Page 15 of Bewitched & Bewildered (Witches of Starbrook #1)

Chapter 15

Ozan

This used to be my favorite time of year.

The Haunted Harvest Festival in Starbrook is a big deal. People from all over central Maine come to shop, drink, eat, wander around the supposedly haunted buildings, and enjoy what our little town has to offer.

It’s less enjoyable now that I’m running a booth.

I submitted my vendor application in time to snag a prime location, and I expect to make some major gains from the event. My booth has a bit of everything—charms, potion samples, herb bundles, and tea leaves. I even got an electric kettle to brew tea at the stand, giving the cold visitors a reason to stop by.

My spirits aren’t as high as I would like. Nostalgia hits me like a crashing wave. I miss coming to the festival, walking around, and inspecting the goods.

My life is lonely now. I’m one of the few people setting up my booth alone. There are no employees at my shop and no one to help. It’s just me putting out my little ‘hot tea’ sign.

The Hawthorne’s booth is three times as big as mine. Their business has always been a foundational part of the event. I can’t imagine the festival without them.

The four sisters rush around their sizable booth. Their sign is more prominent than mine and covered in hand-painted decorations that are sure to capture the eye.

The smell of hot cider wafts from their booth to mine.

Not only does my stall pale in comparison—but we’re right beside each other. Juniper has been shooting me her adorable little death glare all day. She must be mad about the necklace, but she hasn’t tried to return it.

She and I are getting somewhere, even if I don’t know where we’re heading.

As nightfall approaches, the fun begins. The maze and hayride are set up, Greene’s is showing off its funniest produce, and the local bakery has a stand of the freshest pies. Fairy lights are strung about the little town square, bringing the place to life for the darkest time of the year.

It’s Juniper’s favorite holiday—or it was when we were younger. Some would call it a cliché for a witch, and maybe it is, but I still want to give her something to be happy about.

I don a playful smile as I slip by their booth with a warm pumpkin scone. Juniper is already glaring at me.

“How’s everything going?” I ask. “Are you all set up?”

I pose the question to Juniper, but she is not the one who answers.

“It’s going swell!” Maple says. “We had trouble with the extension cord earlier?—”

Juniper cuts her sister off with a shake of her head. “Everything is fine. It’s going exactly as planned.”

“Right.” I snicker and set the scone down on their booth. “Brought you a little snack, Juni. I didn’t see you eating today, so…”

“Were you watching me?” She lifts a brow.

“Well…” Heat rushes to my face. I try to brush the feeling off. “You know, you can thank me instead of questioning me.”

“It sounds like you’re monitoring my behaviors.”

“Should I take this back?” I lift a brow.

“No!” She slides her hand over the scone and pulls it closer. “Thank you.”

Her sisters are still watching. There’s a heaviness in their stare.

“Let me know if you have any other technical problems,” I say. “I’ll be busy at the booth, but… I can make time for you.”

My eyes linger on Juniper before I back away.

Giggles erupt from the sisters when I turn.

I make it through the evening without arguing with Juniper, and they don’t have another problem with their extension cord. They wouldn’t be able to stop and fix it if they did. Their booth is bustling all evening, and I get a few stragglers who don’t want to wait in their long line. It works out for both of us.

While my shop gets more activity than theirs on a regular day, I can’t deny the event favors them. It may be nostalgia at play.

Connecting with new people and giving out my business card makes the event worth it. It’s a fun time once I settle in.

Until it isn’t.

When I first spot her, she looks like a ghost. A figment of my imagination. Anything other than real. Vanessa can’t be here.

But she is, and she isn’t alone. Otis is at her side, as dutiful as ever. He was always loyal—just not to me, his best friend.

My stomach sinks.

What are they doing here? Boston is four hours away.

Vanessa and I came to the festival together a few times. She always liked it. She enjoys everything witchy, even though she doesn’t have a magical bone in her body.

They’re walking in my direction. I duck my head in a feeble attempt to hide from her laser beam stare.

“Ozan.” There’s a smile in Vanessa’s voice.

The last thing I want is to look up and see her smiling face. I want to disappear. I force myself to meet her gaze, but can’t fake a smile.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Your parents invited me,” she says.

My attention shifts to my old friend. “And why the hell are you here?”

Vanessa being here is bad enough. My parents inviting her makes sense, considering that they harbor notions of us reuniting and living happily ever after.

I doubt my parents asked Otis to come.

