Chick with a Charm (38 page)

Griffin stared at him. The guy had a point. His divorced parents had been kind to each other for the first time since the divorce. Kevin and Miles had been in exceptionally good moods lately because they could see that their friend was genuinely happy.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Jasper said. “But I have to admit, I’ve never seen my parents looking so happy.”

Ambrose smiled. “There you go. Aha! The processional music is beginning. Remember, you’re not just getting married today. You’re spreading joy.”

With those words Griffin’s perspective shifted. He found himself cherishing every moment that followed. The colors glowed brighter than before, and when he reached the gazebo and turned, he looked, really looked, at the face of each guest seated before him. Ambrose was right. They all reflected the joy he felt.

In the name of simplicity, each couple had chosen only one person to stand up with them. Lily and Griffin had decided on Kevin, while Anica and Jasper had picked Anica’s former neighbor Julie. As Kevin walked Julie down the aisle they seemed touched by magic, and Griffin wondered if a romance was brewing. More potential joy.

Then Daisy arrived bearing four rings tied to her collar, which created merriment among the guests as they applauded the prancing dog. Daisy radiated joy right back to them.

Finally, the most joyous moment of all convinced Griffin that Ambrose was very wise, indeed. Lionel appeared with Lily on his right arm and Anica on his left. Griffin’s breath caught as he gazed at Lily, the most beautiful bride in the world.

Her white satin dress was sleek and sexy, exactly like the woman wearing it. A crown of flowers held a veil that cascaded down her back. No hiding behind a wisp of white for his lady. She looked directly at him, her gaze warm, and his heart swelled. Yes, this was joy, joy enough to share, joy enough for a lifetime of loving.

The night Anica Revere turned Jasper Danes into a cat started out innocently enough.

They’d dated for nearly three weeks, and tonight lust ping-ponged across the restaurant table
.
Anica had anticipated this moment since she first glimpsed this dark-haired Adonis with golden eyes. Although Monday wasn’t a common date night, Jasper’s favorite restaurant was open and he hadn’t wanted to wait for the weekend to see her again. All the signs pointed to finally Doing It.

He studied Anica as if he wanted to lick her all over, which sounded great to her, except . . . she still hadn’t mentioned a significant detail, one that could be a real buzz kill. She hadn’t told him she was a witch.

With chemistry this strong, she was so tempted not to tell him, but one mistake with a nonmagical man was enough. The image of Edward racing out of her bedroom a year ago still pained her.

He hadn’t even bothered to grab his clothes. Sad to say, a Chicago police squad car had been cruising by the apartment building and poor Edward had been arrested using a
Keep Lake Michigan Clean
leaflet as a fig leaf substitute.

She’d heard all about it from her neighbor Julie, who kept a video camera running from her third-story window in hopes that she’d get something worth airing on her brother’s independent cable show,
Not So Shy Chi-Town.
That clip made it on the show, no problem. To avoid legal repercussions, Edward’s features had been scrambled so no one except Julie and Anica knew who it was.

“You’re frowning,” Jasper said. “Anything wrong?”

Good thing he wasn’t a mind reader. “No, no. Sorry.” She smiled to prove that everything was hunky-dory.

He reached for her hand. “What do you say we get out of here?”

Whoops. She wasn’t quite ready to be alone with him. Better to reveal her witch status in a public place, where she could resist the urge to prove that she had special powers.

That had been her biggest mistake with Edward. He hadn’t believed her, and she’d worked one teensy spell to convince him and had been inspired by what was at hand, so to speak. He’d left before she could explain that his penis would return to its normal color in a few hours.

“I’m fine with leaving,” she said. “But there’s chocolate mousse on the dessert menu. Let’s get some to go. Mousse could be . . . a lot of fun.”

“Mm.” His gaze grew hot. “I like the way you think.”

As he signaled their waitress, Anica searched for the least threatening way to explain her unique gifts. After her experience with Edward, she dreaded broaching the witch situation. Maybe she should retreat to a quiet place for a few minutes and ask for guidance.

She pushed back her chair and picked up her purse. “I need to make a trip to the ladies room.”

He stood, a perfect gentleman. “Hurry back.”

“You bet.” All the way to the rear of the restaurant, she thought about how gorgeous he was and how much she wanted him. She imagined how his eyes would darken during sex. So far his lips had only touched her mouth and neck, but she could mentally translate that delicious sensation to full-body kisses. She longed to feel his dark chest hair tickling her breasts as he hovered over her, poised for that first thrust.

Despite her parents urging her to find a nice wizard boy, she’d always been attracted to nonmagical guys. Because they couldn’t wave a wand or brew a potion to create what they wanted, they had to make it through life on sheer grit and determination. She admired that.

She’d noticed Jasper the minute he’d stepped into her downtown coffee shop. What woman wouldn’t notice six feet of gorgeous male with a physique that did great things for his Brooks Brothers suit? She’d become his friend once she’d learned he was suffering from a broken heart. Sure, he probably had the ability to recover on his own, but she wanted to help.

They’d progressed from conversations at Wicked Brew to a lunch date. That had been followed by two dinner dates, and after the last one he’d kissed her until she’d nearly caved and invited him upstairs, rule or no rule.

He had a right to know the truth before the kissing started again, though, and most likely he wouldn’t believe her. If he didn’t, she had to let him go. No clever little tricks to convince the guy, this time. But letting him go would be very difficult.

The bathroom was empty, which pleased her. She’d been hoping for time alone to prepare. Jasper was special and she didn’t want to muck this up if she could possibly help it.

