Page 6 of Rise of the Witch (Witches of Keating Hollow #17)

“Pizza?” Kassie complained as she followed Briggs into Mystyk Pizza. “You expect me to eat that and then go sing later?”

“You don’t have to follow me,” Briggs grumbled. “There are other restaurants on this street. The Cozy Cave is right over there. The brewery isn’t that far. Or if you want your tea, Incantation Café is close by too. But if that’s too much trouble for you, this place does have salads.”

She sighed heavily. “I suppose salad is fine. As long as the dressing isn’t full of fat.”

“You’d have to ask the server,” he said, trying to keep the irritation out of his tone.

They’d had a slow start that morning. First they’d been late due to the truck breaking down, then there’d been an equipment issue.

Finally, when they’d gotten around to putting down the tracks of Kassie’s first song, she and Austin had butted heads on the production.

Kassie wanted to sing it as an up-tempo pop song, while Austin thought it was better as a soft, stripped-down version.

Briggs usually didn’t get involved during the creative stage. He was the tech guy who sat behind the boards and tried his damnedest to give the client what they were looking for. But Kassie kept pulling him into it and demanding his opinion.

He hadn’t been amused. And even less so when he’d had to side with her. The song was good both ways, but the upbeat, poppy version sounded like the kind of song that would get a lot of air play.

That was when Austin had glared at him and then kicked them out for lunch and said they’d regroup when they got back. Briggs didn’t particularly enjoy pissing off his boss.

“Hey, look who’s here,” a familiar voice said from behind Briggs.

He turned and spotted Sadie, Imogen Thane, and Melissa. A smile stretched across his face as he stared at Melissa, remembering how it felt to wake up with her in his arms.

“Perfect. Just perfect,” Kassie muttered.

Briggs ignored her and went over to slip his arm around Melissa’s shoulders and brush a kiss across her cheek. “Are you stalking me?” he teased.

“You wish,” she said, leaning into him.

He tightened his grip on her and said a silent prayer to the gods for saving him from having to spend his lunch hour alone with Kassie Kinny.

“A table for five?” the waiter asked as he started grabbing menus.

“Yes,” Briggs said before anyone else could chime in.

“Right this way.” The waiter took off, weaving through the tables.

Briggs released Melissa but placed his hand on the small of her back as he led her through the restaurant.

She leaned in. “Looks like we arrived just in time.”

“I owe you big,” he whispered.

“I’ll collect later.” She smirked at him.

He’d make certain of it.

“Okay, lovebirds,” Sadie called, humor dancing in her eyes. “That’s enough. Some of us are here to eat.”

Kassie sat in the chair at the end of the table and turned so that she wasn’t facing any of them.

Briggs knew that meant she was uncomfortable, but he made no effort to try and sooth her ruffled feathers. She’d barged into his life the night before like a Tasmanian devil with zero care for how it affected him. If she wanted to remove herself from the situation, she could just get up and leave.

They all took their seats, and after they ordered, Imogen turned to Kassie. “So, I hear you’re a singer.”

Kassie nodded. “Yeah. I’m here making an album.”

“That’s exciting. I’ll have to look you up.” Imogen pulled her phone out and started tapping on it. A moment later, she said, “There you are. I just added your previous album to my playlist. I’ll check it out on my way to my afternoon appointment.”

Kassie perked up and beamed at her. “That’s so nice. I hope you like it.”

“Me, too,” Imogen said.

“What event are you working on now?” Melissa asked Imogen.

Briggs sat back and listened to the conversation, feeling slightly ashamed.

It hadn’t taken much at all for Imogen to coax out a human response from Kassie, though Briggs had noted that she’d done it by appealing to her ego.

Still, if he wanted to get through the next weeks or months of working with her, he should probably learn to find a way to smooth her edges.

“A birthday party for Miss Maple’s niece. As you can imagine, she has a lot of surprises in store,” Imogen said.

“You plan kids’ birthday parties?” Kassie asked her, looking slightly horrified.

