Chapter 21

Chapter

Twenty-One

The lobbyof Seashell Inn has a cozy atmosphere that instantly makes you feel at home. It has beachside charm, with seashell decorations and a hint of salt in the air. I"m here on a mission for a corkscrew, trying not to think about the competition, Tomas, or Morgan. Hopefully, whoever's ever working the front desk can help me out. There's a bottle of red wine with my name on in back in my bungalow.

"Oh, Gigi. Thank goodness you"re here. I need help opening a bottle of wine. Does the inn have a corkscrew I can borrow?"

"I"ve got something even better," Gigi announces, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Before I know it, she"s produced another wine glass from seemingly nowhere and is pouring from a bottle she"s just pulled out of her enormous black patent leather bag.

"You keep an opened bottle of wine in your purse?" I muse.

"Oh honey, I keep more than that." Gigi digs back in her purse for a moment. "Chocolate?" she offers next, unveiling a plate of gourmet truffles. I"m half expecting a rabbit to hop out next.

"What else have you got in there?" I ask, half-joking, half-seriously wondering if she"s hiding a magic wand in there too.

"Everything a girl could need," she quips with a sly wink, and I can"t help but laugh.

Gigi fills my glass with a generous pour and I take one of the chocolates off the plate.

"I heard about the competition today," she starts to say.

I shake my head. "Please, I"m trying NOT to think about it," I confess.

"What? You and Eliza made it to the next round."

"No thanks to me. Did you hear Tomas showed up, and I almost wrecked the spell? I"m a magical disaster." I try not to think about my flying lessons, too, but images of me tumbling toward the ground fill my thoughts. I bet Tomas would"ve loved to see that.

"You need to stop talking like that and STOP giving your ex power over you," Gigi lays it out straight.

Her words cut through my swirling thoughts. I know she"s right, but it"s easier said than done. I tell her as much.

Gigi leans in, her expression softening. "Claire, honey, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to you."

I cock my head, not following. I'm pretty sure I'm as plain and simple as it gets.

Gigi explains, "You"re stronger than you realize. You faced Tomas today, didn"t you? And you"re here, aren"t you? Away from all that mess, taking steps to find your happiness."

I nod, the warmth from the wine spreading through my veins, making the world seem a little less sharp around the edges. "I guess so. It"s just...hard, you know?"

Gigi reaches over, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. "Of course, it is. But every day you get up, face your fears, and move forward is a victory. Don"t forget that."

We sit in companionable silence for a moment, the distant sound of waves the only background noise in the cozy lobby.

"Just when I think I"ve figured things out, life throws another curveball," I murmur, swirling the wine in my glass.

"That"s life, sweetheart. Unpredictable, messy, but beautiful. And it"s all about how you ride those waves," Gigi says, her gaze drifting towards the window, where the moonlight dances on the ocean"s surface.

The door swings open, breaking the moment, and my heart skips a beat as Tomas strides in. Gigi knows who he is just by the look on my face. I quickly turn away, not ready for another confrontation.

Gigi doesn"t miss a beat. "Looking for a room?" she asks Tomas, her tone polite but cool.

He nods, that charming smile plastered on his face. "I am. Do you have anything available?"

"We"re all booked up, I"m afraid," she replies, not a hint of apology in her voice.

"But the sign outside says "Vacancy,'" Tomas protests, confusion creasing his brow.

"Not for you," Gigi retorts, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tomas sounds indigenant.

"You really need me to spell it out for you?" Gigi quirks a brow.

I sneak a peek over my shoulder, catching Tomas"s expression flicker from charm to irritation. It"s satisfying, in a way I hadn"t expected, to see him so out of his element.

Tomas huffs, disbelief coloring his tone. "I just need a place to stay. I don"t see why—" That's when he spots me. "This. This is all your fault!" He strides toward me.

Gigi cuts him off, her voice firm yet imbued with a hint of amusement. "I think you"ll find Mystic Hollow is a small town, Tomas. Word travels fast, and we look out for our own here. Now, unless you want me to turn you into the snake you are, I suggest you leave. Now."

"Excuse me?" Tomas rounds on Gigi.

Gigi"s eyes twinkle with mischief, and she mutters something under her breath. Tomas's feet start to squeak loudly with each step. He abruptly halts, looking down in horror. Where his shoes once were are now two large rubber ducks attached to his feet.

"What did you do?" Tomas demands, attempting to lift one foot, then the other, the sound of squeaking ducks filling the lobby with every movement.

"Oh, just a little Mystic Hollow hospitality," Gigi says sweetly, her eyes not leaving his. "Consider it a reminder to tread lightly around here."

I cover my mouth to stifle a giggle as Tomas tries again to step forward, his movements comically hindered by the quacking footwear. His face turns an alarming shade of red.

"Change them back!" he yells, but Gigi just shrugs.

"I might consider it once you're out the door," she replies with a smirk. "And even then, only maybe."

"Alright. I'm leaving!" Tomas holds his hands up in surrender.

"And you promise you'll never come back?" Gigi questions.

"Like I would," Tomas practically spits.

With a flick of her wrist and another whispered incantation, the ducks vanish, leaving Tomas's shoes as plain as before. He quickly checks his feet, then shoots a wary look at Gigi.

"You should leave now," Gigi advises with a nod toward the door, her tone returning to its usual sternness. "And don't come back unless you want to make it permanent."

Tomas, clearly defeated and not daring to argue further, mutters something under his breath and shuffles out, his exit far less dignified than his entrance.

As the door closes behind him, Gigi turns to me with a grin. "Well, that should keep him on his toes, don't you think?"

I can't help but laugh, the stress of seeing Tomas again melting away under the absurdity of the situation. "Definitely. Thank you, Gigi."

"Oh, honey," she says, patting my hand, "no one messes with our Claire. Here, you need this more than I do." Gigi hands me the bottle of red. "Go out by the fire. Relax a bit. The ocean can do wonders for your soul."

"Thanks, Gigi." Relieved and feeling fiercely protected, I take the bottle and my glass and say goodnight.