Careful What You Witch For (2 page)

“I’m still not sure about this.”

I glanced over at Sam, taking in his strong profile as he gripped the steering wheel and stared at the Dragonfly. It was if he was trying to see the future, and the images playing through his mind were ugly ones.

It had taken some convincing, a few minutes of cajoling, and then a few seconds of outright begging – but Sam finally agreed to come with me. He was uncomfortable sharing a bed under my father’s roof, but the idea of spending an uninterrupted weekend together – well, uninterrupted except for a few tasks – had finally pushed him over the edge. I think he could see how much it meant to me. He’s really hot … wait, what was I thinking?

“It’s going to be fine,” I told him.

Sam shot me an unreadable look. “You say that now, but you’ve said that before.”

I worried my bottom lip with my teeth. He was right. I’d promised him Bay and Thistle would thaw – that they would welcome him – but so far, they were still being as cold as ice cream. Oh, wow, ice cream sounds good. I wonder if they’ll have ice cream. Sorry, when I’m nervous, I need chocolate. That’s another family trait. “Bay and Thistle will come around,” I promised. “They’re just … protective.”

“They act like they’re your mother.”

I wish that was true. My mother was going to be a lot harder to convince regarding Sam than Bay and Thistle ever would be. Eventually, I knew I could wear my cousins down. My mother couldn’t be worn down by a millennium of erosion. She was immovable. Like granite.

“This is going to be fun,” I said, trying a different tactic. “It will be like we’re on a weekend adventure.”

Sam’s face softened and he grabbed my hand. “It will be fun,” he agreed. “And, if things get too out of control, we can always escape to the lighthouse for a couple of hours.”

When Sam had first visited Hemlock Cove, he’d done it under the guise of helping Bay’s editor turn the town’s weekly newspaper into a profitable business endeavor. When that had blown up in his face, he’d purchased the Dandridge, an old lighthouse that had fallen into disarray, and opted to stay in town instead of fleeing.

With financial backing from the state of Michigan, Sam was turning the lighthouse’s main floor and grounds into a haunted attraction – with boat rides – and he was living on the upper floor. The work was tedious – and ongoing – but he was making real progress.

“We’re not going to hope for things to get out of control, right?”

Sam smiled, the expression lighting up his already handsome face. “No. We’re going to have a good time, Clove. Besides, how bad can things get? There’s no Aunt Tillie here, and Bay and Thistle aren’t coming, so it’s bound to be better than all of the family dinners I’ve been to out at The Overlook.”

I returned his smile. “It’s going to be great.”

“THIS IS
a nightmare,” I groaned, covering my face to ward off the sight across the Dragonfly foyer.

“Oh, you’re here,” Dad said, breezing into the room and giving me a quick hug. “I was worried you were going to be late. Why are you hiding your face?”

Sam’s jaw was tense as he regarded my father. “I don’t think she was expecting … them.” He gestured to the far side of the room.

Dad’s face fell. “Bay and Thistle?”

Sam nodded.

“They were invited by their fathers,” Dad said. “We thought it would be a great way for everyone to have a good time – and make sure all of the rooms were filled.”

“You didn’t tell me that when you invited me,” I said, fighting to keep my voice even.
I should be mad. I should be mad, right? I’m pretty sure I should be mad. Why am I so scared?

Dad cocked an eyebrow. “Is that a problem? Don’t you already live with Bay and Thistle?”

“Yes, but … .” How could I explain this without sounding like a wanton woman? “I thought it was just going to be Sam and me – and all your other guests. It was going to be like a vacation.”

“From Bay and Thistle?”

Yes! “Of course not,” I said. “It’s just … .”

Sam sighed. “Bay and Thistle don’t like me … and Bay’s boyfriend, well, he just hates me.”

Dad furrowed his brow. “Landon? He seems like a nice enough guy. I don’t really know him. I know Jack seems leery of him, but I just figured it was because he didn’t like him dating his daughter.”

