The pie shop was a pre-Civil War wood structure that had been pressed into service when Bathtilda decided to open her sweet shop. Its pressed tin roof and walls were painted white and emerald green. But of course, a dragon couldn’t have a space without gold. All of the art on the walls featured gold foil in some way, whether it was a landscape, a painting of a gray kitten, an old icon of a Russian orthodox saint, or a landscape of the Las Vegas skyline. The mismatched paintings added a sort of weird kitchiness to the classic diner arrangement, with the polished maple lunch counter and weathered green vinyl booths.

A dozen mismatched pie stands stood along the long maple counter, their clear homes displaying all of Siobhan’s pie creations from lemon meringue to the apple-pear crumble. The house specialty, chocolate-rhubarb, had a special place on the back counter behind Siobhan, near a mirror veined with gold. Zed had never had a taste for it. It was just a bit too sour for him and he’d never liked the combination of chocolate and fruit. His favorite had always been blueberry. It was a taste of summer, of rolling in high grass, and fattening up for winter.

Bathtilda was smart enough to know that while she had a head for business, she was no baker. Decades before, she’d gone into partnership with Siobhan, who worked magic in the kitchen, and in the dining room. Bathtilda managed the inventory and the books while Siobhan determined what sort of pie the customers needed, and served it to them on Bathtilda’s gold-rimmed plates.

But there was no blueberry goodness on Zed’s plate this morning. So far, all he’d eaten was a big slice of humble pie, served by Bael Boone. Bael was sitting in the booth across from Zed, smirking into his coffee.

Bastard.

“And then what happened?”

“She said ‘thanks’ and hopped out of my truck! Thanks! Like I’d changed a flat tire for her. I’m telling you, man, I felt used and cheap.” Zed frowned, looking every inch the pouty bear.

“What’s your deal with her?” Bael asked. “I’ve never seen you so twisted up over a girl before. Usually you like a girl, and if she likes you back, awesome. And if not, you move along to somebody else. But you’re spinning on Dani like a hamster wheel.”