Witch Me Luck (Wicked Witches of the Midwest Book 6)

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Why are you guys in such a hurry all of sudden?” Landon asked. “I thought you were fighting.”

  “Oh, we’re still fighting,” Clove said. “We can’t miss this, though.”

  “She’s right,” I said. “This could be the best breakfast ever.”

  “It’s going to be legendary,” Thistle said.

  “Omigod!” The screech flew from the kitchen.

  “We’re missing it,” Thistle said, pushing through the door. “Come on. Someone make sure to video it on a phone. I don’t ever want to forget this moment.”

  Twenty-Two

  “You are not wearing that to breakfast.”

  Mom vigorously waved her spatula as she rolled up and down on the balls of her feet.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Aunt Tillie said, her face blasé. “What’s wrong with my outfit?”

  “You know very well what’s wrong with that outfit.”

  “I’m at a loss.”

  Mom shifted her gaze to the five of us, a mixture of helplessness and rage washing over her face. “Tell her what’s wrong with that outfit.”

  “I love it,” I said, not missing a beat.

  “I think the color is really good for her skin tone,” Thistle said, her eyes sparkling.

  “I think she could sell those hats on Etsy,” Clove said.

  Mom glowered at us. “I know what you’re doing.”

  “That’s a horrible thing to say,” I said, grabbing Landon’s hand and pulling him through the kitchen and toward the dining room. “We’re just calling it like we see it.”

  Mom smacked me on the arm with the spatula. “We’re going to have a talk about this later.”

  “I can’t wait,” I said.

  I pushed Landon through the door in front of me, managing to keep from laughing out loud until we were on the other side.

  “You’re going to Hell. You know that, right?” Landon looked as though he was enjoying the situation.

  “It’s going to be fun,” I said. “If we’re lucky, Aunt Tillie is going to monopolize the entire breakfast conversation this morning.”

  “Which means you don’t have to deal with Clove,” Landon finished.

  “I … .” He knows me too well. I decided to change tactics. “That’s a horrible thing to say. You’re really hurting my feelings.”

  “That doesn’t work on me.”

  I kissed his cheek softly.

  “That works better,” Landon conceded. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a hug. “You’re very manipulative.”

  “I learned from the best.”

  “Aunt Tillie?”

  “Actually … they all taught me a lesson or two.”

  “Good to know,” Landon said, making his way to his usual seat. “What are you going to do today?”

  This was a test. “I’m going to try to find Amy.” I kept my voice low. Only a few guests were sitting at the table, and they were talking amongst themselves, but I didn’t want them to overhear me admitting I was trying to find a ghost.

  Landon arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

  “She’s our best option to clear Sam.”

  “Where are you going to look?” Landon asked.

  “I’ll start downtown,” I said. “If she’s not there, I’ll check her house.”

  “I have to check in with Chief Terry,” Landon said. “If you want to wait for me, I’ll go with you.”

  “Are you worried I’m going to get in trouble, or are you worried I’m not telling you the truth?” It was a pointed question.

  “Neither,” Landon said. “Maybe I just want to spend some time with you. Did you ever consider that?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Now who is playing who?”

  Landon gave in and grinned. “Just be careful. If you could text me a couple of times while you are out and about it would make me feel better.”

  “Dirty texts?”

  “Those would make me feel great.”

  The sound of scuffling in the other room assailed our ears.

  “What do you think?” Thistle asked.

  “I think they’re wrestling,” Clove said.

  “Are you still angry?” I asked.

  “I’m not talking to you,” Clove said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Oh, good, it’s starting.” The brunette at the middle of the table looked excited as she glanced between us. “Do you guys work from scripts?”

  The guests were starting to get to me with all their talk of dinner theater. “No.”

  “Oh, improv,” the woman said. “That makes it even better.”

  “We’re glad to be able to entertain you,” Thistle said.

