Page 34 of A Witch in Notting Hill

“I mean—”

“Yes,” she said, “or no.”

“Yes.” There was so much more to it than just that one word, but it appeared I wasn’t going to have the chance to explain that.

“Right.” Lola nodded. “So on to the next. What happened when you tried to talk to her about it before?”

“I said some shite about science—which is true, by the way—and I might have implied she was stupid. Or at least she thought I was calling her stupid.”

Lola dropped her head into her hands, and Min bit his lip trying not to laugh. “You’re hopeless,” he said.

“He is not,” Lola said. “And we’re going to help him. And then we’re all going to help Willow.”

I wasn’t going to touch that just yet, but I didnotplan for this to be a group activity.

“So it sounds like the first thing you need to do is apologize,” Lola said.

“I don’t even know how to get a hold of her.”

“She’s staying at the Charter.”

“How the hell you do know that?”

“Saw the key card in her wallet when she went for her Oyster card.”

“You’re a creep, Lo.” She only shrugged. “Still, it’s not like I can just show up to the hotel and ask for Willow James.Hi, yes, would you mind terribly giving out the room information for a high-profile guest? Just want to apologize for being a wanker and then I’ll be on my way.”

“Ye of so little faith.” Lola tutted. “You let me worry about how we’re meant to get in touch with her. You worry about what you’re going to say when you see her.”

“I’m capable of a proper apology, you know.”

“I’m not the one who needs convincing.”

“Thank god.”

“Then what?” Min asked.

“Then we offer our help on the quest,” Lola said.

“Must you always talk like we’re in a video game?”

“Must you always try to change the topic?”

“How’s this for staying on topic,” I said. “It isn’tourhelp on the quest. If she’s willing to accept any help at all, it’ll be from me. Seeing as I work in the occult industry, after all.”

Lola laughed, but not because anything was funny. “If you think we’re letting her try to complete that list with only the help of someone who doesn’t believe in magic, you’re even more delusional than I thought.”

“I don’t have to believe in magic to make sure she does what she needs to do without being hounded by fans,” I said.

“But you do need someone to believe in magic to keep morale up when times get tough,” Lola argued. “She needs support, not just a bodyguard and a couple connections.”

“You don’t know what she needs.”

“Neither do you.”

“Only one way to find out,” Min said, clapping his hands.

“We can’t really be doing this,” I said. “This whole thing is absurd.”