Stella desperately wanted to sit, but she also wanted something to drink. She decided to grab an iced tea, then find a seat. She stood in line, trying to be patient while the women in front of her got their drinks. She’d finally reached the front of the line when she heard, “Number 2099, please come to the front.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered. She looked at the tea and lemonade longingly, but she couldn’t afford to miss her chance. She promised herself that once she was done, she would conjure up a tall glass of icy, cold tea. As she walked towards the front, she saw the woman with the headset checking her watch. “I’m here,” she called as she sped up. She followed her into another room that was smaller and had three women and a man seated at table with a chair across from them.
“Please have a seat,” one of the women said, gesturing towards the chair. “Can you confirm your number for me?”
“I’m 2099.”
“Wonderful. We’ve read your application and we’re rather impressed with your essay. Can you summarize what you wrote in just a few sentences?”
“Sure,” she replied. She thought for a moment, head tilted to the side, biting her lip. “I guess the main thing is that I’ve spent my whole life looking for something outside myself to make me feel whole. I’ve finally realized that everything I need is within me. I can stand on my own two feet and be proud of who I am. But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone. I want to find someone who can stand on their own two feet, who knows who they are, and who wants to walk alongside me and see what adventures the rest of our lives hold. As soon as I saw Chadwick on the television, I knew that he was the kind of man I’ve been looking for.”
The woman smiled at her, then conferred with the others in hushed tones. She looked up at Stella with a big grin on her face. “Miss Spinney, we’d like to have you come back for the final auditions. Would you be willing to do that?”
Stella felt a lump in her throat and unexpected tears filled her eyes. “Of course. I’d love to come back.” The headset woman appeared before her with a notecard. She handed it to Stella then led her out a back door. Once the door closed behind her, she felt as if her knees were going to buckle.
She’d done it! She’d made it through the first round. This was really happening!
3
The Four Rich Witches gathered round Stella’s coffee table to talk about their results. They’d promised not to say anything to anyone until they were together and, for once, they’d kept their mouths shut. Fi, Stella and Poppy were helping themselves to pizza and lemonade, while Raven roamed around the room, still hyped up from the audition.
“Come have a seat, Raven, and drink some lemonade. You stood outside the longest and I’m dehydrated, so I’m sure you are, too.” Fiona tried to get her to join them, but she was too worked up.
“Thanks, but can we just get on with it? I’m nearly jumping out of my skin waiting to spill.”
“Fine, then. Let’s do this.” Stella’s lips twisted as she thought of a creative way to find out who was moving on. “I know, how about this. If you got in, create a rainbow over your head. If not, create a dark cloud.”
Poppy clapped her hands. “This is so much fun. On the count of three?”
The others nodded and Poppy counted. “One. Two. Three.”
Stella looked around and was delighted to see rainbows-four of them-one over each witch.
“Really? We each got an audition?” Fi’s tone held surprise, but also, respect. Now that the ice had been broken, they all started talking at once.
“That’s so cool!” “I can’t believe it!” “Of course we all got in, we’re amazing!”
Raven placed two fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Okay! I know we’re all excited, but how about we take turns talking! Poppy, you go first.” Raven sat down next to Stella and took a piece of pizza.
“Well, it was pretty quick, really, after all that waiting. They said they read my essay and they asked me a few questions about why I wanted to participate. Then they said I was in.”
“That’s how it went for me, too,” Stella spoke up. “They asked me to summarize my essay, I did, and they said I was in. How about you, Fi?”
“Well, mine wasn’t so smooth. They wanted to know why someone with my pedigree would be willing to go on a TV reality show.”
Raven snorted. “Get over yourself, Fiona. Just because you come from old money doesn’t mean you have a pedigree.”
Fi glared daggers at the younger witch but kept going with her story. “I asked them if they’d asked Chadwick that, since his family goes back even further than mine. Then I explained that it’s hard to find men that want me for me. If they know who I am--who my family is--they see dollar signs or business mergers. I told them this is a chance for me to be seen for who I am as a person. That seemed to seal the deal.”