  “Oh, good, I’m not late.” Nick rounded the corner and headed for the open chair next to me. “You look nice this morning, Bay. You look nice every morning, though.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m going to punch him,” Landon grumbled under his breath.

  “Did you say something?” Nick asked.

  “He was wondering where breakfast is,” I answered smoothly. “His blood sugar is low.”

  “There’d better be bacon,” Landon said.

  Something clattered in the kitchen, causing everyone to shift their attention in that direction. “You are not going out there!” It sounded as if Marnie was working against Aunt Tillie now.

  “Don’t ever tell me what I can do,” Aunt Tillie said.

  “We’re not telling you what you can do,” Mom said. “We’re telling you what you can’t do.”

  “Why are they starting the show in there?” The brunette wrinkled her noise, disappointed.

  “I think they’re warming up,” I said.

  “Oh, that makes sense,” the woman said. “You’re probably right.”

  “She’s not right,” Clove said. “Trust me. She’s not right.”

  “Really, Clove? Now you’re ready to talk about this?” She was starting to tick me off.

  “I’m not talking to you.”

  “No, you’re just talking about me,” I countered, “while I’m sitting at the same table.”

  “Did someone hear something?” Clove asked, lifting her chin higher. “It’s like there’s this … annoying buzzing … and I can’t figure out where it’s coming from.”

  “That’s mature,” I grumbled.

  “You are not going out there in that outfit.” Mom was obviously still struggling with Aunt Tillie in the next room.

  “I don’t think it’s that bad,” Twila said. “It’s a nice color.”

  “Leave it to Twila to turn on them,” I said.

  “She’s always the one who gives in to Aunt Tillie,” Thistle agreed.

  “Maybe it’s just that she’s loyal to the aunt who helped raise her,” Clove suggested. “I know loyalty is a weird concept for some of us, but I admire it.”

  “How was I disloyal to you?” I snapped.

  “You got me dumped,” Clove said.

  “You’re single now?” Nick looked interested, and that bothered me for some reason. I didn’t like him flirting with me – well, kind of – but I didn’t want him moving in on an impressionable Clove. She could only deal with so much at one time.

  “She’s not single,” I said.

  “He said he didn’t want to see me,” Clove said. “And he said it right after you stuck your big, fat nose into the middle of our business.”

  “Oh, that’s not what happened.”

  “It’s exactly what happened,” Clove said. “You got me dumped. Admit it.”

  “Are you single or not?” Nick asked. “I’m lost.”

  “Then stay out of it,” Landon said.

  “Are you dating both of them or something?” Nick challenged.

  “No.”

  “Then why do you care whether I’m interested in Clove? Shouldn’t you be focused on Bay?”

  “I am focused on Bay,” Landon said. “I’m focused on her being happy. You romancing anyone in this family makes us all unha
ppy.”

  “You’re a bundle of joy,” Nick said.

  “And he has no say over what I do,” Clove said. “He didn’t want me to date Sam, and yet I dated him.”

  “So, would you like to go out?” Nick asked.

  “No,” Clove said, making a face. “I have a boyfriend.”

  “I thought he dumped you?”

  “Because of Bay.”

  “Let go of me!” Aunt Tillie muscled her way into the dining room, clutching her hat as she gained entrance. Everyone at the table shifted to stare at her. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning,” everyone replied in unison.

  Mom, Marnie and Twila followed her into the room, their faces red with exertion.

  “Come back here,” Mom growled.

  Aunt Tillie ignored her and primly sat in her chair. “What’s for breakfast? I’m starving.”

  IT TURNS out I didn’t have to go too far to find Amy. She was waiting for me on the back porch of The Overlook when Thistle, Marcus and I let ourselves out of the inn an hour later.

  “Your family should be committed,” she said.

  “Oh, you saw that?”

  “Who is she talking to?” Marcus asked.

  Thistle shrugged. “Probably a ghost. Anyone I know?”

  “It’s Amy Madison.”

  “Does she have any news?” Thistle asked.

