“You must bake it into a treat. A cupcake or cookie would be best—the sweetness masks the slightly chalky taste of the potion, and the portion is perfect for a single person.”
“She’s obviously never seen me sit down with a cake,” Nina whispers.
Zelda’s eyes bore into mine. “You must use it in the next three days or it will become ineffective.”
“Three days?” I ask, wondering how I’m supposed to get this to him in two days. Apology cupcake, maybe? ‘Sorry You Stepped In My Dog’s Poop’ cookies?
“And what happens when he eats it?” Andrea asks.
Is it just me, or does she sound like she believes this for real? She’s not joking anymore.
“The effect will be quite sudden, and quite serious.” Zelda glares at me, her voice commanding. “Keep it safe. Use this power with care. Do not allow anyone else to eat the potion. If it ends up in the wrong hands or given to the wrong person, the consequences could be… dire.”
I swear to God, the word echoes through the room like the reverberation of a gong. Dire, dire, dire. It sends chills up my spine, and not the good kind. It’s enough to make me wonder if this was such a good idea. I’m messing with magic here.
This frightens me a little, and I open my mouth to question her about it, but she ignores me and continues, “Magic spells are not to be taken lightly. Now you may leave through the same door you came in from.”
“Ok, bye then,” I say, “Thank you—is there anything else I should know?”
“No. Go now.” Zelda rises, motioning toward the door.
Yeah, she doesn’t have to tell me twice. The three of us haul ass down the hall and out the door. I don’t think any of us breathes until we’re in the elevator.
It could just be the smoke I’ve been breathing in since we walked into that living room, or the lingering effects of the vodka I drank earlier, but I could swear I hear laughter coming from the apartment when we close the door.
“Let’s get out of here,” Andrea says, clasping my hand. “This place gives me the creeps.”
We step on to the road and as if by magic the thick, black clouds in the sky part and the moon shines through. All of us see it very clearly—it is not a round full ball of light, but a thin white crescent. Oh, crap! There is no full moon! And there was no reason for us to rush here tonight with my hard-earned money.
Nina gasps.
Andrea wisely keeps her mouth shut.
I’ve just been conned out of four hundred dollars. Yeah, this was one day I should not have gotten out of bed for.
Chapter Six
Lauren
A dog’s tongue laps on my face, dragging me from sleep.
“No…please, no. Have a heart, Draco.” I turn my head to the side and that’s not a good idea, since it feels like there’s a marching band storming through my brain.
Draco doesn’t care. He just jumps over my prone body, stretches out on the bed and starts licking from the other side. He’s easy that way.
“I said, cut it out. I fed you when I got home.” Crossing my arms over my face doesn’t help. “And I took you out too, even though it was late at night and even though I hate walking around late at night. So don’t tell me you need anything right this very minute.”
But Draco just wants love. And licking. Lots of licking. The dog is a lick addict. He might need an intervention.
A brief opening of my eyes confirms my greatest fear…its morning, it’s a bright morning, and my head feels like it’s going to split straight open. Why did I drink that sixth or seventh martini? Even the fourth one is never a good idea, no matter how smart it seems at the time.
At least I had the foresight to leave a bottle of water on the bedside table, which I drink from very gladly. At least my stomach isn’t churning.
The memories of the night flash before me. Yuck. I hold my head and groan, my mind still ticking away slowly. My heart suddenly sinks. Oh, my God. The gypsy woman. Zelda. Shit. I hope for a second it’s some kind of nightmare. But nope, the memory solidifies. I gave her four hundred bucks.
“Draco, why am I so stupid?” I groan as my head sinks back into the pillow.
He snuggles in next to me, which is pretty much all he wanted to do in the first place, and stares at me with the same adoration he always stares at me with. It doesn’t matter to him that I blew four hundred bucks last night.
“That’s going to a lot fewer treats for you, little boy,” I whisper, absently stroking his fluffy, white fur.
He sighs.
“I know. It was a very, very dumb thing to do. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though. You wouldn’t understand it, but lots of things seem like a good idea when you’re drunk.” I open one eye and look down at him as his big, brown eyes are staring at me. “Like, you know when you’re in the middle of eating your favorite treat and you’re just completely blissed out and not thinking straight and everything in the world is awesome? Yeah. That sort of feeling.”
But even Draco, a dog, wouldn’t do something as stupid as I did. Four hundred dollars for a vial of what’s probably nothing but tap water. Women like Zelda capitalize on the loneliness of others to turn a quick buck. No wonder she was laughing when we left. Probably counting her money.
My purse is lying on the floor. I pick it up, scramble around in the bottom of it, and find the tiny glass vial. The liquid has a pink tinge to it and I ease out the cork, sniffing inside, but it doesn’t really smell like anything. Maybe slightly sweet. I put it to one side and sigh. What a prize idiot! Spending insane amounts of money, I can’t afford.
My head needs pain relief and my heart needs coffee. Or maybe it’s the other way around. I drag myself out of bed and stumble towards the door.
