“That sounds like very important work,” Mom chips in.
“What kind of education do you have?” Dad fires again.
Now, I’m remember why I never introduce women to my parents.
“Actually, I didn’t finish school until two years ago. I had to study part time,” she replies.
I’m proud of her for not letting him fluster her.
“My father was going through some financial difficulties so I had to start work in order to pay for my studies.”
“An independent woman,” Mom says, giving me a wink. “You’ll have to watch out for this one Jackson.”
“Where on earth is the waiter?” Dad says, changing the subject yet again.
Mom manages to catch someone’s attention and soon a frightened-looking kid with a name badge that reads Timothy approaches us.
I immediately feel sorry for him. I bet it’s his first day. As I expected Dad grills him about the menu and moans about Mom telling him he can’t eat what he wants to.
“We’ll both have the salmon,” Mom tells waiter firmly, but she’s smiling, as always, trying to keep the peace. Although I’m sure, Dad has never been this grouchy before. “Can you hold the butter, and we’ll have green veg on the side instead of the buttered potatoes as well please.”
The guy at the next table is having the steak with buttered potatoes and I swear he’s smirking at me. Bastard. “Salmon and green veg sounds great to me,” I say cheerfully. “Make it three.”
“Make that four,” Lauren says, and I could have kissed her right there and then.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lauren
“It was so nice to meet you both,” I say, smiling, hoping desperately that I’ve made a good impression. Though, I can’t say I’m very much taken with his father. The way he berated Jackson’s poor Mom like that when she reminded him about his diet.
“And you, Lauren,” his Mom says, smiling at me. She hugs me overenthusiastically and I’m glad my Mom isn’t the only one who does that.
His dad gives me what I hope is a smile and shakes my hand firmly. For a moment, I see Jackson in him, the spitting image. Still holding my hand, he leans in towards me. We’re out of earshot from anyone else. “I’m sorry if I seem like a bit of a grumpy old bastard, but I think you’ll do nicely,” he says. Then he grins. A real smile.
I feel myself blushing. He must have been just as gorgeous as Jackson in his day.
“I hope we meet again,” he says.
I feel a strange flutter in my stomach. Maybe one day I’ll be part of the family too… That’s if Jackson doesn’t run away screaming when he hears about the magic potion.
Jackson and his Mom come back from the restrooms and we say another quick goodbye before they finally walk off into the night and I breathe a sigh of relief.
I look at Jackson and giggle. “That was a bit intense.”
“Yeah, sorry about my Dad. He really needs to learn to loosen up. I know he likes you though. I can tell.”
“I hate to think what he would have been like if he didn’t like me!” I say, grinning. I’m feeling almost dizzy with elation. Yikes, I got through the meeting of the parents. It didn’t go terribly. His dad even liked me!
“What was my Mom saying to you?” he asks me. “When you came out of the restroom before dessert? You looked like a couple of naughty co-conspirators.”
I can feel my face getting hot. I’m not going to tell him how she has ‘such high hopes for us’ and that, in her opinion, I’m the nicest girl he’s dated for a long while. Nor the fact that she mentioned his great grandmother’s diamond engagement ring! “Just that she was happy to meet me, that’s all.”
“Oh, I thought it might be about David’s wedding. She’s desperate for me to take someone. He’s a close friend of the family. A little older than me, but we practically grew up together. Our families have been close for years.”
I smile and don’t know what to say. This is going to be really awkward if he doesn’t ask me to go with him now.
“It’s not for a while,” he says. “But do you think you’d like to go with me?”
“I’d love to.” I almost sigh with heavy relief.
He leans towards me. I know what’s coming and my whole body melts into his delicious kiss. I can never get used to how soft his lips are, and the wonderful contrast between them and the shadow of slightly rough half-a-day-old, stubble, surrounding them. I drink in the very male wood-musk smell of his cologne and wish this moment could last forever.
He pulls away and we look at each other. I can’t help the giggle that bubbles forth. I feel like a teenager.
“So, what do you want to do now?” He grins, playing with my fingers in his hands.
“My friends are drinking at a bar a few blocks from here,” I say. “Or we could go somewhere else, if you’d prefer?”
“I’d love to meet your friends. Andrea and Nina, is it?”
I flush a little when I realize I must babble on about them a lot.
“You girls must be pretty close, huh?” he asks.
“We are. We’ve been inseparable since we were kids. There used to be a fourth member of the gang too, but she moved away a few years ago and we only meet her twice a year now.”
“I’ve lost touch with a lot of my friends,” he says. “They moved away or fell down the married-with-kids hole. I’m stuck with my buddy, Joe, and the crazy softball team that I usually need a couple of days to recover after a night out with.”
“I bet Nina would get on well with them,” I say giggling. “If there’s beer pong involved, you won’t get her away from it!”
We leave the restaurant and he gives me his jacket. It’s freezing outside and I’m shivering in my oh-so-cute but not very warm dusky pink jacket. What a gentleman. I can’t wait for the girls to meet him.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lauren
“I know you’re going to say I’m ridiculous but can you please just hear me out?” I plead with Andrea as we’re eating dinner in one of her regular haunts: a trendy vegan place in Soma.
