“Have you ever been married?” I asked.
“Not yet. Came close once. But let’s not talk about past relationships. I do have a question for you, though.”
“Ask away.”
“What are you doing next weekend?”
I didn’t have plans, but I didn’t want to go to the gym again at the crack of dawn on my one day off, so I answered carefully. “Other than working, I’m not sure. Why?”
“I have tickets to Blue Man Group on Saturday night. Would you like to go with me?”
And then I realized. He was asking me out on a date. An honest-to-goodness, real, go-out-on-the-town sort of date. Trembles poured down my spine like warm water. How many years had it been since I went out on a date? So long ago, I couldn’t even remember, that’s how long. “Sounds like fun,” I said before I talked myself out of it. A real date.
“Good! We can grab some dinner first. Do you like seafood?”
I think I nodded. Anticipation strummed over me as I tried to plan what I would wear. I might even go shopping again. I’d eaten half of my oatmeal before I realized it. Funny how the sweetness of the moment made something as unappealing as oatmeal taste good. Hesitantly, I smiled at Kevin.
A date! I couldn’t wait to call Maddie. She’d been pushing me to go out for months, so I knew she’d be thrilled. Plus, she’d help me figure out my wardrobe and makeup and everything.
This magic stuff was working better than I’d expected!
Today was turning out to be a really bad day. Alice had called in tears once already because of Troy. The enchanted cup-cakes had seemed to even her out for a few days, but now she was just as upset as before. I wondered if the effects were ever permanent or if I’d continually be baking to keep a spell alive. Mental note to self—check with Grandma Verda on that. Though, on the good news front, it didn’t appear as if my magic had hurt her, either.
Also, Jon’s mood was far from bright and sunny, and I was mostly just trying to stay out of his way. On top of all that, I couldn’t seem to get a hold of Maddie. Not at work, not on her cell, and not at home. I figured she was home, because whenever I called her, all I got was a busy signal. Which was odd, because as far as I knew she had call-waiting. If nothing else, I’d see her tomorrow for our normal Wednesday lunch, but I really wanted to talk to her today.And I still hadn’t seen Nate. I knew it shouldn’t bother me. I had a date with another man that weekend. But come on, Nate was the first guy to—well, to be blunt—make me come in forever. Plus, something about him had dug into my heart.
I felt a little weird about going out with Kevin while I had these unknown feelings for Nate, but it wasn’t as if we were committed or anything. Like I said, I hadn’t seen the guy since that afternoon at Alice’s. Over a week ago. And that amazing night? Almost two weeks had passed. And yeah, I had to wonder if what ever interest he’d had in me had disappeared.
I hoped not. Probably, he was working ridiculous hours. Or maybe I just wished that. Because part of me worried that he thought my family was a bunch of lunatics, that with my gene pool he was better off staying away. Who could blame him? Between Grandma Verda and the encounter at Alice’s, it made perfect sense to me. That didn’t stop me from hoping I was wrong. I wanted to see him again.
“Did you place the order for fondant? We’re almost out,” Jon said, entering the kitchen.
“No, but I can place it today and express it.”
His lips turned downward into a pout. “With what we’ll pay, we may as well pick it up locally. Can you do that tomorrow before coming in?”
“Sure.” After all, it was my fault. But it meant driving clear across town during morning rush-hour traffic. Not exactly the best way to start any day.
“Thanks. Just pick up enough to get us by, and I’ll go place a normal order now. Say, two weeks’ worth.”
Nodding, I turned back to my batter bowl. No wedding cakes to bake, but I did have two birthday cakes and one baby shower cake to get out of the oven before I left.
“Lizzie?”
Now what? “Yeah, Jon?”
“Andy’s going out of town this weekend on business. Want to share a movie and a pizza or something?”
A nuance in his voice compelled me to turn around and face him. “I can’t on Saturday. Friday sounds good, though.”
“Oh.” Another pout. So unlike Jon. “Well, okay then. Maybe I’ll see if Maddie wants to get together on Saturday.”