Closing her eyes, she took a calming breath and murmured softly. “Great Mother and Great Father, guide me in my relationship with this man. Help me find the best way to tell him of my special powers. May we find a kinship that transcends our differences. With harm to none, so mote it be.”

The bathroom door squeaked open. Anica quickly opened her eyes, turned toward the mirror and unzipped her purse as a tall brunette walked in. Moving aside the eight-inch rowan wood traveling wand she carried for emergencies, Anica pulled out her lipstick and began applying another coat of Retro Red.

She expected the woman to head for a stall or take the sink adjoining Anica’s to repair her makeup. Instead the woman clutched her purse and watched Anica. Weird. Maybe this chick needed privacy, too.

Anica capped her lipstick, dropped it in her purse, and closed the zipper. Turning, she smiled at the woman, who didn’t smile back. Instead her classic features creased in a frown. Troubles, apparently. She looked to be in her late twenties, about Anica’s age.

“It’s all yours.” Anica started toward the door.

“Damn, I can’t decide what to do.”

Oh, Hades.
Anica tended to invite confidences and she was usually willing to listen and offer whatever help she could. But now wasn’t a good time. “I’m sorry. I have to get back to my date.”

“Jasper Danes.”

Anica blinked. “You know him?”

“Yes.” The woman sighed. “I stopped by here for a drink hoping to run into him, because he comes to this restaurant all the time. I should have realized by now he’d be involved with someone else.”

Anticipation drained out of Anica so quickly she felt dizzy. She looked into the woman’s soft brown eyes. “You’re Sheila.”

The woman nodded.

In the spot where hope had bubbled only moments ago, disappointment invaded like sludge. If Sheila was having second thoughts about breaking up with Jasper, then Anica should step aside. What Anica shared with him was mere lust, which might disappear once he found out she was a witch.

She made herself do the noble thing. “We’re not really involved.”
Yet.

“I was afraid to ask if it was serious between you two, because it looked as if—”

“We were heading in that direction, but when I first met him, he was devastated over your breakup. If you regret leaving him, then maybe there’s still a chance to start over.” Anica wanted to cry. Jasper was the first man she’d had any real interest in since Edward and she was giving him back to his ex. Nobility sucked.

“Excuse me, but did you say
I
left
him
?”

“Yes. He said that he begged you to reconsider, but you—”

“Oh, my God.” Sheila gazed at the ceiling. “It’s
déjà vu.
” She closed her eyes and let her head drop. “I thought I was smarter than that. Guess not.”

“I don’t understand.”

When Sheila opened her eyes to look at Anica, her gaze had hardened. “I didn’t understand, either, until now. Tell me, did he say that I broke his heart?”

“Sort of. You know how guys are.”

“Apparently I don’t know enough about how guys are, but I’ll learn. Let me guess what he said.” Sheila deepened her voice in a pretty good imitation of Jasper. “
I thought we had something special. I was all set to take her home to meet my folks in Wisconsin when she lowered the boom. Maybe I should have seen it coming. Maybe I dropped the ball somehow, didn’t live up to her expectations. I tried to get her to reconsider, but she was finished with me.
”

Uneasiness settled in Anica’s stomach. Sheila had quoted Jasper almost word for word. What if this woman was a nut case who’d been lurking in the coffee shop behind a newspaper while Jasper spilled his guts? “That’s . . . approximately what he said.”

“I’ll bet a million dollars that’s
exactly
what he said.

Because that’s the speech he gave me about Kate, his previous girlfriend. It touched my heartstrings, which appear to be directly connected to my libido. A few dates, and we were in bed, where I could mend his broken heart.” She blew out a breath. “I didn’t leave Jasper. He dumped me three weeks ago.”

Three weeks ago Jasper had walked into Wicked Brew for the first time and she’d elbowed her employee Sally out of the way so that she could personally serve him a latte. Jasper had shown up the next morning, and the next, and on the third morning he’d announced that his girlfriend had left him.

But Sheila couldn’t be telling the truth about that breakup. Anica prided herself on her ability to read people, and Jasper had been one forlorn guy three weeks ago. If he’d made up that story—no, she couldn’t believe that he’d do such a thing.

“I want to hear Jasper’s side,” she said. “I don’t see any reason why he’d—”

“Don’t you? He’s figured out that women are suckers for a sob story. He hangs with a woman until he finds somebody he likes better. Then he dumps the current girlfriend and works the heartbreak kid angle with the new one. I fell for it. And the worst part is, if I could have him back, I’d take him, even knowing what I know.”

Anica shook her head, still unwilling to accept what Sheila was saying. “I’m sure there’s an explanation. Maybe you two misunderstood each other.” That still left Anica out in the cold if Sheila and Jasper reunited, but she’d rather see that happen than discover Jasper was a louse.

“It’s hard to misunderstand when someone says—
it’s been lots of fun and you’re amazing, but it’s time to move on
. That’s pretty damned clear, don’t you think?”

“Did you two fight about something?”

“No. All was peaches and cream. I’m guessing he met you and decided to trade up.”

Had Jasper lied to her? Anica couldn’t believe it, but there was only one way to find out. “I’ll talk to him.”

“You do that, and if you decide you don’t want him after you find out the truth, let me know.” Sheila thrust a business card in Anica’s hand. “He might bounce back my way.”

Anica stared at her in disbelief. “You’d still want him, even if he lied to you?”

“’Fraid so. I shouldn’t, but . . . he’s just that good.”