When Bree dropped me off that night, I felt a storm lurking nearby. I glanced up at the sky and only saw stars and a bright white sliver of a crescent moon, waning into the new moon. If I were casting a spell, this would be a great time to work magick to limit things, to banish things, and as I approached the front door, I could feel the storm hit.

Winnie stood at the entry way, arms across her chest. Her bags were packed, the sides bulging out as if she had just tossed everything in without a care.

"Just so we're clear," she hissed as soon as the door was shut behind me. "I'm not giving up. You won't have him for long, I'll make damn sure of that."

"Win—"

She stepped forward and slapped me so hard it knocked the wind out of me. "You don't know what you've done."

She grabbed her bags and stormed outside. Mary K. came out of the living room, her keys in hand. "I'm giving her a ride to the bus station. We can talk later." She rested her hand on my shoulder briefly as she went past me through the open door.

I shut it softly and sank down it, sitting in a heap on the floor. Dagda sat in front of me, looking at me with his wise cat eyes, and I began to cry.

"Stop!" I pushed back against Hunter as his lips assaulted my neck. "I mean it, I'm working." I grabbed the list and opened the next box, carefully checking each box and book off.

His hands roamed down my side and snaked to my hips, tugging my shorts down ever so slightly, his thumbs in the belt loops. I had to admit it felt really good, and I considered taking advantage of the store being empty and letting Hunter have his evil way with me.

"Ahem," We flew apart from each other, looking ridiculously guilty as Ellie stood in the back door. "Well good morning, love birds."

I blushed and tried to look casual. "Hey."

"I'll pick you up at noon then?" he asked, looking for an out. I nodded and he gave me a quick kiss before leaving out the back.

"You two are so adorable." She said matter-of-factly, taking a seat at the table.

"Shut up." I muttered, and she grinned and dug through her bag. I returned to boxes and bags of books and supplies and checked off the items that were there and adding on what wasn't listed.

Ellie came up behind me and started dabbing my neck with a sponge. "What're you doing?"

"Saving your ass. You were a little rosy here." She clicked her compact closed and shoved the makeup back into her bag. "Do you often get hot and heavy in the supply room? This place doesn't do it for me, but hey, to each their own."

"We have plans after work, so he just dropped me off and stayed for a bit."

"Ah, okay then." She glanced at the clock and let out a breath. "I wish you were full time, too. Eight hours a day every day is not for me." She lifted her hair into a loose ponytail, her ends more magenta than usual.

"I have to go back to school in a couple months." I said regretfully. I felt more fulfilled working here than I had in three years of college.

Ellie groaned at that, pulling some stray pieces out to frame her face. "Has Alyce told you about the second store?"

"What?" I asked, turned quickly from what I was doing.

She squeezed some lotion into her hands and threw the bottle into her bag then started to work it in. "Well, she's paid this place off and is just about to sign a deal over in Taunton. It'll be bigger, and more people live there so probably more business. I think she'll keep this place and hire one or two more people to help me out here but she'll be moving with it."

"A new Practical Magick?" I asked faintly. This place was a constant in my life—I didn't know if I could handle a change with it.

So Alyce would be gone. At the new store. And Ellie would be here and what? Running the place? I liked her a lot but all she knew was working a register and organizing shelves—there was more to running a store than that.

And what would Ellie change? I remembered her conversations of discussing plans to Alyce and thought it would resemble a storefront to the likes of a Claire's and shuddered. I couldn't let that happen here—not to my second home. I couldn't handle another huge change in my life right now.

Two hours later the initial crowd had died down, and I was working up the nerve to ask Alyce about the new store. She was in the back, copying a spell down into her personal BOS, and I waited till she smiled at me before entering and closing the curtain behind me.

She noticed this and set her pen down, a bemused expression on her face. "Is everything alright, Morgan?"

I swallowed hard. "Ellie mentioned something this morning, and I'm sure it's wildly inappropriate of me to impose an opinion in this, but I feel like I have to."

Alyce lead me to a seat and she sat across from me, holding my hand on the table. "What is this about?" she asked softly.

"A new store?" I said, and her eyes looked sad.

"I didn't want to say anything until it was a done deal, but yes, there will be a new store, and I'll be running it."

I nodded slightly to the store behind the curtain, a silent question.

"I haven't officially made my decision. I would much rather have a blood witch run the shop, and Ellie knows this but I'm sure she's hoping it won't affect her."

"If you're looking for a blood witch, Alyce, I want to do it. Please." I knew I sounded desperate but was hoping it would help me in the long run. I couldn't lose this place.

Alyce's eyes widened slightly, as if this idea hadn't occurred to her. "Morgan—"

"Please," I begged. "Just think about it."

"You have school, Morgan. I couldn't ask you to give that up so you could work at a little shop the rest of your life."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. Alyce, please, I can't bear to think what would happen to this place if one of us isn't a part of it," I let out a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "I'm done with school in December anyway—I have enough credits from all the summer classes I've done. I know this place inside and out. I want to be here. However, if you think there's someone else who can run this place, then I understand. Just please think about it."

Alyce squeezed my hand. "I will." She glanced at my watch on my wrist and looked up. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nodded and tried to smile. I stood up from my chair, grabbed my bag, and went out through the front to wait for Hunter.