Read Online How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather - Free Book Online

He’s so sincere, I’m not sure whether to hit him for being such a good liar or to believe him.
    “You already won. I feel like crap. Job done.”
    “Come over and talk to my mom.”
    I stop.
What’s he up to?
    “I’ll make a deal with you. Come talk to my mom, and if you’re not convinced I’m telling the truth, then I’ll leave you alone.” He watches me consider it. “
And
I’ll do our history paper. You won’t even have to talk to me.”
    I eye him suspiciously. “Fine. But you better not suck at history.”
    I follow him to his house, with its blue shutters and nautical star. The moment he opens the screen door, delicious scents of warm dough and apple-cinnamon fill my nose.
    The house is surprising. Its interior is reminiscent of the inside of a boat, one with high masts, used for adventures. Rustic raw-wood beams stripe the white ceilings. The shelves are made from driftwood, and so is the banister.
    “Mom!” Jaxon yells, and heads down the hallway to the left. He leads me through an arched wooden doorway.
    The kitchen counters are covered with cookies, pies, and every wonderful thing. Models of ships decorate the walls, and glass jars of spices line the windowsills.
    “Samantha!” Mrs. Meriwether beams from behind her mixing bowl. “You’ve finally come to visit.”
    “Hi, Mrs. Meriwether.” I approach the island filled with sweets.
    “My mom owns Sugar Spells Bakery in town,” Jaxon explains. “But she spends most of her time here, making new recipes.”
    So she
owns
the bakery. I nod, hoping that Vivian didn’t yell at Mrs. Meriwether over those pastries.
    Mrs. Meriwether smiles. “Have anything you like.”
    I choose a heart-shaped tart with fresh raspberries and bite into it. “It’s delicious.”
    “Mom, tell Sam what I told you when I came home after the first day of school,” Jaxon says.
    She tilts her head. “He told me the students were turning on you.”
    “And?”
    She eyes Jaxon curiously. “And that he knew what it was like to have that happen and would try to stop it.”
    “See.”
    I look back and forth between them.
    Mrs. Meriwether puts down her mixing bowl. “Jaxon, leave us a minute.”
    “Mom—”
    “Jaxon.”
    He huffs, but walks out of the room.
    “Take a seat,” she says, and I pull out one of the high-backed chairs at the island. She adds brown sugar to her bowl before continuing. “Did you know I grew up in this house?”
    I shake my head.
    “Your father and I were practically inseparable. We were born one month apart. Did everything together. He was the best at thinking up pranks but a total cheat at running races.” She laughs. “Used to make me look the wrong way and would take off.”
    I try to imagine my dad acting silly with a young Mrs. Meriwether. After everything started going downhill for me socially, my dad lost a lot of his playfulness. He took it hard that he couldn’t change things for me. I sigh. “I always wanted to know about this place, but he wouldn’t talk about it. I didn’t know about you.” I worry I’ve said the wrong thing, but she only looks thoughtful.
    “Yes.” She stirs her bowl. “He divorced this place after your mother died. He was devastated. We all were. But he didn’t let it interfere with being a father. You should have seen the way he wouldn’t put you down as a baby.”
    I look at my hands. “I miss him.”
Every day without him feels empty.
    “I know you do.” Her voice is kind. “My heart breaks for you, thinking how you must be suffering. But it won’t help to shut people out. I see Charlie’s stubbornness written all over you. You know, he sprained his ankle one year while we were ice-skating down at the river. Dragged himself home the whole mile and a half. Wouldn’t even let me carry his shoes. Charlotte nearly had a fit.”
    “I’m not trying to shut people out. It’s just, no one really likes me here.”
    “Jaxon does. And if you let him in, you might find something worth