Page 89 of Witch Please

Around eight, Titus poked his head into Lucy’s room. “Need any help?”

“We’ve got it,” his stepsister answered.

Both Maya and Danica were lending a hand, helping Lucy decide what clothes would translate best to the Midwest. “We definitely need to get you a winter coat,” Maya said, frowning at the collection of thin jackets they’d assembled.

“Will it snow?” Lucy asked.

Danica smiled. “It usually does. I bet you’re hoping for a white Christmas.”

Lucy’s eyes brightened as she considered the possibility. “That would be amazing. I’ve been reading up, and apparently Christmas lights are a big deal in your area.”

“Oh definitely,” Maya said. “We’ll take a drive. East Peoria, Alton, Aurora, Lisle, Effingham, all awesome and worth seeing. If you don’t mind time in the car, I’ll make hot cocoa, and we could make a night of it.”

“Oh my God, I’m so excited. I probably seem really basic, but I’m all in for this heartland heartfelt stuff.”

“You’re awesome,” Danica said firmly. “And there’s nothing wrong with being enthusiastic. Acting bored as a shortcut to coolness is so 2008.”

“Studied ennui dates back to the nineties,” Maya pointed out. “What do you think grunge was all about?”

Lucy grinned as she zipped up her second suitcase. “You’re both pretty. And I think I’m set. I just need to pack my carry-on, toiletries, and electronics in the morning. Thanks for your help, both of you. It was good having local guides for clothing questions.”

“I’m entirely superfluous,” Titus said.

Maya offered, “You get to carry the heavy suitcases. We’ll even let you drag them around the airport tomorrow, all the way to baggage check.”

He pressed a palm to his heart, pretending to be overwhelmed by her generosity. “Wow, really?” Catching Danica’s eye, he flexed. “Lucky for you, I’m ready.”

His sister laughed and made a shooing motion. “The power of the flour bag workout in action. Let us get ready for bed. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Uh, it’s not even nine,” Lucy said.

“Fine, I want to call my girlfriend. I’ll be in the backyard for a bit.” That was the first time Maya had spoken of the woman Titus had seen with her outside the bakery, but he didn’t tease her. Not when it seemed to be brand-new.

“Understood,” Lucy said.

Danica followed Maya out and stepped into Titus’s arms without being coaxed there with pastries. That felt…miraculous, if he was being honest with himself. On some level, this still didn’t feel real—that she’d gotten the wrong idea from Mrs. Carminian and dropped everything to get him back. This probably wouldn’t endear him to her cousin, however, as she must be stuck minding the shop while Danica was off being romantic and impulsive.

“What does Clem like to eat?” He’d asked this once before and not gotten an answer.

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to stuff her full of baked goods until she likes me.”

Danica laughed so loud that she put her palm over her mouth to muffle it. When she calmed enough to speak, she moved her fingers aside, eyes glittering with amusement. “Okay, that’s calculating and fantastic. As plans go, I give it fair odds. Let’s see… She loves snickerdoodles and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Cherry pie is her favorite, though any fruit but peach is safe. Cake, she adores red velvet for some reason.” She made a face. “I’mnot a fan, but she freaking loves beautiful little red velvet cupcakes with all the fancy touches.”

Titus got his phone out, taking notes as fast as he could. “This intel is exactly what I needed. Don’t worry—I’ll succeed in this mission.”

“I believe in you,” she said softly.

As he leaned down to kiss her, his dad called, “Titus? Where are you? If you’re not busy, I’d like a word.”

Yeah, that’s code for “get in here.”

Quickly, he dusted a kiss against Danica’s forehead instead. “I’ll be right back. This probably won’t take long.”

As it turned out, his dad wanted a heart-to-heart, and it took a while, nearly two hours. Titus listened to Dad’s worries about being too old to be a good father to baby Aubrey and whether a geezer like him could keep a woman Susan’s age happy. Thankfully, Titus didn’t need to say much and the old man ended by thanking him for his willingness to help with Lucy.

“We had a fight… Jared’s furious about the baby. That’s why he’s gone. I don’t even know if thereisa road trip. He may have made himself scarce before college starts, and it’s eating Susan up that she might hurt her older kids by giving them a younger sibling.”

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