Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist (Maple Hollow #1)

The bell from the café door sounded behind Katie, and Billy’s lumbering form emerged. He spotted Katie first, then slid his gray eyes to me.

“Morning, ladies.” His gravelly voice was low and sleepy.

“Hey, Billy,” I answered.

“Good morning.” Katie took a step toward me, and a new smell hit my nose.

My hand shot up to cover the lower half of my face before I had the sense to stop it. I let out a cough to try and play it off as an allergy, but it was too late.

Billy quirked a brow. “It’s a bit early in the morning for liquor, isn’t it, Katie?”

“It’s the sanitizer,” Katie quipped, her cheeks bright red while she fussed with the red bandana tied tight around the crown of her head.She turned to me. “Gotta stay clean in my line of work. Food safety standards and all. One sick day and the whole system is a mess.”

“Right,” I agreed, but the pity in my tone was glaring.

Lou waved to catch my attention, then pointed toward Billy’s shoes. They were covered in fresh red paint.

“Doing some home improvements?” I asked, pointing my chin at him.

“I was helping with the orchard’s haunted hayride figures,” he said matter-of-factly. “You know Bishop has to repaint them every year around this time. His biggest attraction is the photo area with the big apples that folks shove their heads into. Silly, but humans like what they like.” He eyed Katie pointedly; she was the only human in this conversation.

“No, I didn’t realize he had to paint them every year,” I replied.

Lou’s eyes widened as if a memory had hit her.

“Being the mayor, you have to know all the inner workings of the local businesses, Jordyn. Like when the local apothecary owner seems to be leaving her shop midmorning for a pick-me-up. You’re not getting into trouble, are you?”

His accusation sent heat up my neck.

“Just wanted a pumpkin-spice mocha to get into the holiday spirit.” I plastered on a smile and excused myself.

I slipped between Katie and Billy to hurry into the café. Willow was still nowhere to be seen, but Harlow was at the counter stocking oversized mugs on the shelf next to the espresso machine.

A ghostly hand hit the middle of my back and sent me stepping forward. Harlow’s eyes met mine, and her face lit up.

“Um, hi.” I cautiously approached the counter and laid my hands on it to have something solid to hold me down to earth.

“Hi.”

Was that relief on her face? Excitement? She seemed happy to see me. Or was I misreading this whole thing?

“I was just walking by and thought I’d stop in for a coffee.”

“Cool.” She smiled. Curse me,that smile!“Where are you headed?”

“Nowhere . . . the market . . . we’re out of eggs.” Goddess, Jordyn, get it together.

“The apothecary sells eggs?”She lifted a takeaway cup up and paused with her pen over it.

“Eggshells,” I amended quickly. “For protection spells and kitchen magic.”

Harlow chuckled. “Like, you can make a cake to ward off bad spirits?”

“Or fertility,” I replied and felt the immediate embarrassment.

“Didn’t expect that.” She pursed her lips. “So what can I make for you?”

“A pumpkin-spice mocha, soy milk, large, please.”