by Larissa Ladd
Could she be right? Maybe, just maybe, if Skyler operated based on that idea, things would turn out golden. But was she willing to risk letting her guard down if that wasn’t true and there was an ulterior motive? “I’d like to believe that, but I can’t take the chance, Jayden. I have to find out what’s in his head.”
“Well, if he really is a warlock you can’t spell him again. He’s likely to sense the magic, and all for nothing.” With a sigh, she stood, gathering her things. “We’re going dress-shopping tomorrow, right? Have him drop you off, and I’ll see if I can get a reading on his intentions. If not, we’ll drag along another friend of ours with better empathic sensitivity to gauge him at the wedding. We’ll know one way or another by the end of the week.”
Skyler didn’t know if she could hold herself together that long. She’d been putting the happy face on at work, but aside from worrying that she was going to have major issues with a warlock, she found herself really starting to like Chad—or at least the man he pretended to be right now. “I’ll just keep the status quo until then, I guess.”
Jayden rolled her eyes again. “Honey, you are head over heels for this guy. You aren’t acting normal to start with. But it shouldn’t be that difficult to keep pretending to pine away for him when you really are. Oh, and before I forget, your new robes are in your closet.” She left, and Skyler stared after her, speechless.
The phone rang almost instantly, and she griped all the way as she went to answer it. Her face lit up when she saw who it was on the caller ID. “Hello, Chad,” she answered pleasantly.
“Hey, beautiful, I just wanted to let you know the article went to press, and the magazine is due out on Friday. I really do think I was wrong in trying to change everything. I had a colleague of mine read through it, and she loved every last word. I’m so sorry I gave you hell about it.” His voice was like honey through the phone, and it crawled down her back with a pleasant sensation.
“Don’t worry about it anymore, Chad. We’ve come to our agreement. I’m not in the least bit concerned anymore. Besides, we have more important things to discuss, like color coordination for the wedding. Do you have a preference?”
“I love you in any color, but that aqua blue dress you wore to work last week was absolutely amazing, if you want my opinion.”
She bit her lip to keep her smile from growing too large. As far as she knew, this man was still the enemy. “In that case, find yourself an aqua shirt and a matching tie, and I’ll hunt for an aqua dress when I go shopping with my mother and my friend tomorrow. Oh, by the way, I was going to ask if you’d drop me at the mall tomorrow. I want to get a few minutes with you before I disappear for the evening. I’m feeling selfish.” She crossed her fingers, hoping that he’d take the bait.
“It would be my pleasure, dear. Does that mean I get to meet your mother and your friend?” He sounded hopeful.
“I’m not sure about my mother, but you will definitely meet Jayden. My mother is chronically late, and Jayden gets impatient and a bit neurotic about it, so we probably won’t get to wait for dear old Mom to show up.”
“I guess I should count my blessings that the woman I love is apparently so little like her mother.” The words stopped Skyler cold. The woman he loved? He loved her? That wasn’t something Chad could possibly say just to manipulate her, was it? Of course, she hesitated to say it back, but at least now, she had some faith that, maybe, he wasn’t using her for his own gain.
Swallowing against tears that threatened to spill, she told him, “No, I’m not too much like my mother.” She let her smile shine this time as she continued, “I’m in the middle of decorating her birthday cake, so I need to go, but I’ll see you first thing in the morning, okay?”
“Sure thing, love. Get some good rest.”
Skyler hung up and squealed. Maybe Jayden was right, and he really wasn’t going to hurt her in the end. Maybe Chad was falling in love with her. Wouldn’t it be nice to let go and just fall madly in love with him? She could almost see it, the two of them with a future together.
And if they married, of course, both of them could come out of the closet with their magic. It would be a match made in heaven, the kind of immortal bond most witches dreamed of and never quite achieved. With a much grander outlook, Skyler decided to go to her closet and check out her robes, her hopes high and her mind ready to face whatever life had to offer.
It was good to fall in love, right?
END
Get Cool Stuff
Want to be notified when I release new books, when I have special offers and swag, when I’m having giveaways?
Click here to join my author’s VIP email list
http://larissaladd.com/fans/
I'll keep you up to date on upcoming giveaways where you could win prizes and cash, access to limited releases and free ebooks, coupons and special offers available to subscribers only, and much more.
About the Author
Larissa Ladd is a dreamer with insights fresh as the frost newly formed on the twig whose snap echoes through the moonlit forest. Since as a child she discovered the storybook world of ghouls and goblins, she's been a devotee of the eerie, the supernatural, and all that raises the hairs on the back of the neck. Her spine still shivers with delight when she huddles fearfully in a darkling corner, enthralled in suspenseful tales from her favorite authors Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and John Saul. Feast your eyes on the scintillating flashes of garish color dabbed forth from her pen.
Larissa is on Facebook:
http://facebook.com/LarissaLadd
Visit Larissa's website for a list of her available books:
http://LarissaLadd.com
Tweet with her on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/LarissaLadd
Also, if you liked the book you just read, I would REALLY love it if you could leave me a review. Reviews make all the difference to indie authors like myself.
