Page 51 of Wishing for a Werewolf

They break into laughter.

“I’m happy for you.” Hannah wraps an arm around me in a sideways hug.

Skye joins in from the other side. “Me too.”

“Thanks. I really like him. And he seems really into me. He’s been drawing me and stuff.”

Skye lets out an excited squeal. “That’s so romantic!”

“I know!” Warmth fills me at the thought. “It’s so effing nice to have a guy really care!” I’d love to say I forgot what it’s like, but none of the guys I dated ever did anything this special.

The rest of the Witch Bitches pour through the front door of I Touch My Shelf in a rush, hurrying over to gather in front of the cupcakes and cocktails.

“We’re going full fall tonight.” I wave a hand toward the drinks. “I’ve made pumpkin spice latte cocktails. If you think you hate PSLs, no, you don’t! Try this one.”

Kayla looks over at me and rolls her eyes, but I see the smile tugging at her lips.

“And I made pumpkin spice cupcakes to match,” Skye says.

Babybelle dances around my feet. “I want one!”

“Too much sugar, remember?” I pull a ziplock bag outof one of my canvas totes. “I brought you goat cookies. Butternut is just like pumpkin! You’re basically having the same thing.”

“No!” She stomps a little hoof. “I want what you’re having!”

“Ilovebutternut,” Hannah says, grabbing one of the goat cookies and pretending to take a nibble.

“Hey!” My familiar headbutts her calf. “That’s mine!”

My friend puts the cookie back. “Well, if you’re sure you want them…”

“I do!” The mini-goat spins in a circle in front of me, looking up at me the whole time. “I want them!”

I mouth a thank you to Hannah for her excellent use of reverse psychology. Then I lean over and give Babybelle one of her special cookies. “You get one now and one at the end of the meeting if you’re good.”

She snatches the treat from my hand and finishes it off in two quick bites.

In that short amount of respite, I grab a cupcake and cocktail and sink onto one of the sofas. The first bit of cake is moist perfection, the forward taste of cinnamon and ginger mellowed by the fruity sweetness of the pumpkin. “Mmm, Skye. These are divine.”

“I asked Aunt Betty to borrow her recipe,” my friend says. Her grandmother used to be the town baker, and before she passed, she gave everyone in the family one of her secret recipes. Skye got the famous vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting, which are great year round, but these PSL ones bring the perfect touch of fall coziness to our meeting.

“Ooh, girlfriend, this is good.” Jasmine toasts me with her cup.

I take a sip of my cocktail, letting the spicy coffee flavor roll over my tongue. I used my normal cinnamon crunch cereal milk in it, adding espresso vodka and pumpkin spice syrup.

“Itisgood,” Violeta says. “You should get the orcs to make these at the pub.”

“It’s not bad,” Kayla admits, which is the equivalent of a declaration of excellence from anyone else. Her purple slogan T-shirt reads:I’m not really here. You’re so obsessed you’re dreaming me.

“Can I have some?” Babybelle jumps up to put her front hooves on my knee, straining forward to smell my drink. “Please?”

“Nope, no tipsy little goats tonight.”

“But—”

I distract her by pulling out a chew treat, and she snatches it from my hand and starts destroying it.

“Tough enough for big dogs, my ass,” I mutter and take another sip.