Something was definitely off. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just didn’t feel like spending the weekend alone. After we’re done here on Saturday, I’ll be at loose ends.”
He said he was fine, but he wasn’t. Jon’s expression gave it away. The sadness in his eyes, the set of his shoulders . . . Trouble in paradise, maybe?
“What’s going on?” I whispered.
He straightened his shoulders. “You know me too well, Lizzie.”
I wiped my hands on a towel and went to give him a hug. He pulled me closer to him, and we stood that way for a minute. Then, leaning down, he gave me a kiss. This wouldn’t be unusual, we kissed each other often. You know, not so much a kiss as a peck. This kiss, though, was different. Fluttery and soft, he held it a smidge longer than a friendly kiss dictated.
When he pulled back, he appeared startled, and then he grinned again. “Have I ever told you how adorable you look with your hair up?”
I shook my head. My hand went to my lips. “That kiss had a little more heat in it than I’m used to.”
“Just a kiss for an enticing woman.”
I didn’t know if he was trying to avoid the conversation or if he really had no clue, but regardless, I decided to play along. But then, the magical brownies whipped into my thoughts. Hell. Is that what this was about? I never thought my wish would affect Jon. Grandma Verda had said the magic could be unpredictable, and this was certainly that.
Probably, I was overreacting. But if I wasn’t, I’d have to do something to fix it. I’d think about it later. To get back on topic, I said, “I can change plans for Saturday.”
His baby-blues lit up for a second. “Really?”
“Yep. If you want.” My heart plummeted. Of course I’d be there for him. He’d been there for me over the past year repeatedly. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t be disappointed.
“What were you doing on Saturday?’
“Oh, not much. Going out for dinner and to see Blue Man Group with a friend.”
“As in a date? Or as in really just friends?”
Now who knew who too well? “It’s cool, Jon.”
A spark of a grin. “A date, huh? No, you keep your date. It’s about time you went out and did something fun. I’ll be able to occupy myself. We’re still on for Friday, right? I can pick you up. I know you hate driving at night.”
I probably should have argued with him, but damn, I really wanted to go out with Kevin. So, I took the chicken’s way out and went with it. “Yeah, we could go see the new Willis flick.” Jon adored Bruce Willis, if you get my gist. If that didn’t brighten him up, nothing I knew how to do would.
A real smile and a chuckle. Yay me for being smart.
“I would love that.”
“Cool! It’s a plan.”
Jon left, and my mind went back to the weight on his shoulders and the sadness in his gaze. I ran through all the possibilities and could only come up with one scenario that made sense. He and Andy were having problems. Of what sort and how badly, I had no idea. But I’d find out, and when I did, maybe I’d be able to help.
Glancing at the clock, I groaned. It seemed the day would never end, and I really wanted it to. I’d decided to stop by Maddie’s after work to see if she’d discovered anything about Alice’s jerk of an ex. I’d had an inspiration. One I definitely wanted to play with.
I couldn’t think about it now. After all, Troy wouldn’t be at any of the events these cakes were meant for. In thinking about the magic, I’d kind of deduced it might be best to conserve m
y energy. That way, when I used the magic it might be more powerful, stick around for longer, and give me better—and quicker—results. Thus far, I hadn’t seen anything miraculous, other than that very first wish. You know, the one where I cursed Marc on his wedding night? My emotions that day were about as strong as they could get. Somehow, I knew that meant something. Besides discerning what it meant, I also needed to learn how to use that something to my advantage.
I forced myself to get back to work. Once the cakes were in the ovens, I cleaned up and then made my way to the office. Jon was seated at his desk with a pile of mail in front of him.
“Anything interesting? Or just more bills?” I asked, settling myself at my desk.
He didn’t look at me at first, just fiddled with the letter he held. When he finally turned, a quiver of apprehension slid into me. Jon rarely got angry. Or if he did, he kept it to himself. So when I saw anger in his eyes, I knew something was up. And I knew I wasn’t going to like it. “What is it?”
