Chapter 25

Indigo Easton lookedout at all the people milling around the Midsummer Festival and felt a surge of pride for her sister and Braxton. She was well aware that Cassandra had majorly dropped the ball on planning the event, but no one would be the wiser. Everything had gone as smooth as silk, and it appeared that not only was everyone having a great time, but her grandmother had raised quite a bit of money for the youth witch summer program she was so passionate about.

The booth Indigo was manning wasn't doing too shabby either. To be fair, Brooms that Vroom always did well at witch festivals, but this was something else. They'd nearly sold out of the junior brooms, and all the rentals she'd allocated for the weekend had been reserved. She'd need to do something nice for Lily as a thank you. Without her, the shop wouldn't have gotten this influx of cash, and Indigo wouldn't be mentally planning the mini kitchen remodel she'd dreamed of. She was dying for some quartz countertops and a new refrigerator.

"Hey, sis," Prim said as she handed Indigo an iced latte. "Need a break?"

"You're a goddess," she said as she took the drink. "It's been crazy busy here."

Prim glanced around at the picked-over inventory and said, "I can see that. The yarn tent isn't doing too terrible either. This morning was crazy when we released the special edition witchery skeins, but it's slowed down now, and Vivian's got it handled."

"Are you sure you have time to man my booth for a few minutes?" Indigo asked, not wanting to overload her sister. Prim was always the one going out of her way to help everyone else. She didn't want to take advantage.

"Sure. When you get back, I'll let Vivian head out to enjoy the festival. Not many people are interested in fiber when it's pushing eighty-five degrees." Prim gave her sister a little nudge. "Go on. Check it out. I'll text you if I need anything."

Indigo gave her sister a quick hug and kissed her on top of the head. "You're the best."

"I know." Prim gave her a cheeky grin and then turned to start straightening a row of brooms that Indigo had just straightened ten minutes ago.

With an amused laugh, Indigo headed for the corn hole competition and watched as August and Sage played a friendly match. When her sister annihilated him, Indigo pumped her fist into the air and let out a whoop of approval. Sage bowed and then hugged August as they both laughed.

Lily strolled up and leaned against the railing. "Interested in getting your butt kicked?"

Indigo chuckled. "Not particularly."

"How about gossiping about that sexy guy staring at you?" she asked as she jerked her head toward Niko and then pumped her eyebrows suggestively.

"Also not interested." Indigo turned her back on Niko so she wouldn't encourage him staring at her.

"He's a good guy," Lily said as if Indigo didn't already know that.

"That's not the problem, and you know it."

Lily gave her a sympathetic smile. "Isn't it though?"

Indigo ground her teeth together. "I really don't want to talk about this. It's too nice a day to dwell on things we can't change. Besides, we should be talking about you and Braxton. I heard you had an official date the other night. How'd it go?"

Lily turned and scanned the crowd until she found Braxton, who was helping at the kayak rentals. "It was perfect," she said with a sigh. "Just perfect."

"Good goddess. That sounds like wedding bells and babies are in your future," Indigo said, sounding horrified.

"Wedding bells, maybe. I wouldn't say no. But babies?" She grimaced at her sister. "No. But I am scouting out a puppy. That's enough baby for me."

Indigo wasn't surprised that Lily wasn't thinking about having kids. Prim was the only one who seemed to really have a desire for a family. For the rest of them, babies didn't seem to be in the cards. At least not any time soon.

And especially not for Indigo. She'd thought that was her future once. But then everything had gone to hell with the person she thought she was going to marry. And now, she was content to run her shop and go on the occasional date, but nothing serious.

"Uh-oh. Here he comes," Lily said and then ran off, giving her sister a finger wave.

She scowled at Lily, mentally cursing her for abandoning her in her time of need. Not that she needed Lily exactly, but she could've used a buffer. Ever since she'd learned that Niko was law enforcement, she'd done her best to keep her distance.

"You were right," Niko said.

"Of course I was," Indigo said with a cheeky smile. "About what this time?"

He laughed and pulled out the book she'd given him. "Cozy mystery, at least the kind written by Jana DeLeon, is excellent. Funny and a well-crafted mystery. I've already purchased the next book in the series."

"I won't say I told you so, but…" She winked at him, hating that she enjoyed bantering with him so much.

"You told me so." His eyes were full of humor when he said, "Now I owe you that romantic dinner. Are you free later this week?"

"I really don't?—"

"You're not going to cheat me out of paying up on my bet, are you?"

She peered at him and had to give him credit. He was working hard for this date. She knew that Lily had warned him that she didn't date law enforcement, and she had good reasons for that policy. Ones she hadn't forgotten. But how could she resist a man who had her same taste in books? "No. I guess not. But this date better include a trip to the bookstore."

His lips turned up into a sexy half-smile. "Dinner, bookstore, and a moonlit stroll. How's Wednesday sound?"

It was her day off, a fact he probably knew all too well.

"I'll even throw in a horseback ride on the beach," he teased, making her laugh.

When they'd met in Florida, the one thing she said she never wanted to do was horseback riding on the beach. She'd said it was the epitome of cheese. He'd countered that cheese was what made the world go around, and when she lost a bet to him, he'd taken her on a midnight horseback ride on the beach. Unfortunately, her horse decided to buck her off into the waves, and he'd had to concede that it was, in fact, the most unromantic date to ever exist.

But then he'd taken her back to her hotel. And after one night in bed together, the horseback ride had been utterly forgotten.

"Skip the horseback ride. Dinner, bookstore, and a midnight kayak ride," she said. "That's a lot more romantic than a stroll."

"You're on." He reached out and took her hand in his, held it for a beat longer than necessary, and then slowly let it drop before he walked away.

Indigo watched him and pressed her hand to her stomach, trying and failing to calm the butterflies.

"Did you just say yes to a date with Niko?" Lily asked, appearing out of nowhere.

Indigo nodded and hung her head. What had she just done?

* * *

Get the next book in the series: The Witch's Lost Spell, Witches of Befana Bay book 3.