Page 55 of A Witch in Notting Hill

“I’m sure.”

“Well, then,” she said, and clapped. “Should we go find dinner while the mint soaks?”

“I thought we’d all just stay in here, actually. Plenty of space. Maybe get a bit of room service, check out the hotel bar...” Minho said, unable to suppress a smile.

“We get it,” Oliver snapped. “Would you rather have driven back to the city tonight, then? Come back first thing in the morning just to drink the tea?”

“Touché,” Min said, pushing past Oliver and out the door before he could see Min roll his eyes.

“Tough crowd,” I whispered.

“You’re telling me,” he said. “Willow, honestly, if you aren’t okay with this, please speak now. We all practically lived together like this in uni, and we’re used to shitty houseshares, but we were strangers to you not too long ago, and I’m sure you’re used to much nicer accommodations...”

“Oliver,” I said, reaching out to touch his arm. Letting my hand linger. Watching his eyes flick from my hand back to my face, softening. “It’s fine. Honestly. Perfect, even. The thought of having to do that ferry ride any more than necessary is light years worse than having to share a room.”

“You say that now. Wait until you hear how loud Lola snores.”

“I heard that,” she called from the hallway. “Are you two coming, or should we leave you alone in the honeymoon suite?”

“Bugger off,” Oliver said. I watched the tips of his ears turn the same pink as his cheeks—my only indication that maybe I wasn’t alone in feeling... whatever this was. “Why don’t you make yourself useful and find us a place for dinner, yeah? We’ll get the mint soaking and meet you in the lobby. Maybe that charming receptionist has some ideas.”

With an aggressive salute with her middle finger, Lola disappeared down the hallway toward the lobby with Min in tow, leaving me and Oliver alone in the room. He cleared his throat loud enough for me to get the message: let’s do what we have to do and get out of here.

“I’ll just, uh, get the mint soaking, then,” I said, fumbling in my tote for the bundle. As I unwrapped it, he filled a small glasswith cold water from the sink and set it on the desk, reaching his hand out for me to pass him the herbs.

“Thanks,” I said. “Listen, I—”

“I just want to—”

We both laughed, gesturing for the other to go ahead. “You first,” he said, leaning back on the desk and gripping the edge with his hands. His long fingers curled around the wood, and I felt a tug deep in my stomach.

“I really appreciate all you’ve done for me today, and I’m sorry we’re all stuck in here because of me.”

“Rubbish,” he said, shaking his head. “We all chose to do this, remember? Besides, we could all use a break from the city, anyway. Really, it’s no bother.”

How one man could at once be so grumpy and so relaxed, I wasn’t sure. It made me want to know what else lurked beneath the surface, but I knew better than to try to find out. My powers didn’t include prophecy, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t see exactly how that story ended.

“What were you going to say?” I asked, holding my breath while I waited for the answer.

He crossed his arms over his chest, uncrossed them again, white knuckles on the edge of the desk. Let go, ran his hands through his hair, dropped them at his sides.

“Spit it out, Oliver,” I said.

“I know you’re seeing that bloke,” he said, “and I don’t want any of this to be weird because of that.”

“I... What?” He didn’t have to explain what he meant by “any of this.” I knew he wasn’t just talking about the small room. He was talking about the energy between us. What I didn’t know was what “bloke” he was talking about.

“I saw your phone screen,” he said. “I didn’t mean to pry, honestly. It just lit up on the picnic blanket in the park that night and I caught a glimpse. Lola mentioned he was anotherindustry bloke, and I just— I don’t want you to think— And I’m sorry if any of this was invasive, which now that I hear it out loud, it definitely was—”

“No, it’s fine.” I sighed, realizing I should have been relieved the phone wallpaper did its job, but instead I felt the opposite. Frustrated. Disappointed. “Like I said, it’s early days, so. Hardly worth the mention, really.” If Vera was here, she would have killed me. Our plan worked exactly as we’d hoped, and instead of letting it be, I was poking holes left and right.

This should have been what I wanted. If Oliver thought I was seeing someone, it might relieve some of the tension, and there would be less of a risk of my magic going haywire. But I was never good at doing what Ishouldbe doing, so I dipped another toe into the fire.

“Are you seeing someone?” I asked. “I’d hate to think I was monopolizing all this time when there was someone—”

“There isn’t,” he said. Not short, not curt, just matter-of-fact.

“Well then.” It was all I could think to say that wouldn’t further incriminate me. That wouldn’t add to the lingering look and the shrinking distance between us.