Chapter Twenty-Nine
Blair unexpectedly woke up alone in her bed.
But she knew Luke was somewhere, because his sweatshirt was still on the floor of her bedroom.
She checked the time – it was almost eleven a.m, which made her chuckle.
So much for leaving town at six in the morning.
She grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the open suitcase on the floor and pulled them on, along with a T-shirt and her cream cardigan.
Blair found Luke downstairs at the stove.
Belinda was standing at the kitchen table, scooping cat food from a can into Kass’s favourite bowl.
‘There you are!’ Luke said, turning to grin at Blair. He was wearing his grey sweatpants and T-shirt. His hair was messy and his beard was two days old now, but he looked so happy, so glowing, that Blair wanted to jump into his arms. He kissed Blair’s forehead.
Blair peeked at what he was making. ‘Pancakes?’
‘Apple cinnamon pancakes. My mother’s secret recipe. Extra—’
‘Nutmeg, I know.’ Blair laughed. ‘Where’s Bianca?’
‘In the greenhouse grabbing some strawberries,’ Belinda said. ‘We can have them with yogurt. Can you set the table for brunch?’
Blair was confused. It was long past their deadline to get out of town. Did her sisters know that Blair had decided not to leave Moonbeam Hollow? Did they know that Blair had told Luke that the Briarwood sisters were witches?
Did that even happen?
Luke leaned down and whispered in Blair’s ear. ‘I didn’t tell them I know. I figured you should talk to them alone.’ He kissed behind her ear. So yes, Blair had told him last night. And he still didn’t seem freaked out at all. Amazing.
‘Hey, Blair,’ Belinda said, putting the bowl of cat food on the floor for Kass. ‘Is there any more maple syrup? Luke said the one in the fridge smelled like death.’
Blair nodded. ‘Yeah, there’s a fresh can in the pantry. I’ll get it, then should I make chai?’
* * *
After the Briarwood sisters plus Luke had a relaxing brunch of apple cinnamon pancakes, maple syrup, masala chai, plus cut strawberries, Greek yogurt and Belinda’s famous granola, Luke went home to shower and get clean clothes.
He said he’d come back in the evening, but he needed to spend some time cleaning the mess in the bakery.
He gave Blair a kiss goodbye and told her he loved her.
Blair was never going to get tired of that.
The second Luke was gone from the house, Belinda and Bianca gave Blair a pointed look. They’d clearly been waiting for the moment when they could talk openly about what exactly happened at three a.m.
‘So, I assume we’re not leaving town today?’ Belinda asked.
Blair shook her head. ‘Let’s clean the kitchen and I can explain.’
With suds up to her elbows, Blair told her sisters and the cat that Luke initially thought Blair pulled a prank so he wouldn’t open the bakery.
‘Holy crap,’ Bianca said. ‘He thought you did that on purpose?’
Blair nodded. ‘I don’t blame him. I distrusted him so much when he first got here. His mother assumed it was exhaustion and medications that caused her strange behaviour. Luke’s already filed an insurance claim for the weather damage. Acts of God are apparently covered.’
Bianca laughed at that. ‘Witches aren’t gods, but okay. What does Luke think now?’
Blair smiled. ‘He thinks we were trying to save the town from a vengeful witch spirit.’
Both Belinda’s and Bianca’s eyes went wide.
‘Shut. Up,’ Bianca said. ‘You didn’t tell him.’
Blair winced. ‘I hope you guys don’t mind. I told him everything. He’s going to keep our secret. I trust him.’
Belinda laughed. ‘Are you kidding? This is exactly what we wanted you to do! I can’t believe you told him!’
‘How did he take it?’ Bianca asked. ‘Never mind, I saw . . . He was giddy this morning. Why did you decide to finally do it?’
Blair turned off the faucet to look at her sisters. ‘I love Luke. I can’t be with him and keep this huge part of me hidden. It might be complicated, but we’ll figure it out. I’m going to stay here in Moonbeam Hollow. With him.’ She looked at Bianca. ‘I’m doing what’s best for Blair.’
Bianca smiled. ‘Good. Finally.’
‘And you both should do the same. If you want to stay in Moonbeam Hollow and live as a witch, then do it. If you want to live here and give up witchcraft, that’s also okay.
Or, if you feel like it’s time to leave Moonbeam Hollow, that’s fine, too.
Obviously, Luke and I’ll keep whatever secrets we need to keep. You can trust him.’
Belinda shook her head, a smile on her face. ‘He’s not going to betray us. Ever.’
‘You’re really not going to make us stay here with you?’ Bianca asked.
‘I know I can be overbearing and overprotective. I’m going to . . . try to change that.’
‘We get why you’re overprotective,’ Belinda said. ‘You had to be our only parent when you were a kid yourself.’
‘And you did an amazing job,’ Bianca added. ‘We should have shown more appreciation for what you did. What you gave up for us.’
Blair nodded, feeling tears in her eyes again. ‘I love you both. I’d do anything for you. But yeah, I need to figure out how to have a normal sister dynamic with you.’
‘I know you’re trying really hard,’ Bianca said, ‘but you don’t have to be Mom and Dad, Blair. They’re gone, and what we need is a sister, not a parent. And the three of us can be sisters without being a singular entity. We don’t even have to be under the same roof.’
Belinda looked uncomfortable with this concept, which made sense. Belinda was the peacekeeper. The middle child caught between the responsible one and the wild child.
Blair put her hand on Belinda’s arm. ‘You don’t have to decide right away. You can do what works for you, Belinda. And we’ll support that, whatever it is.’
Belinda nodded. ‘I know.’ She laughed awkwardly. ‘I didn’t want to go but had mentally prepared myself to leave town. I was actually starting to think that a change would be a good thing for me. But now . . . I don’t know.’
They were all silent for a bit.
‘What are we going to do about the festival?’ Belinda asked, looking at her watch.
Blair hated the thought of abandoning the festival.
She’d already sent the email to the organizing committee explaining that the Harvest Moon Café stall couldn’t open because of the storm damage yesterday.
The Briarwoods couldn’t go if Hecate appeared, and Blair had no doubt the witch spirit would show up with her lightning magic.
They tried three times to stop her, once by trying to summon her, and twice by having her possess Luke and then his mother.
All three attempts were unmitigated disasters.
Blair, Belinda and Bianca simply weren’t strong enough witches.
Blair was worried that if they tried again, they’d only make the situation worse.
‘We shouldn’t go,’ Bianca said. ‘The festival committee should be able to handle it if anything goes wrong. It’s also insured.’
‘I wish there was something we could do,’ Belinda said.
‘Moonbeam Hollow is our home.’ She sighed.
‘All night I was convinced the town would betray us. I thought our secret was out and expected to wake to an angry mob of townspeople at the door calling us witches and banishing us. But they’re not coming.
This town wouldn’t betray us, and we shouldn’t betray them. ’
At that moment, a loud knock on the door startled all three sisters. Belinda was closest to the front window, so she peeled back the curtain an inch to look outside. ‘Um . . .’ She hesitated.
‘Who is it?’ Blair asked. Was Luke back?
‘It looks to be an angry mob of townspeople,’ Belinda said.