Falling for the Genie (Genie's Love, Book 1)

by Stone, Dee J.

  I groan. It’s not that I hate surprises. I love them, really. But Daisy’s death surprised the hell out of me, and I’ve become wary. I know this is different. Max might not cause my heart to flutter like Sebastian, but he’s a great guy who treats me well. Despite what my genie believes, Max is a gentleman.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I visit Andy the next day after work. Macy hasn’t left his side, even though he’s doing well and is set to leave the hospital later today. She told me this when she called me to let me know she was taking off from work. I was more than happy to take her shift.

  He’s out cold now. Apparently, Macy didn’t leave his side last night and the two of them, well, let’s just say they stayed up all night celebrating their non-engagement. Macy can barely keep her eyes open, but the chair isn’t so comfortable and she’s having a hard time sleeping. She looks bored out of her mind and seems happy to have my company.

  “Is he doing okay?” I ask her. I’m not sure why. Maybe I’m worried the wish is only temporary. Maybe Sebastian wants to get back at me, though I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be that cruel. I guess I feel responsible.

  She gives me the biggest smile ever. “Better than okay. He’s going to be treated like a king for the next few days. I’m going to wait on him hand and foot.”

  I laugh. “I’m really so happy for you. For both of you.” I hug her.

  She holds onto the hug for a bit before pulling off and raising her eyebrows. “Okay, tell.”

  I look at her, confused. “Tell what?”

  “How you did it.”

  “What?”

  She throws her hands up. “All I know is that one minute I’m bawling my eyes out and you tell me you’ll be right back and the next minute my boyfriend wakes up from near death.”

  “And you think I had something to do with it?”

  “Uh huh.” She narrows her eyes. “You’ve been acting weird lately. I thought, you know, it was everything that was happening with your mom. I figured maybe having a guy in your life would help, but you’re still acting weird. And Max told me you were talking to an invisible person. I told him that was nuts but…”

  I don’t listen anymore. I’m torn. The best option is to keep Sebastian a secret because he’s leaving soon and I don’t want Macy to think I’m insane. But she’s my best friend. We’ve always told each other everything. So what if I might come off as crazy? So what if we won’t remember this once I make my last wish? She deserves to know the truth.

  Peering over at Andy, I see he’s sound asleep. There’s no one else in the room. No patient in the second bed. No nurses scuttling about. “I’ll tell you, but you’re going to think I’ve lost my mind,” I say.

  “After seeing what happened with my guy, there’s nothing you can tell me that I won’t believe. I even believe in the frickin’ tooth fairy now.”

  That gets a chuckle out of me. “The tooth fairy?”

  She shrugs.

  I laugh again. “Okay. Remember when I went to take out the trash a few weeks ago at Inferno and came back talking about something attached to my hand?”

  Her eyes dip to my hand as though she’s recalling that day in her head. “Yeah…” Her eyebrows rise.

  “There was something attached to my hand. Except, you couldn’t see it. No one could but me.”

  Her eyebrows shoot even higher. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  Peeking over at Andy, who’s snoring, I motion with my hands for her to keep her voice down. “I found something in the dumpster that day. A genie’s lamp, like the one from Aladdin except it’s bigger and has these swirly designs—”

  “Wait, wait, wait. You’re saying you found a genie?” Her eyes bug out of their sockets.

  I nod. “I brought the lamp to my house and accidentally rubbed it. Smoke filled the room and a genie appeared.”

  Her mouth drops. No words leave her mouth, though it seems she’s trying to talk.

  “His name is Sebastian. He ate my food and got sick and I helped him get better. That’s why I skipped work and was acting weird when you came over. I wanted to tell you about him, but I thought you’d think I was insane. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

  Her mouth clamps shut, then drops open once again. “A genie? Really?” That’s all she manages to say.

