Page 21 of The Neighborhood Witch

“And…” Carol egged him on.

“Max got me up in the middle of the night. We went outside and…” Hugo’s words seemed to trail off to Alice.

Alice gingerly placed the bottle back on the shelf, not wanting to make a sound.He did see me flying.How could you be so careless? He’s going to tell them.Her grip tightened around the paper bag handle. She shifted her weight, ready to make a hasty exit. She glanced down the aisle; it was clear.

“I think Max woke her up. She acted like she was already up, but I’m sure Max woke her. Max barks all the time,” Hugo finished.

Alice let out a sigh of relief. Her grip loosened.

“You should ask her out,” Oliver added.

A tantalizing jolt pulsed through Alice’s body at the thought.

“I’m not going to ask her out,” Hugo said.

The jolt of excitement turned into disappointment at those remarks. Alice peered around the corner of the aisle to get a closer look. They all focused on Hugo.

“Why not?” Carol said.

“‘Hi. Welcome to the neighborhood. Sorry my dog woke you up. By the way, since you’re up, would you like to go out sometime?’” Hugo said sarcastically.

“Ask who out?” Johanna questioned as she pushed her cart toward the deli counter. The black cart matched her buttoned up, long sleeve, three-quarters length jacket. Her brunette hair pulled back into a ponytail that dropped to the middle of her back. A burnt orange scarf draped around her neck and shoulders. The worn silver cloak clasp was pinned to her lapel.

“The usual?” Oliver asked Johanna.

“Yes, please,” she replied.

He grabbed a few cuts of meat from the counter and took them to a packing station.

Hugo motioned with his head toward the Raskins. “They want me to ask out the new neighbor.”

Johanna gave Hugo a discerning glance. Her eyes followed an invisible path from his eyes to the black onyx ring on his left hand. “Ready to throw away the past, are you?” Johanna asked in a biting tone.

He shifted the basket to his left hand, pinched the ring with his right, and twisted. His face was pale, and all traces of a smile were gone.

“Well, I don’t think he’s throwing away the past.” Carol patted him on the back.

“I apologize,” Johanna said. “I didn’t mean to say it like that. I meant to ask, are you ready to move on from Elizabeth?”

Discomfort flickered across Hugo’s face at the mention of Elizabeth. Alice moved in closer.

“Hopefully, move on from this conversation. Besides, if you asked me, I might have said yes.” Alice winked at Hugo.

Everyone turned their attention to the new participant. Head tilted. Her right hand placed on her hip. She stood poised, ready to guard Hugo from any more relationship questions. Alice extended her right hand toward Johanna.

“I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting. I moved in across the street. Alice Primrose.”

Johanna reeled back, covering the silver cloak clasp. She tapped it twice. “Johanna Newes,” she greeted. She relinquished it and extended her hand, daintily shaking Alice’s. “My! It seems some people take Halloween more seriously than others in this town.”

“She’s getting ready, even if it isn’t for another two weeks,” Hugo broke the tension.

“To me, every day is Halloween,” Alice replied with a wink at Hugo.

“Well, I like it. You got to be you,” Hugo said. Alice dipped her chin, so the brim of her hat hid her blushing and smiling face. “You’ll have to forgive Johanna; she’s not a big fan of the holiday.”

“The holiday is rubbish. People knocking on doors. Begging for handouts. All in the name of what, monsters and ghosts and—” Johanna paused.

Alice raised her head and caught Johanna examining her fromher boots to the tip of her hat. “Witchcraft.” She tapped her clasp twice more before grabbing her cart handle. She kept the cart between her and Alice.

---