Blonde With a Wand (34 page)

Anica got out of bed and noticed her clothes were in a pile on the floor. No problem. She was grateful he hadn’t let her sleep in them.

But then she rounded the bed and discovered Jasper’s clothes on the floor, too. Even though they’d become fairly comfortable with each other, she couldn’t picture him wandering around her apartment naked.

Dread settled in her stomach as she walked down the hall and stepped into the living room. Jasper, very much a cat, was curled up in his corner of the sofa. He opened his eyes and they reflected pure misery.

Even Orion seemed to have picked up on the mood. Orion, the ultimate chowhound, hadn’t been crying for his breakfast even though it was several hours past his mealtime. Orion was keeping Jasper company by curling up on the opposite end of the sofa.

Anica took a deep breath. “I know this is a setback, Jasper, but we didn’t know for sure how many minutes you’d get for that soup kitchen gig. You might transform again at three this afternoon! Then you’d have from three until nine tomorrow. It’s too early to evaluate your progress. We need to—”

Her cell phone rang. It was still in her purse, which she’d left on the entrance table before stumbling off to bed. The ring wasn’t familiar, so it wasn’t Lily calling to check on things.

Thinking of Lily reminded her that they’d scheduled another dance lesson this afternoon. Anica wasn’t sure that was a good idea now. She had no idea what time Jasper might change back into a man, and she wanted to be available to help in whatever way she could when that happened.

She pulled out her phone and glanced at the readout. Dorcas. Maybe she’d found out whether there was a hierarchy of good deeds, so Jasper could make the best use of his time to earn more minutes. She flipped the phone open. “Hi, Dorcas. Any info for me?”

“Yes. I’m going to guess that Jasper is now on a six in the evening to a six in the morning schedule. Am I right?”

“He was as of yesterday. We spent a lot of hours in a soup kitchen last night, so I’m hoping to see him transform any time now.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be happening.”

“What?”
Anica saw Jasper’s head come up, and she turned, lowering her voice as she walked into the kitchen. “What do you mean?”

“Ambrose and I need to come up there again. We’ll want to talk with each of you privately to explain what’s going on, so we should probably time it to get there after six this evening, after Jasper changes into a man again.”

Anica lowered her voice. “I don’t understand. I thought if he kept doing good deeds, or acts of kindness, that he would keep gaining minutes. He put in eight hours of good deeds at that soup kitchen. Zeus’s balls, Dorcas. What’s going on?”

“What’s going on is that you invoked an ancient, complicated spell. The information we uncovered at first turns out to be only the tip of the iceberg. This is all quite fascinating, actually.”

“Not to me!” Anica heard the anger in her voice and worked to control it. This wasn’t Dorcas’s fault, and she didn’t deserve to be yelled at. “I’m sorry, Dorcas. I’m just upset. Are you saying Jasper put in all that time in the soup kitchen for nothing?”

“Of course not. Everyone in the soup kitchen benefited from having both of you there last night. Jasper has a larger understanding of poverty, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he volunteers at that soup kitchen again. It’s all good, Anica.”

“Can I impress upon you how much I
loathe
that happy little phrase right now?” Anica could feel herself losing it again. “This man has worked his butt off trying to break the spell I cast on him, and now you’re telling me that what he did isn’t good enough.”

“That’s because it’s not.” Dorcas’s voice remained calm, as if she had no intention of responding to Anica’s fury.

Once again Anica felt horrible for giving vent to it. “Forgive me. I have no right to take my frustration out on you, especially when you’re kind enough to drive up here to help us.”

“We’ll be at your apartment as soon after six as we can get there. Ambrose will take Jasper out for a walk, so you and I can talk in your apartment.”

Anica leaned her forehead against the smooth door of the refrigerator. “What am I supposed to tell Jasper? I’m sure he’s completely demoralized already, and this news isn’t going to help at all.”

“Tell him what I’ve told you, that the spell is far more complex than any of us realized, and that we’re coming up to offer whatever counsel we can. Tell him there will be a way out.”

“What is it?”