  “I’ve talked to her for exactly five seconds,” I said. “How would I know?”

  Thistle stuck out her tongue and blew a thick raspberry.

  “Nice.”

  “Family therapy might help all of you,” Amy said. “I’ve never seen a display like that in my whole life … or afterlife, for that matter.”

  “Oh, I’m starting to hear her,” Thistle said.

  For some unknown reason, while Thistle and Clove couldn’t see ghosts on their own, if they were around me when I was talking to one they could eventually hear them. It was a strange quirk in our genetic makeup that we hadn’t quite figured out.

  “She can see ghosts, too?” Amy asked.

  “No,” Thistle replied. “I can hear them when I’m around Bay, though.”

  “You people are freaks,” Amy said, crossing her ethereal arms over her chest.

  “Do you want us to help you or not?” Thistle asked.

  Amy rolled her eyes. I was thankful Thistle couldn’t see her. We were all on edge, and I had no idea how far Thistle could be pushed right now.

  “Did you remember something?” I asked.

  “I did,” Amy said. “I remembered that people around town are always whispering about you guys.”

  I made a face.

  “You’re really witches, aren’t you?”

  “We’re … hard to explain,” I said. “It’s a long story.”

  “We’re witches,” Thistle said.

  I shot her a look.

  “What?” Thistle was nonplussed. “Who is she going to tell?”

  “Do you cast spells on people?” Amy asked.

  “No.”

  “It depends on whether they piss us off,” Thistle said.

  “Can you cast a spell on my ex-boyfriend?”

  “No,” I said.

  “What did he do?” Thistle asked.

  “He dumped me for some eighteen-year-old who works at a Dairy Queen in Traverse City. She doesn’t wear a bra.”

  “Sure,” Thistle said. “What do you want? We could shrink his testicles.”

  “No one would notice,” Amy said. “Can you make his hair fall out?”

  “Sure.”

  “Thistle!”

  “What? The guy sounds like a turd,” Thistle said.

  I rolled my eyes. “Do you remember anything about the robbery?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “That’s all I think about,” Amy said. “It’s like a running loop in my head. And I’ve been thinking about Tom Burton a little. What are the ethics involved if I drop into his house as a ghost and look at him naked?”

  I pressed my lips together, unsure how to answer.

  “I think that’s fine,” Thistle said. “It’s not as though he’ll ever know.”

  “Thistle, you cannot tell her to spy on a naked man,” I said.

  “What naked man?” Marcus asked.

  “He’s hot,” Thistle said. “I’m sure he’d be flattered.”

  “Who is hot?” Marcus asked.

  “You’re hot, baby,” Thistle said, rubbing his arm.

  “She wants to see me naked?” Marcus was lost.

  “No,” I said.

  “I wouldn’t mind seeing him naked,” Amy said. “He’s even better looking than Tom.”

  “You can’t see him naked,” Thistle said. “I’m the only one who can see him naked.”

  “I accidentally saw him in the bathroom last week,” I admitted. “You’re a lucky woman.”

  Marcus’ cheeks colored. “We said we weren’t going to tell her.”

  “It’s not a big deal,” I said. “It’s not as if she thinks something is going on between us.”

  Thistle pinched my arm viciously. “Don’t ever look at him again.”

  “Ow!” I yanked my arm away. “It was an accident. It happened to you, too. Landon said you walked into my bedroom two weeks ago and saw him naked. Thanks for knocking, by the way.”

  “You saw Landon naked?” Marcus was horrified. “Does he have a better body than me?”

  “No one has a better body than you,” Thistle said, distracted. “Do you really think Marcus is better looking than Tom?” she asked Amy.

  “Oh, definitely,” Amy said. “He’s one of the hottest guys in town.”

  “Hotter than Bay’s boyfriend, right?”

  Amy shook her head. “I don’t know. There’s something mysterious about him. Plus, he’s always doting on Bay. People are always talking about him. We can’t figure out how Bay snagged him.”

