Chick with a Charm (15 page)

“I don’t recall being asked to do anything.”

And that was driving Dorcas crazy. When she’d checked with Anica and discovered Lily had, in fact, administered the elixir, she’d wanted to jump right in. “Lily needs our help,” she said, working to slide the spatula under one of the eggs. She liked them sunny-side up, but Ambrose insisted on over easy. That was the tricky part.

“I think Griffin’s the one who needs the help,” Ambrose said. “But that’s out of our jurisdiction up there. We can’t help if no one asks us to.”

“Maybe someone will ask us during the engagement party on Sunday.” Dorcas gave up on being tentative with the eggs. She shoved the spatula forcefully under the sticking egg, and yoke oozed out from the bottom and spread over the rest of the pan. “Hera’s hickeys! Why is this so hard?”

“Because you’re not using magic.” Ambrose walked over to the stove, mumbled a Latin phrase and four perfect eggs appeared in the pan, two sunny-side up and two over easy.

“I didn’t want to use magic!”

Ambrose wrapped both arms around her waist and leaned down to place a kiss on her neck. “And I’d like to eat my breakfast. I need to get down to Click-or-Treat, update my MySpace page and see what’s happening on eBay with my scooter.”

Dorcas leaned against him with a sigh of defeat. “Okay. But I hope you know that nobody’s going to pay the ridiculous price you’re asking for that scooter.” And how she wished they would. She hated that dorky red thing. A Harley would be cool. A red scooter just looked lame.

“You never know.” He gave her a squeeze and released her. “Maybe I’ll talk it up at the engagement party. Somebody there might want it.”

“Don’t you dare.” She dished up the eggs and set the plates on the kitchen table while Ambrose buttered the toast. “That party’s designed to celebrate Anica and Jasper, and for their parents to meet each other, and . . . for us to get a look at Griffin Taylor.”

“You need to forget about Griffin Taylor.”

“But—”

“I’ll make you a deal.” Ambrose poured them each a mug of coffee from the pot on the counter. “I promise not to talk about selling my scooter if you promise not to find a way to offer unsolicited advice to either Lily or Griffin.”

“All right.” Dorcas got out napkins and utensils. “But if someone asks, then it’s our magical duty to help.”

Ambrose gave her a warning look. “They have to ask without prompting, Dorcas.”

“I know.” But she was very adept at steering conversations. She intended to steer a few on Sunday.

 

Lily and Anica stood at the end of the concourse, watching the stream of passengers for the familiar sight of their parents. They wouldn’t be hard to spot. Both were tall and slim, and they favored exotic, colorful outfits, often purchased in the country where they’d been working.

“I’m glad you’re getting married.” Lily meant it, even if she was a little jealous. “For many reasons, of course, but also because it means Mom and Dad are coming home for a few weeks. I’ve missed them.”

“Me, too, but they love what they’re doing, and they can’t research ancient tribal remedies parked in their condo. I’d rather have them out there living an exciting life than see them hunkered down at home being couch potatoes.”

“True. Oh, there they are!”

“Are they ever,” Anica said. “Mom’s wearing a hat like a flying saucer, and Dad’s wearing a feathered headdress.”

Lily took in the arresting headgear, made even more dramatic because her parents were five-nine and six-two, respectively. Lionel Revere wore a blousy turquoise shirt, loose pants, and sandals, along with a bronze pendant around his neck. Simone Revere was in a peasant blouse decorated with a red ribbon, plus a full skirt in bright blue with a band of elaborate embroidery around the hem. “I guess it’s good that Jasper didn’t come along.”

“Yeah. Maybe we can tone them down before they meet him.”

“Good luck with that.” Lily admired their style. Not everyone’s parents came off a plane sporting saucer headgear and feathered headbands.

She and Anica hurried forward and were soon enveloped in laughter and welcoming hugs. Then they all headed for baggage claim.

While they stood a little apart from the crowd waiting for the luggage, Simone stood back and beamed at her daughters. “You girls look fabulous. I know Anica’s in love, which explains that glow, but Lily, you’re sparkling, too. What’s up?”

Leave it to her mother to zero in on a change in her. “Well, there is a guy. You’ll meet him on Sunday.”

