Page 12 of How Not to Hex a Gentleman (Witches of Edinburgh)

Chapter Twelve

KENNEDY

" I don't want to do this," I call out from my room, studying myself in the mirror. I can hear Parker's snort even from in here and I roll my eyes. "Shouldn't we be spending our free time trying to figure out this magical tattoo situation? Or whether or not we have an evil witch stalking us?" I continue.

"Kennedy, your paranoia is showing again," Parker calls out and it's my turn to huff.

The girls are convinced that Bennett isn't some evil witch trying to steal our powers, but I'm not. When I initially brought up the idea, they paused, thought it over and then unanimously disagreed. Parker specifically said that she would've picked up something from him if that was the case. But I just can't let it go. There has to be a reason I have such a strong response to him. What could it be if it's not that he is evil?

We've been talking about this for most of the week while trying to figure out a time to research the tattoo. With our independent studies starting, it's been harder to find the time. We haven't even seen each other for longer than a few minutes during the week.

Now it's the weekend, which is why we're going to a cèilidh. Of course, it's Parker's idea. She said it'll be a good bonding activity for us. I have never done any kind of traditional dancing and I will only be honest with myself for this one second where I admit I'm fascinated—and also very apprehensive because I have no idea what to expect. Lily is incredibly excited. She's been twirling in her long dark yellow dress for about half an hour now as we finish up getting ready.

I was told that a twirly skirt is required and that's a great thing because I do love a twirly skirt. I brought my best ones with me, considering I love a good skirt to pull together an outfit in general. I've been wearing out my two pairs of jeans since I've been here, but I think I'm finally comfortable enough to bring out the big guns. Namely this dark red beauty, which is made up of various lengths of layers, tumbling all the way down to my ankles. The layers at the front are shorter, leaving one of my legs almost entirely exposed, while the other side only teases a peak at the leg. Paired with a dark grey chunky sweater tied at my waist, the amethyst necklace Parker gave me the only jewelry and my black boots, I look like I'm ready to take on anything and feel like I'm actually capable of doing so.

When I step out of the room, I get an appreciative whistle and a whoop from the girls.

"Kennedy, you look like a proper witch, and I mean that in the most flattering way possible."

I laugh at Parker's compliment because we all know that a witch is the coolest thing you can be to Parker, so this is the best praise I could receive.

"Seriously awesome skirt," Lily says, coming over to take a look. "The layers make it look so magical."

Lily's dress is flowy and magical in its own way that makes it look like it's been made for her. Full sleeves and a square neckline, with a faux corset over the ribcage, and an A-line skirt that fans out completely when she spins. Parker is sporting a crisscross-backed black overall dress over a white turtleneck. The corduroy is accented by various flowers stitched into the material, and the straight skirt barely grazes her thighs. To finish off her look, she's wearing her combat boots. She looks like a proper witch as well and it makes me grin. Suddenly, the cèilidh idea seems brilliant.

"What?" Parker asks, probably because I look like a crazy person grinning from ear to ear.

"Nothing. We just look very us somehow."

Lily giggles at that before launching herself at me and Parker for a group hug. For someone who's never been hugged this much before, I'm finding it comforting instead of strange. I think the girls feel the same way, and the feeling of rightness grows as we laugh, the glow spreading from my chest to the rest of my body like sunshine on skin. This will be good for us; we need this time together. I feel it in my bones.

"Come on, weirdos," I say, tugging the girls in the direction of the door. "It's time to learn this Scottish dancing thing."

When we arrive at the building, we walk past it. There are no indicators outside that we've come to the right place, just a door. Doubling back according to our trusty map service, we push inside, and find a small entryway, with two small sets of stairs at the back that lead to another door and people. An elderly man greets us at the table.

"Hiya. You here for the cèilidh?" His voice is low, his accent very Scottish and it makes me smile.

"Yes, sir," I reply and he grins, picking up a clipboard.

"Names?" We give our names and he checks us off on the list. "Have you been to one before?"

"No," Lily says a little unsure and the man grins again.

"Don't ya worry, hen. There will be a wee bit of instruction, just follow along."

Somehow that bit of information calms my nerves. We thank him and follow the steps up to the next room. There are already people sitting in chairs around the open space. The ballroom is big enough to fit at least a hundred people. The chairs line the walls and we find three together, shedding our coats and taking our seats.

There's a live band at one end of the room with a man standing near it holding a microphone. The buzz in the room is full of excitement and somehow my attitude of not wanting to go out has merged into feeling like I belong here. Edinburgh seems to do that to me.

"Are we ready to get started?" The man with the microphone steps forward and immediately a few people reply with a yes.

"Ah, around here, we say aye. So, are we ready to get started?"

"Aye!" The girls and I join in on the much louder response.

"That's better. Now, this is going to be the hardest dance of the night because it is the first one. Join in two groups of three. We're starting it off with the Dashing White Sergeant."

Lily grabs both of our hands, pulling us to stand before I can voice the fact that we should sit this one out.