“Anica, I can’t tell you over the phone. This is powerful stuff, and we have to handle it carefully so that you two don’t get stuck in the roles you have now.”

“You’re scaring me, Dorcas.”

“Good. A little healthy fear wouldn’t be a bad thing right now. Oh, and don’t involve Lily in this. To make sure we have a chance of reversing the spell, the interaction should involve only the four of us.”

“I understand. Thank you, again. I . . . well, just thank you.”

“You’re welcome. See you in a few hours.” Dorcas broke the connection.

Anica stared at the phone for what seemed like a really long time. She owed it to Jasper to go in there and give him the latest news, but she dreaded doing that. He’d been so hopeful last night and his attitude had been nothing but positive as they’d struggled through the last hour of soup kitchen duty.

How many times could a person get his hopes up, only to have them dashed by a new set of rules? In his shoes, Anica would be devastated. He’d gone into debt and worked hard for a charitable cause. What more could be asked of him? Was he supposed to donate a kidney?

She thought back to his crime, misleading his girlfriends about the cause of his recent breakup. What a trivial thing that seemed now compared to the threat of spending his days as a cat and his nights as a man . . . forever.

At this point she’d take his punishment upon herself if she could, but she was pretty sure there was no way she could assume his cat shape for twelve hours a day. Dorcas had said there was a way out. She’d cling to that. But for now she had no choice but to go in there and ruin what was left of Jasper’s day.

Carrying her cell phone so she wouldn’t forget to call Lily, she sat next to Jasper on the sofa and scratched behind his ears. She figured his answering purr was a reflex, something he couldn’t control when she was petting him. She doubted he really
wanted
to purr, given his circumstances.

“That was Dorcas,” she said. “I have good news and bad news. The good news is that there is a way for you to regain the other twelve hours. The bad news is that it’s more complicated than doing good deeds. In spite of the soup kitchen work, you won’t change again until six.”

Jasper let out a cat sigh.

“I know. I suppose that’s what happens when a spell isn’t used for two hundred years. No one’s up on how it works, or how it can be broken. When I make a mess, I make a big one.”

She rubbed the top of Jasper’s head and he moved to take better advantage of the caress. “Dorcas and Ambrose will be here a little after six. That means you have seven hours and . . .” She glanced at the time on her cell phone. “And forty-two minutes left to be a cat. How do you want to spend that time?”

Jasper settled down on the sofa and closed his eyes.

“Got it.” Anica stood. “I’ll leave you to do that.”

Walking back to her bedroom she speed-dialed Lily, who picked up on the second ring.

“I almost called you,” Lily said. “So? Is Jasper permanently changed back into a hunk?”

“No. Our eight hours at the soup kitchen were a wasted effort. According to Dorcas, something more is needed to get beyond twelve hours, but she wouldn’t tell me what over the phone. They’re driving back up tonight so they can interact with Jasper when he’s . . . did you call him a
hunk
?”

“Sure did. You latched on to a hottie this time.”

Anica narrowed her eyes. “Are you implying my other guys weren’t hot?”

“Not like this one. I think he really likes you, too. I was watching him watch you. Major lust going on there, big sis.”

A wave of pleasure washed over her. “I really like him, too. I feel so bad for him that he did all that work and got nothing for it.”

“I don’t get that. Dorcas and Ambrose told you that would work, so why didn’t it?”

“I don’t know. I guess new info turned up that explains more fully how the spell is broken. Tonight should do the trick, though. Dorcas seemed confident they had the answer now.”

“Good.” Lily paused. “That’s really good. Um, what would you think if I went back to school and became a paralegal?”

“That you’d lost your mind. That’s a very technical field and you’ve never liked studying, so I don’t know why you’d—” Then Anica understood. “You want to impress Griffin?”

“I realize the bartender image probably doesn’t work for him, but I could be going to school in my spare time, which would make me look more ambitious. Besides, you’re always saying I should latch on to something and stick with it. This would be like . . . like a real career.”

Anica groaned. “I’d love you to stick with something, but it should be something you like. You’d hate being a paralegal. And to do it just to get Griffin’s attention—I think that’s a mistake.”

