Acting Up Read online

  ‘Do you remember it?’ he went on. ‘The day you introduced me to Will? You were wondering why I waited for you to do the honours instead of just arranging a meeting with him myself.’

  I took a drink of my juice, then wished I hadn’t. My stomach was stinging, for some reason. Aw shucks – I knew the reason. It was because this little talk was going in an uncomfortable direction.

  ‘You okay, Wanda? I feel a bit like I’m having a conversation with myself.’

  ‘Sorry.’ I chewed on my lip. ‘I’m just … Rover, what’s this about?’

  He gave me a gentle smile. ‘You know all about my nose, Wanda. It’s helped you track some people in the past.’ He nodded across to Jasper. ‘Like that joker over there, when one of his girlfriends was going around killing his other girlfriends. And my nose is why I wanted you to be the one to introduce me to Will last February. I had a feeling about the two of you, and I wanted to see how you reacted to each other so I could be sure.’

  ‘Sure? Of what?’

  He spun on his stool and looked me in the eye. ‘Wanda, I’m no witch, but I do have skills that can sometimes seem awful close to magic. I know that Will Berry would protect you with his life. My nose tells me that everything he’s done since he met you, and every single thing he’s going to do from this moment on … all of it will be for you.’

  I felt my lashes begin to flutter. This was sounding a little too close to a prophecy for my liking. I really didn’t need another one of those in my life.

  ‘First time I met you, when you came in here with Max, I knew there was someone who was taking up a whole lot of your heart and mind.’ He tapped his nose. ‘Could smell it, so I could. Just like I could smell that Max took up just as much of your thoughts and feelings.’

  Now my stomach wasn’t the only thing stinging. My stupid eyes were too. I blamed the fancy mascara Melissa had convinced me to wear. I went to open my mouth – to say what, I don’t know – but Rover shook his head and carried on.

  ‘Let me get this out, Wanda. I scent it on the wind. I scent how things are going to go for you. And right now, I can smell two possibilities.’ He glanced over at Max, who was holding Emily in his arms and nuzzling her hair.

  ‘Don’t look at Max!’ I hissed. ‘Max is my friend. Nothing else.’

  ‘Maybe,’ said Rover. ‘Seeing as I smell Will Berry all over you right now, I know exactly which path you’ve decided to take.’

  ‘That’s just … I mean … I haven’t decided on any path. Max isn’t an option for me. He’s with Emily. And Will … Will is …’

  Rover took a swig from his pint. ‘I know what Will is. So all I’ll say is this – be careful, Wanda. Will is a good man at his core. That’s another thing my nose knows. But a good man in the middle of the Berry coven … he’s going to have a hard time staying good.’

  I looked curiously at him, wondering what he meant by that. But just as I was about to ask him, the slow song ended and a song Max and I both loved began to play. It was called The Weredog Who Stole the Bone. It was stupid, but we loved it, and the thought of dancing like crazy in the kitchen with Max brought a smile to my face.

  I wasn’t the only one. Max broke out into a wide grin, left Emily on the dancefloor and rushed my way. ‘Where did you get to?’ He shook his head and reached out a hand. ‘Never mind. They’re playing our favourite. Wanna dance?’

  I glanced at Rover.

  ‘Me and Wanda are finished for now,’ he said. ‘She’s all yours.’

  ≈

  You’ve reached the end of Acting Up. Wanda’s next adventure, Swotting Up, is available now from all Amazon stores. If you’d like to receive an email update when further books come out, you can join my newsletter by clicking this link: http://www.subscribepage.com/z4n0f4

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  If you’re feeling curious as to why in Hecate’s name Candace Plimpton was meeting with a lawyer – and also whether Melissa passes her LOL exam – then check out Legally Red, a standalone novel in the Wayfair Witches world.

  You might also enjoy the first book in my Riddler’s Edge series, A Little Bit Witchy, available now in all Amazon stores.