Saved by the Spell. House of Magic 2.

by Susanna Shore

  I grinned. “It’s always possible, but would they even know yet? They’ve been together for such a short time.”

  She tilted her head sideways in acknowledgement. “I’m Ida Sanford, by the way, Harry’s cousin.” So I’d remembered correctly.

  “Phoebe Thorpe. I’m Olivia’s mother’s cousin.”

  “Huh. There’s an age difference. Are your parents here?” She glanced around.

  “No, they live in Southern France.”

  Her face turned wistful. “I wish I were living there. So … when’s the wedding, you think?”

  “If it’s soon, we’ll know she’s pregnant,” I said dryly.

  She laughed aloud, making the people glare at us, because the groom’s father was speaking. We ducked our heads and snickered to ourselves.

  The moment the speech was over, Ida took me by the arm. “Come meet the younger generation.”

  I followed her to the adjoining room where the friends of Olivia and Henry had gathered, and Ida introduced me to everyone. The spell hadn’t mysteriously been lifted and all the men turned away from me the moment they could. It miffed me more than with the older family members, because there were a couple of men among them that I might have been interested in.

  “What’s going on with you and the men?” Ida asked, amazed. She was more astute than I’d hoped.

  “I have a spell on me that makes me repel men,” I said with a deadpan tone, opting for truth since I had no other explanation for it. She laughed aloud.

  “More for me.”

  There definitely wouldn’t be anyone for me. Even if the spell were suddenly lifted, the men would remember their initial dislike of me.

  Feeling sorry for myself, I was ready to retire when a familiar voice spoke behind me.

  “Phoebe? What are you doing here?”

  I swirled to face the beautiful turquoise eyes I’d reminisced about more than I should have this past week. “Jack?”

  I couldn’t believe he was here.

  “You remember my name.”

  Warm smile made his eyes twinkle as he studied me with appreciation. I held my breath, but the smile didn’t turn to disgust. I didn’t dare let down my guard though. It would be doubly disappointing if he was repulsed by me.

  “I didn’t notice you earlier.”

  Smooth, Phoebe.

  He made a vague gesture with his hand. “I arrived when the speeches had already begun and remained by the door. Are you family?”

  “Olivia’s,” I explained, and he nodded.

  “Harry and I have been best friends since Oxford. I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other from now on?”

  “I guess so,” I said with a breathless smile. I’d become best friends with Olivia if it kept me near him.

  He lifted his empty glass and pointed at mine that was almost empty too. “Would you like another glass of wine?”

  I nodded and he left to fetch more. I waited with my shoulders tense, fearing that he’d have a belated reaction to the spell when he returned.

  “Ah, Jack Palmer…” Ida said, materialising next to me. “He’s a lovable scamp, so watch out.”

  He could be the worst womaniser in the world as long as he saw me and didn’t become nauseated. And that was even though my previous boyfriend had broken my heart by cheating on me.

  Jack returned with two glasses. He gave one to me and then handed the other to Ida with a polite bow. “I’ll fetch one more.”

  I was thoroughly charmed by his courtesy, making Ida roll her eyes.

  “That’s how they get you…”

  I shooed her away when I saw Jack return, and she left with a grin. If he wasn’t affected by the spell, I didn’t want her around to ruin my chances, and if it had taken effect while he was away, I didn’t want her to witness my disappointment.

  But his smile was as open as before, his gaze frank on me. “Alone at last…”

  I grinned. “Hardly.”

  There were so many people attending the party that we were constantly jostled about as people moved from room to room.

  His answering grin brought out the dimple on his cheek. “We could leave.”

  “Tempting…” And it truly was. If I hadn’t been here for my family, I would’ve left instantly.

  He propped a shoulder against a wall, blocking us in. “So how have you been this week?”

  I had a mad urge to tell him about the spell. “Busy. We’re organising an auction.”

  “Anything interesting on sale?”

  “That depends, do you like mid-century modern?”