"You're not even going to give us a chance to observe?" Parker asks, clearly on the same page as me, which is hilarious to me since this was her idea.

"Absolutely not. We learn by doing," Lily announces, walking over to three people standing together. I expected Parker to be this bold, but I guess Lily keeps surprising us. The people in front of us say hello as the man continues his instructions.

"Join hands, the six of you. We will do eight counts circle to the left and back to the right. And go."

The man counts the steps and we walk to the left, then to the right.

"Now, the middle dancer in each group of three, face your right partner, join arms and swing. And then repeat on the left. And go!"

Lily turns to me first and we loop our elbows together, spinning once, so we end up in the original position, before she turns and does the same with Parker.

"Once back in original position, join hands in lines of three and dance forward, raising hands and retire, one two." We follow the instructions, giggling as we stumble along.

"Then dance forward, one line raising hands in an arch and the other ducks underneath—"We do as we're told and come face to face with another group of three. "And there ya go. Now with music."

He doesn't even give us a moment to reorient ourselves as the live band begins to play. The space fills with sounds of guitar, violin, and electric keyboard, and the three of us grin at each other. We stumble through the steps, as the instructor continues to count, but the more we move, the more natural it becomes and eventually, it's just the music and our laughter that fills the air.

Lily is a pro at this. She's never been to a cèilidh either, but she's picking up the steps as if they were made for her. We make our way around the room, meeting new groups of three each time we duck under the arm arches. Parker is never going to let me live this down but this was the best idea. I glance over at the girls, to find them laughing just as much as I am, sweat dripping off our temples, and I think this is what it might feel like to have sisters. The feeling of rightness once again fills me from the inside out and I give myself to the moment. The music gets louder and faster, the encouragement for the man with the microphone louder as we continue to spin.

We come under another arch when suddenly I'm face to face with Bennett, just as the music stops.

BENNETT

Kennedy looks magnificent. I didn't know what to expect from Parker's sudden invitation to a cèilidh. I haven't been to one in ages, considering they drilled these dance steps into us at school, but I couldn't pass it up, and I'm very pleased I didn't because Kennedy is here. The moment I saw her step inside the ballroom with her wild hair and her jumper and skirt combo, her eyes shining as she looked around, I realized I'm much more gone than I thought I was. The desire to go to her was nearly immediate.

My phone buzzed with a text and I pulled it out to read Nicholas's apology.

Sorry, mate. Dance a Canadian barn dance for me.

He's been in meetings all day again, and I guess this one went just as late. I almost brought Lana, but she's out with friends and I didn't want to bother her. I had thought of keeping to the shadows, but then the couple next to me asked if I wanted to join and I couldn't help myself.

Now I'm standing in front of Kennedy, staring at her flushed cheeks and her hair messy and slightly sticky from perspiration and I grin.

"Fancy meeting you here," I say.

"Does Edinburgh deal in restraining orders?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. Her face is stern, but there's a gleam of something in her eye and I feel myself responding to it.

"I'm fine, thank you, Kennedy. How are you?" I ask.

Kennedy rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed, and places one hand on her hip as she stares at me. "Why must you be everywhere I am?"

"Just lucky, I guess."

She huffs at that, and I'm trying hard not to keep grinning like an idiot. She's flustered in that adorable way where I can tell she wants to be mad at me, but she also doesn't have a reason.

"I invited him," Parker speaks up with a little smirk.

I look over at Kennedy's companions for the first time with a greeting. "Good evening, ladies," I say, nodding at the two girls. Kennedy twists around to glare at Parker and apparently, I'm not the only recipient of that stern look. "I don't think we've had the pleasure to be properly introduced?" I smile at the blonde girl and she returns it.

"I'm Lily."

"Don't be nice to him," Kennedy says and I turn my attention back to her.

"Now, didn't anyone ever teach you good manners?" I ask and she huffs a little.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you it's not nice to stalk people?"

"You're really stuck on this stalking thing," I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "Is that an American thing?"

Maybe I should be nicer, but I don’t resist the impulse to rile her up just a little.

"Edinburgh is not that small," she says, "It's a single-woman kind of a thing."

The urge to say you don't have to be single is so strong I have to bite the inside of my lip, but I really don't think she'll be receptive to that right now. I go for the argument that she can't really argue with instead.

"Parker invited me."

"I—" Parker starts to say something, but Kennedy is already grabbing her and Lily's hands and hauling them away. I want to follow, but I don't. Lily throws a little wave over her shoulder and I grin. I think the smart thing to do here would be to let Parker handle this.

Those three have gotten close in the short time they've been together and as someone who also came to a city where he knew no one, I'm happy for them. It's a rare find when you meet your people, and it seems like that's what has happened with these three.

I watch Kennedy's back as she says something to the girls, and I walk over to where I left my water bottle to take a swig. The instructor is already talking about the next dance and I watch as Lily shakes her head and then pulls the girls back onto the dance floor. Which means, of course, I follow.