Page 15 of Kiss and Spell
Dad was well meaning, but at some point, his advice was… too much. The expectations were too much. Gwen gave off major kitchen-witch energy, but Dad already had one caster for a daughter and he probably couldn’t handle having another witchy woman in the family.
Gwen played with a pen on the desk. “Dad says I should take the job, despite everything that happened last year.”
Ursula’s lips thinned with irritation. It wasn’t like Lincoln was her absent prom date; he didn’t show up to their wedding! Memories of that night returned to her. Even as Ursula had stood in her wedding dress, Dad had peppered her with questions. Did you scare him away? What did you do? People don’t just leave for no good reason. Mama stepped in and warned Dad to back off and give her space. Even Violet, Dad’s wife, and Gwen’s mom, took him outside and told him to take several breaths and calm down. Couldn’t Dad take her side for once? A sense of bitterness went through her. Gwen had made sure that her champagne flute was full, and she had an endless supply of cake on her plate. She’d even led the crowd in an impromptu Wobble dance that had Ursula laughing through her tears.
Her little sister didn’t leave her side.
Ursula pushed that night from her mind and refocused on Gwen. There she sat in the swivel chair, her shoulders slumped and face creased sadly, as if she were the last kid to be picked up from school waiting for someone to claim her. To help her find her way. Protectiveness overshadowed any lingering feeling of bitterness.
Gwen’s big sister needed to step up.
“Forget about what Dad wants. What do you want to do?”
Ursula noticed the sparkle of irritation in Gwen’s eyes. “I want to serve Lincoln stale cake and warm pineapple juice, but… I really, really need the money.”
“Then do it,” Ursula said. “I’ll be fine. Just promise me you’ll misspell his name on whatever delicious cake you make him.”
Gwen laughed. “I’ll do what I can.”
“I’m joking, of course. Make them your divine food and make their mouths water.” Ursula pulled her in for a long, tight hug. Many times, the best part of Ursula’s week was hanging out with Gwen and baking treats. The Walkers could be very demanding with their high expectations for low-stakes events. One word from the respected Walkers could make or break a business in Freya Grove. Gwen was going to need patience and a little touch of magic on her side.
She sent up a silent prayer to the new and old gods. Keep her calm.
“I’m drinking that pumpkin spice latte,” Ursula said with a smile.
“It’s on the house.” Gwen kissed her cheek and pulled away. She opened the office door for Ursula, who carried the now-free drink. Beckett, who overheard everything, handed her lukewarm croissants on a plate. The bistro dining room was full, so Ursula sat at one of the tables outside. It was warm enough today that she’d be able to take in the sunshine without feeling like a Popsicle.
Ursula sipped from her drink, letting the flavors calm her mind. She pulled out her phone and saw a missed call from an unknown number. Probably a scam call. She noticed that she had a voice mail, but she’d check it later. If Gwen was hired to cater Lincoln’s birthday party in mid-April, then it was only a matter of time before she’d run into him again. She’d be forced to make small talk. Her ears rang with what that horror show of a conversation could sound like.
How are you, Linc? I’m good. Just working at Mama’s shop, reading fortunes, and struggling to keep my plants alive. No, I’m not dating anyone. I don’t even have a cat, I have plants. Your new lady seems nice. You made the right decision to ditch me. I’m just going to dive headfirst into a bag of chocolate sprinkle doughnuts. I’ll see you later.
Her body went into a full cringe. No. She needed to get into full enchantress mode.
She opened the Boss Witch List. The second item stood out to her like a stop sign. It was time to double down on her list. Ursula typed rapidly in between taking sips of the latte.
Ways to Get a Wish
Throw a coin in a fountain
Wish on the first star in the sky
Wish on a new pair of shoes before you wear them [Grandpa James]
Things that You Can Wish On
Eyelashes
Ladybugs
Double numbers
Ursula took the last sip of her drink, letting the spices linger once she finished. Many of these ways to wish were mundane compared to her previous acts of magic, but they were doable—aka, cheap. It didn’t cost much to wish, but she needed a fearless heart and a desire to change her fate. The stars knew that she had both in her possession and was ready to work.
Chapter Six
To pumpkin spice or not to pumpkin spice, that is the question?
Ursula sat at the table scrolling through her screen, debating whether to order another latte. Right then, a broad shadow fell over the table. “Is this seat taken?”