“You should read for yourself,” he said, passing the letter on to me.
I skimmed the words quickly. Perspiration bubbled on my forehead. I read it again, slower this time. The letter was from Marc.
About a year before our separation, A Taste of Magic was experiencing some growing pains after its first year of business. Jon and I were going to take out a bank loan to help us get by. Marc had offered to loan us the money instead.
I’d liked the idea, because it was the first time Marc had ever shown any interest in the bakery. And the thought of keeping it in the family appealed to me. Jon, on the other hand, hadn’t liked the idea. The only way Jon would agree was if we made it an official loan and not just a personal one from husband to wife. I got that. I mean, Jon was an equal partner in the business, so he wanted the loan terms spelled out clearly—and legally.
Papers were drawn up. Everything looked good, so we signed them, and we’d been paying Marc back ever since. The one caveat, which hadn’t been an issue until now, was the loan made Marc a partner, albeit a silent one. Now it seemed he wanted to take on a more active role in running the bakery. In the letter, he stated it was to “protect his interest in the face of diminishing profits.”
“Bullshit. He can’t do this, can he?” I asked Jon.
“He can. At least until we pay the loan off. I wasn’t worried about it when we signed the papers, because you two had been together for so long. I didn’t see it as an issue.” The light of anger I’d seen earlier deepened. “But now, I think it’s his way of screwing with you. It hasn’t been a great year, but it hasn’t been horrible, either. Certainly not enough to instigate this.”
“I’ll talk to him. Maybe I can change his mind.” The last thing I wanted—or needed—was Marc in my life. In any way. And yes, that most definitely included my business. The shock began to wear off. In its place, a tight wave of fury rode in. How dare he? I mean, really, who the hell did he think he was?
“Let’s just take out a new loan and pay him off.” We’d end up with a higher interest rate, but at least Marc wouldn’t have any say over A Taste of Magic.
Jon shook his head. “We tried to do that last year, right after you and Marc separated. Remember? Things are tighter now, so if we couldn’t get what we needed then, it’s highly unlikely we will now. At least, not with terms we can realistically pay back.”
Yeah, that was the problem. We were barely staying afloat as it was. “I’ll talk to him,” I said again. Probably, it wouldn’t work, but it was worth a try.
And if that didn’t do it, well, there was always magic.
I knocked on Maddie’s door and tried to put my worries to rest. Between Marc, Alice, and Jon—not to mention Nate and Kevin—I had plenty to worry about. Hopefully, an hour with Maddie would raise my spirits. She was usually good for a few laughs.
When she opened the door, I pushed past into her apartment. “Where have you been all day? I’ve been trying to call you for hours.”She didn’t say anything, just walked into the living room. Dressed in blue leggings and an oversized pink T-shirt, her face bare of cosmetics, she gestured for me to follow.
“Are you sick?” A bright multicolored quilt lay crumpled on the end of her couch. Discarded candy wrappers were on the floor, and a half-gallon of ice cream sat on the coffee table with a spoon sticking out of it. Oh shit. There was also a box of tissues and several wadded up ones strewn all around. This wasn’t illness. It was heartbreak. “Problems in the new relationship already?”
“I’m fine.” Maddie plopped down on the sofa and crossed her legs. She grabbed the ice cream container and swished the melted layer around with the spoon.
“If you’re fine, then why are you wallowing in Kit Kat bars and”—I leaned over to read the letters on the container— “double fudge ripple mocha chunk ice cream?”
“There isn’t a man in this world meant for me. That’s why.”
“Don’t be silly. Of course there is. Did something happen with—crap, I forget his name—that has you this upset? You guys seemed to really click when we all went out.”
“His name is Spencer. And yes, something happened.” She dipped the spoon into the melting ice cream and licked it clean. “We were supposed to go out for dinner last night, but I didn’t feel like dressing up. So I didn’t. I also didn’t feel like wearing makeup. So I didn’t do that, either. And then Spencer got here and he thought . . .” Her voice broke off.
