Cornbread & Crossroads

free time today? There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, and I’d rather do it when we can have a moment to ourselves.”
My brow wrinkled as I listed off everything I had going on today. “I’ve got a meeting with Twinkle about a plumbing issue at Sweet Tooths, an appointment with a potential renter for the old hardware store space, a lunch meeting with the welcome committee, and I’m supposed to have coffee with Clementine after, and—”
Mason chuckled and placed a gentle finger over my lips. “Okay, so your day’s pretty full. Guess I’ll have to wait until tonight after the potluck to grab a moment with you all to myself.” He moved his hand to cup my chin. “Or maybe I need to make an appointment, too.”
A little regret seeped into my heart. “I know. We’ve both been so preoccupied trying to help others that I know I’ve forgotten to make us a priority.”
“But it’s that big heart of yours that makes you the person I want to be with,” he admitted in a low whisper.
I placed my palm on his chest over his heart. “Same here, Detective.”
While the sun rose higher in the sky, birds twittered their good mornings, and the Spanish moss rustled in the wind, we stole a romantic moment just for us.
With reluctance, we let each other go. Mason kissed the tip of my nose. “I actually should be getting to the station. No need to give Big Willie anything to complain about before the day’s barely started.”
“A smart man would stop by the Harvest Cafe and get one of Sassy’s fresh-baked pies for him just to make sure he doesn’t jump on your case,” I suggested, straddling my bike.
A wide grin spread on Mason’s face. “Add that to my list of reasons I lo…listen to you. You have great ideas.”
My stomach exploded with emotional butterflies fluttering their wings. Maybe my head was playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn my boyfriend was about to say a very important word that neither one of us had said to the other yet. In fact, I hadn’t uttered any form of that word to any man since Tucker before I broke our engagement. Was I ready to hear it now? Was I even ready to say it back?
I waited a beat to see if he wanted to add anything, but after a tense silence, I cleared my throat and hoped he didn’t notice the sweat beading on my upper lip. “Well, guess I’ll be going. See you at the potluck.”
My excitement overloaded the little bit of magical energy I fed into the bicycle, and it jolted forward hard enough that I almost fell off. My heart thumped in my chest as the bike careened through the streets and my mind raced with the possibility that Mason and I might be on the verge of a big confession to each other.
“If our number of residents continue to grow as fast as they have recently, then we’ll need to talk about preparations for security,” Flint stated, reading off the statistics on the increase of newcomers from a printed report.
I scarfed down the last bite of my grilled fried green tomato and pimento cheese sandwich, wiped my mouth with a paper napkin, and pushed the basket from the cafe away from me, not needing the temptation of the last sweet potato fries. Although math had never been my best subject, even I could calculate how too big of an influx of beings into our small town would exhaust our resources if we didn’t prepare better.
Clementine sat at the head of the long table as the elected leader of the committee, her brow furrowed. “And at the same time, I hate to turn anyone away. I would love to hear any suggestions for how we could continue as a safe refuge for those who need help. David, do you have anything you could share that might help us?”
The former bellboy brushed back his long green locks that fell down a little past his shoulders. He’d taken Mason up on his offer to live with him, leaving Charleston at about the same time we did months before. As one of the first disenfranchised fae that had been here the longest, he had gone out of his way to help others who were flocking to our small town for refuge after mistreatment elsewhere as well as serving on our small committee.
“I think those who wanted to come from Charleston are here already. But the problem I foresee is that the original invitation made to us at the hotel may have been a little too open-ended,” David said, his eyes focused on his hands resting on the table.
Confused, I tried to replay the exact words I’d used when I said he and his colleagues could come to Honeysuckle. “What do you mean?”
The half dryad turned to face me. “When I asked you on the rooftop of the hotel whether or not the possibility of living in your safe haven of a town was open to anybody, you did not specify any limitations. I fear this is my fault. In my relief of finding kindness among witches, I did not assist you in defining your generous offer.” He glanced across the table at Juniper, some unspoken understanding passing between them.
“But our town is open to those who seek sanctuary,” Ms. Patty said from her seat next to me.
Juniper’s wings shook and quivered. “Promises and offers made to the fae must be worded very carefully. If Charli meant the invitation to be offered solely to those who worked in the hotel, then she needed to make that clear through her words.”
Realization dawned on me. “And because I didn’t say who I specifically meant when talking with David, then who did I actually invite?”
David shrugged. “It is hard to estimate, but good news travels fast amongst our kind. However, I have more information that may alleviate some of the worries I believe