  “I don’t even know what that means,” he confessed with a self-deprecating laugh.

  In a normal situation, I would’ve counted it against him, but he was so charming I barely noticed. Standing close, I could detect his delicious scent. My mouth went dry, and I took a hasty sip from my glass.

  Harry and Olivia came to us. He held back, his brows furrowing in a puzzle as he tried to figure out why he didn’t like me, but she wrapped an arm around me, as if we were close friends, looking giddy.

  “I love this dress,” she stated. “You’ll have to wear it to the wedding. It’s exactly the colour I want for my bridesmaids.”

  My mouth almost dropped open. “You want me to be one of them?”

  “Of course. You’re the closest thing I have to a sister.”

  Okay…

  I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it, but I smiled and said I’d be honoured. “When’s the wedding?”

  “Two weeks from now. I know it’s fast, but we couldn’t wait.” She must have noticed my expression, because she gave me a fed-up look. “I’m not pregnant.”

  “Good to know…” Then I frowned, as her words registered. “Wait, what’s the exact date?” She told me and I cursed aloud. “We have an auction that day.”

  She pulled her short body straight. “Surely my wedding is more important?”

  “Of course it is…”

  Kane might take some convincing though.

  Pleased, she left with Henry to greet other guests. Jack smiled at me. “We’re going to have so much fun at the wedding. I’m the best man.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “That’s nice.”

  “And I absolutely agree with your cousin: you look lovely in that dress.” His gaze was intimate, and I felt a blush rise.

  “Thank you,” I managed to say.

  We talked about this and that, and he didn’t even hint that he should talk with other people too. It seemed like a moment later that Aunt Clara came to look for me.

  “The cab is almost here. I’ll see you home.”

  Jack looked disappointed. “I could’ve escorted you.”

  “Thank you, but I’ll have to go with my aunt,” I said with true regret.

  “So when can I see you again?”

  My breath caught. “I … am free most evenings.”

  “How about tomorrow afternoon? I’ll take you to lunch. Let’s meet at Brasserie Noël at two.”

  “I’d love that,” I said, and then Aunt Clara was already pulling me away, muttering something about overly charming men.

  “He’s up to no good, you know.”

  I hoped so…

  I was floating on clouds when I entered the shop, where Amber and Luca both were despite the late hour. I paused in the middle of the floor and spread my arms in declaration.

  “I’ve met the man of my dreams. This spell has to come off right now.”

  Not waiting for their answer, I headed to my room. I had some serious daydreaming to do.

  Chapter Five

  I arrived at breakfast bright and early—for Sunday—despite a sleepless night. I’d been too excited to sleep.

  I was too excited to have breakfast either, or too nervous, as if this were the first time I was going on a date. My mouth went a mile a minute as I described my evening, gushing about Jack, and it was a wonder that I managed to eat at all.

  To my utter amazement, the rest of the household weren’t
at all excited and happy for me.

  “I don’t trust this,” Giselle said, shaking her head. She was sitting at the head of the table, Griselda on her arms, petting the cat like a villain in a Bond movie.

  Or maybe I was projecting.

  I put down my fork. “Don’t you start. Henry’s cousin Ida already warned me that he’s a womaniser. I know what I’m getting into. But I can’t let this go. What if the spell is never broken? He’s the only man who’s not repulsed by me.”

  “And why is that?” Amber asked with a pointed look. “Are you sure he’s not the one who put the spell on you?”

  I pulled backwards in my chair as if she’d hit me. “Why would he have?” It hadn’t even occurred to me. “He’s gorgeous. I’d sooner believe he’d put a spell on himself to ward off over-eager women.” I snickered at the idea. “And when would he have had time to cast it? We only met briefly in a café and Kane was affected by the spell moments later.”

  “A touch is enough with some spells, if it’s been prepared in advance,” Giselle said. Griselda squirmed in her arms, and she put her on the floor. As she straightened, she shot a scrutinising glance at me. “Did he touch you?”