“He thought what?”
She slammed the ice cream container back on the table. “He thought I was sick. Wanted to stay in and take care of me. Thought we could order out and watch a movie.” She sniffed. “As if I was so ugly, he couldn’t bear to be seen with me in public.”
“Um . . . Maddie, I’m sure he didn’t mean that.”
“I realize that. Now. But last night I was so hurt, I completely overreacted. And today, I can’t get a hold of him. I’ve left several messages, but he hasn’t called me back.” She shivered. “I was a shrew. Seriously, Liz, he’ll probably never talk to me again.”
“Your phone has been busy all day,” I pointed out. “Maybe he tried calling.”
“It was off the hook earlier, but it’s been back on for a while now.”
“Oh.” I sat down next to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Give him a chance. I’m sure he’ll call back. And really, if he doesn’t, then it’s his loss.”
Weak words, but what else was I supposed to say?
“It’s more than Spencer. Something is wrong with me lately,” Maddie whispered. “I’ve changed, and I can’t decide if I’m happy or not.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. At first, I was really content with myself.”
Yes. That’s exactly what I’d wished for Maddie. To be happy with herself. “That’s good. Isn’t it?”
She nodded, her blonde hair falling into her face. “Well, it was. Now, though, it doesn’t feel real. And I’m jumpy all the time, and irritable. It’s like I can’t get the energy together to do anything, and part of me doesn’t care. That scares me.”
Oh no. Had my magic done this? My stomach twisted. Of course it had. Side effect number one was staring me in the face. “So, you’re not content anymore?”
She cleared her throat. “I’m miserable, but I don’t know why. I can’t seem to relax.”
This wasn’t what I’d wanted for Maddie. I thought back to the wish I’d cast, and I couldn’t figure out where I’d gone wrong. I’d have to fix it. And if my hunch was right about Jon, my fix-it list was getting longer and longer. My stomach cramped again. “It will get better. And Spencer will be fine. You’ll see.”
She sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, because I know Marc hurt you, but I was so jealous of the two of you for so long. I think I still am. I want what you had.”
My temper flashed. With everything that had happened that day, I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t give myself a chance to calm down. “Jealous? Of what? Being cheat
ed on, lied to, and having my entire life screwed up because of him?” How could anyone be envious of that?
“Oh, stop. I know he was an ass there, probably for a few years. But you know as well as I do that what you two had was good for a ridiculously long time. You met in high school and never broke up. You just loved each other, and no one else could come between that.”
I gasped. “Hello? Someone did—or are you forgetting Tiffany?”
She exhaled a long breath. “I love you, sweetie, but think about this. You say now you never dated anyone else, that your life was stolen by Marc. That’s bullshit. And you know it.”
I blinked. Tears welled behind my eyes, and I pushed them away. I would not cry. Not over this. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turned my head, so my gaze hit the wall.
“Shit, shit, shit. God, I’m sorry. That is not how I wanted that to come out.”
“I should go.” I aimed for the door. I didn’t have any desire to hear what else she had to say. Not right now.
Maddie bolted off the couch and wrapped her arms around my waist. I stopped but didn’t say anything. Couldn’t say anything. Damn, this sucked—in a big way.
“Listen to me; then be mad and leave. Never talk to me again. What ever. But you will listen to me, or I will never forgive myself.” She inhaled a deep breath, and her arms tightened around my waist, as if she thought I’d run off at the first possible second. Smart girl.
“What Marc did to you was shit. You never cheated, you never thought about cheating, and he took your unconditional love and tossed it out the window. But all those years you were happy? Those were not wasted years. You were exactly where you wanted to be. You missed nothing. You need to see that, or you’ll never move on.”
I crumpled to my knees. Her arms were still around my waist, but instead of letting go, she crumpled, too. My breathing came too quick, so I settled myself before speaking. I couldn’t be mad at her, not really.
“How long have you been keeping that in?” I asked.
A Taste of Magic Page 11
