Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist (Maple Hollow #1)

I watched the way she bounced on her toes. Maybe she pitied me? Had someone asked her to do this? Was this a guilt thing? Or was she just nervous? I had no idea. But getting ice cream with a gorgeous girl was definitely not a hardship. And if we were together, that hopefully meant no monster would eat me while I explored the town so . . . win-win, right?

“That sounds great.” I beamed, overcompensating for my nerves with aggressive optimism.

I wasn’t convinced that Jordyn was entirely enthused by my answer, but then the tone of her voice shifted to relief when she said, “Great. I’ll come by tomorrow around this time?”

“Perfect,” I replied with a smile. “I promise to try to be slightly more put together than I am now.”

Her tight grin morphed into what felt like a real smile. “It’s a date.”

She left before that comment could register in my brain. I waited until she walked past the streetlight and around the corner before I let out a squeal of glee and frolicked about the café with enough energy to push through the final items on my to-do list before officially closing the shop for the night.

“Someone has a second wind,” Willow said as she carted in a clean tray of coffee cups from the kitchen.

Her previous cold shoulder had melted once I’d cleaned up the mess I’d made. She wasn’t ready to laugh about it yet, but I knew it was coming.

“I just got asked on a date,” I replied, twirling whimsically.

Willow’s head reared back like I’d just told her I was pregnant with Jack Skellington’s baby. “By whom?”

“The girl who works at the apothecary,” I sang.

Willow smiled. “Iris? She’s adorable. That’s so cute!”

“No, the brunette,” I corrected. “Her name’s Jordyn?”

Willow’s expression warred between surprise and confusion. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

My cheer dampened. “Why not?”

Willow shrugged. “It’s not a bad thing. Jordyn’s great, but she’s a bit of a recluse. Definitely introverted. As far as I know, she hasn’t dated anyone since she and her girlfriend broke up last year. If I’m remembering right, Lou passed away shortly after in a car accident.”

I didn’t know what to do with that information, but it sparked a hundred questions like: Was that why Jordyn was so standoffish? Or was she just rusty after such a long dating hiatus? Did it take a year to mend her broken heart?

It didn’t matter. The fact that Jordyn wanted to spend time with me was enough.

“Well, she offered to show me around town, and I figured I’d be safer with her. Right?”

Weighing her head from side to side, Willow pursed her lips. “I mean, that’s probably true.”

“And she’s a witch?”

My sister shot me a look. “You didn’t think to find that out before you agreed to go on a date with her?”

“She told me she was a witch already. I’m just confirming,” I said defensively. Although if she hadn’t told me, I still would’ve said yes. “And she’s cute!”

Willow shook her head at my hopeless antics. Resting her hands on her hips, Willow said, “Yes, she’s a witch. And a powerful one at that. Be careful.”

“A powerful witch,” I said with a little shimmy. “That’s hot.” Then I started thinking of the implications of that. “Maybe she’ll cast a love spell on me. She can’t turn me into a newt or something, can she?”

“You know what? I’m going to let you figure that out for yourself. Serves you right for agreeing to go on a date with someone from this town without knowing who or what they are first.” Willow waved her dishtowel at me as she dried out the still-steaming glasses.

I gawked at her. “You’d let your baby sister go out with an evil witch just to prove a point?”

“You’re so dramatic.” She rolled her eyes. “Jordyn’s a good person. She won’t put a hex on you or anything like that.”

“Whew.”

“It’ll be good to get to know the town with a local too,” Willow offered. “Everyone seeing you with her will mean you’re under the coven’s protection. Off-limits.”