Careful What You Witch For Read Free

time, Clove. Besides, how bad can things get? There’s no Aunt Tillie here, and Bay and Thistle aren’t coming, so it’s bound to be better than all of the family dinners I’ve been to out at The Overlook.”
    I returned his smile. “It’s going to be great.”
     
    “THIS IS a nightmare,” I groaned, covering my face to ward off the sight across the Dragonfly foyer.
    “Oh, you’re here,” Dad said, breezing into the room and giving me a quick hug. “I was worried you were going to be late. Why are you hiding your face?”
    Sam’s jaw was tense as he regarded my father. “I don’t think she was expecting … them.” He gestured to the far side of the room.
    Dad’s face fell. “Bay and Thistle?”
    Sam nodded.
    “They were invited by their fathers,” Dad said. “We thought it would be a great way for everyone to have a good time – and make sure all of the rooms were filled.”
    “You didn’t tell me that when you invited me,” I said, fighting to keep my voice even. I should be mad. I should be mad, right? I’m pretty sure I should be mad. Why am I so scared?
    Dad cocked an eyebrow. “Is that a problem? Don’t you already live with Bay and Thistle?”
    “Yes, but … .” How could I explain this without sounding like a wanton woman? “I thought it was just going to be Sam and me – and all your other guests. It was going to be like a vacation.”
    “From Bay and Thistle?”
    Yes! “Of course not,” I said. “It’s just … .”
    Sam sighed. “Bay and Thistle don’t like me … and Bay’s boyfriend, well, he just hates me.”
    Dad furrowed his brow. “Landon? He seems like a nice enough guy. I don’t really know him. I know Jack seems leery of him, but I just figured it was because he didn’t like him dating his daughter.”
    “He’s a nice guy,” I said hurriedly. I like Landon. I like what he’s done for our family, and especially how he makes Bay smile. He’s just … difficult.
    “He’s suspicious,” Sam said.
    Dad met Sam’s gaze questioningly. “Isn’t he a FBI agent?”
    Sam nodded.
    “Isn’t it his job to be suspicious?”
    Sam nodded again.
    “Why is he suspicious of you?”
    The question hung in the air, a direct challenge to Sam. “He thinks I’m up to something,” Sam replied simply.
    “Are you?”
    “Dad!” I was mortified.
    Sam patted my back. “It’s okay, Clove,” he said. “Mr. Johnson, I’m not up to anything. I’m just trying to run a business, the same as you.”
    Dad didn’t look convinced. “Well, okay then.” He moved to the registration desk. “I put all three of you up on the top floor.”
    The Dragonfly has three stories, and in addition to storage, the top floor consisted of only three rooms. I knew our assignments were deliberate. Unfortunately, I had a sneaking suspicion that Dad thought he was doing a good thing when he made the arrangements. He had no way of knowing just how tense this weekend would be – for all of us.
    I forced a tight smile onto my face as I regarded my cousins. They didn’t seem surprised to see me, but they looked less than thrilled to see Sam. That was my life these days, so I was used to it.
    “You guys didn’t tell me you were coming,” I said.
    “You didn’t tell us either,” Thistle pointed out.
    “I … I just found out earlier today.”
    “So did we,” Bay said, leaning her blonde head against Landon’s shoulder. “I think they approached us individually because they thought it would be easier to get us all here.”
    “So, you thought it was just going to be you and Landon?”
    Bay nodded. I turned to Thistle, her head moving in the affirmative before the question escaped from my lips. They’d definitely played us. The question was: Why?
    “Well, we’ll just have to make the best of it,” I said, straightening my shoulders. This can still be a fun weekend – as long as I don’t have to spend too much time with Thistle, that is.
    Thistle snorted. “You always want to make the