Page 23 of A Witch in Notting Hill

“Our next stop.”

The slow smile that spread across her face was worth every minute of chaos. And worth doing what I had to do to get us into the building.

I fired off a text to Minho as we got back on the Tube, saying a silent prayer he wouldn’t ask too many questions.

Need a favor. Think you can get us into the Islington North Creative Arts building?

His response came in as soon as we reached the next stop.

Minho:Who’s we?

Me:Don’t play dumb.

Minho:Yes to the building. But you know we can’t do this without telling Lola.

Me:Is that really something I know?

Minho:Don’t play dumb.

Me:Fine. But I swear to god, she better not make this a thing.

I closed out of the text thread and leaned my head back against the train window.

“Everything okay?” Willow asked. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I just... I know this building. The one where the auctioneer is. My friend Minho is an architect and he did some work on the building a few years ago, and he still has a key fob, so he can get us in.”

“That’s great! Is it not? Why does your face look like that?”

“Because it means Minho is going to tell Lola, and Lola is, well, she’s—”

“A girlfriend?”

“A fan.”

“Ah.” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the look on her face was something strangely like relief. Since when was she relieved about fans? “Well, we have to do what we have to do, right? As long as she isn’t the crazy kind.”

“As a person, she’s insane. But as a fan, I’m sure she’ll keep herself in check.”Because I’ll threaten her within an inch of her life, I refrained from adding aloud. I loved Lo, but if she added any stress to this situation, we were going to have a problem.

Though I had to admit, the thought of having my friends on board was oddly comforting, so long as they behaved. The harder it got to find this stupid book, the more relieved I was to be calling in the reserves. I hoped Islington would be the last stop, but judging by how the day had gone so far, I knew better than to get my hopes up.

Interstitial

@rachdeanareads822:has anyone heard from Willow James since she didn’t show at the Solstice Party? #WhereIsWillowJames

@redspringmedia:Sources say she was spotted on the Tube in London this week. Reps have yet to comment. #WIWJ

@miamimanda_:when r we getting the willow james kit hayes movie??? r they filming yet???

Chapter 11

Willow

“Willow, this is Minho and Lola. Minho and Lola, this is Willow.” Oliver gestured impatiently for us to shake hands, hug, do whatever we had to do to get the pleasantries out of the way so that we could get on with the show.

“Pleasure,” Minho said, shaking my hand with a firmness that did not match the goofy smile spreading across his face.

“I’m a hugger,” Lola said, pulling me in before I could protest. Not that I would have. Something about her was so disarming there was a chance I made the first move and hugged her myself. “Sorry, was that too much? People probably try to hug you all the time. I just didn’t want to do anything out of the ordinary for me, because Oliver said to be normal, so—”