Page 59 of Not Your Ex's Hexes
“Define good.” Olly gifted her a tired smile. “I’m kidding. Everything’s fine. Roommate woes are a little more woeful as of late, but it’ll get better. At least that’s what Gina assured me. Again.”
Rose waited for elaboration, and when it didn’t come… “I’ll need more information than that. You look like you’ll be face-planting in your plate by the time dessert comes out.”
“If it’s a chocolate raspberry tart thing that wouldn’t be so horrible.”
Rose shot her sister a look, making Olive sigh.
“Fine. Instead of working a normal, real-world job, Gina decided to peddle potions and herbs from our living room. At all hours of the night. The second I convince myself to fall asleep, the damn apartment buzzer goes off.”
“I’m sorry.”
Olly gave her a skeptical look. “I thought for sure you’d sayI told you sofor going to theWitch’s Cauldronto find a roommate.”
“Did you really think I’d do that?”
Olive shrugged, smirking. “Yeah. Because if the roles were reversed, I know I’d be doing some mega gloating right now.”
“No gloating here. Besides, it wouldn’t land the same way when you’re so sleep deprived you could double as the Crypt Keeper.”
“Bwitch!” Olive laughed, smacking her arm.
Rose turned to her quietly smiling grandmother. “So, I know why Olive’s back here hiding, but why are you?”
Olive snortled, obviously knowing something she didn’t. “Oh, you’re going to love this…”
Edie frowned. “You’d best watch your tongue, young lady.”
“Oh, come on, Gran. Admit it. It’s a little bit funny.”
“There’s not even a speck of humor anywhere in this entire ridiculous situation.”
Rose bounced her attention between the two witches. “Someone needs to shed some light on this because the suspense is killing me.”
Olive giggled. “Mom invited a couple special friends to join us for dinner.”
“Friends? Who?”
Edie bristled, finally snapping. “That damn Lionel the Lion from the bakery.”
Rose snuck a glance to an amused Olive. “Mr. Gingham? Why?”
They’d known the shifter for nearly their entire lives, the nice man having baked each of the triplets’ birthday cakes since their very first one. Hardworking with an easygoing smile, he had a habit of putting everyone at ease who stepped into his shop, and he’d been their grandpa Jethro’s best friend.
But as a local baker, he wasn’t Christina Maxwell’s usual choice for a dinner guest. That honor normally went to dignitaries and celebrities, or anyone up and coming in Supernatural society.
Rose glanced from Edie to Olive and back, and when Edie clamped her mouth shut, refusing to dish any more details, Olive gave her up. “Mom’s setting Gran up with Mr. Gingham. Like a setupsetup.”
Edie grumbled, breaking her silence. “As if I’d ever give that old fool the pleasure of my company much less access to everything under this classic hood.”
Rose choked on her own spit while Olly broke out in tear-inducing laughs.
“It’s outrageous,” Edie continued. “I’d been blessed with my soul mate for sixty-seven glorious years until he passed to the other side, and your mother thinks I’d settle for someone who loves talking about different yeast breeds nearly as much as he does himself?”
Olive was first to rein in her laughter. “But weren’t you and Grandpa Jethro friends with Mr. Gingham back in the day?”
“Which is how I know he’s nothing but a pompous windbag beneath that charming shifter smile.”
Rose brushed away the laughing tears from her eyes, thankful she used waterproof mascara.
