“No, but ... I don’t want this either.”
“We know that.” Cooper brushed his fingers over Hannah’s soft skin. “It’s literally the only thing we can do, though. I’m sorry.”
Hannah looked to Jackie for another way, but the coven head merely held out her hands and shrugged.
“I’m the one who helped them plug the holes in the plan,” Jackie offered. “It’s ugly but ... we can’t explain things away if we don’t use Becky. I know you don’t like it because there’s part of you that believes she was a victim in all of this, but she’s all we have.”
Hannah licked her lips, debating. “I don’t think she’s a victim,” she countered finally. “I understand she made a choice. I still can’t shake the idea that none of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t come here.”
“Hannah, she was going to end up in a bad place no matter what,” Jackie argued. “She was an entitled girl who didn’t care about the feelings of others. This isn’t on you. She made her choice and gave up her soul in the process. We have to clean this up the best that we can.”
In her head, Hannah knew that was true. In her heart, though, she struggled with the idea. Her head won this time because, like the others, she understood there was no other way out. “Okay.” She threw up her hands in defeat. “What do you want me to do?”
“You, my dear, are going to bed,” Cooper replied, sliding his arm under her legs and hoisting her up to cradle against his chest. “You’re tired. By the time you wake up tomorrow, all of this is going to be behind us. If all goes as planned, we’ll be able to open again Monday.”
Hannah couldn’t even think that far ahead. “How can you be sure?”
“I can’t, but that’s the likeliest scenario.” Cooper whistled for Jinx to follow as he carried Hannah out of the barn. He would return to help finish cleaning up the mess, but he wanted Hannah settled in bed, where he knew she was safe, first. “You need your rest so you’ll be ready.”
“I guess.” Even though she was feeling morose, Hannah rested her head against his shoulder. “Is it wrong that I’m relieved it’s over? I mean ... all of it. I’m talking about the Becky stuff, too.”
“No. I’m relieved that’s no longer going to be a concern as well.”
“Yeah.” She was silent as he walked the street to the saloon. “I’m tired.”
“You’re going to bed. I’ll be up with you as soon as I can, but I bet you don’t even wake up when I join you.”
“That’s a little disappointing.”
He smiled against her forehead. “You’ll get over it quickly when I serve you breakfast in bed tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
He kept her in his arms as he slid through the swinging doors of the saloon. “Unfortunately for you, you’re going to be stuck in that uniform for a bit longer. We’re going to have to start the process of looking for bartenders all over again.”
“I think the position might be cursed.”
He laughed. “I think you’re tired. Tomorrow is a new day. We’ll look at the résumés again then.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes. “Cooper?”
“Hmm.”
“I was a badass today, huh?”
That nudged a legitimate smile out of him. “The baddest of the bad.”
“I guess that means I’m an official member of the coven after all. I’m going to have to start having lessons and everything.”
“Hannah Hickok, the fastest witch in the west.”
“It has a nice ring to it.”
“It does indeed.”
Want more? Sign up for my mailing list. It’s for new releases only, no spam.
http://eepurl.com/bLFbgz
Acknowledgments
I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.
If you’re interested in upcoming releases, follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I do not spam. I don’t believe it and, as a reader, I find it annoying. Only new release information and special sales promotions will be posted.
This book is available for lending. Please do so.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Books by Lily Harper Hart
A Maddie Graves Mystery
Grave Homecoming
Grave Insight
Grave Delight
Grave Misgivings
Grave Concerns
Grave Discovery
Grave Decisions
Grave Seasons
Grave Holiday
Grave Haunting
Grave Paths
Grave Danger
Grave Missteps
Grave Demands
Grave Wedding
An Ivy Morgan Mystery
Wicked Days
Wicked Dreams
Wicked Times
Wicked Places
Wicked Warning
Wicked Fog
Wicked Season
Wicked Winter
Wicked Hearts
Wicked Wishes
Wicked Whimsy
Wicked Haunts
Wicked Delight
Wicked Respite
Wicked Decisions
Wicked Reunion
A Harper Harlow Mystery
Ghostly Interests
Ghostly Issues
Ghostly Deceits
Ghostly Worries
Ghostly Images
Ghostly Wrecks
Ghostly Asylum
Ghostly Tricks
Ghostly Distress
Ghostly Despair
Ghostly Holiday
Ghostly Ordeal
Ghostly Fears
Ghostly Charms
Ghostly Business
A Rowan Gray Mystery
Welcoming Seas
Murky Seas
Stormy Seas
Sunken Seas
Choppy Seas
Churning Seas
Dangerous Seas
Perilous Seas
Raging Seas
A Hannah Hickock Witchy Cozy Mystery
The Dirty Coven
A Fistful of Demons
Boot Scootin’ Boogeyman
A Supernatural Speakeasy Cozy Mystery
The Hexorcist
Witch Confidential
Crossovers
Wicked Ghosts
Wicked Seas
Ghostly Seas
Grave Seas
Hardy Brothers Security
Deadly Intentions
Deadly Intuition
Deadly Illusions
Deadly Proposal
Deadly Prospects
Deadly Ever After
Deadly Honeymoon
Deadly Questions
Deadly Addition
Deadly Vacation
Deadly Secrets
Deadly Storm
Deadly Dealings
Deadly Christmas
Deadly Desperados
Deadly Arrival
Deadly Rivalry
Deadly Memories
Deadly Adventure
Deadly Reunion
Deadly Conflicts
Deadly Payback
Deadly Waves
Deadly Forever
