Page 27 of The Neighborhood Witch

“I’d love to.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”

“I didn’t have to.”

“Great, so they’re looking for volunteers to run some of the food booths—”

Alice’s pouty look, as if that wasn’t the question she expected, stopped Hugo in his tracks.

“I’m joking.”

“I don’t think you are.” She playfully stormed off ahead of Hugo.

He and Max hurried to catch up to her.

“I was going to ask if you wanted to accompany me to the festival.”

Alice paused and turned back to Hugo with a beaming smile. “Are you asking me out on a date, Hugo Dodds?” She bit her lower lip in anticipation of his answer.

Hugo froze. His mind raced, trying to find an excuse to claim it wasn’t a date. He wanted to say those words:It’s not a date.

Those words failed him.

“Well, um, it doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t want it to be,” he replied. “But it can be, if you want it to be.”

“I already said yes,” she replied.

“Yes to which question?”

“Yes to both,” Alice answered with a smirk.

Hugo stood there in dumbfounded relief. “Great. So. It’s a date.”

“I guess so.”

“Besides, I need someone to stop everyone from asking how I’m doing.”

“Deal.” Alice leaned her head back and smiled. “But on the condition that I can be as witchy as I want to be.”

“Always,” Hugo was quick to reply. “You have to be you.”

Alice blushed. “Then it’s a date!”

Hugo smiled. They continued along the path, with Max leading the way.

Chapter 8

In The Cards

“You’re not!” A hint of expected shock and amazement was in the mirror reflection’s voice. “I thought we talked about this.”

“It’ll be fine,” Alice assured the mirror. She pulled off the black container cap, pursing her lips in anticipation, as she applied the purple lipstick. She stood there, head titled, trying to find the words to justify her actions. “Besides, it’s a harmless little date. It’s nothing.”

“That’s how these things start,” Alice’s mirror reflection was quick to retort. “Need I remind you of Sam?”

Alice clenched her lips, pressing against each other, careful not to ruin the freshly applied layer. “Don’t say that name.” Alice glared at her reflection.

Her mirror reflection crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “It started as a harmless little date. A little flirting over dinner. Teasing. Laughing. Kissing. Taking baths together…” her voice trailed off. “Then bam, we’re uprooted to the middle of nowhere. Are you prepared to do that again?”

---