Stella wanted to ask her friend if that’s how she really felt, but decided that was a question for another time, when they were alone. “Alright Raven, it’s your turn. What did they say to you?”
“They asked me why they should take a chance on someone who doesn’t have old money and doesn’t seem to have a way to support herself. I threatened to turn them all into toads and they agreed to let me audition.”
Now it was Fiona’s turn to snort. “Come on, Raven. We told the truth. What did they say?”
Raven sighed and picked at the hem of her dress. “At first they said they didn’t think I fit the profile of what they were looking for. They said that my essay seemed superficial and I seemed very flippant.” She took a deep breath then looked up at Fiona. “I told them I thought that was what they wanted. That reality shows always pick women who either act overly excited, get emotional too easily, or who act like they don’t care one way or the other. They asked why I entered if I thought reality shows were fake and scripted.”
Poppy’s eyes were wide as she waited for Raven to finish her story. Raven wiggled around on the sofa, then finally settled down. It was obvious she was nervous sharing the rest of the story, so Stella reached out, placing her hand on her friend’s arm. Raven looked up at her and she smiled her encouragement.
“I told them that I haven’t had the easiest life and it’s easier for me to stay distant; to pretend I don’t care. But inside, I want to believe. I want to find someone to love and to spend my life with.” She paused and looked around. “I said that I’m worthy of being with someone like Chadwick because I’m smart, I’m funny, I’m attractive and I’m a good person. And then they said I was in.”
“It sounds like they were looking for strong women who are capable and smart, not the usual ditzy social butterflies you see on other dating shows.” The others were silent, thinking about what Fi said.
“Well, I don’t know about that, but this pizza is delicious and I’m going to have another piece,” Raven announced, leaning forward to grab the last slice of pepperoni and mushroom pizza.
“Hey, I wanted that,” Poppy whined.
“Here, you whiny baby,” Raven laughed as she snapped her fingers and another slice appeared.
“Thanks, Ray.” She snagged the pizza and took a bite, making a moaning noise as she chewed.
“You okay, Stella? You’re awfully quiet,” Fi asked.
“We all got in, Fi. We all got in!”
“Well, don’t count your chickens yet,” she replied. “We got into the auditions, but we aren’t on the show yet.”
“I know, but what are the odds all four of us would make it through the first round?”
“Have you seen us?” Fi tossed her head back and flipped her hair with her hand. “We’re stunning!” Stella laughed, but the excitement in the pit of her stomach kept her from eating any more pizza. She watched the others laughing and joking around with a smile on her face and hope in her heart.
The day of the final auditions had arrived, and Stella had butterflies in her stomach. She’d decided to dress a little more casually today, so she was wearing her favorite gra
y silk jumpsuit with its black jacket and her black pumps. Her black pearl necklace added an elegant touch, but the pendant she’d attached was a touch of whimsy. It was a crystal pendent of Onyx, and the tiny white and black stones captured his markings perfectly.
This time there was no standing outside or waiting in a large room. She entered the Crawford building through double glass doors held open by two uniformed doormen. The lobby was warm and welcoming, with cushy, gray leather wingback chairs and thick, plush carpeting in a lovely pale blue with a dark blue swirl pattern. She instantly fell in love with the cherry and smoked glass side tables. She sighed at the smell of “wealth” that wafted through the room.
“Ms. Spinney, are you ready?” Stella stood up and touched her hand to the pendant of Onyx for luck. She followed a young man to a small conference room and took a seat in the chair he pulled out for her. “They’ll be here in just a moment. Would you like a glass of iced tea while you wait?” He gestured towards a decanter filled with ice, tea, and lemon slices, and her mouth began to water. She nodded and he poured her a glass, set it on the table in front of her and left the room, closing the door behind him.
