Page 44 of The Pumpkin Spice Spell
Finn snorts. “My mom will probably drop little hints at her reading.”
A sudden tension shifts in the room as Ivy enters from the back. Her lips are tight. Rowan trails behind her, holding two paper cups and looking concerned.
“He’s not coming,” Ivy says flatly.“He said he's got other plans.”
Rowan glares and shakes her head. “Ivy's boyfriend. AKA Miranda. Because everything Ivy says can and will be used against her.”
Willa crosses her arms. “Let me guess, he also said he couldn't pay you back for the money he borrowed last week?”
Ivy flinches. “It’s not like that.”
“It is exactly like that,” Rowan mutters.
“He promised he'd come this time,” Ivy whispers. Her voice is fragile around the edges, like a page worn too thin.
“He’s been constantly breaking promises and letting you down,” Willa says. “You deserve better.”
Finn leans into me and whispers, “This guy is a piece of work. Uses her and never shows up when she needs him.”
Willa nods in agreement.
Then I speak before thinking. “Where’s this guy at?”
Everyone looks at me.
I step forward, arms crossed. “Because it’s not right. That’s taking advantage.”
Finn fake coughs into his fist. “Tate for mayor.”
Ivy blinks at me, stunned.
“I mean it,” I say. “You deserve better.”
Ivy forces a laugh. “Guess I need to figure out what I’m going to do.”
“Nothing wrong with coming home,” I say, the laugh catching in my throat. “Sometimes it’s the only thing that makes sense…even if it takes you a while to admit it.”
This does get a small laugh from Ivy, “Yeah, you’re right. I just wish I hadn’t wasted so many years on Derek.”
Lilith walks in just then, her arms full of stickers and bookmarks for Donna’s new book. She catches the last line and sets everything down with a huff.
Lilith lays them out on the counter with the books. “He is going to get the karma that he deserves.”
“Mom,” Ivy groans. “Promise me you won’t do anything. He still thinks you’re the reason his hair is falling out.”
“What? It’s a full moon, and I’m feeling feisty.” She grins, not denying the accusation.
The front bell jingles.
Junie gasps, scandalized. “Your mom put a spell on him!”
Remy steps through the door in a windbreaker, his usual backwards ball cap tucked under one arm. He pauses, just in time to catch the tail end of the chaos. “Hey, Pumpkin,” he says to Junie without missing a beat. “Who put a spell on who?”
The whole room cracks up.
“Oh, nothing,” Lilith breezes, pulling Remy in for a hug.
“Well, hey, brother,” Finn grins, raising his cider.
