Page 90 of With All My Haunted Heart

Teagan parts her lips, a question in the rise of her brow, but the server swoops in with the platter of appetizers we ordered in lieu of a regular lunch: Parmesan-crusted zucchini, buffalo-fried cauliflower, and the creamiest guacamole with crispy house-made tortilla chips. After the server leaves, we each pile up our small plates with the assortment of apps.

“So, what did you need the crystals for?” Teagan asks before popping a piece of zucchini into her mouth.

“Have you heard of the new B&B in Oak Spires?”

“The haunted one?”

I lean over the table toward her and pitch my voice to a whisper. “I’m the one who haunted it.”

“No shit? That’s incredible! And lepidolite helps with that?”

“The large pieces work as a ghost transport.”

“And the garden quartz?”

I grin, feeding off her excitement. “That helps make ghosts visible. I used it in the summoning circles and in these ghost goggles I invented. They replicate the function of amplification sigils so the B&B guests can easily communicate with the spirits.” I dig a chip through the guacamole. “The only downside is they’re ugly as hell. Heavy, too. And they need to be recharged constantly.”

“Hence the selenite charging plates Deanna purchased,” Teagan adds, easily putting the pieces together. She tries a bite of fried cauliflower, thinking as she chews. “Why didn’t you use a modified summoning sigil on the glasses?”

“What do you mean?”

“I use it all the time for magical jewelry and talisman creation. You modify a traditional summoning sigil, so instead of drawing ghosts into a prepared circle, it summons a steady stream of magic to keep the original spell active.” Teagan sips her ice water like this is totally normal information and not a mind-blowing revelation.

I seriously underestimated this witch. And, I can only assume, her store, too.

Fuck, I feel like an asshole. I’ve spent months blaming her for my business’s decline, secretly scoffing at her for peddling bullshit trinkets to mundanes. Yet all this time, she’s been the real deal.

Delight brightens Teagan’s expression when she realizes I’m staring at her dumbfounded. “Wait, did I seriously introduce you—the Pippa Ainsley—to a new application of magic? This might be the best day of my life.”

A prickle of anxiety creeps up my spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Teagan shrugs, but her fair skin goes rosy as a blush spreads across her cheeks. “Nothing. It’s just…You’re sorta my idol.”

“I’m your what?” Shock settles over me, leaving me off balance as I stare at the younger witch. “I didn’t realize you knew that much about what I do.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been following you for years! When that article came out about your magical experiments, and how you wished your mom would make space for new kinds of magic in NACOW, it was like you gave me permission to accept who I am. To accept the kind of magic I do.”

Teagan’s excitement cools, and she runs a hand across the short undercut at the back of her head. “I assume that article didn’t go over well with your family, since you don’t use your original last name anymore, but it meant a lot to me. I was a junior in college back when it first came out. I tried to keep track of you, but you disappeared.

“But then a year later, one of my friends told me about a witch who helped her soundproof her apartment. She was having a terrible time studying. Her roommate had a very active sex life. When she showed me your website, I realized who you were. Watching your business grow and succeed these past few years is the whole reason I started C3.”

Her words settle over me, and it’s uncomfortable, taking credit for something I didn’t do on purpose. “I didn’t intend to be part of that article,” I admit. “The guy I was talking to never told me he was a reporter.”

“Oh my god. That’s—”

I hold up a hand as horror streaks across her face. “But I’m glad it helped you. And I’m sorry for brushing you off the first time you suggested we get together.”

She settles back in her chair, smoothing the worried look from her face. “It’s totally fine.”

“It isn’t, though. I misjudged you. I got it in my head that you were trying to drive me out of business. When I saw you were opening a second location in Oak Spires, I nearly lost my mind. It was like you were following me everywhere.”

Her hazel eyes go wide. “Not at all! I swear, I’m not trying to take over your business. If anything, I’d hoped we could work together. I had this whole dream where we became friends and sent each other business. I figured I could supply you with all the crystals and things you need, and if I had a customer who wanted something complicated, I could send them to you. Like I did with that hexed CEO. Colin or something.”

“Callum?” I ask. “The real estate guy?”

“Yeah! I take it he called you?”

“He did. I got him all sorted before I left for Oak Spires.” We settle into comfortable silence for a few minutes, working our way through the plate of appetizers. I let everything I’ve learned about Teagan push aside the false assumptions I’d made. “If you’d like, I think being friends who collab sometimes would be nice.”