  I tell her everything about my first wish, how Sebastian took me to California to see my mom. It feels like it happened years ago when it was only a few weeks. So much has happened since then, and even though I’m trying to move on and accept it, I can’t. I need my mom in my life. I don’t know what to do, if there’s anything to do. Calling and texting isn’t accomplishing anything. I also mention how sweet and caring he was when we returned home. I don’t tell her about the way he makes me feel. It doesn’t seem right, now that I’m with Max, and Sebastian and I are no longer talking. At least, that’s the impression he’s giving me, since he won’t respond when I call for him.

  “Wow,” she says. “He must be some awesome genie if he comforted you that way.”

  Yeah, I thought so, too. Until he started messing with Max. “He’s been a good friend to me,” I tell her.

  She scans around. “Is he here now?”

  I shake my head. I don’t want to tell her about our fight, because like I said, I’d have to tell her about his jealousy over Max and I don’t want to do that. Plus, I don’t want her to think he’s a bad person. He’s not. He just did something wrong. I’m willing to talk it out and work through it, but he won’t hear of it. Maybe he doesn’t want anything to do with me. Maybe he wants me to wish so he can get on with his genie life, but I can’t do that. It might be selfish of me, but I don’t want to him to go. Maybe deep down, he doesn’t want to, either. He told me earlier to take my time, but perhaps he’s changed his mind. I have no idea what he’s thinking or feeling.

  “Lily? You okay?”

  I snap back in. “What? Yeah, I’m okay.” I force a smile.

  “So where is he?”

  I tug on my ponytail. “He’s not here. And anyway, you wouldn’t be able to see him. Only his master can.”

  She frowns. “Oh. Right. It’s cool, I guess.” Her face lights up and she whispers. “You used a wish to heal Andy, didn’t you?”

  I nod.

  She grabs my hands. “Oh my god. Really? You did that for him?”

  “Why are you so shocked? You and I have been friends since forever and I care about him.”

  She pulls me into a tight hug. “Thanks so much. I don’t know how I’m going to make this up to you.”

  “You don’t have to make it up to me.”

  She plays with the hem of her shirt. “But you need wishes, too.”

  I puff out some air. “Sure. Everyone does, I guess. But my genie can’t help me with what I really want. He can’t get me into culinary school because I can’t afford it and he can’t make my mother want a relationship with me. And even if he could do those things for me, I’d hate myself for not helping Andy.”

  Her gaze meets mine and her eyes soften. “I’m sorry.”

  I swallow the brick in my throat. “It’s hard, but I need to learn to accept it. I may not have family anymore, but I have friends who love me.”

  She slings her arm over my shoulder and yanks me close. “You bet your ass you do.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  It’s Friday night and Max is taking me to my surprise. He’s got me blindfolded as he drives us to wherever. I’ve come up with different theories in my head. It could be bungee jumping, skydiving, bowling, an amusement park. The possibilities are endless.

  Although I’m not a fan of surprises, I can’t stop myself from filling up with excitement. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything fun with a guy. As long as Sebastian keeps his distance, which I’m pretty sure he will, tonight should be spectacular. Maybe that’s exaggerating a bit, but it’s how I feel.

  My genie still hasn’t returned home, and I miss him like crazy, but my life can’t rev
olve around him. As much as it pains me, I need to let him go. Because I am going to have to wish and he’ll leave me. It’s better to slowly get used to the idea as opposed to having it hit me all at once.

  “Okay,” Max says, stopping the car. “We’re here.”

  I try to get a sense of where we are by listening to the sounds around me and smelling, but all I get is his new car smell. He got it eight months ago and it still smells like new. “Can I take the blindfold off?”

  “Not yet.”

  The anticipation is killing me. I hear him get out of the car, slam his door shut, then open mine. He reaches for my hand and helps me out. The fact that he’s taking the time to surprise me means so much to me. I think I may be falling in love with him.

  He leads me somewhere before telling me to stay put for a second. Then he urges me inside some sort of building. It’s noisy and smells like food. A restaurant? It doesn’t seem like one.

  I feel him slip behind me and place his hands on my waist. “Okay, ready?”

  “Yes!” Now I’m more than excited.