She took a sip of the iced tea and it was delicious. She took another sip, then set it down. She looked around the room. The table was made from reclaimed wood, polished to a fine sheen. The walls were painted a soft blue-gray and there were framed photos of animals artfully placed along the walls. Across from her, a lion looked out at her, his eyes clear and bright, while his mane and whiskers indicated that he was an older cat. She felt drawn to him and she walked over to take a closer look.
“That’s Max, he’s my favorite.” A deep, male voice startled her, and she turned around quickly, nearly losing her balance. A large, warm hand touched her arm, steadying her, and she found herself looking into green eyes that shimmered with amusement. “Hi, I’m Cash Crawford. Nice to meet you.”
He held out his hand and she absently shook it. “I’m Stella Spinney. Nice to meet you, too.”
He gestured towards the table and she nodded, walking back around to take her seat. “This is my assistant, Greta, and she’ll be taking notes. I hope you don’t mind?”
Stella had been so caught up in his eyes, and the warmth of his voice, she hadn’t even realized there was another person in the room. “I’m sorry, it’s nice to meet you, too Greta. Of course, that’s fine.” She cleared her throat. “You said the lion’s name is Max?”
“Yes. He’s one of the oldest animals at the sanctuary. He’s been with us for four years now. He’s an old guy, but he’s still smart as a whip.”
“He’s absolutely gorgeous,” she whispered, not sure if she was talking about the lion or the man across from her. “Wait, you said your name is Cash Crawford?”
“Yep, guilty as charged,” he chuckled. “I’m Chad’s younger brother and I’m producing the show. Which reminds me, we should get down to business.”
“Of course,” Stella agreed. She’d been thrown at first, but she was regaining her composure, so she smiled at the man and woman across from her and nodded. “Ready when you are.”
Cash grinned and slid a piece of paper across the table along with an ink pen. “First, I’ll need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement. It covers the behind the scenes activities that don’t affect the outcome of the show. It’s necessary because we’re doing things differently than other reality shows and we want to keep our processes secret, at least for now.”
She looked down at the paperwork and felt a trickle of uncertainty. But when she looked up into his eyes, she decided to throw caution to the wind. She signed the form and slid it back across to him. He smiled and all of her fears faded away.
4
The four had gathered again, this time at Fiona’s apartment. The first time Stella had seen it, she’d been amazed. Fi came from a very wealthy family so she’d expected something very different than the down-to-earth, comfy-casual furnishings. Fiona had explained that she’d grown up with the very best of everything and had always had to be careful not to break anything or spill on anything. The first thing she’d done when she got her own place was adopt a shelter dog. And now her world, and her apartment furnishings, revolved around Diamond.
Diamond was a Dalmatian with a shedding problem. The black and white hairs were everywhere, and they tended to stay in place, no matter how many times Fi vacuumed or lint rolled. So Fi had chosen colors and fabrics that worked with the abundance of dog hair.
Stella liked the contrast between who Fi was in public and who she was in private. Fiona absolutely loved Diamond, and the dog returned that love. At home, Fi tended to wear sweats and jeans, while in public, since she represented one of the most influential families, she always took care to look polished and professional.
Today they’d met at Fi’s because her shower was on the fritz and she was waiting for the plumber to arrive. Stella got there first and Diamond greeted her with lots of doggy kisses.
“Yuck, get your mutt to stand down,” she laughed.
“Don’t you dare call Diamond a mutt,” Fi told her. “And she’s just happy to see you.”
“I know, but I don’t want doggie tongue in my mouth. It’s gross.”
Fiona was about to make a rude comment when there was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Stella offered, but her friend was already there.
“Hi Edward,” she said, shyly, holding the door open for the large man wearing a tool belt and carrying a faded red metal toolbox.
He grinned at her. “Hi, Miss Fiona. How are you and Diamond today?”
