We don’t know how to trust each other.”
“I think we’re doing great.”
“I don’t.”
“Why’s that?” She tilted her head up to look at him.
Her eyes were wide, and her pupils dilated. Her lips looked dewy and soft, and he knew she’d taste like the drinking chocolate.
“All I can think about is kissing you. That’s not very trustworthy, is it?”
“Maybe I’m not trustworthy, either, because all I can think about is wishing you’d kiss me.”
He bent his head, and just as their lips were about to brush, Phillip felt the familiar tightness in his skin that signified his transformation.
He looked out the windows to see the sky was streaked with fingers of lavender and gold. Dawn approached. Phillip hadn’t realized how much time had passed. Or maybe it was his curse kicking things into high gear. It couldn’t let him be happy. Not for a single moment.
“I can’t. I want to, but I can’t.” He launched himself from the couch and scrambled toward the door. “Shit!”
“Phillip? What’s wrong?”
“I—” A horrible sound like a ribbit welled up in his throat. He tried to choke it back, but his mouth opened and . . . the only word for it was blorped. He blorped, and it was like a ribbit mashed up with a burp from hell.
Oh God, it tasted garlicky, like dragonfly wings.
Zuri stepped back from him. “What the hell was that? Are you okay?”
He shook his head, and his cheeks billowed out, and he did the only thing he could.
He ran.
Phillip could’ve sworn he heard Zuri’s say, “Figures. I find a man I want to kiss and I make him sick.”
Chapter 8
Spread out in the boardroom at Fairy Godmothers, Inc., Zuri refused to think about the night previous.
What had she been thinking anyway, to decide it was a good idea to get mixed up with a man? Especially Phillip Charming?
Wait, hadn’t she just told herself she wasn’t going to think of it?
Yet, there it was, twirling around in her mind like a jump rope from hell, and she couldn’t stop with her mental double Dutch.
She tried to center herself and think about the meeting with Anna Petrovsky and Jordan Markhoff. Zuri was irritated they expected FGI to be able to deliver a wedding in three weeks, but she supposed for what they were paying, most anything should be possible.
She cleared her throat and then took a sip of her coffee, hoping to clear away the slight scratch in the back of her throat.
One might even say she had a frog in her throat.
Zuri tried not to snort out loud. She needed a cookie.
Petty appeared, an answer to her prayer. “Almost forgot the chocolate chip breakfast cookies.”
“Breakfast cookies? Isn’t that any cookie you eat for breakfast?” Zuri asked.
“Yes, definitely. But these actually have more protein. Gwen was worried we weren’t feeding you well. Too much sugar.” Petty winked.
“Calories don’t count in Ever After, am I right?” She bit into the cookie and immediately felt fortified.
Petty turned to look over her shoulder at her own hip and wiggled it. “I don’t know about that, but I’m fine with what I’m packing.”
Zuri couldn’t help the full-bodied cackle that erupted from her. “You should be.” She ate another bite. “While we wait for the Markhoff people, tell me why you and your sisters never got married.”
A wistful look crossed Petty’s face. “None of us ever met the one, I suppose.”
“That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Is it? Because you were just saying that—”
“Oh, hush.” She sipped her coffee. “You’re not allowed to use my own arguments against me yet.”
Petty cackled. “At least you admit it.”
“No, but really. Tell me. Wasn’t there ever someone?”
“Don’t worry about us, dearie. We’ve had our adventures. Some of us continue to have adventures.” She shared a conspiratorial wink. “We have so much love to share with our charges, our families. With each other. It will happen when it’s right.”
“Hmm. Will it? Is that why you keep trying to push me together with Phillip? Or why you keep trying to set Gwen up?”
Petty pointed her finger and opened her mouth to speak but then closed it. She nodded knowingly.
“See what I did, there?” Zuri snickered.
Jonquil and Bluebonnet popped their heads in.
“Did I just see Petunia Blossom with nothing to say?” Jonquil trilled.
“She got me.” Petty shrugged.
“Wonders never cease. You’ll have to tell me how you did it.” Bluebonnet suddenly perked. “After we speak with the wedding party! They’re here!”
“Are you going to glitter-bomb them like you did me?” Zuri asked.
“I hadn’t thought