Page 20 of Bright Dark Curses

“Do you still think Hannah will try to make a deal?”

“No. But we need to make sure.”

He was right, as much as I hated the extra time it took. After a brief moment of hesitation, I decided to ask about the curse.

Key hadn’t told me not to tell him about her new job, and she probably expected me to, but explaining things to Ian felt like betraying her confidence. This was a happy middle ground.

“Hey, Ian.”

“Yes, Hope?”

I chuckled at the obvious grin in his voice. “Do you know anything about a curse put on movies being filmed in Olmeda?”

“Did something happen on the set?”

Why did I keep forgetting I was nowhere near as smooth as I thought I was? “I watched them set up today and Jim told me about the curse.”

“Oh?”

Incredible how one single two-letter word could make me squirm like a schoolgirl. “So, do you know about it?” I hedged.

“I may have heard it mentioned in passing.”

“And you didn’t find it weird?” And how come Vicky hadn’t mentioned it during her spooky tour? Perhaps she’d only considered gruesome murder worthy of her repertoire.

“Weird? In Old Olmeda?” he asked dryly.

He had me there. “I don’t understand how everyone just accepts this supposed curse as if it were a normal thing, especially paranormals. Everyone knows curses aren’t a real thing. Olmeda is so beautiful. How come nobody has thought of proving the rumors false until now by filming here?”

“There are other places just as beautiful,” Ian pointed out.

Outrage filled me. “Pfft. There are not.” Old Olmeda was the prettiest town I’d ever seen. Okay, so it had its share of littered streets around the bars, dirty alleyways, and way too many literal skeletons in her closets, but you couldn’t find a better atmosphere anywhere else!

Ian chuckled. “I see we’ve made a lasting impression on you.”

“This is my home now,” I said, full of conviction.

There were still three months left on my probation as a witch shop owner, but at this point, it was basically a question of waiting it out. I had fewer dark magic clients to fool than ever, I had helped solve the Halloween pentagram issue, even if the Council couldn’t know I’d done it, and my shop’s ratings were rising like the high tide. More of a tsunami, really.

“Where did you go?” Ian asked softly.

I shook myself mentally. “Sorry. I was daydreaming.”

“About?” His voice turned smooth as silk.

I should flirt back and say him, but after my previous fears about the future of our relationship, I wanted to always remain honest with him. “The probation.”

“You’re getting the shop, Hope. Don’t worry about it.” The confidence radiating out of his tone brought a smile to my lips.

“Thank you.”

“It’s only the truth.”

I wanted to hug him so badly it hurt. “Do you think you’ll make it back this weekend?”

“I hope by Monday at the latest.”

I dropped the phone on my belly and crossed fingers on both hands. “Please, universe, make it happen.”

---