Chapter Six
Lissa
Sweat beaded on Lissa’s forehead, and she wiped the drop away before it could ruin her mascara.
Summers were the worst in her opinion. She spent her days in a hot, stuffy studio.
Was it too much to ask for a cool breeze?
Or better yet, a nice, cool snowdrift? It seemed like each summer she spent in Oregon was getting hotter and hotter.
She had to keep reminding herself it only lasted a few months.
Shifting anxiously, she wished this Elixir Enchantress would show up already. She’d nearly said “fuck it” and gone back to bed when her alarm blasted her from a beautiful dream about the women’s U.S. volleyball team and a lakeside winter cabin.
She glanced down at her watch. Five minutes past eight. Technically late, though still socially acceptable. She’d give it two more minutes then head home and try to resume her dream in which she’d been enjoying a threesome with the setter and outside hitter.
Two minutes passed. Then five. Maybe this was a sign she shouldn’t pretend to be interested in a spell just to grill the woman about Mercer.
The moment she sent the message, she’d felt a twinge of guilt that had only been growing.
It was the reminder of all the Smooth Expressions employees who were counting on her that made her actually show up to this meeting. A decision she was starting to regret.
The line outside Mixie’s was growing, and Lissa’s patience was waning. Shoving her hands in her pocket, she kicked a stone down the sidewalk.
“Do you have something against rocks in general, or did that one have it coming?”
Lissa whipped her head up at the soft voice, and her eyes meandered over the woman approaching her.
Red curls far more vibrant than any screen could accurately portray bounced against her shoulders with each hesitant step.
Interesting. She would have guessed from the video that the Elixir Enchantress would be far more self-assured than this.
Maybe getting information out of the witch would be easier than anticipated.
“It was personal,” she replied as the woman came to a stop less than a foot away, clutching a notebook to her chest. “That rock mouthed off one too many times.”
The witch laughed, a small twinkling sound like a wind chime, innocent and adorable.
“I’m Ria,” she said, thrusting out one hand. “Any chance you’re Lissa?”
“I am,” Lissa replied, shaking Ria’s hand and lingering for a beat too long. Her skin was just so soft it was hard to let go. She could only imagine how her own rough, calloused hands felt in contrast.
“I didn’t realize this place was so popular,” Ria remarked, glancing at the handful of tables inside, each one occupied. “I was hoping for somewhere a little quieter.”
“Not a problem,” Lissa assured. “Follow me.” She led Ria down the side path Daria had shown her only yesterday. “Ta-da!” She stepped aside to reveal the secret patio.
Ria’s eyes widened with each step, and a tiny gasp escaped. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured, moving farther into the space.
“A friend told me about it. They keep it on the down low, but we’re good to be back here.
” Lissa pulled out a chair at the first table, pausing when she noticed her name on a piece of paper next to a plate of scones and a take-out cup.
Daria texted her that morning to say she had been more than happy to pay a visit to Chase and confirm it was okay for them to use the hidden patio today, but Lissa didn’t expect her friend to go this far.
“Pssst,” someone hissed at her, and she whirled around to see Daria peeking out from the back door of the cafe.
“What are you doing here?” she mouthed, tossing a quick glance over her shoulder to confirm Ria was still firmly entranced by the various flowers.
Mischief glistened in Daria’s eyes as she made two circles with her hands and rubbed them together.
Oh, dear lord.
“She’s hot,” Daria whispered, fanning herself dramatically.
Lissa took a few steps toward the cafe and flipped her friend off. “It’s not a date.”
“Yet,” Daria said with a wink, then slammed the door shut.
The click of the lock turning kept Lissa from pursuing the conversation. Not that it would do any good. When Daria got into matchmaker mode, her target would have better luck stopping a tsunami.
I knew I liked her for a reason, her vagina piped up. She has her priorities straight. That is one sexy witch!
Show some class, her brain argued. We are not trying to seduce the information from her.
Sighing, Lissa turned back to the Elixir Enchantress. The sooner she got answers to her questions, the sooner she could get back to her studio. Or her bed. Although by this point neither was likely to bring her any joy today.
“You didn’t tell me Mixie was a witch,” Ria said, running her hands through the vines as if they were speaking to her.