  “Well … we shook hands.” I suddenly remembered the odd sensation when our hands met. I pressed my lips together stubbornly. “It wasn’t him.”

  “There is a mage named Jack Palmer in London,” Amber said, getting up and starting to clear the table.

  “It’s a perfectly normal English name,” I argued. “And why would he spell me, even if he were the same man? I’ve never met him before. Do you think he went around London looking for a suitable subject to test the spell on?”

  But they just shook their heads, unconvinced.

  In a huff, I retired to my room to go through my wardrobe to choose the best look for my date. I wanted to look pretty, but not overeager or desperate, although I was both.

  I only emerged an hour later to do my share of the household chores that were part of the rent. Sunday was cleaning day, and this week it was my turn to vacuum.

  I hated vacuuming. I put all my anger at Amber’s and Giselle’s suspicions about Jack into it. I was in a much better mood when it was time to start preparing for my date.

  Just how unconvinced the women of my household were of Jack’s innocence became obvious when it was time for me to leave. Ashley was leaning against the hallway wall outside kitchen, and she straightened when she spotted me, looming over me.

  “Amber said I have to come with you.”

  She was dressed in black jeans and T-shirt, her head cleanly shaven and gleaming. Since it was her day off, she’d added a row of rings to her ears and one eyebrow too, which she couldn’t do at work. She looked like a fierce bodyguard, but I wasn’t going to be intimidated into letting her accompany me.

  “I don’t need a chaperone,” I growled, making her grin—probably because she found the sound funny.

  “Relax. I’ll just give you a lift. I won’t come to the restaurant. I’ll sit in the car and keep an eye on you from there.”

  As if that was better.

  “And we’re coming too,” Amber added, emerging from the kitchen, “because Ashley doesn’t know the mage families and might not recognise him.”

  Just my luck that this Sunday they didn’t have chores to occupy themselves with like usually to keep them from meddling with my affairs.

  Luca would probably have come too if he weren’t dead to the world during the day.

  It was no point arguing with them, so I just followed Ashley to her large Range Rover, practicing in my head the disdainful look I’d give them when they turned out to be wrong.

  Brasserie Noël was a French restaurant in Soho, two streets north of Piccadilly Circus. The interior was from the 1930s, and the food was wonderful—and remarkably cheap for the quality and the location. There was a cabaret downstairs that put on shows every evening, though I’d never seen one.

  I’d often had lunch there, as it was less than a mile from the gallery. The mere thought of their food made my mouth water during the three-mile drive across Central London.

  The restaurant was on a small plaza diagonally to Piccadilly Theatre, and the closest place to park the car was by the theatre. By some luck—or magic?—Ashley snatched the last free spot there, with a good view over to the terrace of the restaurant that stretched on the plaza.

  “Make sure you stay outside,” Amber reminded me for the tenth time. The weather was beautiful, and I would have done it even without her telling me to, but I rolled my eyes.

  “What do you think is going to happen? Even if he is the one who put the spell on me, he can’t do anything funny in a public place.”

  Giselle’s mouth pursed in displeasure. “There’s something predatory in a man who would put a spell on a woman just because he can.”

  “Even a spell that’s supposed to protect me from men?”

  She nodded firmly. “Any spell done without your consent.”

  I couldn’t exactly argue with that.

  “Maybe he won’t show up if he’s such a horrible man,” I said, miffed, but the mere thought made my guts twist in disappointment. I wanted to see him again.

  “If he doesn’t show up, we’ll come and have lunch with you so that you won’t be embarrassed,” Ashley promised. “Their food smells delicious.”

  I didn’t ask how she could detect it all the way here—werewolf nose—and just exited the car.

  I was dressed in my new jeans again—they really did make my bottom look great—but the top under the blazer was sleeveless and it had a plunging neckline that gave me good cleavage. I tugged my clothes in place and closed the door.