  He chuckles softly before pulling the blindfold off. The first thing I see are kids running around, then their parents, then posters on the walls. We’re in a movie theater. I didn’t expect this at all.

  “Surprise,” Max says with a goofy grin on his face.

  This is the surprise? A movie? I try to hide my disappointment and ask, “What are we watching?”

  Beaming, he points his thumb to the nearest poster. I follow his gaze and see people and lots and lots of blood. “Zombies?”

  He beams again, his eyes shining like they have gold inside them. My heart sinks a little more. I guess I was hoping he’d pick a romance movie, since I’ve mentioned how much I love them. But I’m okay with watching zombies. He loves them and I want to enjoy his interests. Maybe I can love them, too.

  Smiling, I take his hand. “Let’s go.”

  We get comfortable in the theater and Max wraps his arm around my shoulder. I lean in close. When the movie begins, I enjoy it. For maybe the first ten minutes. The more I watch the more my stomach churns. All this death, I don’t think I can handle it. All the family members crying as they have to murder the ones they love just to avoid spreading the plague that transforms people into the undead. The dead bodies I see don’t belong to the actors. I see Daisy lying in a pool of blood with me standing over her, ready to chop her head off with an axe.

  I try to be strong, try to get into it like Max is. But I can’t. If I stay here any longer, I’m not going to make it.

  “Max?” I whisper, wiping my eyes with the back of my sleeve. “I need to go.”

  “Hmm?”

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t watch this.”

  He nods and we quietly make our way out of the theater. My breathing is labored and I can’t see well. Everything is blurry and spinning. I manage to lower myself onto a chair in the theater lobby. Max sits down next to me with a startled expression on his face. “Are you okay?” He rubs my shoulder.

  I dab my eyes with a tissue, conscious of all the curious eyes on me. I don’t know why I’m reacting this way. The movie isn’t real. The deaths and blood aren’t real. “No, not really.”

  He continues stroking my arm, his gaze flicking to the entrance to the theater that is running the movie.

  “Go back to the movie,” I tell him.

  His brown eyes meet mine. “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. I’ll get a ride home.” I’d like him to stay with me, but he’d rather see his movie. I won’t stand in his way. He kisses me quickly before dashing inside, sending a chill over me. I hug my arms. I shouldn’t be upset he left. I told him to. I guess I didn’t think he’d actually leave me like this. Is that a reason to be concerned? Am I overthinking this?

  I wait a few minutes, keeping my eyes on the theater. He doesn’t come out. I want to call Macy, but Andy just came home from the hospital and I’m not going to bother them over something so silly.

  I’m going to wait for Max. It’s still early and I don’t want to end our date yet. He was really looking forward to watching the movie with me, and I kind of ruined it. I want to make it up to him. Dinner will be on me.

  About an hour later, he emerges from the theater and his face fills with surprise when he sees me. He sits down near me. “I thought you went home.”

  I take his hand and run my thumb over his palm. “I don’t want to end the night yet. I’m sorry tonight didn’t go as well as you planned.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “What do you say about going out to eat? My treat.”

  He pecks my lips. “Sure.”

  When we’re in his car after our stomachs are filled with Indian food, we can’t keep our hands off each other. The kissing’s gotten better, and I don’t even compare him to Sebastian anymore. Max is slowly taking over my life. I think I might be ready to take the next step with him. He seems like he has the same idea because he reaches for the hem of my shirt. I stop him before he can pull it over my head.

  “Wait, not here,” I say. “I don’t want my first time to be in a car.”

  His face changes as he shifts his position, sitting straight up. “Hold up. First time?”

  “Is that a problem?” My heart hammers in my head as I try to read the expression on his face. It’s blank. Some guys get weird about this sort of thing. They’d like the girl to have experience. “Max?”

  He shakes his head and smiles. “No, no. Of course not. We’ll do this right.”

  I kiss him. “Thanks.”

