“I can work for another month or so, but after that, I need to give notice and start campaigning for city council. Really, I should do it sooner, but I need to collect a couple more paychecks while I still can.”

“You won’t earn enough as a council member,” Vanessa cautioned.

“I’m aware, but I can’t keep working for the mayor either. Rutherford’s been seated forever, and he plays golf with my boss. Dunno if this qualifies as a conflict of interest, but Anderson would definitely snoop and try to keep me too busy to challenge his buddy.”

After sipping her wine, Vanessa said, “Try to lock in young voters along with the seniors. I think I read both those age groups tend to vote in a block.”

She nodded. “See, this is why we’re friends. I was planning to go for the lower and upper age brackets. But would it be unethical to use certain…advantages?”

Leanne spoke volumes with her eyes. Clem and Danica could do all kinds of fun things on the internet to ensure her message went viral. Leanne herself could influence crowds using magic, and Ethel could help with divinations to determine which speaking engagements would prove most beneficial in winning hearts and minds.

The other witch laughed as Margie walked up. “What’s so funny?”

Vanessa said, “Leanne’s wondering if she should run a regular campaign.”

Using that word wouldn’t set off any alarm bells, but Margie got the gist. She smiled too. “Why would you do that? I say use every advantage at your disposal. Your opponent will.”

“That’s what I wanted to hear. Because if I play, I aim to win.”

***

A few days later, Trev had everything packed.

There was no need for him to invite her over to return the favor, pretending in front of his parents. From now on, Tanner could bask in the spotlight with his perfect family, freeing Trev to breathe for the first time in ten years. He still couldn’t believe it, but Leanne had texted him the pass code to her condo and said a gate pass would be waiting for him this afternoon with the security guard. His life certainly had taken a wild turn since meeting her at Danica’s party. Sometimes he considered sending Titus’s girlfriend a thank-you card. Part of him had feared he’d never move out of his parents’ basement, and yet here he was, carrying boxes up the stairs.

His car looked like it belonged to a college student moving out of the dorms, because he had no furniture, just clothes, books, bedding, and games. Some of his stuff, he had a hard time picturing in her elegant condo, but he could buy a trunk or hide it in the closet. Everything about this was weird, but normal had screwed him over and left him licking his wounds for years.