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June 16 - June 17, 2025
To us! To our friendship. And to the algorithm that knew we were meant to find each other!
There were many productive, rational ways to use my magic. Summoning the ghost of my ex-girlfriend on the anniversary of our breakup wasn’t one of them.
Was this the outfit she’d died in? Had she been relegated to an immortality of wearing the lesbian staple outfit of chunky shoes and cargo pants?
“This is the gayest thing we’ve ever done, by the way,” she said. “Summoning me from the afterlife to have one more long talk about our feelings.”
“You summoned me here to help you, whether you meant to or not.” She bounced on the balls of her feet and smiled again. “And I can’t leave until I fulfill that wish.” “I made no wish!” “You did.” “No, no, no.” My eyes frantically searched the room. “I just wanted to clear the air, not have you become some fucked-up otherworldly dating service!” Her grin turned foxlike as she looked me over. “This is going to be fun.”
“See, the thing is, this town . . . Maple Hollow . . . is . . . special,” she said. “They’re not pretending. Magic is real, and a lot of magical creatures live here.”
“You’re seriously watching me sleep?” “You’re the one who summoned me, okay? And on the one-year anniversary of our breakup too,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Once we get that stick out of your ass, we are going to find you a new girlfriend. Not as amazing as me, but let’s be real, no one could be.”
“That’s what you get for disturbing my eternal rest without clear intentions. Think of it as a learning experience and a ghostly dating service.”
“I summoned a spirit last night,” I admitted. Ugh. Is this my punishment for breaking up with her? Karma is a bitch. “What, nothing good on Netflix?” Iris taunted.
“There’s not exactly a bevy of queer women floating about town. I can’t just snap my fingers and have one stumble through the door.” At that very moment, a girl in sage-green overalls covered by a familiar apron walked in the door. She had a shaggy wolf cut, a nose ring, and a bisexual pride flag pinned to her jean jacket.
“Jordyn,” I echoed. The name suited her. She had a smart, bookish, and—maybe I was overreaching—slightly queer vibe, like an Oxford professor and a Chapstick lesbian had a baby. God, I really hoped she was gay. That would be amazing. Move to a new town. Find a hot girl. Who was a literal witch. Perfect.
“Maybe she’ll cast a love spell on me. She can’t turn me into a newt or something, can she?”
“Going on one date seemed like a weird marker of helping a ghost pass over.”
“Well, uh, let me know if you need any help with the investigation,” Harlow said. “I’m not a very good sleuth, but I can supply the coffee and donuts.”
“Would investigating your death count as a date?”
Jordyn chuckled. “Your sister knows about us then?” I fought the smile pulling my lips up at the way she said “us.” As if after one date, we were already a couple. As if there were an “us” after a single kiss. God, I loved women. In two more dates, I would be ready to adopt a cat with her. Instead of professing my love or proposing, I just answered, “She knows.”
“Fuck it,”
“I’ll be there, caffeine and croissants in hand,”
This witch and I had gone on one single date and I was already ready to jump her bones. Fuck. Maybe I should book the U-Haul now . . .
Who expects someone to help solve a paranormal murder after one date? I was rethinking inviting her, but then she took my hand in hers. Our fingers interlocked and squeezed.
“Goddess, does every girl in this town have a boner for you?” Lou snarked. “You've got even the fishmonger all doe-eyed.”
“Oh, come on, don’t be a prude.” Lou let out a light chuckle. “There’s nothing more definitive in a relationship than the first big O.” “Please don’t let that be the thing that makes you pass over.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and looked at Iris. “Be grateful you can’t hear what she’s saying.”
“You fit with me.”
“You make sense to me,”
“I’m going to make you feel so good, little witch,”
“So you were only dating me to get rid of the ghost of your ex? God, that feels weird to say out loud.”
“Jordyn is meant to be with her own kind,” Juniper hissed. “A paranormal.” “Dear God, tell me this isn’t all because you’re jealous?”
“How long have I been out?” “A whole day,” she said. “Nearly taken out by Juniper’s surprise pocket fish.”
“I was nearly murdered. Willow was poisoned. The café is a mess. And the ghost of your ex-girlfriend threw me against a wall while I was still naked after we hooked up. And it’s just . . . a lot.”
“So you’ve been secretly coming here to pet my cat?” I asked with a half smile. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Not having you riding my face for the next hour would be the only tragic thing to come from tonight.” Her eyes crinkled with a surprised laugh. “Ambitious tonight.” “We’ve taken it pretty slow. I mean, I don’t even know what names you have picked out for our future kids yet. We have a lot of ground to cover.” That earned me a full belly laugh and a poke to the ribs. “Should I book the U-Haul?”
