Page 50 of Kiss and Spell
Ursula hadn’t dated anyone since she was jilted, but she liked hearing dating stories from Gwen, who still had the courage to try.
“Her name’s Paige. We’re going out this weekend.”
From the wide way he smiled, he seemed pleased with this outcome. A bubble of melancholy expanded in her chest. It wouldn’t take long before Paige graced Xavier with that perfect kiss and unbound him from the enchantment. He’d probably be back home before the end of the month. A flutter of sadness went through her at that idea.
Xavier nodded. “Now I’ve got to figure out where to take Paige. I still don’t… know my way around the Grove.”
“You said you like long walks in gardens and being outside. I have the perfect place,” Ursula said. “I hope you have clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty.”
“I like getting dirty,” he said with all seriousness. Somehow, his serious tone made his words unexpectedly sexy. She imagined him whispering those words against her mouth in the darkness of her bedroom, leaning her up against the wall and slowly stroking his hand between her thighs until she collapsed in pleasure.
Welp. Her throat went dry. Another phrase uploaded to her fantasy folder. By the end of the night, it was going to be completely full, and she was going to have to open another one.
Focus up, Caraway. You have no right to fantasize about him. He has a real date.
“You should take her to the Grove Garden.” Ursula took out her phone and pulled up a picture gallery of Grove Garden from the website. “I used to go there all the time with my nana. We used to watch the bugs and butterflies.”
She held up the photo for him. “I’ll text you the address. We can go there tomorrow.”
“I’d like that. Enlighten me, Madame,” Xavier said. “I’d love to hear a few first date topics.”
“I haven’t been on a real date since Jupiter and Saturn aligned,” Ursula said.
He tipped his chin at her. “I respect your opinion.”
She popped her lip, then spoke. “Start with the basics. Ask about her job, interests, and who she is as a person. If there’s a connection between the two of you, then you might want to take things further. Be your charming self and you’ll be puckering up in no time.”
She noticed his throat lurched with a hard swallow. “You’re worried about your kiss?”
Xavier touched his necklace in a self-soothing gesture. “How will I know if it’s perfect?”
Ursula sized him up, thinking of how he might look once he was disenchanted.
“Maybe you’ll feel like you did before, but just different. Like how the air feels recharged after a rain shower. Renewed. Alive.”
He bobbed his head as if he took her words to heart. “You’ve been invaluable. Let me help you with your wish list.”
Ursula thought back to the spring party, where they’d chatted for hours in that hidden nook. That night seemed so far away from her mind. “I forgot I told you.”
“I didn’t forget. We’ll make it happen. You’ll get what you desire.” He turned to study the gold leaf on a book cover on the sale table in front of them.
The sheer confidence in his voice made her pause. That single word stole all the air from her lungs and made her feel unsteady. Desire. What did she truly desire? A job that made a difference in her hometown. A true purpose in her life. To feel not only happiness but also sincere joy. She let eyes drift over Xavier, taking him inch by inch while his attention was elsewhere. Let yourself have him for just this second. Here he was, the storybook prince she’d dreamed about when she was young, shrouded in melancholy, yet still regal.
The enchantment on his head may have dampened his spirit but she saw him. Despite her best attempts, she was very much a part of his fairy tale. It was up to her what role she was going to play. Witch. Enchantress. Lady-knight.
A lanky woman with shaggy brown hair wearing a faded Fleetwood Mac shirt standing at the front of the store waved her hands and called out, “Good evening! Let’s get started.”
Only a few people were paying attention to her; the rest kept talking to each other. Empathy moved through Ursula. Through her committee work, she’d hosted enough events to know it was a pain in the butt to get the undivided attention of a roomful of strangers.
“Hello, hello!” the woman shouted. Finally, the room quieted down. Ursula gave her a mental fist bump. Show them what’s up.
“Welcome to Smitten with the Shelves. I’m Edwina, Eddie for short. I’m the night manager and your host. Poe and Theo, the owners, thank you for coming out tonight! We invite you all to thumb through our shelves. We hope you might find your next late-night read. Maybe you can find a book you can bring to bed.”
Eddie gave the crowd a big stage wink. A knowing rumble went through the crowd. Ursula looked to Xavier. Wait. Were the tops of his ears turning red? She held back an amused smile and focused back on their hostess.
“We have our popular Book a Date table!” Eddie cheered. “We’ve wrapped our favorite romance novels and written clues and prices on the covers. These books are buy two, get one free, so please don’t be afraid to treat yourself. Remember, you don’t need a library card to check these books out!”
A few people groaned at the pun, but Eddie flashed them all a big grin.