Page 49 of Wishing for a Werewolf

I feel like I’m dancing on clouds as I work all day. Even though it’s Sunday, someone always has to milk the goats and check on them. We have a little more leeway with the soap-making side of the business, so Mom and I pitch in and help with the animals whenever Steve has a day off.

The sun drops toward the trees in the west by the time I take one last walk through the south pasture before heading home. A crisp breeze carries the scent of fallen leaves and pine from the nearby forest, mixed with the muskier scent of goats.

Cheddar trots over, nuzzling against me with her butterscotch-brown head, part affection, part trying to smellif I’ve got treats in my pockets.

Babybelle spots me and races across the field, Mozzarella giving chase, the solid-white kid bouncing as high as my familiar.

“Did you have fun?” I lean over to scratch around Babybelle’s ears. As much as I love her, I don’t try to keep her with me 24/7. Goats need lots of space to run and play, and as herd animals, they also need the company of other goats.

“I did!” She bounces on her front hooves. “Though Mozzarella’s already getting bigger than me.”

“She’ll be as big as her mom by next year.” I point to Gouda.

“Then who will I play with?”

It’s a good question. Part of downsizing the farm when we changed over to soap means keeping a smaller herd. We breed the goats to keep them producing milk, but we can’t expand constantly.

I pick Babybelle up and cuddle her to me as I head for my cottage. “Do you want me to get another pygmy goat to be your friend?”

“Will they be able to talk to me like we do?”

“No, sweetie. They’ll be a normal goat like Mozzarella, only they’ll stay around your size.”

“I want a friend like me who can talk!” Her ears droop.

“That’s asking a lot.” I give her a soft smile. “Only one animal in the whole wide world is special enough to be my familiar, and that’s you.”

“Me! Me! Me!” Her ears perk up. “I’m special!”

“You sure are.” I kiss her soft forehead.

“Will it be a girlfriend goat or a boyfriend goat?”

“Huh. I hadn’t thought about it. You’ve got some growing to do before we start thinking about boyfriends.” At least another year, possibly two. “But is that something you might want? To have babies?”

“I don’t know! Will they play with me?”

“If they’re your babies, I’m sure they will. They’ll also want all of your treats. You’ll have to share.”

“No babies!” She sticks her legs straight out in protest.

I laugh. Greedy little thing. But it’s the perfect answer for her. One of the reasons I picked her is because she’s even smaller than most pygmy goats, and her owner had marked her as unsuitable for breeding.

Inside the cottage, I give her one of the edible blueberry dental chew treats I bought for her. They’re made for dogs, but the ingredients are fine for goats. “Let me know when you finish one, and I’ll give you another. But don’t eat it just to eat it. This isn’t food—it’s to give you something to chew.”

Instead of agreeing, she snatches it from me and scampers into the living room.

Why do I have the feeling we’re going to go through the first few of them quickly, no matter what I say? Chuckling, I shake my head, wash my hands, and start soaking cereal in milk for tonight’s cocktails.

A Witch Bitch Spicy Book Club meeting is exactly what I need. With my whole coven working on the problem, I know we’ll solve it.

Once Operation Wish Swap is a success, Rune and I can start dating for real.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Autumn

“Remember, you promised. No chewing!” I stare down at Babybelle before opening the door of I Touch My Shelf. “Especially not the books.”