How much audacity can one couple carry? These two must be overwhelmed with it.

Otis’s smile fades. “Vanessa asked me to come…”

“You could have gone anywhere—any other festival or haunted place.” My voice breaks. “But you came here. Do you realize how messed up this is?”

Vanessa moves away from Otis and stands in front of me. Too close. I’m suffocating on her perfume—it was so comforting. It used to lull me to sleep. Not anymore.

I hate the smell of lavender now. It makes me sick. I can’t even sell the herb at my apothecary.

“I’ve been worried about you,” she says. “Your mom told me you’re running this little shop, and… that’s not you. I want you to come back to Boston.”

When I look away, I realize Otis is gone. What a coward.

“Seriously?” I let out a bitter laugh.

“We can’t be what keeps you from the place you love,” she says. “Come home.”

I am home. The thought hits me out of nowhere. I don’t love Boston anymore. I hate it. Starbrook has always been my home. I didn’t feel like that when I was a teenager, but after spending a few weeks here…

I’m more comfortable in Starbrook than I ever was in Boston. The magic of the town will always pull me back in. Knowing my neighbors, supporting the local shops, and reconnecting with old friends…

This is where I want to be.

Vanessa won’t understand, and I don’t owe her an explanation. She shouldn’t even be here.

“I’m happy in Starbrook,” I say. “I don’t want to go back to Boston. You aren’t keeping me from anything.”

I don’t want her to think she’s controlling my life in any way. She isn’t. This is all for me.

“You can’t possibly be happy here. I brought you away from this nowhere town… just for you to come back?”

“I like this nowhere town . I thought you liked it, too.”

“It’s a fun place to visit, but living here…it isn’t you.”

“Stop. You don’t know me anymore.”

I can’t deny that she used to know me, but I’m not who I was when we were together. Being that person again doesn’t appeal to me. Obsessing over work and barely having time to practice my magic…

I was unhappy. I couldn’t see it then, but distance has made me realize how much happier I can be. Even though I’m alone, I’m happier than I was with her. She must feel the same. You don’t cheat on someone if you’re satisfied with them.

I could have done more to make her happy and avoid all of this, but I can’t go back in time, and I don’t want to.

Vanessa hasn’t changed as much as I have. I wish it were different. I wish we could be friends and realize where things went wrong, but we can’t.

I saw her through rose-colored glasses for a long time, and then I took them off. Her encouragement was pushy. She molded me into another person to fit who she wanted me to be. She wanted me to be successful and hardworking—but ran off to someone else when I spent too much time in the office.

Why can’t she like me like this?

“Excuse me.” Juniper’s sultry tone hits my ear, and I turn to look at her with shock etched across my features.

Vanessa blinks. “Can we have a moment? This is a private conversation.”

“But it isn’t,” Juniper says. “You’re arguing in a crowded festival. You can’t blame me for overhearing.”

I’m at a loss for words. I shake my head at Juniper.

Vanessa bristles. “I’ll try to keep it down,” she says coolly.

“Too late,” Juniper says. “It’s fine. I came here to inform you that Ozan runs one of the most successful shops in Starbrook. You may think it’s cute to belittle his accomplishments, but people from all over Maine are here for him today. Not you. Everyone in his life is proud of him. He built this business all by himself, and he runs it alone. Do you know how hard it is to run a business alone? Let that sink in.”

Vanessa seems to be at a loss for words, too.

Juniper is a perfect reflection of the goddess she worships. Persephone Praxidice: the face of justice and vengeance. Her gaze is sharp and strong, as is her presence. There is no more powerful vision than a witch reflecting their deity. Lust stirs in me.

I swallow thickly.

“And apparently, we have visitors from Boston too.” Juniper tosses her hair over her shoulder. “If you don’t want to be here, the exit is that way. Let me know if you need a map.”

Juniper meets my gaze. I blink—still speechless—and she sidesteps back to her booth.

“Who is that?” Vanessa hisses.

“Uh… that’s Juniper. She’s an old…” What? I can’t call her a friend, can I? It’s one of the many things Vanessa won’t understand.

She lets out a bitter laugh. “Oh, I see. That’s why you came back.”

After everything, Vanessa is jealous. She still thinks she can be possessive of me, but she can’t. That’s not fair.

My expression goes flat. “I think we’re done here. Go back to Otis.”

Her face falls. “Ozzy…”

“Don’t call me that,” I say. “Just go.”