  He pulls me close. “Anything for you, baby.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Sunday night is Macy and Andy’s engagement party. She’s dressed in this silky white dress that reaches just above her knees. Andy’s in a white suit. Both have wide smiles on their faces. I couldn’t be happier for them. After everything she and Andy have been through, they deserve the world.

  When Max and I wish them congratulations, Macy pulls me into her arms. “We wouldn’t be here if not for you, Lil.” She squeezes me close. “Thanks for everything. Really. I’m going to name my daughter after you. And our son Sebastian.”

  I tuck some hair behind my ear. “I told you a million times that you don’t have to thank me. It was nothing.”

  “It so was not nothing.” She hugs me again. Then I hug Andy and congratulate him one more time before Max and I head over to the refreshment table for some cookies and cakes.

  Max has his usual, charming smile on his face, but I notice something strange about him. He nods when I talk, but I don’t feel like he’s paying attention. In addition, he keeps peeking at his phone. I ask him about it and he reassures me it’s work. I don’t want to be a paranoid or accusing girlfriend, so I’m not making a big deal out of it. But something feels off. I don’t know what.

  Many couples are dancing, and we join them, but like before, Max doesn’t seem to be into it. His hands are loose on my waist and he’s not swaying to the beat of the music. It’s like I’m dancing with a statue.

  “Max?” I ask.

  He must be thinking about something deep because it doesn’t appear as though he hears me.

  “Max,” I repeat.

  His gaze slowly moves to mine.

  “Is everything okay?”

  We haven’t been together yet. He told me he wants to make it perfect, that he’s planning something big. But this isn’t about our personal life. I know that based on the distant look on his face.

  “Max,” I say for the third time. He slips his phone out of his front pocket and scans the screen. A small smile captures his face. It drops a second later as he deposits his phone back into his pocket. Staring straight ahead, his eyes look dazed, like he’s in another world.

  The guests sit down and different people make toasts. All I can think about is Max’s behavior. It’s selfish of me to be caught up in my own life at Macy’s engagement party, but I can’t help it. Max is scaring me.

  There’s more dancing,
more eating, more toasts before the night is over.

  “Thanks for coming, Lil,” Macy says once I tell her we’re leaving, and congratulate her for the hundredth time.

  “Like I would ever miss your engagement party.”

  She laughs. “Maybe you’ll be in my place soon. With Lover Boy.” She winks toward Max, who’s chatting with Andy. A sour feeling enters my stomach, but I force a smile. “You guys are really cute together,” she continues.

  I wish I could tell her about his attitude tonight, but I can’t. I won’t ruin her special day, and besides, what if I’m blowing things out of proportion?

  “He’s not a good guy,” Sebastian’s words ring in my ears, but I shove them back. He’s wrong. I’m overreacting.

  I walk to Max. “Ready to go?”

  He nods.

  We climb into his car. He doesn’t start it. He just rests his hands on the steering wheel, once again with that withdrawn look on his face. His phone beeps with a text. He doesn’t move.

  “Max?” I place my hand on his. “What’s going on?”

  “We need to break up.” He says it with no emotion. No remorse. Not softly or slowly. Just bam. Like he doesn’t give a damn. He won’t even look my way.

  “What…what are you talking about?” I ask, my insides filling with dread and scorching with pain.

  He doesn’t respond, just keeps his gaze on the windshield.

  “He’s not a good guy.”

  I shut my eyes, ignoring my genie’s warning. It can’t be true. He’s wrong. “Is this because…I’m a virgin?” I ask, opening my eyes and glancing at him.

  “No.”

  “Then why?”

  Again, he’s quiet. He phone beeps again.

  “Who’s been texting you?” I don’t mean for it to come out demanding, but I think I have a right to know what went wrong with us. Why he won’t explain.

  Just like before, he’s quiet. I want to reach for the phone and check for myself, but I don’t. I won’t invade his privacy.

  “Please,” I say. “Talk to me. I need to know why you want to break up with me.” I was falling in love with him, was ready to take that next step. And now this? “You’ve been acting weird all night. What’s going on? Maybe we can work through this. We can fix this.”