Chapter 5 Emerik
FIVE
EMERIK
I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when he showed up with Max, the dog in my vision.
It only makes sense, but somehow, it completely threw me off.
Then, Hazel and Drake showed up at exactly the wrong time.
Thank the gods Alexander caught the bottle—there’s no way we could brew up another batch in time.
I had another vision! This one was much more intimate, and I could almost feel his hand on my face.
I swear he saw something too. He was going to kiss me, I’m sure of it, at least in the vision, and maybe here in the store as well.
I wouldn’t have stopped him. There’s something real about him, practical, solid.
I bet he’s handy in the bedroom, and even more down-to-earth in the rest of his life…
exactly what a flighty witch like me needs to stay tethered.
Seems like the potion is already a success. Max would not be stopped, dragging Alexander out the door, so the Fates must have a plan. Our almost-kiss moment is over, soon to be replaced by some true romance.
When I get outside, I see it’s true, and I’m filled with a contrary mixture of satisfaction and disappointment.
I let satisfaction win out and stand back to enjoy the scene.
The potion acted immediately, giving Alexander his classic meet-cute.
Max wrapped his leash around a stunningly handsome man dressed in a business suit.
He really is perfection, with blond hair and a brilliant smile, and shoulders that go on for days.
As I watch, he loses his balance and drops his briefcase, spilling papers all over the sidewalk.
The scene has been set, and Alexander immediately picks up his cue.
“I’m so sorry!” he exclaims, scrambling to gather the papers. “Let me help you with that.”
“Not a problem,” the man laughs. Deep voice: check. Wry grin: check. Subtle flirting: next up on the agenda. “I’m not looking forward to this case, and some distraction from a handsome, um, pup is always welcome. What’s his name?”
“Max, and as you’ve noticed, he can be a holy terror.”
It’s all going perfectly according to plan. Next, they’ll build a few easy connections, showing that the Fates chose a compatible match. Or at least I hope so. We didn’t build compatibility into the potion.
“I hear you. I have two black labs at home, and they’re a handful, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I really need to run, but we should meet up sometime at the dog park.”
And there it is: a perfect match, all wrapped up in an adorable meet-cute.
Long enough to make a connection, short enough to leave my client with some lusty anticipation.
The potion is indeed a success. All he needs now is a way to contact this perfect stud, so they can avoid the obligatory finding-lost-but-perfect-lover angst.
“Sounds great,” Alexander says, picking up the last few papers, and a small pile of business cards.
“Looks like you have my number,” he says, pointing to the cards. “Hold on to one and give me a call.”
“Thanks, um,” he says, and then reads the card, “Dirk.”
Dirk. Seriously? The Fates are having a field day with this one. It’s all I can do to keep from snorting.
“Nice to run into you,” Dirk says with a wink. Crystal blue eyes, naturally. “Be seeing you.”
We both watch as Dirk walks away, admiring the way his tailored slacks hug his butt, and then Alexander walks over to me.
“Thanks,” he says, holding out his hand. “I couldn’t have asked for a more classic moment. This is a memory to keep. Do you want to join me for a coffee to celebrate?”
We shake, and again, that little spark snaps when we touch hands. This time I get a flash of him kissing me…and I feel him, just for a moment. Soft lips and a tender embrace, and the promise of more. He jerks his hand back, so it must be hitting him too.
Alexander says, “That’s odd.”
“Are you seeing it too?” I ask, wondering what it means. “You and me on the beach?”
This makes me worry: even after all my care, did I slip something selfish into that potion?
He gives an uneasy laugh and says, “Yep. Not that I’m complaining. It’s kind of sweet. Like a postcard.”
“I’m sorry about it. I don’t quite know what’s happening. It may be a side effect of the potion. This is the first time we’ve brewed something like this, so maybe it’s spilling over into our professional relationship. In any case, you got your meet-cute, and it looks like a doozy.”
“He is handsome, isn’t he?”
“He sure filled out that suit,” I say as we head down the sidewalk. “And he likes dogs!”