Free FAE-ted by Linda Palmer

FAE-ted
    "Hello and welcome to our Faerie Garden." I smiled as yet
another adorable child in a tutu entered the door, all dressed up for
today's birthday party. The sixth to arrive, she held a gaily wrapped
present with a big pink bow on it. "What's your name?"
    "Lily Grace."
    "Do you have a favorite color?"
    It took her a second to reply, and I could barely hear her.
"Purple."
    "Then you'll be Faerie Lilac." Pulling a lavender tiara out of
the basket, I set it on her blonde hair. I helped her slip her tiny arms
through the sparkly straps that would support the sheer tulle wings
she'd get to take home with her. "You're so beautiful!" I turned her to
look in our full-length mirror.
    Lily Grace's eyes lit up. She gave me a shy smile.
    "The other faeries are over there."
    The cutie and her mom headed to the north end of the room
that was reserved for girl parties. Decorated with silk greenery,
vibrant flowers, and tons of twinkling lights, it was one of two
celebration areas in my Mom's new party supply shop, Festivities.
We'd recently decorated and now rented out the rooms along with
we-do-it-all party packages.
    The other celebration area, which we called Boy's World,
was more diverse and had four distinct corners: Hero Central, Sports
Zone, Dino District, and Outer Space. Designing and setting them all
up six months ago had been the most fun I'd ever had. And each day I
spent at Festivities was super special, which was why I could be
found there after school and most weekends. I so loved my job.
    For me, nothing beat dressing up for the occasion, whether
in a sparkly white gown with my own gossamer wings or in a
crime-fighter's mask and cape. I even had an astronaut suit, which was hot
and clunky to wear but still a lot of fun.
    Feeling a tug on my hem, I turned and glanced down at the
next wannabe faerie, a little girl with riotous ginger curls and the
biggest brown eyes I'd ever seen. "Welcome to the Faerie Garden.
What's your name?"
    "Anna Faith Davis. You can call me Anna."
    I bit back a smile. "Do you have a favorite color?"
    "Pink."
    "I love pink, too!" I dug into the basket and pulled out a pink
tiara that clashed horribly with her hair, but there were no fashion
police at Festivities. Noting that she held a package almost as big as
she was, as well as a stuffed unicorn, I reached for them. "And who is
this?"
    "Sparky."
    I eyed the blue unicorn, which reminded me of one I'd had
years ago named Blaze. I'd dragged that thing everywhere until I lost
it at a shopping mall. To say I was devastated didn't begin to go
there. I was sure I cried for a week. "Can your dad hold Sparky and
the present so I can put your wings on?" I automatically glanced at
the male adult who'd brought her.
    But he wasn't an adult at all. He was the teenage boy who'd
starred in my wildest dreams since the ninth grade. My heart
dropped straight into my stomach, and I was suddenly fifteen again,
with big red hearts in my eyes.
    "I'm not her dad, but I'll take them," he said with that wicked
sexy grin that still haunted my sleep every now and then.
    My knees wobbled. "Nate Marshall. Wow. It's been a
while."
    His dark eyebrows shot up. "Do we know each other?"
    "Kinda, sorta, but not-ish. We were on a committee together
when you were a senior and I was a junior. Spring dance, maybe?" I
pretended I didn't recall the details, though I well remembered every
magical moment we'd spent in the gym. The fit of his pea coat, the
scent of his cologne, the dimple that came from nowhere when he
smirked--all cherished memories. Who cared that we'd barely
spoken to each other and there'd always been a bunch of other
students around us, one of them his gorgeous steady?
    He frowned at me for several seconds, obviously trying to
recall my girl-next-door face. "Lulu, right?"
    "Close. Leeloo. Leeloo Brantley." Thanks again, Mom, for
giving me the most forgettable name in the history of girl
babies.
    "I remember now."
    As if. Shifting my attention from his beautiful green