Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist (Maple Hollow #1)

“Are we still on for tonight?” Her face gave away no emotion that I could pin down.

My surprise turned to delight as I nodded. “Yes! I think Willow needs some time to cool off without me around.”

I’d been sure she was going to ghost me after what had happened with Agnes. Maybe she pitied me after Willow had laid into me, but I couldn’t find a reason to care or question it.

“Cool. See you in a bit then.” She ducked out and disappeared down the sidewalk without another word.

My cheeks strained against a foolishly wide smile as I ran to get ready. I was about to go on a date with a witch!

11

JORDYN

Ithrust my hands into my pockets, my shoulders bunched around my ears as Lou followed me down the street. I was on my way to pick up Harlow for our date. Long shadows grew over the town square as the late-afternoon sun dipped below the haunted wood.

“Why are you following me?” I muttered to my feet.

I’d finally learned not to look at Lou when speaking to her. Iris had been coaching me all day to act like I didn’t have my ex incessantly in my ear.

“You know why I’m here,” Lou countered, traipsing along like she was gleefully marching me to my execution.

“I’m moving on, okay?” I gestured in the direction of Witch’s Brew Café.

“I’m not going until I’m sure you’re not bailing on a good thing. If I wait at the apothecary, you might jump into the bushes at the last second and never even go on this date.”

I groaned. “This is none of your business.”

“You made it my business when you summoned me!”

It dawned on me all at once that we were going to have this same argument for the rest of my fucking life. I could picture it now: me, an old crone, stooped and withered, working in my apothecary with my snarky ex-girlfriend, still in her late twenties and in my fucking T-shirt, smugly watching while she waited for me to kick the bucket.

Goddess, I hoped I’d at least be able to get away from her in the afterlife. Maybe she’d haunt me there too . . .

“I’m doing the best I can,” I grumbled. “But you clinging to me is not helping. I’m going on this date. Ease up.”

“I’ll ease up when I see you catching feelings.”

“You’re going to be waiting a long time.” I paused at the door to the Witch’s Brew. “The odds of me catching feelings are slim to none. Especially in a single date.”

The café door opened and out swept Harlow looking like an androgynous movie star. Her short hair was styled loosely, framing her heart-shaped face. She wore a charcoal-gray shirt unbuttoned dangerously low to allow me little peeks at her lacy black bra. Cuffed black jeans, black combat boots, and a faux-leather bomber jacket completed the look.

Well, fuck.

“You were saying?” Lou asked.

I swatted a hand through her gauzy form and played it off like I was lifting a hand to sweep my hair out of my eyes.

“You look nice,” I croaked, my throat suddenly bone-dry.

Harlow’s cheeks flushed. “You too.”

We held each other’s gazes for another second. Her eyes were like a clear winter sky, piercing and beautiful. I wanted to free-fall into them.

Lou snickered as if reading my thoughts, and I straightened. Cleared my throat.

Nope. I wanted none of those things. At least not with my ex-girlfriend’s ghost skulking around.

“Ready to explore Maple Hollow?” I asked.