Free Enchanted, A Paranormal Romance / Fantasy (Forever Charmed) by Rachel Wells Page A

head anyway. She would finish senior year, and then this town would become just another memory. She would look back on it and laugh at her foolishness.
    Pep talk completed, Mandy took in another deep breath and let herself into Dew Drops using the key her grandmother had given her, the little bells announcing her arrival.
    “Nana?” Mandy called.
    “Back here, Love.”
    Mandy followed the voice to the back room where she found her grandmother arranging bouquets. “Grab an apron, child. You can come help me until it’s time to unlock.” It was just barely past 8 a.m., the store didn’t open until 9. Mandy was off at 2 p.m. today. Six more hours. Mandy realized it probably wasn’t smart to begin counting down the seconds so early in the day. She tried unsuccessfully to stifle the sigh that snuck out. Mandy’s grandma eyed her seriously.
    “Sorry, Nana. I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
    “Oh?”
    Suddenly Mandy remembered hanging out with Ally’s friends and the conversation that had taken place. “Nana, actually I wanted to talk to you…” Mandy trailed off, unsure what to say and feeling almost foolish for bringing up such obviously made up tales.
    “What is it? Cat got your tongue?” Mandy’s grandmother chuckled.
    “Well, you know I went out with Ally last night and she introduced me to some of her friends,” Mandy began.
    “Yes, nice bunch of kids,” Nana nodded approvingly.
    “Yeah, they seemed all right. There was one guy, though, Henry…”
    “Hank Hinkles’ grandson,” Nana interrupted.
    “Um, yeah that’s what Ally said,” Mandy paused.
    “So?” Nana urged.
    “Well, I don’t know, Nana. It sounds stupid now, but he was saying some stuff. Maybe trying to scare me or get a rouse out of me or something…”
    “Saying what, Dear?” Nana’s green eyes looked coolly at Mandy.
    “Well, he was talking about some supposed witch that used to live here forever ago…Mary Nasson? He was saying crazy stuff, like we were her descendents and that his grampa, Hank, thinks you’re a witch!” Mandy snickered. Hearing it out loud made it sound even more absurd.
    Mandy looked up at Nana, realizing she was not joining in the laughter. She was still looking in Mandy’s direction, but it was as if she was seeing something else. “Nana?” Mandy asked, slightly alarmed.
    “C’mon, Mandy. We’ve got to get these arrangements out front,” Nana responded.
    “Yeah, but Nana, did you hear what I said? Hank thinks you are a witch!” Mandy laughed again, weaker this time.
    “Well that’s not a nice thing to call someone, now is it Mandy?” Nana shook her head, muttering under her breath.
    “What do you mean it’s not nice? I think it’s just bizarre! I mean, come on! This is not the Dark Ages! Everyone knows there’s no such thing as witches!” Mandy spit out.
    Nana eyed Mandy seriously again. “Sometimes, Mandy, you will find that things in this world are not as they seem. Everything is not black and white. There is a grey area.”
    “Yeah, we’re in it,” Mandy snorted.
    “Child, there is color in everything if you look for it. There is excitement in with the dull. There is light in the dark. There is new in the old. There are things yet unknown. And there is mystery in knowledge.” Nana nodded her head pertly at Mandy.
    “What? Nana, really, in English!” Mandy was getting exasperated now. Here she was just trying to clear up some stupid nonsense, and it was like her grandma was just making it more confusing for her on purpose.
    “Deary, Mary Nasson was no witch. But she did have a certain kind of ability. She was talented in healing and in helping, and that made people leery of her. Rumors spread that she was a witch. But we prefer the word healer, or if you must, white witch. The term witch just infers a different kind of image, a darker one. Say from a nasty fairy tale…” Nana’s voice trailed off, weighing the different meanings of the term.
    Mandy’s