Page 15 of Enchanted to Meet You

“Whatever,” Dina said. “The fact remains that witches are notoriously misrepresented on film. Look at almost every female villain in every princess film ever—”

“Oh, for God’s sake.” Sal started to get up. “If the world’s really going to end, I’m going inside to play as muchCall of Dutyas I can.”

“Wait!” Yasmin turned to her husband. “What about that mentor program? The one that helps pair local business owners with high-achieving students, and guarantees them college scholarship money? You were telling me just the other day that you need volunteers, so I’m sure there must be room for Jess—”

Sal winced. “That program is so that students can learn about the advantages of a business education,” he said, “notwitchcraft.”

“I’ll tell Esther all about the challenges of being a female entrepreneur,” I promised. “And witch.”

“The Brewport is one of the most successful businesses intown,” Dina pointed out. “Why would Esther’s parents sign her up for a mentor?”

“Hello,” Yasmin said, rubbing her thumb and fingers together and waving them in Dina’s face. “Free scholarship money. Doesn’t matter how well you’re doing financially, every parent wants more. Of course they’re gonna sign her up. I’m going to sign the boys up when they’re old enough.”

Sal dropped his head into his hands. “This isnothappening.”

“It’s okay, Sal,” I said. “I’m the Chosen One. I’ll be a good mentor to Esther. I won’t let anything weird happen to her or your school.”

“Oh, sure,” Sal said through his fingers. “You mean like with Billy?”

In the stunned silence that followed, I could hear Sal’s neighbors’ television next door, and farther off, the soft sigh of the sea. No one spoke—no one even seemed to breathe—until Dina said, finally, “That was harsh, Sal. Way harsh. Youknowthat wasn’t Jessica’s fault.”

“Yeah, come on, Sal.” Yasmin looked mortified on her husband’s behalf. “Billy is completely over Jessica. He’s married now, with kids. Dina and I saw him the other day at Stew Leonard’s. He seems really happy.”

“See?” I smiled, though I wasn’t sure it was convincing. “I’m not saying Billy didn’t go through a hard time—who didn’t, as a teenager? But he’s happy now. Everybody’s happy. Now let’s make sure they stay that way. Write me a pass so I can meet with Esther.”

Sal lifted his head, but he didn’t look thrilled. “Fine. Whatever. You witches are going to do what you want anyway. You always have, and you always will.”

“Yay!” Yasmin flung her arms around her husband’s neck and kissed him, while Dina and I exchanged looks of relief. It wasa small victory, but it’s important to celebrate the small victories.

“Oh, shit,” Dina said a second later, after glancing at her phone. “I gotta go. Mark’s working late at the restaurant, and one of us has to go home and let the dogs out. Jess, did you walk over? Do you want a lift home? Or would you rather walk?”

“Ride, please.” I only lived a couple blocks away, but my feet were aching from having been on them all day. The Fall into Fall sale had been a success, but it had taken a physical toll. I couldn’t help thinking about the warm, restorative blanket in which Derrick’s touch had wrapped me earlier, and how it had made all my pain disappear. Was it only his fingers that possessed this magical healing power?

Oh my God, what was the matter with me?

“What’s up?” Dina demanded, as we got into her car. “You’re so quiet. You’re not pissed at Sal for that dumb thing he said about Billy, are you?”

“What?” Startled, I reached for my seat belt. “Oh, no. No. Sorry. I was thinking about something else.”

“About Billy? I thought you’d let that go. It wasn’t your fault. And he’s completely over you. Yasmin and I really did see him with the kids at Stew Leonard’s the other day. He honestly does seem happy now. Ish.”

Thatishcaused my heart to twist with guilt. I hugged myself, even though it wasn’t all that cold out. “I wasn’t thinking about him, I swear.”

“Okay, good.” Dina switched on the engine. “Because I want to hear more about this guy from the store this morning. Did he really have silver eyes? Because that’s what Becca is going around telling everyone.”

“I wouldn’t say they weresilver, exactly....”

Except that, as we pulled away from her brother’s house, Icould have sworn I saw Derrick’s silver eyes flash at me from behind the wheel of a Fiat 500 parked just down the road.

But that was impossible. Because that would mean Derrick Winters had been sitting in an absurdly small car watching me drink hot toddies all night.

And that was too stupid to possibly be true.

Derrick

Calling oneself a Witch, possessing the ability to cast spells, and/or performing magick, does not make one a True Witch. Only proof of descent from a known Witch makes one a True Witch.

Rule Number One of the Nine Rules