Danny, my roommate’s door is open. I guess he must have come back a day early. I look in, but it is empty. He is already up and out, probably at a yoga class or something similar. Since he went alcohol free, he’s a changed man and its mornings like today when I wonder if I should take a leaf out of his book. Especially as I pick up the discarded items of clothing from the night before and toss them in the laundry basket. I have no idea how my shoes ended up where I found them; one in the kitchen and the other in the bathroom. But that could easily have been down to Draco rather than me.
I pour the coffee down my throat, fall back into bed, and drift off to sleep again. The phone wakes me up a couple of hours later, and I nearly fall out of bed trying to get to it. For some weird reason, I thought it might be work, but it is only Nina.
“How are you feeling today?” she asks with a dry chuckle.
“Probably about as good as you—but poorer. Considerably poorer.”
“Come on. It’s not that bad. You’ve spent more than that in a day at the mall. I was there. I remember.”
“Yeah, but there’s a difference between dropping that sort of cash at the mall and blowing it away the way I did last night. I have nothing to show for it.”
“You have the potion.”
Which is sitting on the end table, staring at me. Blaming me. Laughing at me. “Yeah, well, whoopee doo.”
“Come on…” She laughs. “I’m sorry. It was all my idea and I feel like garbage for even suggesting it, but she sounded so nice and helpful when I called her and I was very drunk last night too.”
“You have a point there. It was all your idea and I think I will silently hold you responsible for the duration of our friendship.”
She laughs. “Want to go halves?”
“Nah.”
“You sure? Because I really don’t mind.”
That is what I love about Nina. She is a truly sweet natured person. “Nah. It was my decision. Thanks though.”
“All right. So you spent some money. No big deal. You won’t even feel it in a month or so. And you have a fantastic story…I mean, come on. I know I’ll never forget what happened last night. And I plan to bring it up at your wedding someday. You know. When you marry the guy next door.”
�
�Shut up,” I groan, putting a hand over my eyes. “That’s never going to happen. She’s a con-woman pure and simple. She even lied about it being full moon last night.”
“Yeah, but that’s just a sales tactic. She was adding urgency and a sense of drama to the situation. The candles did all flicker at once when she yelled at us to shut up.”
“You’re right. That did happen. I think I peed a little when it did.”
She giggled. “Oh, I’d be surprised if I didn’t.”
“Either she’s really magic, or it was an effect she set up in the house. Who knows what she’s set up behind those velvet curtains of hers?”
“Speaking of her house,” Nina continues, “what was up with that? It was like a movie set.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” I say glumly.
“And the hoarder conditions in the kitchen. I assume from the noise in there, anyway.”
We both laugh, and I feel a lot better. She’s right…it’s a crazy story, something the three of us will share for the rest of our lives, and how can you put a price tag on something like that?
“So. I have to ask. You know I have to ask.”
I roll my eyes—which doesn’t matter, because she can’t see it. “Am I going to use it?”
“Yes.”
“No,” I say firmly.
“Lauren!”
“Nina!” I tease.
“Come on,” she whines. “You went to all the trouble to get it and spent all that money.”
“I thought this was going to be just a fantastic story we could all look back on and laugh over.”
“What idiot told you that?”
“Lay off, okay? Please. It was a silly idea. I can’t do something like that to a total stranger. Who knows what is even in that bottle. It could be poisonous.”
“Why did you even buy it if you’re going to punk out like this?”
“Because I was drunk and you guys pressured me.”
“Andrea didn’t want you to do it at all.”
“Yeah, which is what pressured me,” I mutter. “I wanted to prove her wrong.”
“Gotcha. I still think it’s worth a shot, though.”
“Why?”
“Because how could she survive if she’s a scam artist? Wouldn’t word of mouth get around? I mean, this is the internet age, babe. If somebody’s pizza shows up late, the first thing they do is go online to complain. I mean, they don’t even eat the pizza right away, they’re so busy going online to complain.”
“You have a point.”
“I say go for it. What do you have to lose?”
“Oh, I don’t know. My self-respect?”
“Psh. Who needs that?”
“I do, if I’m going to keep living next door to Mr. Miller.”
“So that’s his name? I thought you two never really talked.”
“That doesn’t mean I can’t check out his mail.”
She laughs. “Stalker.”
“Says the woman who wants me to trick him into taking a love potion.”
I do feel better by the time we’re off the phone.
My phone pings, and I’m lulled out of my TV trance.
Chapter Seven
Lauren
It’s a message from Andrea:
Open the door. I’ve brought coffee and doughnuts!!
I open the door and she looks fresh as a daisy. Typical. She gives me a hug and hands me a steaming coffee. My third of the day. Hopefully this will be the one to make me feel human again.
Draco comes running into the hallway and jumps excitedly all over her.
“Hello, poo face.” She fishes a treat from her purse and gives him a treat. He runs off it with it and she turns to me. “How’s the head?”
“Pretty horrendous.” I smile back, sheepishly. My eyes pan down her body as I admire her flashy workout leggings and then I groan as I realize why she’s wearing them.
“You forgot about spin class, huh?” she smirks, reading the look of realization on my face.