At the sound of her name, the Dalmatian ditched Stella and ran to the man in the doorway. “There’s a beautiful girl. How’s Miss Diamond today?”
Stella stood, staring in amazement. It appeared that Fi had some explaining to do. As she looked up, Stella crossed her arms and Fi’s cheeks turned pink. “My shower is filling up with water and the water pressure seems off. I appreciate you coming by so quickly.”
“Anytime, Miss Fiona. You know you and Diamond are my favorite tenants.”
As the two stood looking at each other and the dog laid down on Edward’s feet, Stella cleared her throat. “Hi, I’m Stella. Nice to meet you.”
Edwards face flushed and he looked at Stella, then back at Fiona. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you had company. I’d better take a look at that shower so I can get out of your way.”
“You’re not in the way. This is just Stella. She’s an old friend.”
“And who are we, chopped liver?” Raven’s voice came from the doorway where she and Poppy stood, waiting to enter.
“These are my other friends, Raven and Poppy.”
“Nice to meet you all. I need to get to work, now.” He hustled towards the bathroom with Diamond following on his heels.
“So, who was that?” Raven asked, a smirk on her face.
“That’s the landlord, Edward,” Fiona replied.
Raven and Stella shared a knowing look as Fiona ushered the two witches in and shut the door. She was dying to find out what was going on between her friend and this mystery man, Edward, but that could wait. She needed to know if any of the others had passed the final audition.
“How are we doing this today?” Poppy asked. “Balloons? Red for no, green for yes?”
“We’re going to have to use our words, today, Pops. Methinks that the man in the bathroom is unaware of our, um, skills.”
Fiona nodded and in a low voice said, “Raven’s right. No magic today.”
Poppy looked disappointed, but Stella couldn’t wait any longer. “I’m on the show!” she blurted out.
“Me too!” the others said, all at once. They looked around at each other in amazement.
“We all got picked to be on the show?” Raven asked.
As they all nodded, Stella felt her chest tighten. This was even better than she’d hoped. With the four of them working together, she’d make things right for her family. There was no way the Four Rich Witches could
fail.
“All right, ladies,” the woman with the headset called out. “The seven of you have been chosen to participate in the first ever season of “The Catch of a Lifetime. You’re all gathered here today so we can discuss the rules and so you can see what you’re up against. My name is Martha and I’ll be your main contact throughout the competition.”
Stella looked around at her friends and the three other women, and the mean part of her decided there was no threat to her and the other witches. One woman was already weeping, explaining that she was an “emotional player.” Another was eyeing the woman with the headset as if she was a fine wine. The third woman had a hardness to her eyes that reminded her of coiled snake. Stella chuckled to herself, then immediately felt bad. She didn’t know these women and she shouldn’t judge them based on first impressions.
She’d spent her whole adult life being judged. Men saw her as an object to conquer while women saw her as a threat. She’d lost count of how many friends she’d lost because they thought she wanted to take their man. But that wasn’t who she was. She flirted a bit, but she would never get involved with a man who belonged to another woman. Never. And she’d never met a man who made her feel anything more than a temporary infatuation. She sighed. Maybe one day she’d find the love of her life, but right now, she needed to focus on clearing her grandmother’s name. She wasn’t here to win the guy, just make things right.
She looked over at Raven, who was pacing back and forth and Poppy, who was watching everyone with wide eyes, her mouth hanging slightly open. They’d need to keep an eye on her. She was innocent and naïve; easy prey for anyone with bad intentions.
Martha had stopped to say something into her microphone, but now she was looking off to the left. Stella followed her eyes and watched Cash walk into the room. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt warm all over. As he spoke with Martha she looked around and saw the other women looking at him the same way she was. Of course. He was a handsome, nice man. What woman wouldn’t be interested in him? And how could she think he’d be interested in her when he could choose any woman he wanted?
A Get Witch Quick Scheme (Bewitching the Rich Guy Book 1) Page 2