“He’s a nice guy,” I said hurriedly. I like Landon. I like what he’s done for our family, and especially how he makes Bay smile. He’s just … difficult.

“He’s suspicious,” Sam said.

Dad met Sam’s gaze questioningly. “Isn’t he a FBI agent?”

Sam nodded.

“Isn’t it his job to be suspicious?”

Sam nodded again.

“Why is he suspicious of you?”

The question hung in the air, a direct challenge to Sam. “He thinks I’m up to something,” Sam replied simply.

“Are you?”

“Dad!” I was mortified.

Sam patted my back. “It’s okay, Clove,” he said. “Mr. Johnson, I’m not up to anything. I’m just trying to run a business, the same as you.”

Dad didn’t look convinced. “Well, okay then.” He moved to the registration desk. “I put all three of you up on the top floor.”

The Dragonfly has three stories, and in addition to storage, the top floor consisted of only three rooms. I knew our assignments were deliberate. Unfortunately, I had a sneaking suspicion that Dad thought he was doing a good thing when he made the arrangements. He had no way of knowing just how tense this weekend would be – for all of us.

I forced a tight smile onto my face as I regarded my cousins. They didn’t seem surprised to see me, but they looked less than thrilled to see Sam. That was my life these days, so I was used to it.

“You guys didn’t tell me you were coming,” I said.

“You didn’t tell us either,” Thistle pointed out.

“I … I just found out earlier today.”

“So did we,” Bay said, leaning her blonde head against Landon’s shoulder. “I think they approached us individually because they thought it would be easier to get us all here.”

“So, you thought it was just going to be you and Landon?”

Bay nodded. I turned to Thistle, her head moving in the affirmative before the question escaped from my lips. They’d definitely played us. The question was: Why?

“Well, we’ll just have to make the best of it,” I said, straightening my shoulders. This can still be a fun weekend – as long as I don’t have to spend too much time with Thistle, that is.

Thistle snorted. “You always want to make the best of things.”

“Is that so wrong?”

“It’s just not life,” Thistle said.

Bay put a hand on her arm, stilling her. “Leave her alone.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Thistle protested.

“You’re about to,” Bay said. “It’s supposed to be a fun weekend. Can’t we just all … I don’t know … ignore one another?”

“I always want to ignore you,” Thistle said, lowering her head.

Her boyfriend, Marcus, flicked the ridge of her ear. “Stop being mean to Clove.”

“I’m not being mean to Clove,” Thistle protested. “I wasn’t even talking to her.”

“Stop being mean to Bay, too,” Marcus chided. He was easygoing and amiable. He rarely argued with Thistle, or called her on her crap. He was a calming influence in her life. When he did make his opinion known, more often than not, Thistle listened.

“Fine,” she grumbled, lifting her head again. “I apologize for my bad mood,” she said. “I just wasn’t expecting you.”

I was stunned by the apology.

“Have you been possessed?” Bay asked, grabbing Landon’s hand and taking the proffered key from my father as she turned toward the stairs. “You never say you’re sorry.”

“I say I’m sorry,” Thistle argued.

“No, you don’t.”

“Bay,” Landon warned, grabbing the bag from the floor and following her toward the stairs. “Don’t poke the blue-haired bear.”

“Yeah, listen to Landon,” Thistle said. “No one is going to be poking me this weekend.”

Marcus’ face fell, causing Thistle to give in. “Except you.” He broke into a wide grin; that is until Uncle Teddy – Thistle’s father – fixed him with a dark look from the hallway. I had no idea where he’d appeared from, or when he’d gotten there.

“Oh hey, Dad,” Thistle said, not embarrassed in the least. “We’re going upstairs to get settled. We’ll be down in time for drinks.”

Uncle Teddy didn’t look thrilled with Thistle’s flippant attitude. “I … .”

“See you in a few,” Thistle said, ignoring the flush creeping up her father’s neck.

