"Seriously?"
She asked with shock and Bess laughed. "Not in an early 2000's high school TV drama way. He just ran into me, and then he picked them up."
"Ah. I've never seen him have a girlfriend," she said, tilting her head as they both watched him disappear further down the long, shiny hallway. It was known that Jeremy Bracker did not date. Theories ran rampant. That particular human skill never outgrew most people, Bess had found.
"Maybe he's asexual."
"Mhmm," Bess barely acknowledged. Because she did not care. She was ready to get home, grab an iced tea, and see what her aunts were up to.
"Oh! Maybe he's another Salem-cursed bachelor," Chloe bounced on her tall legs with wide eyes, pulling a laugh from Bess.
"I doubt it.""Yeah," she said with disappointment in her voice. "He's not that interesting. Only good-looking and good with all the ball sports."
Bess chuckled and spun the code for her locker. "Any plans this weekend?"
"Lindsey and I are celebrating six months, so we're going to a farmer's market, then the beach, and then out to dinner. I got this gorgeous summer dress with lemons and yellow bows on it. How about you? Summoning the spirits of past witches to hex men who have hurt the ones you love?"
She'd dropped her voice an octave and added a spooky lilt, making Bess give her a look that had Chloe cracking up.
"That's next weekend."
"God, you guys are cool."
She smiled because they were. She loved her life and the surprising way it turned out. Ursula coming into town and moving into The Lost Souls House had been the best turn of events in Bess's life, and her uncle's.
"Oh, I gotta go. See you Monday!""Have fun and happy anniversary!" she called.
When she was about to place books inside the locker she stopped. Had she opened the wrong locker? No. That didn't make sense. She looked around the emptying hallway before looking back. Hanging there on a thick padded hanger was a satin dress. On it was a note.
She looked around again before she reached in to pull it out.
It smelled like peonies and something warm, like a kitchen oven just turned off with a cooling blackberry cobbler on the counter.
She frowned.
Maybe this would be an interesting weekend.
7. Another Unexpected Invitation
Ursula was working on her laptop at the kitchen island, going over finances for her thriving garden business, when Eloise walked in and opened the refrigerator.
"Hey, pretty sea witch, how's it going?"
Ursula made a grunt, causing Eloise to turn and find her friend hunched over her laptop, concentrating and tapping her finger on the counter.
Ten minutes later, Ursula startled when a ghost mug of steaming tea and a plate of toasted french bread with pecan strawberry chicken salad lay heaping on top.
She rubbed her eyes, smudging mascara as she rolled her shoulders and made a groaning sound.
"Thought you could use a break. And some protein. And I chose the tea that you labeled:whenUrsula gets that scrunchy face, and only communicates in grunts.
Ursula gave her a look as she picked up the hot mug. "I have no such tea."
"Maybe you should," she replied, then smoothed a thumb under her friend's eye, wiping away the grey mark of makeup. "You doing alright?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "Just owning a business is hard. Not the best with numbers."
"Mhmm, and how many times have I offered to help with that? I happen to be a witch with business numbers."