  “Hey! I’m desirable,” I said.

  “I think we need to put new locks on all the doors in the guesthouse,” Marcus said.

  “Sure, honey,” Thistle said.

  “And we need to lock the doors,” Marcus said.

  “Sure,” I said. I returned my focus to Amy. “So, about the robbery … .”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Amy said. “That’s why I came out here. I wanted to tell you that I thought I recognized the voice.”

  “Who was it?” Thistle asked, intrigued.

  “I have no idea,” Amy said. “It was familiar, but I can’t quite place it.”

  “You came out here to tell us you think you might’ve recognized the voice of the robber but you don’t know who it is?” She was starting to bug me.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Well … thanks.”

  “Is that all?” Amy asked.

  “For now,” I said.

  Amy smiled in Marcus’ direction.

  “You know he can’t see you, right?”

  “Oh,” Amy said. “I forgot. I still wouldn’t mind seeing him naked.”

  “And we’re going,” Thistle said, lacing her fingers with Marcus’ and tugging him down the pathway. I could hear them talking as they walked away. “Sometimes I think you’re too hot for me.”

  “You’re hotter than the sun, honey,” Marcus replied. “You’re too hot for me.”

  “See, you’re the perfect man,” Thistle said. “You know when I’m fishing for a compliment.”

  “I’m still angry you saw Landon naked.”

  “Don’t worry,” Thistle said. “You have a better body.” She cast a look at me from over her shoulder and silently shook her head. “You have the best body ever, baby.”

  Twenty-Three

  “Is this the best plan we can come up with?” Thistle asked, scanning the festival dubiously.

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “We could cast a truth spell on the entire fair,” Thistle suggested. “We’ll cast the spell and then walk up to everyone and ask whether they’re a murdering robber.”
<
br />   “Absolutely not.”

  “You’re still upset about what Uncle Jack said to you last night, aren’t you?”

  I bit the inside of my cheek and pretended I didn’t hear the question. “Should we split up or work together?”

  “Bay, he was just upset,” Thistle said. “He didn’t mean it. We didn’t technically do anything wrong.”

  “We cast a spell on our fathers and all of their guests,” I said. “This was after we spied on them and before we let Landon question them.”

  “We are trying to find a murderer,” Thistle said. “They should understand our intentions were good.”

  “I don’t think that’s how they see it.”

  “They’re going to have to get over it,” Thistle said. “It’s not like they’ve earned our loyalty.”

  “They’re our fathers. They deserve our loyalty because we wouldn’t be here without them.”

  Thistle rolled her eyes. “We owe them respect,” Thistle said. “We don’t owe them loyalty. Loyalty is earned.”

  That brought up an interesting conundrum. “Do I owe Clove more loyalty than I owe Landon?”

  Thistle sighed. “Is this about what I said at breakfast? You know I was trying to make sure Clove still liked me, right?”

  “I got that. Thanks. That’s not an answer, though.”

  “You owe Clove loyalty,” Thistle said. “You also owe Landon loyalty. He’s done a lot for us. He could have turned on us a hundred different times. He could have turned on you. He could have abandoned you.

  “He didn’t do any of those things,” she continued. “In fact, he’s made you a better person. He listens to you. He makes you laugh. He tries to protect you. He puts up with Aunt Tillie, for crying out loud.”

  “Yeah, he does deserve an award for that,” I said. “I still feel as though I chose him over Clove.”

  “Well, there’s a problem with your logic,” Thistle said. “We don’t know that Sam isn’t a robber and murderer. We know Clove likes him, and we want her to be happy, and we want him to be a good guy. We don’t know that he is, though.”

  “Shouldn’t we trust her intuition?”

  “She’s only ever been attracted to losers her entire life,” Thistle reminded me. “The odds are actually against her on this one.”

  She had a point. Still … . “I want her to get a win so badly it hurts.”