I risked a look at Sam once Bay and Thistle had disappeared. I could still hear them arguing as they made their ascent. “It’s still going to be fun,” I said.

Sam’s smile was watery. “Oh, I have no doubt.”

“SO, WE’RE
really doing a séance?”

Dinner had been divine. My father and uncles had opted to hire kitchen staff from the nearby culinary school, and they’d earned their money tonight. Between a delicious roast, fresh vegetables, and a decadent chocolate cake for dessert, the assembled guests seemed to be enjoying their stay. I was happy for my father – he’d worked hard for this, and he deserved some accolades. Plus, as long as the inn was a success, he would stay in town. That was a win for me – and my two cousins, even if they weren’t ready to admit it yet.

The woman who had asked the question was a reporter for Michigan Travel magazine. She introduced herself as Clara Hamilton. She was in her forties, and attractive (something that hadn’t escaped Uncle Jack’s attention, if his constant ministrations to Clara’s needs were any indication).

“We are,” I said, smiling widely as I pointed to the round table in the game room. My father had gone all out, even purchasing an antique crystal ball to place at the center of the table.

“Are you a witch?” Clara asked me pointedly.

I swallowed hard, unsure how to answer. For years, we’d hidden our magical gifts. Once Hemlock Cove rebranded itself as a magical destination, admitting you were a witch wasn’t frowned upon – unless you were an actual witch. Most of the townsfolk knew there was something
off
about our family, but they pretended otherwise. That’s the way we liked it.

“Of course she’s a witch,” Thistle said, stepping forward. “This is a witch town. You can’t have a witch town without real witches.” The smile she sent the assembled guests was enigmatic. I knew she was trying to defuse the situation, but I was still on edge.

“Are you a witch, too?” Clara asked.

“My whole family is made up of witches,” Thistle answered honestly. “We’re all … evil.”

I frowned. I knew she was just playing it up for the crowd, but Thistle was having a little bit too much fun doing it.

Chet Corbin, a Ford executive from the Flint plant, smirked. “I love the atmosphere of this place,” he said. “I like that everyone pretends they’re in on the gag. It’s great.”

Dad cleared his throat. “It
is
great.”

“And the whole town is like this, right?” Corbin said. “The whole town plays the game?”

“They do,” Uncle Teddy replied. “Everyone has a great time … playing the game.”

I knew three men who had disliked “the game” so much they’d fled. Sure, they were trying to make up for it now, but they hadn’t seemed so keen on playing the game when they were married to our mothers.

“We all love the game,” Bay said, shooting me a sympathetic look. “Clove is great at the game. She’s a gifted psychic. I’m sure she can conjure up a friendly ghost or two for everyone to play with tonight.”

Clara smiled. “Let’s do it. I’m so excited. I’ve never been to a séance.”

I let everyone file into the room ahead of me, and Bay stopped in the doorway long enough to give my hand a squeeze. “Just put on a good show,” she said.

“And when nothing happens?”

Thistle and Bay exchanged a small look. “We’ll just give them a miniature light show,” Thistle whispered. “It will be fine.”

My heart dropped. They were planning on using real magic. “What if someone sees?”

“They won’t know what they’re seeing,” Thistle said. “This isn’t our first rodeo.”

Somehow their show of solidarity warmed me. “It’s going to be fun, right?”

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Bay said, glancing over her shoulder as Landon sidled up to her and snaked an arm around her waist.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Landon said. “My witch turns into a pumpkin at midnight, and I need to … .” Landon broke off, searching for the appropriate words to turn his metaphor dirty.

Thistle solved the problem for him. “Explore the pumpkin patch?”

Landon grinned. “Exactly.”

Uncle Jack moved in behind us, clearing his throat as he fixed Landon with a harsh look. “What were you talking about?”

“Oh, Landon was just talking about exploring Bay’s … .”

Marcus slapped his hand over Thistle’s mouth to cut her off. “They were just talking about the best way to give the guests a show.”