“Is he a wizard?” Lionel sounded hopeful.

“No, Dad, sorry. He’s a lawyer.”

Simone glanced from Anica to Lily. “Neither of you ever wanted to marry a wizard, did you?”

Anica gazed at her sister. “I can’t speak for Lily, but I’ve always admired nonmagical men. No offense to you, Dad, but I’m impressed with what a nonmagical man can accomplish with sheer grit and force of will. Jasper can’t wave a magic wand and make things happen, and so when he does something for me, it’s special.”

Simone gazed at Anica. “Yes, but . . . does he truly accept that you are magical? That
we
are magical?”

“He does.” Anica hesitated. “But I’m not sure if his parents would, so I’d rather they didn’t know.”

Lionel sighed. “I was afraid of that. So no levitating the wineglasses, I suppose.”

“Probably not.” Anica smiled. “But Lily and I have a few little tricks planned for the party, things that will look like movie special effects but are really magic at work.”

“They’ll be very cool,” Lily added.

Simone nodded. “Excellent. So, Lily, does your lawyer . . . what’s his name?”

“Griffin Taylor.”

“Griffin. I like that name. Does he know you’re a witch?”

“Not exactly.”

“Which means he doesn’t.” Simone eyed her younger daughter. “Are you serious about him?”

Lily wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I guess.”

“That doesn’t sound very committed.” Simone waved a hand. “If he’s a passing fancy, then no need to tell him, I suppose. But if it’s anyone you think will be a long-term relationship, then you know where the magical world stands on that.”

Lily felt like a five-year-old caught stealing cookies. “Full disclosure.”

“It’s the reasonable thing.” Lionel draped an arm around Lily’s shoulders. “I’m sure it’s not an easy conversation to have, but those who date nonmagical people need to remember that it can be a shock, so the sooner the nonmagical person is informed, the better.”

Lily had trouble accepting this sage advice from a man wearing three feathers attached to his forehead with what looked like a macramé headband. But she nodded, anyway. “You’re right, Dad.”

“I’m sure Lily will do the right thing,” her mother said.

That made Lily feel even more guilty. She could feel Anica’s eyes on her, but they had a pact. Neither would tell on the other. It was a workable method of mutual coercion.

“My goodness, I almost forgot.” Simone rifled through the colorful carrying bag on her arm. “I’m giving this to Anica and Jasper as an engagement party gift. I’ll wrap it up, of course, and make a proper presentation, but I had to show it to both of you first. You’ll love it.”

Lily was prepared for something bizarre. Her parents never gave ordinary gifts. But she wasn’t quite ready for the eight-inch carved onyx figure with the abnormally huge penis.

Anica seemed equally dumbfounded as she stared at the generously endowed statue. His dick was bigger than his leg.

“It’s an Incan fertility symbol!” Their mother seemed so proud of her gift that Lily couldn’t help but respond.

“It’s magnificent, Mom.”

“Yes.” Anica sounded slightly faint. “Truly magnificent.”

Lily almost felt sorry for her sister, who would have to witness this gift being opened in front of her future in-laws. But at least Anica had taken care of business and told Jasper that she was a witch. Lily was running on borrowed time, and she knew it.

When Griffin walked into the Bubbling Cauldron that night with Kevin and Miles, he paused just inside the doorway. “You guys go on over to our table. I need to talk to Lily.”

“Do whatever you have to do,” Kevin said. “We know you’re obsessed with that woman, right, Miles?”

“
Obsessed
is the right word.” Miles shook his head as he gazed at Griffin. “Biddle was remarking on how distracted you seemed today.”

Griffin knew he should be worried about that. Nobody liked negative attention from a senior partner. But he was more concerned about how Lily’s day with her parents had turned out. “I’ll talk to Biddle tomorrow,” he said. “Everybody has days when they’re a little off, even Biddle. See you guys at the table in a few minutes.”

“Right.” Kevin gave him a searching look. “See you in a few.”

Griffin knew that look. Kevin was worried about his involvement with Lily. And maybe it was somewhat on the obsessive side. He had to admit that he’d found concentrating difficult today. He’d wanted to call Lily on her cell, but he didn’t want to do that while she was interacting with her parents.

