WITCH SHIfT

JP

“I’ll need my laptop from the car and some desk space in here,” Mar said looking around at the cleaned out office.

“Mar, this is your office,” I said smiling. She still looked confused. “Mar, this whole office is yours, the whole thing, not a part of the desk, the whole thing. Everything in here is yours to use from the file cabinets to the fax machine. It is all yours. My office is right next door, and Harv has his office on the floor of the warehouse.”

“Oh,” she said looking at the office in a whole new light.

“I’ll get your laptop. In the meantime make yourself comfortable. The small kitchenette next door is for everyone.” I said smiling as she got used to this new idea.

I wanted her comfortable. I wanted to make sure she never wanted to leave. I was falling for her and while she might not feel the same I couldn’t help it.

I walked down the stairs to the floor and Harv was already there holding her laptop and a bunch of office equipment. I was pretty sure he wanted her here as much as I did, if only to figure his curse out.

“I see you beat me to it,” I said smiling.

He smiled. “How did you get Harper to back off? You know she has her sights set on her.”

“I asked her too. Mar needs someone who will always be there for her, not a wild romance, not that I wouldn’t like to give her that too.”

“That wouldn’t do it.” Harv said knowing it was true. When a nymph got something in their mind it was impossible to change it.

“I called in her favor. I really like Mar. Harper does too, but it is obvious that she thinks of Harper as a friend and I asked her if she wanted to lose her as a friend by trying to force more. I’m not letting Mar go.” I said with a passion I had never felt before.

“You’re parents won’t accept her,” Harv stated knowing it was true.

“I don’t care,” and I didn’t. They could disown me. I didn’t need their money or their name. I had a feeling that all I needed was Mar.

“Good,” Harv said smiling. “Just wanted to make sure you were ready to fight for her.”

“I’m not letting her go if I can help it,” I said knowing it was true.

“I’ll run this stuff up to her and get her started. I won’t be worth a crap tomorrow, but I’ll hang out for extra protection. I don’t want her to leave either.” He said turning and bounding up the stairs.

I was going to renew my wards on the building while I was down here. No one was going to get in with any bad intent, and then again, I wasn’t sure I wanted anyone in here, but I would cross that bridge as it came.

Mar

‘The office is huge’, I thought as I looked around. That it was empty was even more surprising. The warehouse was full and I knew they bought and sold a lot, so that surprised me that they didn’t need more help.

“Hey Mar,” Harv said entering. “I got all your stuff,” he said dropping everything on the huge desk.

“Thanks Harv,” I said thinking. “Why is this office empty? You guys must need the help?”

“JP cut back our workload a few months ago. I think he was getting bored. Then you came, and well, everything is better now.”

“Harv I can’t stay,” I said sad wondering why I was so depressed all of a sudden.

“Why? I mean you lost your job right. So you need a new job and we need you. This problem with the alcohol for the bars won’t be settled overnight and it makes you wonder who else has been having issues we can fix like this. Besides,” he all of a sudden looked sheepish. “JP likes you.”

Holy shit, what, “um what do you mean JP likes me?”

“Come on you must see it. JP likes you. What else is there to say? But if you hurt him I will come after you.” Harv threatened.

“Harv, I have no magic. He can’t be with someone who has no magic.” I said sad, because I really liked him too.

“He doesn’t care Mar,” Harv said but I cut him off before he could continue.

“He has too. He is from one of the strongest witch families in the country. His family would disown him if he got himself entangled with me. I won’t let him do that. He means too much to me to let him do that.”

“You like him too,” Harv accused and I went over what I just said.

“Shit,” I whispered.

“I knew it,” he said gleefully.

“Harv, no, you can’t say anything. Do you want him cast out and shunned? That’s what they would do if he moved forward with me.”

“Nope I don’t,” he said smiling but his head wasn’t listening. “Besides, he said you are wrong, you have magic.”

“Harv, my father is the head of Supernatural Medicine for all of the North East. Do you not think he would know?” I asked exasperated.

“I think,” he said quietly “that if there is a chance, then you should go with it. Isn’t love worth that?”

