by March, Lucy
“No, we’re definitely idiots in love,” he said, his expression serious. “At least, one of us is.”
“An idiot or in love?” I said. “And are you talking about you or me?”
“Are you still going to Europe?” he asked, ignoring my question.
I took a breath. “Yeah. Two weeks from Friday.”
“Oh.” He nodded, swallowed, and pulled on a smile. “It’ll be good for you to get away.”
“It’s just … I already bought the ticket and got my passport…”
“No, no. That’s good.” He forced a full smile. “That’ll be good for you.”
“I’m coming back,” I said.
His brow, which had furrowed a bit, smoothed out in surprise. “You are?”
I nodded. “I changed my ticket to return after two weeks.”
“Oh. Good.”
He smiled and we stood there in awkward silence for a long moment. Then I let the broom clatter to the floor, took his face in my hands, and kissed him. He kissed me back, his arms wrapping naturally around my waist. We indulged in each other for a while, and then I pulled back to look at him.
“I love you,” I said. “I will always love you, and nothing in the world is ever going to change that, so I’m accepting it now, and I’m telling you. No more idiots in love.”
He smiled. “No more idiots in love.” He leaned in and kissed me again, then hugged me tight.
“I love you,” he whispered into my ear. “I’ve been miserable these past few weeks.”
“Me, too. Let’s not do that again.”
“Deal.” He released me, and I reached up and touched his face, my smile widening as the tension drained from me. “Come to Europe with me.”
His expression darkened a bit. “I can’t.”
“Oh.” I lowered my hand. “Okay.”
“I want to, but if I leave the country without telling the company…”
“Hell. You have to get permission? Really?”
He nodded. “And if they think I’m a flight risk, they could come take me.”
“A flight risk? Jesus, what are you? A prisoner?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Kinda. But … go. Have your fun in Europe. Get away, and have a good time. You’ve earned it.” He took a step forward, put his warm palm against my cheek, and looked deep into my eyes. “Then come back to me.”
“I will.” I put my arms around his neck and hugged him to me.
“And take a picture with every goat,” he said. “I want you to be reminded how much I love you every time you see one.”
I stepped back and looked up at him. “Oh, hell.”
“What?”
“Goats are gonna be a thing with us now,” I said. “Every anniversary for the rest of my life, I’m gonna get goats. I can see it now. Goat stationery, goat slippers, stuffed goats.”
He smiled. “Or real ones.”
I laughed. “I’m gonna be lousy with goats, just like Europe.”
“No,” he said. “We’re going to be lousy with goats.”
I smiled up at him. “Damn right, we are,” I said, and then he took me into his arms, and we stopped talking.
Also by Lucy March
Wish You Were Here (written as Lani Diane Rich)
Ex and the Single Girl (written as Lani Diane Rich)
Crazy in Love (written as Lani Diane Rich)
A Little Ray of Sunshine (written as Lani Diane Rich)
Praise for A Little Night Magic
“Lucy March’s writing is delightful and delicious. In the vast realm of all things paranormal, A Little Night Magic is like rain on a scorched desert: welcome and nurturing. What a wonderful treat. Every word I devoured had me craving more. Tobias and Olivia’s journey was touching, magical, and utterly romantic. I cannot recommend this book enough. Lucy March is destined to be a superstar.”
—DARYNDA JONES, author of First Grave on the Right
“Lucy March’s novels have it all; they’re sexy, funny, heartfelt, and warm, full of characters you want to eat waffles with and strange little towns you want to visit, all seasoned with a dash of the supernatural. Lucy March is sublime!”
—JENNIFER CRUSIE, author of Maybe This Time
“Fresh and funny, warm and sexy. I can’t wait for more books from Lucy March.”
—SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS, author of Call Me Irresistible
“A Little Night Magic is a wholly original novel about magic and community, women and the bonds between them, and of course … love. Cast against the reassuringly familiar small town of Nodaway Falls, it is less a talc of magic than about the journey of a woman to herself. Don’t miss it.”
—BARBARA O’NEAL, author of How to Bake a Perfect Life
Lucy March lives in southern Ohio with her husband, two daughters, two cats, five dogs, and one best friend. Visit her at www.lucymarch.com.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A LITTLE NIGHT MAGIC. Copyright © 2012 by Lucy March. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
March, Lucy.
A little night magic / Lucy March.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-250-00267-9 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-25000820-6 (e-book)
1. Waitresses—Fiction. 2. Female friendship—Fiction. 3. Man-woman relationships—Fiction. 4. Life change events—Fiction. 5. Good and evil—Fiction. 6. Attitude change—Fiction. 7. Magic—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3618.I333L57 2012
813’.6—dc22
2011032802
e-ISBN 9781250008206
First Edition: February 2012
