Page 61 of Extra Witchy

The next day, Trev’s response was everywhere, courtesy of Clem and Danica’s spell. In addition, two Zoomers—maybe the ones who volunteered for her campaign—got inspired in the wee hours and filmed themselves writing DO YOU KISS YOUR MOTHER WITH THAT MOUTH in chalk on the parking lot at Rutherford’s Reliable Auto Sales, and now that video had taken off without the benefit of a spell. Dan Rutherford couldn’t hope to harness the might of the internet when he was still trying to do uber-serious “she’s a threat to your way of life” nonsense. Trev had the right idea, being irreverent and mocking the shit out of him. Rutherford would probably retain the conservative vote, but online seniors with a sense of humor and younger voters? Leanne nodded.

They’re mine.

By that afternoon, she also noticed Vanessa wasn’t responding to coven chats like she used to, and that growing distance troubled her. While she waited to see how their counterattack would be received, she messaged Vanessa.Everything okay?

Vanessa:I have other friends, you know.

Ouch.

Clearly, things weren’t all good, but she couldn’t make Vanessa talk to her. On the surface, they looked fine, and they joked around at coven meetings, but her friend didn’t reach out like she used to. It was easy to drift, and Leanne didn’t want that to happen, but she had so much shit going on that she just couldn’t drop it all and force a confrontation, if that was even a good idea. If she’d learned one thing from Junie, it was that she had to give other people space. Life didn’t happen on Leanne’s timetable.

So she did her best to stay in Vanessa’s life over the next few weeks while working on the campaign, sending check-in texts and memes she found funny. Vanessa responded, but she still wasn’t opening up.Dammit.

In the meantime, Leanne did everything she could to win the election.

***

Waiting didn’t come easy to Leanne.

Somehow, it was worse waiting for the results of the election than anything she’d ever tried before. In the past six weeks, she’d given the campaign her all while shoving the issue of her rich witch father to the back burner. If the old man survived until after the polls closed, then she’d consider meeting him. Though it was self-serving as hell, she’d need funding to run for mayor later on. She’d managed the city council race on a shoestring, but it wouldn’t be possible on a larger scale.

The volunteers gossiped and paced by turns, while Leanne resisted the urge to nibble away at her thumbnail. As she raised her hand to her mouth for the fourth time, Trev caught it and squeezed her fingers. She smiled at him, unable to settle because of how tight the margins on the race had become. She’d certainly gotten the word out more effectively, but just because someone saw her stances and platforms online or liked one of Trev’s reels, that didn’t mean it would translate to actual votes.

“We gave it everything we had,” Trev whispered. “Nobody could’ve done more.”

Leanne didn’t argue, but while she couldn’t compel votes, itmightbe possible for Clem or Danica to meddle with election results if technology was involved. She’d never ask such a thing of them, however. Witches weren’t supposed to accrue power through magical means; it would rouse suspicion if presidential candidates came out of nowhere and won in landslide victories that no political analyst could have ever predicted.

She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, working to reach a peaceful state of mind. “Thanks, hon. Win or lose, we did the best we could.”

Hazel came over and wrapped Leanne into a cuddle. “It’s so exciting to witness your rise to power. One day I’ll be able to tell everyone I knew you way back when.”

Leanne laughed. “You make it sound like I’m taking over the world.”

“Aren’t you, though?” Hazel winked and sauntered off to check the coffeepot.

She drank two more cups while waiting for the results, and when they were finally posted, everyone in the room started screaming. Leanne stared at the final tally, unable to believe her eyes.I won by 212 votes. A narrow margin, but Team Underdog came through.Trev wrapped his arms around her, lifted her, and twirled her around, so the room blurred into a sea of cheering faces. As he slid her down his body, he kissed her forehead, and her heart went a little gooey from happiness overload.

Then he asked, “Do you want to say a few words, Councilor?”

She shook her head. “Maybe later. They aren’t listening right now anyway.”

To get the room even more fired up, Leonard cranked ABBA with “The Winner Takes It All,” and Hazel popped open so many bottles of champagne that they were overflowing everywhere. She hadn’t brought wineglasses, so they used plastic cups and coffee mugs. Leanne shook so many hands that she lost track. Her entire coven was here, mingling with the volunteers, and it gave her a strange but heartwarming sensation.

She threaded through the office to reach Clem and Danica, each sipping from red plastic glasses. “How do you like my party?”

“I thought you were an independent,” Danica joked.

Clem cracked a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She’d been quiet and withdrawn since the witch hunter got rounded up by the council a few months ago. “I’m happy to have played a role in your rise, however small.”

“Are you kidding?” Leanne nudged Clem. “You’re a VIP, babe.”

The older Waterhouse cousin wore a crafty look. “Does that mean you’ll fix the parking problem downtown and repair the potholes on our street first?”

Leanne laughed. “I literally just got elected.”

Shaking her head, she joined Vanessa, who was chatting with Margie, and hugged each of them in turn. “Thank you both.”

“I didn’t do much,” Margie said in a self-deprecating tone.

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