A Taste of Magic (6 page)

All because I’d married a man who was now married to someone else.

“What do you want?” Grandma asked again, a glint of hope in her gaze.

I wanted to make her happy. But my decision couldn’t be based on that. It had to center on me. On what I wanted.

I closed my eyes. All that stuff floated right there in front of me, so close I could touch it. Did I want the next year to be more of the same?

No, I didn’t. It couldn’t be.

There was only one thing I could do. Only one thing I
wanted
to do. Like I’d said earlier, it was time to live again, to have some fun again, and hey, if the process took a bit of gypsy magic to get me going, why not? After all, it was mine to use.

“I’m going to keep it, Grandma.” The decision made, I opened my eyes and smiled at her. All the anxiety dissipated, replaced with pure anticipation for the future.

I, Lizzie Stevens, was about to learn exactly what I was capable of.

“So long, Miss Mouse,” I whispered.

Chapter Five

I looked at the list I’d written and focused on number one. While another dose of retribution at first sounded appealing, it probably wasn’t the most practical way to begin. Think about it. I didn’t yet know enough about how the magic worked. Anything I did to Marc needed to be done correctly, and I couldn’t get my mind off some of the things my grandmother had shared with me. Possible repercussions and all that.

In all honesty, it was a fairly pitiful list I made. You’d think creating magical goals would be easy, but it wasn’t. For one, the fact that whoever I enchanted would need to eat whatever I baked—well, that limited what I could realistically accomplish. For two, the whole concept, while exciting, was more than a little panic-inducing.

Before I could give it any further thought, the office door opened. I tucked the paper away and smiled at Jon.

“I’m out of here, Lizzie. Are you all set for the day?” he asked, his tired gaze taking in the note pad on my desk, the stacked files, and the order on my computer screen.

“Almost, but I’ll be in early tomorrow to finish up the samples for the wedding show.” Each year we participated in several wedding expos throughout Chicago. This weekend was the largest of them all, and in order to have enough samples ready, Jon and I had been on a baking blitz. Tiring, but fun, too. Plus, we needed the new business.

“I’ll meet you here at six, then.” He turned to exit but stopped and faced me again. “Lizzie?”

“Yeah?” I asked absently, still thinking about magic.

“Do you believe in true love? The ever-after kind?”

Both the question and his tone of voice startled me. It wasn’t like Jon to sound so melancholy. Probably, he was still worried about me. “I don’t know. For some people, maybe. Like you and Andy. You two will be together forever. But not everyone’s that lucky, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess.” I thought I saw sadness flicker over his face, but then he grinned and I was sure I’d imagined it. “You want to walk out together? I can wait,” he said.

“I don’t want to hold you up. I’m not sure how long I’ll be. Andy’s probably wondering where you are by now, so go home.”

He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something else. After a moment, he said, “I’ll see you in the morning, then. Don’t stay too late.”

When the bells jangled at the entry, signaling his departure, I grabbed my list out of my pocket and ran to the kitchen. But then I stopped. I thought about the question Jon had just asked me, and I recalled the sadness I’d seen in his eyes. Had I mistaken the reason he’d asked about love? Could he and Andy be having problems?

But, no. They were the happiest couple I knew. I set my worry aside. But I also promised myself I’d pay closer attention to Jon. Just in case.

Spreading the list on the counter, I tried to decide what I wanted the most. Okay, strike that. I already knew the answer to that question, but what I
really
needed to do first was test out the magic, see how it worked and figure out the rules. Which meant it would be smart to start with the easy stuff. I had to be somewhat responsible, after all.

I flipped on some music, grabbed my apron, poured myself a glass of wine, and washed my hands. I’d baked all day and had to concentrate to keep my mind empty so that I didn’t accidentally cast a spell. I’d spent the time repeating the recipes over and over as I measured and mixed, because I didn’t want any other accidents until I’d practiced it a little.

Tonight was a different story. This baking was personal, and I was going to test my limits—find out exactly what I could and couldn’t do. In baby steps, of course. It would be rash and ill-fated to jump in with both feet otherwise. Right?

Yeah, that’s what I thought. So, while plenty of ideas swarmed through my brain, I forced myself to let them float away for now. Payback could wait a bit longer. Unfortunately, so could crazy sex. Instead, I was going to use the magic for something simple and small, but something good.

