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‘No!’ He feigned outrage. ‘I’ll have you know it was one of those little plastic pots. I even had to open a tin of coconut milk.’

She laughed again – this time with him.

‘But I do know where you can get pretty much every spice you can think of. And more.’

‘They’re not usually the type of things you can get from farm or corner shops.’

‘This shop’s different. How much do you know about Aiden’s work?’

‘He’s a good baker. Sylvie’s very proud of him – justifiably.’

‘That’s… fairly accurate. In the simplest of terms. You’re not morally or spiritually opposed to more alternative lifestyles, are you?’

‘That depends on what you mean by “alternative”.’ She watched him, slightly suspicious.

‘Complementary medicine and maybe some alternative treatments. Energy healing, crystals. Things like that.’ He deliberately kept things vague.

‘I’ve worked with some brilliant acupuncturists and reflexologists before.’

‘You’ll probably like Rayenne then; she does reflexology and reiki.’

‘And she owns this shop with all the herbs?’

‘No, Ophelia owns it. She’s a witch.’ He tried the word out, curious to see how far the magic would let him go, and how Amrita would take it.

He could see the moment the magic hit, protecting itself, and almost felt a little disappointed to see Amrita’s beautiful eyes lose their focus slightly. Then she blinked a couple of times, seemingly confused. ‘Sorry, you were saying something about Aiden and the people he works with?’

‘Yeah. I was.’ He watched her curiously for a moment. Of course, he knew Hudsbury’s lore – that magic was a secret that protected itself from outsiders and those who might misuse it – but knowing the lore was very different to watching it happen. After a couple more moments of confusion, Amrita smiled brightly. A slightly blank look he’d seen before on others.

‘I like Aiden. He seems like a really nice guy.’

‘He is.’ Jamie bit back a disappointed sigh – he’d been hopeful the magic might invite her in – and smiled instead. ‘And really great for Mia. Even if he’s not the man any of us expected her to end up with.’

‘You’ve known her a long time?’

‘Yeah. Mia and Katie – she’s Ophelia’s other half – pretty much grew up together. Our parents were friends, so I basically got a couple of extra sisters.’

‘Small town thing, I guess,’ Amrita said with a laugh. ‘So does Katie work at the store too?’

‘No. She teaches at the local school. What do you think? Do you want me to see if we can raid their supply cupboard for dinner?’

‘OK.’

‘Great. Let me make a quick call.’ He made a mental note to put out some honey or treats for the pixies soon, as thanks for the messages being allowed through.

* * *

Amrita’s breath caught and her eyes widened as she stepped through the door that chimed cheerfully as Jamie held it open, and into a world where Valentine’s Day had arrived – and exploded – early. Garlands were spread throughout the shop, swooping from the ceiling in elegant swathes decorated with flowers, hearts and tiny golden cupids with wings that fluttered in a breeze so gentle she couldn’t feel it. Spring seemed to be early too, with branches blossoming sweet, crisp, fresh-smelling clusters of tiny flowers dangling from the ceiling to match the potted cherry tree already pinkening in the shop window.

Miniature lights glistened and danced in the branches, reflecting their glow across the store where it bounced off crystals, jars and bottles. Candles carved with intertwined hearts stood on glass plates etched with charms that she’d never seen before but which felt vaguely familiar. Plush velvety boxes in reds, pinks and purples were stacked on a lace-draped table, next to bottles and boxes of biscuits and chocolates, all tied with ribbon and sporting handwritten labels with notes like Devotion, Sweetness, Temptation and the oddly named Triple Bs.

The store was split into different zones, with more cookies, cakes and teas along one wall, opposite another filled with jars and bottles of every colour, and soaps that looked more like desserts and confectionary than toiletries. Books disappeared into a miniature library behind a comfy-looking seating area, and shelves across the back of the store were filled with statues, jewellery, more books and jars and things she didn’t even know how to start naming.

A large painting, filled with fairies and cupids, hung near the back, and she wondered if they changed it for every event.

‘Guess they’re really into Valentine’s here,’ she said with a soft laugh.

‘This is a light touch compared to what they do for Halloween.’