The Witch Is Back by Brittany Geragotelis Read Free Book Online

life before theirs? Not me. I wanted to be the only one special enough to have been with Asher like that.
    Unfortunately, I could no longer convince myself that I was his one and only, because the proof was currently standing in front of me, all leggy and blond. And she was impossible to ignore.
    â€œYou just disappeared , Asher,” Brooklyn said. It was almost a whisper and I found myself straining to hear their conversation.
    â€œLook, Brooklyn, I can explain . . .”
    But before he could finish, Brooklyn’s gaze swept our way and her face changed instantly.
    â€œAbby!” she shouted and ran in our direction.
    â€œOh, here we go,” Abby muttered under her breath, but then abruptly shut her mouth, as if she hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
    I barely had time to raise an eyebrow at her comment before the eight-foot-tall stunner pranced her way over to us as easily as a ballerina crossing a stage. If I hadn’t already disliked her, I might’ve been impressed that she’d managed to do this in five-inch heels. Christian Siriano to be specific. And with a curved heel and additional panel under the toe, this was an incredible feat.
    Of course, this only succeeded in annoying me further.
    Despite her lack of enthusiasm, I noticed with jealousy that Abby wasn’t recoiling from their embrace out of solidarity with me. In fact, she even dropped her book during the exchange, which fell with a clunk on top of the wooden coffee table. As the pages fluttered closed, I read the title: The Inferno , by Dante.
    Talk about light summer reading.
    â€œI’ve missed you so much, Ab!” Brooklyn said, squeezing the smaller girl in her slender arms. When she pulled away, she gave Abby the once-over while still holding her hands. “What have you been up to?”
    â€œOh, you know . . . reading,” Abby answered in her signature monotone voice. She gestured to the novel that was now lying on the table below them.
    â€œSounds about right,” Brooklyn said, laughing easily. “Anything else? It’s been a while you know . . .”
    â€œIt has,” Abby mumbled.
    â€œWhatever you’ve been up to, I’d love to hear it!” Brooklyn said quickly. “We have so much to catch up on.” Then she looked over at Asher who had wandered back over to us while the two were talking. He seemed to have recovered from his initial shock and was back to his usual self. Only, despite his laid-back demeanor, I could tell something was up. “All of us should catch up,” she concluded.
    That’s it. Time to step in .
    I cleared my throat and sidled up to Asher, placing my hand in his territorially and kissing him lightly on the cheek. “Hey, babe! Making friends already?”
    Brooklyn seemed to notice me for the first time, and then I watched as she went through the same flood of emotions that I had a few minutes before. The smile remained on her lips but her eyes gave her away. They went from friendly to murderous in point two seconds, and I knew instantly that there was going to be trouble.
    â€œUm, right. Hadley, this is Brooklyn. Brooklyn, this is my girlfriend, Hadley.” At least when he said it, he didn’t sound uncomfortable. And he’d remembered to actually identify me as his girlfriend and not just, “This is Hadley.” In fact, he was making the introduction the same way he would to anyone else we might be meeting at camp. It made me wonder if I was making too big a deal over this whole ex thing. Maybe they were totally over each other.
    Then I thought back to the moment they’d hugged and all my defenses shot back up.
    â€œHi!” I said, more brightly than I’d intended, but wanting to convey that I didn’t think she was a threat. I still wasn’t sure if this was true, but no need for her to know that I was rattled by her appearance.
    I didn’t put my hand out to shake hers and