Epilogue

Wicked Good Apples was a sensation. They were so busy they had to hire on four new staffers. Missy’s merchandise store needed another two, and she was planning on opening the barn off-season for spooky wedding ceremonies, which would require even more help. It was a far cry from their pre-ghost break-even model, so they started The Apple Education Corp. to teach kids how to work the land and grow orchards. They also planned to fund scholarships for children living with extended family members. Balance was important.

“You can get married on Halloween!” Missy squealed from behind the counter as Holly rang up a purchase of pie filling.

Holly took the customer’s card and couldn’t help admiring the way the light from the window caught the sparkle of the black diamond ring on her left hand before she swiped the card through the reader. “No way, Missy. Practice your hosting skills on someone else.”

Missy huffed but smiled at the customer before she returned her attention to Holly. “Well, when are you going to have the ceremony?”

Connor walked into the barn store at that moment and ducked behind the counter. He slid an arm around Holly’s waist and pressed a quick kiss to her temple. “How’s it going?”

“Missy wants to know when we’re getting married.”

Holly leaned her head back on his chest and felt his voice vibrate when he said, “Holly was thinking December 1 st . She could make an offering and wear her frost crown, which she assures me is adorable.”

“Oh, it totally is,” Missy confirmed with a nod. “We’re named after the winter season, so we’re legit adorable as fuck in those crowns.” Missy noted the woman with two kids browsing at the back of the store and winced. “I mean, adorable as bang-bang.”

“Barely better,” Holly said. She turned to Connor. “Did they love it?”

He grinned down at her with those gray eyes that Holly would never get enough of. “Yeah, they loved the proposal.”

Missy popped a bubble of gum and hopped on the counter. “What proposal?”

“Connor wants to investigate hauntings in the West Virginian mountains and write a book on them. We think it could be a nice honeymoon this spring.”

“Ugh, gag. You guys are so cute you kill me.” Missy waved to a group of teens walking in. They spotted Connor and began squealing and shoving each other and hissing, “No you ask for a selfie.”

“Well, that’s my cue to go put out more sweatshirts and PopSockets,” Missy said, sliding off the counter. “They’re selling like hotcakes.”

The teens approached Connor, and Holly gave him a wink before heading into the back to pull out more stock. At this rate they were going to run out of everything but apples by the time October came.

When she returned half an hour later, the store was empty save for Connor behind the counter, and Stacy, who was dressed in a tight skirt and sequin-studded heels, browsing the display of apple jellies. Stacy frowned with pain a split second before Holly appeared, but when she spotted Holly, she smiled.

“Stopping by to see how it’s done?” Holly asked.

“Hardly,” Stacy sniffed, but it was a far cry from the animosity that had existed between them when Holly had visited The Apple Dream all those months ago. Since Councilman Miller, the two had become almost friends, texting weekly, if not daily. “Actually, my brothers and I wanted to invite you to a Witch council meeting. We think it would be good for our kinds to communicate in a more official capacity. Are your aunts around?”

Connor splayed a hand on Holly’s hip when she leaned against his side, trying to hide her nausea. “No, they left last week,” she said. “They’re traveling across New England to connect with other Wickeds and rediscover their roots. They’ve promised to be back in time for our wedding. I think the council meeting sounds like a great idea. I’ll run it past Missy and Winter. Are you coming to the wedding?”

Stacy rubbed her temples and took a step back, fractionally easing both of their ailments. “I don’t know how long I’ll last, but I wouldn’t miss it.”

The back door rocked open, and Winter appeared, a toolbelt cinched around her waist and a pair of gloves tucked into her back pocket. When she spotted Stacy, she blanched and covered her mouth as if she were going to vomit.

Stacy took another step back, her heels clacking on the barnwood. “Text you later?”

“Only if you stop sending me cat memes.”

“I’m a Witch. So, never.”

Holly laughed as Stacy executed a perfect turn on her heel and strutted out the door.

Winter grabbed a bottle of water from the small cooler they kept behind the counter. “She coming to the wedding?”

“Yeah. I’m a little surprised, though. It won’t be comfortable for her, but I’ll seat her as far away from us as possible.”

“I’m not surprised.” Winter drank deeply and wiped the back of her hand over her mouth. “You two give us all hope.”

Connor’s lips grazed Holly’s temple as she lifted a brow. “How’s that?”

“You make the rest of us believe that someday, someone could love us the way we are. Wicked and all.” Her cheeks flushed the moment the words escaped her lips, as if she were mortified by her own vulnerability.

Holly looked up and met Connor’s loving gray eyes, then reached over and squeezed her sister’s arm. “You know what, Win? I think there’s a wicked good chance of that.”