  Amber lowered the window on her side. “I’ll text you if I recognise him and think you should leave.”

  “I will not bail out on a date!”

  “Of course not,” Ashley said with a grin. “It would be a waste of good food.”

  That brought a smile to my face as I crossed the street to the plaza.

  The terrace was almost full, but I could instantly see that Jack hadn’t arrived yet. Undeterred, I peeked inside the restaurant, but he wasn’t there either. I wasn’t discouraged—I’d been overly punctual—and just took the only available table left on the terrace.

  A waiter materialised next to me almost instantly, affecting a French accent even though he was perfectly English. It was difficult to say whether his snooty attitude was French too, or caused by the spell. Probably a bit of both.

  “Is mademoiselle ready to order or will she wait for others?” he asked even as he handed me the menu.

  “I’ll wait.”

  My phone pinged just then with a message from Ashley, with a screengrab of the menu: Order me this to go!

  “Do you do take-away too?” I asked the waiter, who assured me they did, so I placed the order. There were no additional orders from Amber and Giselle. Their loss.

  Before the waiter could return with a pitcher of water, I spotted Jack sauntering down the pedestrian court from the direction of Piccadilly Circus. My heart began to beat faster, and I had to take hold of my chair so that I wouldn’t jump up to wave at him.

  He spotted me and a smile spread on his face. He hurried his steps and was soon taking a seat next to me. “I’m sorry I’m late,” he said, placing a kiss on my cheek.

  Completely breathless, I fought to find my composure. He was not my first date, for heaven’s sake.

  “I just arrived myself,” I assured him, but the effect was instantly ruined by the waiter, who returned to inquire if I wanted the take-away box immediately or later.

  Jack’s brows shot up. “You thought I wouldn’t show up?”

  I had to grin, he looked so dismayed. “No, my housemate heard I’d be coming here, and she made me order food to go for her.”

  I told the waiter later would do, and by the time I turned my attention back to Jack, he was sitting more relaxed in his chair. I’d deliberately left him the one that faced the car. Jus
t because I didn’t believe he was guilty didn’t mean I’d make the others’ job more difficult for them.

  My phone pinged, but I ignored it. I didn’t care if Amber and Giselle had recognised Jack. I would not leave. And if they wanted food, they’d just have to order directly.

  We placed our orders and Jack leaned back in his chair, one arm thrown over the backrest. “This was a great idea.”

  I wholeheartedly agreed. “Do you come here often?”

  “At least once a week. It’s near my office.” He’d told me the previous night that he worked as a private asset manager in a banking firm not far from the gallery.

  “And the café where we met?”

  His smile turned into an apologetic grimace. “Actually, I kind of followed you there.”

  “Oh?”

  My heart began to beat so fast I feared it would come out of my chest, but I couldn’t tell whether it was for excitement or dismay.

  “I spotted you outside the Tube station and I thought you were really beautiful.” He lowered his unique eyes slowly down my body and back to my face, and they lit with an appreciative gleam. “And may I say, you’re looking wonderful today too.”

  I pressed my head down to hide my blush.

  “Anyway, I thought I’d just see where you were going, maybe ask you out, but then I sort of lost my nerve, and I had to follow you in the café.”

  He didn’t seem like the kind of man who wouldn’t know how to ask a girl out, but I nodded. “And then we met by chance again yesterday.”

  “I was actually prepared to haunt the café every day if needed until I spotted you again,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh that I found endearing.

  “Why didn’t you come to the gallery?”

  His brows shot up, his face a picture of bafflement. “That didn’t even occur to me.”

  We burst out laughing.

  We had a wonderful lunch. And I have no idea what I ate. It was so effortless to talk with him. I was sorry when it came to an end. He insisted on paying, but since I had to pay for Ashley’s lunch anyway, I declined.

  “I have to see you again,” he said in a serious tone as we were standing outside the terrace, preparing to go to separate directions.