched as a trio of girls shouted and pointed fingers.
    "Who is she?" Starley whispered.
    "Beatrice Freeman," Rue said.
    Beatrice had moved to Prosperity the previous year and had the misfortune of Hamilton Landry asking her out on a date. Not a big deal, except for one small problem. Hamilton already had a girlfriend. Elise Garner.
    Beatrice hadn't known; she had been totally innocent. Elise found out and became furious. She went after Beatrice with a vengeance. Elise, the queen, and her three best friends, the royal court, had been constantly looking for ways to make Beatrice's life a living nightmare ever since. They were always doing unbelievably mean and vicious things to her.
    Starley gritted her teeth and started forward to break it up. Rue put her hand on Starley's arm and shook her head. "No," she mouthed.
    "We can't just stand here and do nothing!" Starley said and pulled free of Rue's hold.
    Rue bit her bottom lip and hugged herself. She knew this wouldn't end well if Starley stuck her nose where the royal court didn't think it belonged.
    "What's going on here?" A male voice boomed