Page 43 of Practically Magic

“Seriously?”

“Sorry,” Laney whispers. “I’m just really thirsty. And I wasn’t expecting a ghost in your living room.”

“You should,” I say, my voice low. “Because I think I reversed the wards. Mystic Hollow is about to become the most haunted place in New England.”

“Well, Mayor Croft will be thrilled,” Laney says in a small voice.

Eleanor frowns. “You didn’t do this, Katherine Hadley.”

“That’s a plus,” Laney says hopefully.

“You and your sister did this,” my ghostly ancestor intones.

“Ah,” Laney whispers. “Celebrated too fast.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, ignoring my friend.

“I tried to warn you. The Hadley family has been the steward of magic in Mystic Hollow for centuries. You are the conduit through which it flows. But you’ve broken your bond with your sister, and that sacred bond is not to be taken lightly. By breaking it, you’ve broken the magic, too.”

“What does that mean?” Laney whispers.

I gulp. “Well,” I say slowly, “on the plus side, I think it means I’m not going to be single this Halloween.”

A knock startles us both and Laney drops her salt water. “Don’t invite in any vampires!” she calls after me, like it’s a joke. But no, that’s just good advice now.

Part of me expects it to be Justin Tremble with a six-pack of whipped cream. Maybe Ryan Elliott trying to kiss me again. I even imagine it could be someone truly random, like Tom Callabra.

But nothing could have prepared me for the tousled blond curls, the one peevish dimple, and those soft pink lips.

“Reese?” I whisper.

Boys of Halloween Past

Crush #4: Reese Whitaker

The Year: Tenth Grade

“Looking good, Kitty Kat,” Aunt Viv says, giving my bouncy curls a playful tug as she sashays past me into the living room, wearing a glittery gold evening gown and heels too high for her own good. “Where you off to? A Halloween party?”

I look out the kitchen window at the lake in the distance. The fall foliage reflects back at me from the lake. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. It is one of the warmest Halloweens I can remember, with weather in the low seventies. If I was younger, I would have loved trick-or-treating before Samhain rituals without having to wear a jacket. But Laney and I decided that this year, since we were officially in tenth grade, we were a little too old to be going door-to-door. Which frees me up to do something much better.

My favorite jeans aren’t the most festive for handing out candy, but I’ve paired them with a black top and cute pumpkin hanging earrings. The Halloween headband in my hair hopefully is mature and festive. Laney and I worked hard to find me the perfect outfit because I’m going out with Reese Whitaker, the boy I’ve liked all year. Someone pinch me.

I was starting to lose hope, if I’m being honest, after these past few years. After what happened with Justin—and Ashton—last year, I swore to try a Halloween without a crush.

And then I met Reese.

Well, Harry technically met Reese first, when they worked together over the summer at the town pool. But every time I’d stop by to visit, I couldn’t help but stare at him in his lifeguard red swim shorts. For the whole summer, I’d get tongue-tied every time I went past him, because he was cute and he was shirtless, and when he smiled, he had this one dimple. And he smiled at me. A lot.

And then we wound up in Honors English together and everything changed.

Somehow, it was easier to talk to him about books than anything else, and Reese loved reading almost as much as me. Despite all my intentions, it happened again—a Halloween crush.

When I let slip that I think Halloween is just the most romantic holiday because it’s sort of a night meant for true love in my family, Reese with his one dimple had smiled and asked me if he could come over after football practice. He even offered to meet me at Hadley Lake around four o’clock.

I watch from the window, scanning the crowd of trick-or-treaters walking around the lake for Reese. Joggers, older couples, and mothers with infants dressed as pumpkins in their strollers promenade by.

“No Reese yet, dear?” asks Aunt Diane as she comes down the back staircase into the kitchen carrying a glittery orange-and-black clutch.