“Is it about that damn potion again?” she asks me, sighing.
“Well…”
“Look Laurie, you spent the whole week loved up with this guy, spending practically every moment together! I really think it’s beyond that stupid potion by now. When are you going to realize he likes you because you’re you!”
“I know, I know… But I just feel weird about it and I can’t help feeling guilty. I just want to get some closure. For my own sanity more than anything else!”
“I thought you were going to own up to him? That’s what you said the other night.”
“I know….” I grimace. It had seemed easy after one too many cocktails and with Nina and Andrea both telling me how awesome he was when he’d gone to the restrooms. But even though we’d spent most of the week together, I just hadn’t had the guts to tell him.
“So, I’m assuming you have another plan?”
“I do… I was thinking about going to see Zelda again. I thought maybe she would have an antidote for the potion. Something to reverse the effects. What do you think?”
Andrea’s shaking her head in disbelief, but to my surprise, she reluctantly agrees to drive me to see the old gypsy lady after dinner.
“Really?” I ask her, delighted. “You’ll really come with me?”
“Sure,” she says. “Why the hell not? Let’s go see the crazy old woman again.”
We speed off to the sketchy street in the Mission where Zelda lives and I find myself once again standing on her doorstep in the dark, knocking gingerly.
We’re just about to give up when the door creaks open slowly and she appears, looking us both up and down with her cold beady eyes.
“It’s me again, Lauren,” I say as she doesn’t seem to recognize me.
“I know who you are.” She’s frowning. “What do you want? I don’t do refunds.”
She looks like she’s about to shut the door i
n our faces, but Andrea quickly pipes up, “I have cash,” she says, waving a wad of money in front of the woman’s face. “We want an antidote. For the love potion. We want to reverse it.”
Zelda looks at Andrea, then me, then takes the money in her spindly hands, and counts it greedily. She looks up at me. “Reversing spells is a hundred more,” she croaks.
“Jesus,” Andrea starts.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’ve got it,” I interrupt quickly. I pull out my wallet and hand over the money.
“Follow me,” Zelda grunts.
“Thank you so much for bringing me here,” I whisper to Andrea as we wander through her odd antique warehouse of a home.
“Wait here,” she instructs, and scuttles off to the kitchen, returning quickly with another vial.
“Don’t you need to read my tea leaves again?” I ask, and I see Andrea rolling her eyes. She was so cynical about everything! Which is why I still can’t believe she just forked out four hundred dollars for me.
“Just give this to him, the same way as before. You have three days. After that it will be too late.”
“Too late? But why? How does it work?” I ask her.
But she’s already walking back through her lair. “Don’t come here again,” she tells us ominously, before shutting the door with a bang.
“What a charming old lady,” Andrea snorts, shaking her head. “You’d think she’d be pleased she just made another five hundred bucks out of us!”
“I’ll pay you back,” I tell her, “I promise.”
“It’s a gift, Laur,” she says, smiling. “Anything to stop you moaning that he doesn’t really like you!”
I hug her tight. “You’re too kind, but I’m going to pay you back, anyway. Don’t forget, I’m rich now. I got a raise!” I say. Andrea earns a lot more money than either Nina or me with her trendy Google job, but neither of us liked to take advantage of her generosity.
“Whatever,” she says. “I just hope this will be the end of it!”
“You still haven’t told me about this guy of yours!” I tell her. “I can’t believe you’ve actually fallen for someone!”
“Ugh, I never said that!” she exclaims, looking like she’s just eaten something disgusting. “Let’s just say guys aren’t usually the types of humans I enjoy hanging out with too. But this one’s a bit different. He’s great in bed, and he doesn’t bore me to tears.”
“Progress,” I say and we both laugh.
She drives me back to mine and comes up to say hi to Danny. Despite his reservations about her, she has a lot of time for him. Well, she loves winding him up, anyway.
“Darling Danny, how on earth are you?” she says, grinning.
He pecks her on the cheek. “Always a pleasure,” he replies.
He turns to me. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, sweets! I feel like I might need to look for a new roomie soon.”
“Aw, I’m sorry,” I say, “I know I haven’t been around much.”
“I’m only joking.” He grins widely. “I’m glad you love birds are getting on so well.”
“And we have a solution for her ongoing issue,” Andrea says, waving the little vial in front of him.
“What’s that?” he asks, looking at me with raised eyebrows.
“I decided to buy the antidote,” I say. “I just won’t be able to ever relax until I know he likes me for me and not because of the potion.”
He looks from me to Andrea and back to me again, confusion showing on his face. “And you agreed to this?” he asks her.
“Anything to stop the relentless moaning and self-flagellating,” she replies.
Danny doesn’t look me in the eye.
“Jeez, I haven’t talked about it that much, have I?” I ask them. But the silence that follows answers my question for me and I wince. “Aw, sorry if I’ve been a bore about it.”
“That’s ok, sweets. How about we bake some peanut butter cookies this time?”
“Great idea!” I say. I’m so happy he’s on board with it. Again!
“Ok crazies, I’m out of here,” Andrea says. “Let’s do Friday night girls only this week? Danny, that includes you if you’re up for it.”
