Chapter 34 Red Smoke

Wren

"Still think you shoulda waited for me. This meeting won't take long." Mag sounded grumpy over the phone.

Celeste and I were driving up to Los Angeles to meet a woman who responded to my ad for a bakery employee. She'd said she wanted to eventually become a pastry chef and had an interest in Chinese baking specifically. When the bakery opened again, which was hopefully soon, I needed someone to run the kitchen for me. It seemed like a perfect match.

"Tamika's only available this morning, and she has three other offers. I really need to meet her to convince her to take the job." I'd explained it to Mag before and he'd agreed, but he still didn't like being that far away from me.

"I'll be up right after the meeting with the feds. So far it looks like everything is going as planned." He did not say it enthusiastically.

The plan, last I heard, was that Mag and I would attend a luncheon at Kenny's mansion next weekend. So far, it seemed Kenny still believed Mag was Gavin because he'd invited Gavin to join the Magic Society. Mag wasn't happy that I would be going back to the mansion, but I'd made it clear I wanted to be included. "That's good."

He grunted. "Plans create false confidence. Always be prepared to pivot when chaos ensues."

"Spoken like a man who's seen a few plans go awry. "

"Pretty much all of them. Never seen an op come off clean." His voice sounded tired and frustrated.

"Okay, Officer. I'll be wary and alert." I saluted him over the phone, trying to lighten his mood.

"Not an officer," he grumbled.

Oops, sore subject. I softened my voice. "Okay, honey. I'll be careful because I know you're worried. I will take it seriously."

He paused and my heart warmed knowing he was receiving what I said. "Appreciated, babe."

"Besides, Celeste is with me, and she's like Terminator or something."

He chuckled. "I love you. I'll be up as soon as this meeting is over."

"I love you too. See you soon."

We arrived at the bakery a few minutes before the meeting, and I waited by the new front doors as Celeste spent a lot of time clearing the rooms with fancy footwork and a gun drawn. After she'd declared it safe, I was free to look around.

Now I wished Mag was here because he had improved everything, not just the glass display cases, but the register and the kitchen too. The bed in my room had been replaced with a new desk and computer, and I got the message I wouldn't be sleeping here again. Talon had added several expensive looking security monitors to the walls.

Mag had even brought in my mail and stacked it on my desk. When did he have time to do all this? A small package sat on top of several letters.

"Your appointment is here," Celeste called from the front door .

I dropped the package and rushed out to meet Tamika. A beautiful Black woman waited for me with a big smile plastered on her gorgeous face. She had really high cheekbones, fantastic makeup, and big luscious brown curls. She wore a short cranberry skirt with a black jacket. Cute and smart. I loved her already.

I couldn't hold back my excitement, and I hugged her before stepping back. "Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm so excited. Hope you don't mind me hugging you."

She smiled and her whole face lit up. "No, no. I don't mind at all. I'm excited too. Thank you. Everyone I've met so far has been a man much older than me, so this is refreshing."

"Good, good. Well, not good that you're only meeting older men but glad you met me. So, this is my grandfather's bakery, which is mine now because I inherited it when he died.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Her compassion wrapped around the heavy grief in my chest and soothed it a little. "It's recently upgraded, like this week." I swung my arm out like Vanna White. I'd never felt more proud of our little family bakery.

"It's beautiful and such a great location."

"Let me show you around."

We checked out the sales case, but her eyes were glued to the kitchen. "Oh my God." She ran her fingers over the dials on the new oven. "This is a chef's dream."

"Just so you know, I'm free to change the menu however I like, so if you wanted to reimagine the baked goods, that's fine. If you want to introduce other food, that's great too. "

Her eyes grew wide. "You'd consider adding other Asian foods?"

"I'd consider adding anything you want to make, Asian or whatever you like. This place is a blank slate right now. I just need some help. I might even be willing to sell it someday."

Her mouth twisted through several emotions and finally emerged with a brilliant smile. "I would love it. I'll take it. Oops. I should've waited till you offered, but it's just so perfect, and I like you."

"I like you too, and I am offering."

We chatted for a while longer and agreed to the salary and terms. I told her I'd call her up when the shop officially opened again. She promised to inform her other job offers that she was unavailable. We set a date to meet again in two weeks to go over her ideas for the menu.

I walked her out past Celeste and watched her walk down the street. We were both grinning and waving. I was still smiling when I walked back into my office and sat at my desk, happy with myself for bravely meeting someone new and making positive changes in my life. Mag was a big part of it, and he was helping me out financially, but this felt like an important step forward.

The mail was mostly bills and advertisements. Inside the package was a small rectangular box encrusted in mini gems that sparkled in the lights. Was this a jewelry box Mag sent me to hold my ring when I wasn't wearing it?

I flipped open the lid and a puff of red smoke came out with a hiss. It smelled awful, and I tried to swat it away with my hand, but it was too late. I'd inhaled a lot of it.

"Celeste!" The acrid smoke burned my throat and eyes. I coughed and tried to hold my breath, but my limbs felt heavy and the room began to spin.

Celeste rushed in through the haze, her hand covering her nose and mouth. She reached me, her eyes watering from the fumes. She tried to pull me up, but she was weakening too. She stumbled, her strength fading.

Just as we reached the door, Celeste collapsed beside me. The red smoke swirled around us as my vision darkened. "Mag, I love you."

If I died, I wanted him to know he was my everything. He'd see it on the security footage and hopefully hear it.

Then my world went black.