“Completely,” I have to admit. Ugh. I don’t know if I can face it. But I also don’t know which is going to be harder ‒ convincing Andrea that I’m not going ‒ or actually doing the damn class.
“Chill, we have plenty of time, it doesn’t start ‘til four.” She sits down and glances around. “Danny not back yet?”
“He is, but I think he must be at yoga or meditation or something like that.”
“So he’s still off the booze then? I’m impressed.”
“Yeah, he’s doing really well. It was getting kind of out of hand after his Dad died.”
“It’s great he’s getting himself sorted. I do love party Danny, don’t get me wrong. But he was a bit out of control.”
“It’s me that’s getting out of control now. I know.” I’m shaking my head. I’m suddenly struggling to hold back the tears. “I can’t believe what I did last night, especially considering I might not even have a job soon. I really can’t afford to throw that amount of money away on a drunken whim while I meant to be saving for our girl’s trip,” I say in a shaky voice.
“Aw, come here Laur.”
She always calls me that when she’s being extra nice. She puts her arms around me and pulls me towards her lean body. “It’s not your fault some nasty con artist took advantage of you like that. It shouldn’t be allowed. Some poor drunk girl looking for love. How dare she do that to you!”
I dismiss her unflattering description of me and get to the point. “Do you really think there’s nothing in it?” I ask her gingerly.
“In the potion?” She takes my hand and looks at me earnestly. “No, I don’t. I think it’s a load of bullshit.”
“Yeah. I guess,” I sigh. I’m feeling more and more despondent about the whole thing.
“I blame Nina,” she says, frowning, “Putting these ridiculous ideas into your head when you were smashed on cocktails.”
“I don’t blame anyone but me. I guess I really wanted to believe it. I knew I shouldn’t but it just sounded so amazing. To make my neighbor fall in love with me! Can you imagine?”
“Look, if you really like this guy, why don’t you just ask him out?”
Ha. It’s so easy for Andrea. If she sees a guy she likes, she just goes up to him and starts talking to him. And then ignore his endless calls. I didn’t understand her.
“I find it really hard to just approach men like that. I’m really assertive at work and when I get back service, but when it comes to men,” I complain. “And anyway, I tried and look what happened. It couldn’t have gone worse!”
“Don’t let some silly incident with Draco put you off him.” She sighs
At the mention of his name, Draco ambles into the room still licking his lips. Such a darling. I don’t know what I would do without him and his cuddles. We make a fuss of him and I let him lick the foam from my coffee cup as I stroke his scraggy blond fur.
“Anyway…” Andrea continues. She’s far too focused to let doggie cuddles distract her from our conversation. “When are you going to ask him out?”
“Ask him out?” I screech. “I thought I was just going to try and talk to him first?”
“And say what? You’re not going to get to know him with the odd snippet of conversation in the driveway! And you have the perfect excuse now, anyway.”
“I do?”
“Yes, you do! You say how sorry you are for the other morning and say that you hope he’ll accept your dinner invitation as a way to make it up to him. He won’t be able to refuse.”
“Ugh. I just don’t know if I’m up to it.” I pause. “It’s not my style.”
“What is your style, Lauren? You want a boyfriend but you’re too afraid to try and meet someone. You need to grow some balls, girl.”
Her words hit a nerve and I’m a little shocked. She knows me so well. Too well, maybe. But she isn’t finished yet apparently. She opens her mouth to continue. Oh god, what next?
“We’re in the 21st century, babe. It’s
the most exciting time to be alive as a woman. We have more choices than ever. A woman ran to become the president, and you can’t even ask a man over for dinner? You’re letting our side down.”
I have to laugh. “You think I’m a disappointment to the entire female population because I won’t ask a guy to go out with me? I think that’s a bit harsh. But…fine, whatever.”
“You’re coward, Lauren Appleton?” she accuses.
“No, I’m not.
“Yes, you are.”
“I’m very brave for the things that matter.”
“This matters a lot. What if he is your soul mate and you miss the opportunity because you are too chicken to ask him out.”
“What about him asking me out?”
She starts squawking like a chicken.
I take a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Do what?” she asks, her eyes lighting up.
“I’ll ask him out,” I confirm, already regretting it.
“Pinkie promise?” She grins, wiggling her little finger in my direction.
She’s pushing it, now.
“Pinkie promise. As long as you drop it for the rest of the day. I’m actually looking forward to spin class now, so I won’t have to listen to you anymore!”
She rolls her eyes and smiles deviously as I push the horrifying thought of asking my gorgeous neighbor out to dinner to the back of my mind.
“Oh no, it’s raining,” I suddenly say with dismay as I glance out of the window.
“No excuses,” Andrea quickly tells me.
Jesus, she’s a slave driver sometimes. At least we have her miniature car to whizz around town in, Draco on my lap. I couldn’t deny him the hour spent being spoiled at the spinning studio reception area. They love him there and he adores the attention.
“You look perkier already,” she says as I return to the room, Lycra-clad and ready to sweat out all of last night’s sins and stupidity.
The Magic Cupcake Page 4
