Page 17 of Bonfire and Bliss Bookstore

“Here, I got you a cookie,” Babs says, pushing one of Tally’s biscuits between our faces.

Monty steps back at the gesture and disappointment sweeps through me. I’m pretty sure the man was just about to kiss me. The man who—for all of high school—I pined for.

To mask the emptiness I feel over distance between us, I grab the cookie. It’s only then, as I raise it to my lips and look up, that I realize the entire room of people is staring at me. At us.

I shoot Babs a glare. “Can we discuss this week’s book now?”

Her shoulders fall and she whips her blond hair over her shoulder. It barely moves, though, because of all the hairspray.

“Fine. But you have homework.” She shifts so that she’s standing in the center of the semicircle. “You all do.”

The group shuffles back to their seats. I settle next to Rosie just as Tally reappears and takes the seat opposite me.

“Where did you go?” I whisper.

She shakes her head and points to the middle of the semicircle, silently telling me to focus.

“What kind of homework are we talking?” Ruby Simmons asks. She’s another one of the Liberty Ladies, and at six feet tall, with bright red hair, she’s hard to miss in any room.

“Viola, can you explain?”

Babs offers Viola the floor again and the woman, though still clearly flustered, is slightly better at talking now that she isn’t holding the blue toy.

“We’re going to make candles,” she explains. “The idea is that you put a meaningful object inside the wax—maybe something that you haven’t moved on from—”

“Like an ex-fiancé,” Babs interjects, looking pointedly at me.

I roll my eyes in response and don’t miss Monty covering a laugh with his mouth. I shake my head at him and he grins wider.

“Yes. It could be,” Viola agrees. “But it doesn’t have to be about a man. Maybe it’s something in business that’s been stopping you from moving up in the world. Or a family issue.”

“Ha,” Rosie grumbles. “What about an egotistical man who is obsessed with himself and with making everyone believe he’s just perfect?”

Viola’s eyes light up. “Oh yes. That works.”

I cough out a sarcastic laugh and mutter, “Wonder who she’s talking about.”

“Couldn’t possibly be a certain mayor who drives her batty,” Tally teases.

Rosie glares at us both, though she’s the one who brought up Fletcher in the first place. I swear those two just need to bang and get rid of all the pent-up anger simmering between them.

“What about a mole that’s causing you trouble?” Ruby chimes in.

“Sure.” Viola gives a halfhearted nod. “Maybe?”

“And then we just burn the candle with the stuff in it?” Eli asks. “Isn’t that like throwing an ex’s shirt into a bonfire?” He glances my way. “That was in that fake-dating book we read recently, right, Pen?”

He’s right, though I don’t have a chance to respond because my eyes get caught on Monty, who is shooting daggers at Eli. What is that about?

“No,” Babs replies just as Viola says, “Exactly. But we add some healing wax and oils to the candles so that when you burn them you are not only freeing yourself from the items, like you would in a fire, but you are freeing your chakras. Removing the barrier that keeps you from moving forward in your life.”

“Oh, that sounds perfect for you, Pen,” Rayna says with a grin.

“I told you it was a great surprise,” Babs preens. “Go on, Penny. Get one of Dick’s old shirts so you can finally move on and then we can find someone to take you out.”

The way she makes it sound—like I’m some pathetic spinster—makes me want to sink behind my bookshelves and disappear. My book boyfriends would never treat me this way.

“I have moved on,” I reply pointedly.