Page 44 of Hexed & Hazy

“Thanks,” I mumble.

“I can’t believe you’re going with Dave. I didn’t know you two were so close.”

“It’s… a recent development.” I bite the inside of my cheek, thinking over what Juniper said—she was right. I’m busy. Too busy for this. “Brand new, actually. It likely won’t go anywhere, but I thought it would be a good idea to have a date this year.”

And a good idea to distract myself from Seth—difficult, considering that I’ll be seeing him tonight.

Aspen watches me with more perception than I’m comfortable with. Her knowing whom I may or may not be dating is out of my comfort zone as well, but since we’ll be attending a town event, there’s no hiding it.

I turn around and gesture for her to unzip the dress.

“Mac and I will be there if you need anything,” she says.

“I’m unsure what I could need from the two of you, but thank you.”

Aspen giggles, even though there’s no hint of humor behind my words. She’s always been strange. If we weren’t sisters, I doubt we would be friends at all, but as it is, she and Laurel are the ones I’m closest to.

“You’re good to go,” she says. “‘I’ll have this ready by the morning of the ball.”

“Thank you.” I slip into the dressing room. “And⁠—”

“Don’t ask about payment. You do too much for me. Let me do one nice thing for you, all right?”

Aspen has already helped me. When my body began changing, she was the one who helped me create a wardrobe in my current size that still feels like me—and while I insisted upon paying for the fabric, she put in all the work for free. Even when she was working in high fashion, she made it her mission to make clothing accessible to all sizes. Now that she owns her own shop, it’s easier to do.

And she should be paid for it, damn it.

But Juniper was right. I do a lot for them, certainly for Aspen, and I should let my sisters help me from time to time.

The firmness behind her words nearly makes me smile once I’m alone behind the pink curtain. “Fine.”

My bones are tired. After meeting with Aspen, I busy myself with a few consultations with new potential clients, straightening up the books for the tavern, and then gathering ingredients for the curse breaker with Seth. He texts me throughout the day, so casually. Still just friends. Despite how perfectly his fingers were interlaced with mine, nothing between us has changed.

And that’s likely for the best, considering that I have a date coming up, and I intend to make the best of my time with David.

That doesn’t mean I can stay away from Seth so easily.

I knock twice on the front door before twisting the knob. Liezel is resting in her usual spot in the living room.

I cross my arms. “Did Seth forget to lock the door?”

She lets out a soft laugh. “There’s no saying if it was him or me.”

I shake my head, but Seth is likely the one who needs to hear the lecture. I know he cares deeply about his mother’s safety, but he’s always been too trusting. And now, he’s putting his trust in me.

I’ll fail him.

Shaking off the thought, I adjust my bag and enter his room without knocking. It’s a familiar space. At family parties, he, Laurel, and I would run off to this room, playing games and chatting about whatever it was we didn’t want to share with the adults. But it’s different lately. The space is cleaner, practically minimalist, and his bed is made. There are a few more subtle, recent differences as well: the plants. A Christmas cactus—not yet in bloom—a spider plant, and a few others I don’t know the name of.

I lift an eyebrow, my concerns about the front door forgotten. “You really have been getting into greenery, haven’t you?”

He shrugs. “These are all low-maintenance. I want to get some more.”

“They’re pretty.” I brush my fingers over the round, green stems of the Christmas cactus. “Hopefully, this one will blossom soon.”

“I hope so.”

“Seems to be a late bloomer.” I face him, smiling timidly. “Are you ready to try another spell that may or may not work?”