“I really like him, Anica. And you’re going to think I’m making this up, but I think he’s fascinated with me, too. Every once in a while I catch him looking at me as if he wants to do me. Then the minute I look right at him, he looks away.”

“Most men want to do you, Lily. You’re gorgeous. But wouldn’t it be great to find a guy who wants to hang out with you when you’re both wearing clothes?”

“Griffin would, once he gets to know me. I just have this gut feeling it would work, but he won’t give me a chance.”

“Then he’s the wrong guy.” Anica wished Lily would drop this obsession, but so far she seemed determined to create something with Griffin. And Lily was a grown woman who would have to work this out for herself. Anica couldn’t protect her from heartbreak, much as she’d like to.

“We’ll see. Listen, I can probably get away from work tonight if you need any help when Dorcas and Ambrose show up.”

“Thanks, Lil.” Anica was touched that she’d offer. “But Dorcas said it has to be just the four of us. And I . . . I need to put off that dance lesson. I want to have a clear head when they arrive.”

“We don’t
have
to drink margaritas, you know.”

Anica laughed. “I do. Hey, we’ll have another lesson, I promise. You got me hooked. I just need to get through this weekend.”

“Okay. So what if I started writing a thriller?”

Anica thought she could get whiplash trying to follow Lily’s train of thought. “Why?”

“Lots of lawyers write thrillers and put all this legal stuff in. I could start writing one, which would make me look more interesting and intellectual, and . . . bonus! I’d have to interview Griffin for my research.”

“Lily, you hate to write.”

“I know.” She sighed mightily. “Hera’s hickeys, what can I do that will convince him I’m a good prospect?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll figure something out. Call me when Dorcas and Ambrose leave, okay? I’ll have my cell handy at work tonight.”

“Keep your fingers crossed that this works out. If so, we’ll come down and have a drink to celebrate.”

“Hold that thought. I could fix you each a martini that’ll pickle your tonsils.”

“I hope that’s how it turns out.” Did she ever. Walking into the Bubbling Cauldron with Jasper, knowing he wouldn’t be changing into a cat again, would be like every birthday present she’d every received rolled into one. Finally she could anticipate the joy of spending time with Jasper, both in and out of bed. At last they’d have a real shot at happiness.

 

Ambrose slipped a CD into the car’s sound system and Frankie Avalon began to croon “Venus.”

Dorcas reached over and punched the EJECT button.

“Hey! We need Frankie tonight. This is like a super-duper matchmaking assignment. You know how Frankie inspires me.”

“And you know how Frankie makes me break out in hives. You wouldn’t want me to go crazy and leap out of this car while you’re driving sixty miles an hour, would you?”

He glanced at her. “You wouldn’t do that, and you know it.”

“It sounded exciting, though, didn’t it?”

“I don’t see why you get so upset about Frankie.” Ambrose looked at her with a sad puppy-dog expression.

“Oh, let me think. Maybe because you’ve played that blasted CD a thousand times? Could that be it?”

“If I’ve played it a thousand times, why not once more? I’ll keep it low.”

Dorcas heaved a martyred sigh. “If you must.”

“I must.” Ambrose reinserted the CD and as the bouncy little tune began, he tapped out the rhythm on the steering wheel.

Dorcas did her best to shut out the music.

“How much does Anica know about lifting the spell?” Ambrose asked.

“Nothing.”

“You didn’t tell her about the contracts she and Jasper would have to sign, so she could get used to the idea?”

“That’s not something you say over the phone, Ambrose. You don’t get used to something like that. She would have freaked out.”

“You’re probably right. I sure hope this works.”

“So do I. I looked through every resource, and even though this is the recommended cure, I couldn’t find a single instance where it was employed successfully. But it’s all we have.”

At about five thirty, Jasper started watching the clock. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up this time the way he had last night, but at least he’d finally meet Dorcas and Ambrose, the witch and wizard who held all the cards. They weren’t infallible, though, which meant he might get transformed tonight and he might not. At this point it was a total crapshoot.