I don’t know when Harv left. His last question threw me off my tirade. Was love worth trying to believe in something that my whole life was led to believe was impossible? For lack of a better answer I just sighed. I needed to get the bars some beer. Work first and dream later, that was my new plan.

JPW

“She sounds busy in there,” I said when Harv brought up some more contracts I had to sign.

“Yup, throwing herself into her work is my guess.” He said.

“I know she wants to get the bars some beer, but she is like really buzzing in there.”

“Yeah it’s easier than thinking about things that might be unattainable. The Dwarf Malvo, said he would sell you twenty kegs if you can guarantee they would go to Keggers.”

“What do you mean by things unattainable?” I asked.

“Focus boss. She is focusing on what she can do something about and you have to do the same. Are you going to let her do all the work and have her think she is better than you?”

I smiled. “She would think I needed her more.”

“Or she will think you are lazy and not worth her time. You want this girl to be impressed then you need to impress, not make her feel bad. She deserves the best, and if you can’t give it to her, maybe she will find some human who can.”

“Watch yourself Harv,” I said getting up from behind my desk.

He smiled at me. Little prick was smiling at me. “If you are willing to fight me for something I said, then shouldn’t you be willing to fight for what she wants. Get this place going again and make her a part of it. If you want her, that’s what you have to do. Now call Malvo back,” he said and then he walked out not knowing how close I came to hitting him with something unpleasant. Maybe he did know and maybe he didn’t care. Shit, he was right.

“Malvo,” I called him right away. “Yeah, all for Keggers. What’s my price? Fine send it over. Thanks.”

I didn’t even set the phone down and had Lincoln with my next call. “Lincoln I’ve got Dwarf Brew from the mountain. It’s going to cost you seventy a keg.”

“How much did Al buy?”

“None, I didn’t offer him any. I’m working on getting him some from the Herders. You want mountain brew or should I call Al?”

“Of course I want it. Are you going to only sell it to me?”

“That’s my plan, unless something changes. Do you want any?”

“Yes, send me ten this week. I will start pushing it so maybe we can get this going. Where is that girl who was going to be doing this?”

“Working on getting IPA’s. I’m trying to handle the supernatural sellers for the moment. She’ll be taking everything over once we get an established base of suppliers.”

“Good, she is prettier than you,” he said laughing.

“Watch yourself Wolf,” I said before I caught myself.

He laughed even harder. “So it’s true. The great Jonathon Prestyr Worth has fallen for a witch. Good luck man, you will need it, you witches are hard people to work with.”

Bastard hung up before I could retort about shifters. I needed to call the herders personally. I wanted to make a sales pitch and I knew just the guy to call for it. I’d show Mar who could do this.

Mar

“Wow his phone is going nonstop in there,” I said to Harv as he walked in with contracts for me for the two new IPA’s I just signed up.

“Yup, he said he had to show you up. I don’t know if its men in general or witch’s. I think it’s the testosterone thing myself.”

“Show me up? Are you kidding? I’ve been doing this for the last three years. He isn’t going to show me up.” I said knowing it was true.

Harv looked skeptical.

“What? I know that look. What don’t I know?” I asked.

“He’s got Dwarf brew from the mountain exclusively for Lincoln and he is working on the Herders for prairie brew for Al. He is also trying to convince the herder dwarfs that there might be a call for some kind of novelty products to accompany the brew for a merchandise deal.”

“Shit, are you kidding me?” I asked flopping into my chair. JP was good at this. “What do I have so far?

“Three guaranteed suppliers for IPAs and some small novelty foods made with it.” Harv said looking at his records.

“Ok, I need something. Come on Harv, you’ve lived here a while now. What can we get that Supernaturals want that won’t kill humans but make them think it does on the way down. I want it to be known as the Human lightning, or some shit like that.”

“You should ask Harper. The nymphs are water and woods in their refined forms. All the best spirits come from those two sources. I would believe that she would help you over JP any day.” Harv said smiling.

“Harv, I could kiss you. I’ll beat him yet. Find me someone to start making shirts and other shit that we can personalize. Show me up he thinks. I’m not bowing down to him that’s for damn sure.” I said reaching for the phone.

“You got it boss,” Harv said smiling as he walked out.

I bet he liked the idea I was going to beat JP. I knew I did. We would see who was best now.