Having them arrive so soon after he’d hooked up with her put a whole new spin on the situation. He didn’t feel ready to meet her parents, but he couldn’t avoid it with the engagement party coming up on Sunday. For all he knew, they’d stop by the bar tonight, especially if they wanted to get a look at their daughter’s new boyfriend.

Griffin was sure they were perfectly nice people. But parents tended to pick up on things, like whether a guy was sleeping with their daughter. Once they figured that out, they’d want to know his intentions. He had no intentions, no long-range plans.

He just wanted to be with Lily . . . a lot. Her parents might think he only wanted to use her for sex, and that wasn’t true. Or was it? Why else was he hoping for all the sex he could get without any plan for the future? A not-so-noble part of him was hoping her folks had been delayed . . . indefinitely.

Lily was dressed in her usual bartending outfit, tight black blouse and snug black pants. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and a strand that had come loose curled at the nape of her neck. He found that incredibly sexy. In fact, he was having storeroom fantasies again.

“Hi, Griffin.” She smiled at him, but her brown gaze looked a little harried. “I’ll be over at your table right after I finish making these two daiquiris.”

“I’m not here to bug you. I wanted to ask how it went—picking up your folks and everything.”

“Okay.”

“Good.” So they’d made it to Chicago. There went one of his cherished hopes.

“’Scuse me a sec.” She flipped on the blender.

Griffin waited until the whirring stopped and she poured the drinks into glasses. “So, uh, are they coming by the bar tonight?”

“No.” Lily garnished the drinks with a cherry. “They went out to dinner with Anica and Jasper so they could get to know their prospective son-in-law. Then I’m sure they’ll go straight to bed. They’ve had a long day. Here you go, Sherman.” She slid the glasses down the bar to the waiter, who had walked over from the far side of the room.

“Thanks.” Sherman loaded the drinks on a tray. “Hi, Griffin. How’s it going?”

“Great.” He could say that now that he knew Lily’s parents wouldn’t be showing up tonight.

Lily wiped the bar. “Griffin, as long as you’re here, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

She glanced up at him. “Do you read your horoscope?”

“No, why?” Maybe she’d read it and thought the prediction was significant. But that couldn’t be right. He hadn’t told her his birthday. He didn’t know hers, either. That was something he should find out. Women expected a guy to pay attention to that kind of stuff.

Or rather, they did if the relationship was serious, which brought him back to his original dilemma—the nature of this thing he had going with Lily.

“A Miller draft and a gin fizz,” Sherman called from the end of the bar.

“Coming up!” Lily put down her bar rag and picked up a beer glass from the rack under the counter. “I just wondered what you think of that kind of thing,” she said.

“You mean astrology?” She’d told him she was an amateur magician, which was more of a party trick than a philosophy, but still, he decided to tread lightly. “I don’t know a lot about it. Do you?”

She drew the beer and started making the gin fizz. “Some. I guess I’m wondering how you feel about . . . you know, stuff you can’t rationally explain but that happens, anyway.”

“Like aliens?” He couldn’t figure out what she was trying to say. “Area 51 and all that?”

“Well, no.” She finished up the gin fizz. “Never mind. It’s not important.”

He had a feeling it was important, but she wasn’t making the conversation easy to follow. “Well, I should probably get back over to the table so we can figure out our order. Want me to come back here and give it to you?”

Her eyes sparkled. “Just how do you mean that?”

Instantly he was aroused. “How would you like me to mean it?”

She met his gaze and she flushed. Then she lowered her voice and leaned closer. “You can probably guess, but we’re in the middle of a crowded bar, so it’ll have to wait. I’ll come over and take the order, the way I always do.”

He reached over and rubbed his thumb against her full lower lip. “Later, then.”

Her voice was husky. “Yeah, later.”

Knowing that she wanted him, too, fueled his storeroom fantasies even more. But he forced himself to think about something neutral so he could walk back to the table without embarrassing himself. He settled on baseball stats as the safest way to go.

He mentally reviewed the ERA stats for all the starting pitchers in the Cubs lineup as he approached Kevin and Miles. “Her folks made it to town okay,” he said.

Miles looked sympathetic. “Too bad for you. I’ve always thought dating orphans was the way to go.”