Maddie would never know what hit her. If it worked.

I focused on exactly what I wanted to accomplish in Maddie’s chocolate chip cookies, going light on the magic. I thought about the outcome I wanted, just as Grandma had instructed me to do, and I worded my wish accordingly.

When I finished with her recipe, I moved on to brownies for me. This recipe was almost more important, because while I’d been cautious in what I’d wished for Maddie, I could be far freer with myself. Scary.

I thought about the wish I wanted to make. How I wanted my life to be different and exciting. How I wanted to go out and do things and not be stuck at home all the time. Decision made, I measured out the ingredients and dumped them into a bowl. When I was ready, I closed my eyes, and said, “My wish is to have men find me alluring and interesting and to ask me out on dates, so I can see what I’ve been missing. Oh. Not just any men, but sexy, handsome men.”

The energy began at my toes, moving through my body, and swirling around me as I stirred the brownie batter. I repeated the wish a second time—just to be sure—and then I poured the batter into a pan. After sliding the pan into the oven, I paced the kitchen, not able to settle down. I wanted the wish to work. I wanted it more than I’d wanted anything in a very long time.

When the brownies were finally done, I hovered over them as if they would jump out of the pan and bite me. Carefully, I sliced a chunk off. I blew on it to cool it down. It looked like any other brownie I’d ever made.

“Here goes nothing,” I said, and popped it into my mouth.

The dark fudgy confection melted on my tongue and slid down my throat. I waited for a magical zing, something to tell me the die had been cast and sexy men would be flocking to my door.

“Hmm,” I muttered. I took another bite.

Still nothing. Weird. You’d think enchanted brownies would somehow taste different, but they didn’t. I ate a couple more before wrapping them up to take home with me. Maybe by the time I saw Nate again they’d have taken effect. One could always hope, anyway.

A sizzle of desire had me stopping to catch my breath. I shivered. I couldn’t wait to see if my magic worked, if everything I wanted was only a wish away. No time like the present, right? Besides, I needed to get going if I wanted to see Maddie. And then maybe I’d give myself a little “alone” time— with Nate in mind, of course.

As I headed out the door, excitement and happiness put a smile on my face. Things were about to get better. I just knew it.

I was still smiling an hour later. I’d dropped the brownies off at my place before taking the steps to Maddie’s apartment. She had a little more real estate than I, with around 1,000 square feet to call her own. And she’d taken the time to paint
and
decorate. While the pastel colors and ultra-feminine furnishings weren’t my style, they suited her perfectly.

“I can’t believe you brought me chocolate. I’m so glad you’re my best friend,” Maddie said, choosing one of the cookies I’d baked for her. Her blonde hair swung loose around her head, glimmers of light bouncing off it as she moved.

“Just a thank-you for helping me through the past year.” This wasn’t really a lie. I
was
thankful for her support, even if that wasn’t the reason I’d baked the cookies. And really, if I told her the truth, she’d think I was crazy.

She took a large bite. I watched her carefully, waiting for a sign that the magic was doing what I’d bade it. Nothing happened. Just like with me. Maybe it was too soon.

“Here, you want one?” Maddie nodded toward the plate.

“I’ve had several brownies already. Besides, those are yours.” She brushed imaginary crumbs from her flowing black slacks before standing. After she straightened her sparkly blouse, she grabbed the plate of cookies. “I’m going to put these away and get some milk. You want anything?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks, though.”

She took the cookies into the kitchen.

“Maddie,” I called. “Are you going out tonight?” I mean, come on, she was wearing clothes I’d wear to a social event.

“No way, I’m staying in and relaxing.”

“Is someone coming over?”

“No one but you. Why?”

“Just wondered,” I replied. Even at home, at night, her makeup was expertly applied. Glamour could be her middle name. If someone dropped in on me at nine o’clock on a weeknight—okay, a weekend, too; who was I kidding?—they’d be lucky to see me in real clothes. I basically had my pajamas on within an hour of coming home. This, actually, was one of the perks of not being married. I could dress how I wanted, when I wanted.

