Page 32 of Impractical Magic

“Please,” Scarlett said, a little desperately. “Please make a request so that I can somehow stop talking.”

“I heard your mother say you and your sisters are checking out the oaks tonight. I was wondering . . . could I come along? I would really love to see that grove again.”

“Of course. But I’m not following why you need to ask?”

“Right.” Nate nodded. “This happened after you left. Yeah, they passed a law that non-witches such as myself aren’t allowed in the grove.”

“Ohh,” Scarlett said, finally understanding. “Because of what Bill did.”

“Exactly. Ole Bill really messed things up for the rest of us.”

“Well, screw that guy,” she declared happily. “Of course you can come . . . friend.”

Nate nudged her shoulder with his own. “You got it, friend.”

“Hey, uh. Since we’re pals now and all . . . I have to ask you something.”

“Go for it.”

“Okay, I’m just curious . . .” Scarlett said hesitantly. “It’s totally not important to me, but I’m just wondering . . . Polly?! I mean . . . really? You and the Triple P?”

Nate laughed. “What’s wrong with Polly?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I just don’t see the two of you together, is all.”

“Well, what’d you expect? What have you been picturing, all these years? Was I supposed to sit here and wait for you? Maybe take a picnic basket out to the woods and just sit there staring off into space, sighing a lot, writing wistful poetry: Scarlett return to me?”

“Oh my God, Nate, no! No, I’m so sorry. I never meant that you—” But then she realized his eyes were twinkling. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. You’re teasing me.”

“You asked for it.” He grinned. “No, there’s nothing between me and Polly—that’s the truth.”

A little jolt of happiness went through her, which she decided it was best to ignore. “Well, I spoke to her at the store earlier, and she certainly implied otherwise.”

“Bah.” Nate stood up. “She was probably just trying to wind you up.”

Or wishful thinking on her part, Scarlett thought.

“No,” he continued. “I help out with repairs at the bookstore, is all. Same as I do with all the shops downtown. Which reminds me, I should get back. I didn’t plan on being away from the store quite this long.”

As they headed back toward the patio, Nate said, “But I mean . . . even if I were seeing Polly, it wouldn’t matter to you anyway.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Right? Since we’re just friends?”

“Absolutely. Totally fine by me, friend. Bang away.”

“Great, glad to have that understood.” He gave her a playful tap on the arm. “So I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you tonight!” Scarlett grinned, feeling a thousand pounds lighter to have things settled with Nate. And if something deep inside nagged at her that friends was not the right description for them at all? Well, let that be a Future Scarlett problem. “Fight the power, break the law,” she joked. “Come stare at trees with us.”

Chapter 12: What Are You Doing With That Belt?

“I can’t believe you invited him to stare at trees with us!”

It was midnight, and the sisters were standing at the base of the hill just outside of town. The night was chilly but clear, the moonlight casting a silvery glow across the hills. In the distance, the hoots of an owl echoed through the trees. Above them loomed the oak grove and, hopefully, answers about what was wrong with magic in Oak Haven.

Delilah snarled, “This is not date night, Scarlett!”

“Date night could not be further from my mind,” Scarlett replied. “We had a nice chat earlier, and Nate and I are friends, period.”

Both sisters groaned. Luna said, “That’s absurd, Scar,” while Delilah offered, “You’re embarrassing.”