Page 5 of Rise of the Witch (Witches of Keating Hollow #17)

The two women took their seats. Hanna arrived again and took their coffee orders. And then once Hanna was gone, Sadie leaned in and said, “Tell me everything.”

“Everything what?” Imogen asked.

Imogen Thane was the event planner at the Pelsh winery, and Melissa had become friendly with her through their connection.

“I spent the night at Briggs’s last night,” Melissa said, choosing to just come out with it. If she couldn’t tell her friends, what was the point, right?

Imogen raised both eyebrows. “I thought you were looking for Mr. Right, not Mr. Right now.”

“I am, but…” She shrugged. “He needed me to do him a favor, and then one thing led to another and…”

“You slept with him, didn’t you?” Sadie said with a gleam in her eyes. “How was it?”

“Sadie,” Melissa said as she glanced around the café. “I’m not one to kiss and tell.”

“Since when?” Sadie challenged.

Melissa didn’t even have an argument. It was true that she pretty much told Sadie everything.

They had been best friends forever, after all.

But this time, she wasn’t sure she wanted to share the details.

That was something that was just between her and Briggs.

“Let’s just say we had a nice night and leave it at that. ”

Sadie narrowed her eyes at her. “How nice of a night?”

“A very nice night,” Melissa relented. “But it was just one night. Now it’s done. Briggs won’t need me as a buffer anymore, and everything can go back to the way it was before.”

“You mean before you agreed to be his fake fiancée because his ex-situationship showed up? The one that will be here for a few months? Because you don’t think he’s going to pull on that thread again?” Sadie asked.

“Whoa. Wait just a minute,” Imogen demanded, waving her hands in the air, making her dark curly blond hair bounce around her face. “I feel like I missed something.”

Melissa quickly explained the situation and then picked up her phone to search Kassie’s social media. Once she was on her IG page, she handed the phone to Imogen. “This is who he’s dealing with. You can see why he panicked and begged me to help him out.”

Imogen shook her head. “Why are some men like this? He’s the type who’ll sleep with anyone, and then when they turn out to be more than he can handle, he turns to another woman to save him.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Melissa said. “But he claims she wasn’t this bad before she started getting a taste of fame. I suppose I can believe that. Fame does weird things to some people.”

“Yeah it does,” Sadie said. “Thankfully, King is only really interested in the music, not being chased by every crazed fan that recognizes him.”

Melissa shuddered slightly as she remembered the women who had practically stalked King all over town not that long ago. Why anyone would want to live like that was beyond her.

“Listen, now that King and I are going to be in town for a while, I was thinking maybe we could plan a group get-together. Card night maybe?” Sadie asked.

“All this traveling has really made me miss home and everyone here. I just want to spend as much time as possible doing normal things. What do you two think? Are you in?”

Melissa beamed at her. “I’d love that. Who else would you invite?”

“I was thinking Grayson and Amelia.” Sadie turned to Imogen. “You and Shaun of course. If your sister and Cash are around, they’d be welcome, too. And then there’s Briggs. Can’t leave him out.”

Melissa groaned. “Awkward.”

“You said the night went well,” Sadie countered. “Come on. He’s King’s best friend. I can’t just have a card night and not invite him.”

“I suppose,” Melissa said, though her cheeks were already heating with embarrassment.

What if Briggs acted like nothing happened?

Or worse, brought someone with him? She pushed the thoughts out of her head and asked, “Where are you gonna host this shindig?

Your place? Your table only sits six people.

“I can host,” Imogen said. “I’ve got a recipe for a stew that will feed an army.

And there’s plenty of space at my new place.

I’ve been wanting to do a test run in the refurbished barn that I plan to rent out for events.

” Imogen had recently put a down payment on a small house on the edge of town that came with five acres and a barn that she’d been working to renovate for event space.

As an event planner, it was the perfect property for her.

Melissa and Sadie shared a quick look, and then they both nodded and said, “Yes!”

Imogen laughed. “That didn’t take much convincing.”

Sadie shrugged. “Neither of us are exactly the best cooks. But we’re really good at desserts. Let us handle that, okay?”

“You’re on,” Imogen said.

Melissa sat back in her chair, thoroughly enjoying the impromptu meetup with her friends.

It wasn’t often she got to do this. With her work schedule and Sadie out on the road so often, performing her new song, she’d been spending a lot of time on her couch.

Some girl time was exactly what she needed.

After chatting and laughing for an hour, Sadie looked at her watch and said, “I know we’ve been downing the coffee, but is anyone ready for a real lunch?”

“I am,” Melissa said, her stomach rumbling at the mere thought of actual food. Her waffle was long gone.

“I’m in. Where to?” Imogen asked.

“Mystyk Pizza?” Sadie asked. “I am absolutely craving their pesto chicken and olive pizza. I don’t know what they put in that sauce, but my mouth is watering just thinking about it.”

“Mystyk Pizza it is,” Imogen said as she stood. “They have the best cheese bread within a hundred miles.”

“You can say that again,” Melissa said. “We’ll probably need a double order.”

“But what will you two eat?” Sadie teased as she threw some money on the table for a tip.

Melissa did the same, and her heart was full as she followed her two friends out of the café.