Maddie returned with a glass of milk and another cookie. I should have quizzed Grandma Verda more on this, because I didn’t know how many Maddie would have to eat for the magic to work. You’d think just one bite, wouldn’t you? But this was the test phase, and I didn’t really know anything yet.

“Knock, knock! Anyone in there?” Maddie squeezed my arm. “You seem really out of it. Are you still thinking about Tiffany being pregnant?”

“Nah, that’s old news now,” I said, ignoring the spasm of pain that hit. “I’m just tired. Long day today.” Until the words were said, I hadn’t realized they were true. But, all at once, I was exhausted. My late night with Grandma Verda combined with my early morning was to blame. Not to mention all my obsessing over Miranda, magic, and casting actual spells.

“You shouldn’t have baked these then.” Maddie put the last bite in her mouth. “But I’m really glad you did.”

Suddenly, my stomach churned with nerves. What if I, with the best intentions, inadvertently hurt Maddie when something went wrong? Just minutes ago, I’d wanted her to eat more. Now, I was seriously considering forcing ipecac down her throat. What was I doing even wishing good things for my friend when I didn’t know how all this magic would work?

“Maddie? Wait until tomorrow to eat more cookies.”

“Why? Do you think I’ve gained weight?” Rising to her feet, she swiveled her hips and tried to get a view of her rear. “Is my butt bigger? I thought my jeans felt a little tight the other day.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

She put her hands on her hips. “What did you mean then? Just tell me, Liz. You’re my friend. If I’m turning into a Moo Moo Cow, it’s your job to tell me. No. Not just your job, it’s your
obligation
. It’s like a rule of friendship.”

“A Moo Moo Cow?” My anxiety fled. I pursed my lips so I wouldn’t laugh.

“Forget it. If you refuse to answer my question then it must be true.” She crossed her arms and stared at me, her lips twitching.

“If you keep squinting at me like that, you’ll get wrinkles around your eyes,” I teased. “Wrinkles age you, so watch it.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re a brat, Elizabeth Stevens.”

“This brat is tired. You’re not gaining weight. You look terrific. There’s a lot of sugar in the cookies, and you know how sugar affects you. You’ll be awake all night.”

“I’ll just come wake you up then.”

After a hug and a good night, I took the stairs to my apartment. It was going to be fine. I’d only wished for Maddie to relax and not feel like she had to be a walking cover model every second of the day. To have a little self-confidence, to not be so self-conscious all the time. How could that hurt her?

In front of my apartment, I knelt down and reached under the nearby plant to pull out the key I’d hidden there earlier.

“I told you to move that.” The now recognizable voice came once again from behind me. At least this time my cellulite was safely hidden beneath denim and my rear wasn’t hanging out of a window. Good news on both accounts.

Still crouching, I flipped my head to get a look at the cop. Kinda cool, running into him. “Hey there, you.”

“You really can’t keep your key there. What if I was a major lunatic? Or, as you said, a madman? I would now know how to get into your apartment whenever I wanted. I could hurt you,” Nate said.

“Lucky for me you’re not a major lunatic.” I stood and tilted my chin so I could look him in the eye. I hadn’t remembered him being so tall. “Or a madman.” He was in uniform again. The pants, while not tight, easily accentuated his taut, muscular legs. My stomach quivered—just a little—as I took in his full appearance.

Nate rubbed his hand over his face. “Tonight I responded to a rape call. Please, do not keep your key out here.” His voice carried through the hallway, anguish and maybe a little anger evident in each abruptly spoken word. But it was his expression that really got to me. More than tired, he looked beaten down.

“Is that why you’re home early? I thought you were on the late shift.”

“They needed me early tonight, but don’t change the subject. This woman’s life is forever altered. It’s not her fault what happened, but hell … if she’d been more aware of her surroundings, she might have stayed safe.” Slowly, he stepped toward me, his gaze even. “If you don’t make sure of your safety, you won’t be safe. It’s really that simple. So much of what I see could be avoided by taking precautions.”

Stopping, he held out his hand. I dropped the key into his open palm. He unlocked my door and pushed it open. I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to react.

“Go inside. Take this key and lock your door. Take my advice.” He voice was clipped and sort of cold, more like the cop I’d met that first night than the man I’d started to get to know.