“I’d love to but I won’t be around,” he says, mysteriously.
“Suit yourself,” she says, shrugging, “But Lauren, no excuses for you!”
“I hereby promise to have a Jackson-free Friday night.” As much as it pains me to not see him. Of course, things could all be different by then, once the rose-tinted glasses of the love potion have been removed. I desperately hope he’ll still like me. It would be beyond depressing if he didn’t.
“Night, Andrea, and thank you for going with me,” I say as she walks out of the door.
“Didn’t want to tell her about your silent retreat then?” I ask Danny with a grin.
“You know she wouldn’t get it. And I couldn’t be bothered to have a discussion about it. She’s so cynical.”
“I know… which is why I’m so surprised she was all up for getting the antidote to the potion!”
“Hmmm,” he says. “Very odd.”
“Maybe it’s cause she’s met someone,” I suggest.
His eyes widen. “She’s met someone? She’s in love? Poor guy!”
“Oi! Andrea’s a great catch,” I say, frowning at him sternly. I’m feeling especially loyal to her right now. “But love? I wouldn’t go that far. Small steps, eh?”
He laughs. “Right, sweets. I’ve got a busy day tomorrow. I’m off to slumber land. Are you actually sleeping here tonight then?
“Yeah, I thought we should have a bit of a break… I need to sleep!”
He grins. “Show off!”
“I haven’t had any action for ages!” I protest. “Be happy for me!”
“You know I am,” he says hugging me goodnight. “It’s only cause I miss you! And poor Draco does too.”
“Sorry Draco!” I say as I scoop him up and lie down on the sofa. It’s so tempting to go and knock on Jackson’s door. But I know he’s working late tonight and tomorrow, but we have dinner plans for Wednesday. I’ll figure out a way to get him to eat the cookie and then we’ll take it from there…
Suddenly, I’m feeling incredibly nervous about the possibility of losing him forever but I know I have to do the right thing.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lauren
“It’s a disaster!” I whine. “Where could it have gone?”
Danny and I have turned the whole house upside-down looking for the tiny vial but it’s nowhere to be found.
“Great,” I say, slumping on the couch. “Now what am I going to do?”
I pick up my phone and call Zelda, but it just rings out. I try again and she answers. Her gruff voice startles me. Before I can say a word, she simply tells me not to phone her again and hangs up. I throw it to one side and sulk.
“Only one thing for it, now,” I say to Danny.
“What’s that then?”
“I’ll have to come clean.”
He frowns and says that he’s not sure it’s a good idea. I know all my friends think I’m crazy and I should just forget about the potion. But I want so much for Jackson to like me for real. A year down the line, I still don’t want to be feeling guilty of hiding such a big secret from him.
“I can’t hang around, sweets. Feather from the project is picking me up any minute. We’re driving up tonight ahead of the others.”
“But I thought you weren’t going till tomorrow. How come you’re going early?”
“We’re just going to stay in an Airbnb near Vacaville. It’s not far from the retreat and it means we can check in early.”
He looks all weird and I suddenly think I know why. “You’ve got a crush on this guy you’re going with! You’re sneaking up early together, aren’t you!”
“Feather is a girl, not a guy,” he says, looking away.
“Really? So how long has this been going on for? A girl? Seriously?” The last time Danny dated
a girl was in about 2008!
He doesn’t say anything.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask. “I think it’s great you like someone. How long have you been seeing her for then?”
“Only a couple of weeks,” he mumbles.
“A couple of weeks!? And you didn’t tell me?” I feel a little betrayed.
He looks at me, his expression defensive. “Why didn’t I tell you? Because you’ve been going on and on about this bloody love potion and Jackson, and I haven’t been able to get a word in! I tried to tell you loads of times.”
Thinking back, I know he’s right. I’ve been a terrible friend! “Oh, my God babe, I’m so sorry! You’re totally right. I’ve been so preoccupied with my own stupid problems.”
“It’s ok, sweets. I know. And they’re not stupid. I understand. I’ve got something I need to tell you, actually. But I really, really have to go now!”
He blows me a kiss and hurries out of the door. I’m left shell-shocked. I can’t believe he’s been seeing someone, but all along, he’s been making time for me, helping me bake and get ready for dates, listening to me moan, reassuring me. And now he has something to tell me! What if he wants me to move out? Oh, no!
“Draco!” I yell. I need cuddles, and immediately. I put the kettle on and go look for my lazy so and so.
“Draco, where are you, you smelly dog?”
I freeze. He’s lying motionless on the floor next to my bed. I touch him and he whimpers. I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Oh Draco,” I whisper. “What’s up?”
He moves his head and looks at me. His poor old eyes wide and pained.
“Are you hurt you poor thing?”
I sink to the floor and cuddle him, stroking him gently with one hand, while scrolling down to the vet’s number in my phone with the other.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jackson
She’s incomprehensible on the phone but it’s something about Draco and she’s hysterical. I tell her I’ll be there right away. I leave the mess of paperwork on my desk and grab my jacket, texting as I wait for the elevator.
The Magic Cupcake Page 12