Briggs could relate to Kassie’s reaction. While he liked kids fine, he couldn’t imagine having to wrangle an entire party of them.

Imogen chuckled. “Yes, among other things. I’m actually a wedding planner, but I do other events to supplement my income.”

“Oh.” She cast a quick glance at Briggs before averting her eyes. “I guess you’re planning their wedding then, too?”

Briggs opened his mouth to say they hadn’t started any planning yet, but Sadie cut him off.

“Yes. Isn’t it great? We just spent all morning at Incantation Café going over the details.” Sadie clutched at Melissa’s arm. “I can’t wait to plan the bachelorette party.”

Melissa glared at her friend, and Briggs instantly knew that Sadie was putting on a show for Kassie. They hadn’t done any planning. Sadie just wanted to needle the singer.

He was all in for that plan. He grinned at Sadie as he said, “You and King will have to coordinate the date so that my bachelor party is the same night.”

Melissa gave him a wide-eyed look, and he had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing.

“Did you decide on a venue? How about the entertainment?” Briggs asked Melissa. “Are Sadie and King singing?”

“Now that’s a perfect idea!” Sadie exclaimed, having way too much fun with the fake wedding. “Maybe we’ll even write you lovebirds your own song.”

“Stop,” Melissa said, chuckling. “Now you’re just being too much.”

“It’s never too much for my bestie,” Sadie teased.

“Right,” Melissa said dryly. “Did you already set up an appointment at Magic and Lace?”

“Oh my goddess, did you see that new dress they have in the display window, Mels?” Sadie asked. “It’s perfect for you. Just perfect.”

Melissa’s expression softened as she smiled wistfully. “Yeah, I did. It’s like an updated version of the one my grandmother is wearing in that old photo I have.”

As Briggs watched her, he suddenly had a vision of her walking down the aisle… toward him. The flutter of anticipation that rippled through his chest was enough to sober him. Was he really having thoughts of marrying Melissa? He swallowed the lump in his throat and lightly coughed.

“Uh-oh,” Melissa said, her eyes twinkling. “I think we might be freaking him out. Quick, someone change the subject before I end up with a runaway groom.”

“Very funny,” Briggs muttered.

“Kassie,” Imogen said, turning to her. “Where are you staying while you’re in town? Did you find a room at the inn? Or did you decide to go with a short-term rental?”

“Neither, I’m staying with Briggs. We’re… old friends,” Kassie said.

“Oh, I thought…” Imogen trailed off as she looked between Briggs and Kassie.

Briggs felt his blood pressure rise. The very idea of spending even another night with her under his roof made his entire body tense.

He’d never make it if he had to spend all day and every night with her around.

She was just too much for him. He’d lose his ever-loving mind.

He stared Kassie down as he spoke. “We were going to find her alternate accommodations over lunch.”

“Is that what we were going to do?” Kassie shot back. “What about my… ah, limited funds issue.”

“We’ll work it out,” he said. “I already said you can pay me back when the big bucks start to roll in.”

Melissa, Sadie, and Imogen watched the debate like they were at a tennis match.

All three of them were staring at Kassie when she said, “I won’t take a handout. Especially from you. Not after the way you just ghosted me.”

“And mooching off my hospitality isn’t taking a handout?” he shot back. “It’s a loan. Not a handout.”

“I’ve already moved in. There’s no need to move again. I’m perfectly fine where I am. Even if I do have to listen to your pathetic porno moans all night.”

Briggs’s magic was back, zapping through his veins, making him feel as if he were going to come right out of his skin.

“Porno moans?” Sadie asked Melissa.

Melissa shushed her.

“It’s not my fault you muscled your way into my house,” Briggs said through clenched teeth.

“You know, it’s weird,” Kassie said casually. “I didn’t used to mind those pathetic noises you made when it was me in your bed. I must have been really desperate?—”

There was a loud bang, followed by rain magically coming down right there inside Mystyk Pizza.

Briggs stared at the smoke coming from his fingertips. Horrified, he said, “I think lunch is ruined.”