Lissa briefly wondered how it would feel to have those hands caress her with the same gentleness, but she quickly shook off that thought before her libido could take charge.
Even if by some insane coincidence Ria was interested in women, Lissa wasn’t about to hook up with the person who might be responsible for her current predicament—regardless of how attractive she was.
“What do you mean?” Lissa asked, taking a seat and snatching up a scone.
Ria swung her arms wide to indicate the patio. “I mean, whoever designed this space is either a witch, or they have a very eclectic taste in plants. Most of these are used in potions or rituals and not sold at any of the shops around here. They had to come from someone’s personal garden.”
“Huh,” Lissa replied through a mouthful of pastry. “That’s cool, I guess. I only recognized the verbena.”
“Yeah, that’s a somewhat common one. But this guy,” she pointed to a flower with droopy purple petals.
“This is comfrey. Its leaves are great for healing potions if you know how to neutralize the harmful alkaloids.” She moved over to a planter along the edge of the patio.
“And this one is datura innoxia, also known as moonflower. I think it’s illegal to own in Oregon, but many witches use it for full moon rituals.
It can be very…” Ria’s face flushed, nearly matching the shade of her curls as she backed away from the plant.
“Very what?” Lissa asked, suddenly finding herself more interested in botany than she thought possible.
Ria took a seat at the table and selected a scone, nibbling on it a bit before answering. “If used properly, it can induce a mind-altering state. Covens often use it for their…” Her blush deepened even further.
“Come on, Elixir Enchantress,” Lissa pressed. “Spit it out.”
“They use it for their naked rituals.”
Lissa sucked in a breath at the onslaught of erotic visuals her sex-deprived brain provided. “You mean witches get hopped up on this plant so they can have an orgy in the woods?” Maybe there was something to this whole witchcraft thing.
Ria chuckled. “Kind of. There’s a lot more to it than that. It’s mostly a way to worship the Goddess Hecate, but sometimes things can get a little…sexy.”
“You don’t say.” Lissa perched her chin on her fist and leaned forward, forgetting all about the reason she was there in the first place. “So what you’re telling me is if I eat one of those leaves I’m going to be tripping balls?”
Ria took another bite of scone and chewed it thoughtfully before answering.
“I mean, I think that’s more or less what happens.
I wouldn’t know for certain. My mom dragged me to a few rituals as a kid, but I got kicked out before the drugs came into play.
I do know it can be added to some potions in a milder form.
Still, it’s unlikely anyone besides a witch would be growing it, let alone displaying it on a public patio. ”
“Semi-public,” Lissa pointed out. “Technically, this is for staff and friends only.”
“That’s true,” the witch agreed. “I think we’re getting a little off topic though. We’re supposed to be talking about your love life, not dancing naked in the pale light of a full moon.”
Lissa shrugged. “I wouldn’t say the two need to be mutually exclusive.”
Ria blushed, and Lissa was fast considering the deep shade of pink to be one of her new favorite colors. “Also true, but we should get started. Why don’t you tell me about yourself real quick? It can help with the intention portion of the spell.”
“Oh, um, I’m kinda boring,” Lissa replied, trying to figure out how to keep her identity as a Smooth Expressions employee a secret.
“I work in an art studio, just turned thirty, blah blah blah. Why don’t we talk about you?
Potions, huh? What got you into that? You don’t look like a potions girl.
” Lissa took a quick gulp from the take-out cup and made a mental note to forgive Daria’s meddling in thanks for having the vanilla oat milk latte waiting for her.
“I know what you mean,” Ria said, finally relaxing into her chair a bit.
“Most people expect witches to be all flowy skirts and organic deodorant that doesn’t work.
I’m a bit different, I guess. My whole business is pretty new actually.
If it weren’t for my mom, I probably wouldn’t be doing witchcraft at all. ”
“I feel ya on the parental pressure,” Lissa replied, swiping a hand across her mouth and grimacing when she knocked off a few scone crumbs.
“Mine wanted me to be an accountant or something lame like working in an office. We don’t talk much these days, and I’m kinda okay with that.
So what did you do before the whole magic thing? ”
Ria gave her a small smile. “I worked in a lame office.”
Shit. She’d known that too. Why was her stupid brain always slower than her mouth?
Because you rarely listen to me anyway, her brain answered.