Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell'Antonia

Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell'Antonia

Author:KJ Dell'Antonia [Dell'Antonia, KJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2023-09-12T00:00:00+00:00


Chapter Fifteen

Thursday, October 29

Flair went into the shop before daybreak to do the next day’s baking, leaving Lucie’s lunch behind on the table with a list of reminders for her day. Cynthia dozed in a chair on the landing at the top of the stairs in case David’s tea proved less potent than expected. The rest of Flair’s evening the night before had not improved even after getting David stowed away in the attic bedroom. Lucie had come in still arguing for her right to work on the trail stop and gone to bed angry. Flair was hoping she could make up for it with a breakfast delivery.

Callie arrived at 7:30, just in time for Flair to slip out, Teabag at her heels, and head home to make sure Lucie got out on time. They found her heading up the street, walking, to Flair’s delight, with one of the girls she recognized from Annabel’s visit to the shop days before.

Lucie fluttered a hand, possibly waving her mother off, but Flair was set on handing over the fresh croissant and then assessing what Lucie had with her. Backpack, lunch—“Do you have your sneakers? For gym?”

Lucie looked irritated. “We don’t have gym today,” she said. “It’s Wednesday.”

“It’s Thursday,” Flair said, pointing to the house. “You have just enough time to go back.”

Lucie looked at her new friend, who had bent over Teabag and was trying unsuccessfully to pet her while Teabag—who thought every new person planned to pick her up—danced away to hide behind Flair’s legs. The girl straightened back up and shrugged. “I can’t wait,” she said. “I promised Ms. D’Amato I’d talk to her about my report before class.”

Lucie gave Flair a look that would have melted a hole through glass before heading back to the house, while the other girl kept going. She could easily have waited—it would only take Lucie a minute if she ran—but that would have made Flair’s life too easy. Instead, Flair had ruined Lucie’s morning, croissant or not, and would almost certainly hear about it later.

Flair made her way back to the shop, urging Teabag along while the little dog insisted on stopping to sniff the exact same spots she’d stopped at on the way. She could hope for another day as busy as yesterday, but she probably didn’t need to rush. She tried to enjoy the walk, the morning sunlight illuminating the colorful leaves of the sweet gum trees that lined the road, the scarecrows leaning in all directions in the yard she was passing, a Country Living cover come to life.

Even with Lucie’s teenaged angst burning a hole through the ozone behind her, Flair managed to feel almost confident with the situation. David’s phone revealed that his irritated colleagues had accepted the reason for his absence, and Flair somehow couldn’t feel too bad about the increasingly pissed-off missives from Carly, who seemed to feel she’d been ghosted.

Halloween was in two days. Thanks to the miracle that is overnight shipping, the seasonal clothes



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