Page 43 of The Pumpkin Spice Spell
“There’s so much cool stuff you could do to this place,” he finally says. “The beams? The wainscoting in the front room? This place has character. Old soul kind of stuff.”
I pick at the garlic crust. “I care more about the boat than the house. That’s what I’d keep if I could.”
Junie comes back in through the screen door, her hair wind-tangled and wild-eyed. “Okay. I need to change.”
I blink. “Why?”
“Because we’re going to the bookstore, duh.” She spins dramatically. “Story time. And Nana’s book is out. Big event. You can’t wear dock clothes to a party.”
Finn chuckles. “She’s been talking about this all week.”
“Thought it didn’t start until six?”
“It doesn’t,” Finn says, grabbing another slice. “But Willa said we could come early, help set up a little, maybe sneak in some cider before the crowd shows. Plus, we still have a ton of food. You know she won't turn down Marco's.”
I’ll take any excuse to see Willa, so I pack up the pizza to take over.
Junie’s already halfway towards the bathroom, shouting, “I FORGOT MY WITCH HAT!”
By the time we make it to Wisteria Books & Brews, Finn and I are both laughing at the way Junie insisted we walk and ‘arrive fashionably early.’
“Where does she learn this stuff?” I grin.
Willa’s outside arranging pumpkins and sweeping fallen leaves from the stoop. She looks up when she hears us, and her smile hits me like it always does, right in the chest.
“You guys are early,” she says, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. It’s pulled up in a loose twist, messy and perfect. She’s wearing a forest green dress, sleeves pushed up, and tall boots. She looks beautiful.
“Junie insisted,” I say. “And we brought Marco’s.”
“She said you had cider,” Finn adds, like that explains everything.
Willa laughs. “Well, she’s not wrong. Come on in. I sold out of everything earlier today, and I’m starving, so Marco’s sounds amazing.”
Inside, the store smells like apples, cinnamon, and book pages. The lights are dimmed, candles flickering on side tables inside glass lanterns. The front window display is glowing with string lights and stacks of Donna’s latest hardcover:The Wishing Well Witches.
“You all eat?” Willa asks as we step into the shop.
I hold up a plate I made for Junie, who was apparently too excited to eat while she was on Mermaid duty, “The rest is all yours,” I say, as I hold out the bags of the remaining food we brought over to share.
“Yeah, I’m basically eighty percent pizza now,” Finn mutters.
Junie runs to the children’s corner and immediately begins organizing the beanbags like a little librarian general. Willa watches her with a fond expression, then glances back at Finn.“Have you been reading to her?”
“Yeah.Mermaid Mayhem. There was a glitter battle. It got intense.”
Her mouth curves. “She loves everything mermaids and pirates right now.”
Finn leans against a shelf and points to the book display. “So. Expecting a big crowd?”
“Oh, yeah. All of those are signed by Donna and prepaid for the event,” she says.
“Who did she feature in this one?” I ask, knowing that our locals make cameos in her books.
Willa shakes her head. “Donna never tells. But everyone will pore over them and speculate.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Are you in a book yet?”
Willa smirks. “No, and don’t encourage her.”
