because it was good for business but because he wanted to help give Anna and Jordan their dream. They were a nice couple, and good people.
He’d watched those bridezilla shows to prepare himself for what they were going to have to deal with when they started booking these weddings, and he understood why people behaved the way they did. Sometimes, they were obsessed with making the ceremony perfect because they thought it was a reflection of how the marriage would be. Or it was something they’d dreamed of.
Anna and Jordan knew what they wanted, but they were willing to put it all aside so someone they just met could rest and recover.
“You guys, I promise, you’re going to have your dream wedding. FGI knows exactly what they’re doing, and I’ll have Zuri up and around in no time. In fact, why don’t we plan on a late dinner in the ballroom tomorrow, where we can finalize some plans? My chef makes an excellent filet.”
“If you’re sure,” Jordan said.
Alec shook his head. “No, we’re not listening to Blond Ambition over there.”
“Yes, we are. Because Zuri is. Let’s go, Alec.”
“Yes, Alec. Let’s,” Ravenna said, and she shot her foot out when he took a step forward.
Alec stumbled and was unable to recover his balance and fell face-first onto the floor.
“You should make him mop the room with his tongue.” Ravenna clicked her tongue.
Zeva laughed. “We should, but we can plot that later.”
Zuri waved everyone out. “Go on. I promise, I’ll be fine. No more health checks, though. I need to take the antidote, take a shower, and get some rest.”
After everyone had finally left, Phillip went back up to the bedroom loft and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“So. You gonna take this cure, or what?”
“I don’t have any choice, do I?”
“Of course you have a choice. I don’t think it has to be a big deal. A quick peck and we’re done.”
“You know, Phillip, my reluctance isn’t because I don’t want to kiss you.”
Something strange and unfamiliar twisted up his insides. “I suppose that makes it worse, then, doesn’t it?”
Chapter 13
Kissing Phillip was something Zuri wanted and feared.
She wanted it because he was hotter than fire, but she was afraid of it because her heart was still tender and vulnerable.
Whether she wanted to admit it, she’d already developed feelings for Phillip. Except, that made no sense to her. If she felt all these things for him, why hadn’t her kiss been the cure he needed?
It made her think once again that magic was for some people and she wasn’t one of the lucky ones.
Her love wasn’t enough.
Ohhhhhh no. She didn’t love him. Did she?
Feelings were one thing. They were delicate, new buds. New growth, but it wasn’t love. It couldn’t be.
Only it didn’t matter if it was or not, because when it was all said and done, Zuri wasn’t enough.
She hadn’t been enough for Alec. If she had been, he wouldn’t have been seeing her on the side. She wouldn’t have been a dirty secret.
God, what would that even look like to have had all of Alec? She couldn’t picture it now.
But she could picture it much too easily with Phillip. Except those visions were all peach pie in the sky, because she wasn’t the one. Zuri wasn’t enough to break his curse.
Watching him standing there, with all his vulnerability on his sleeve, she wanted to tell him that none of it mattered. Not his curse, not her frog pox, not the fact that she couldn’t break his curse, because her heart wanted him, but that was dangerous territory.
He may have been Prince Charming, but even he couldn’t live up to her expectations, could he? She expected him to have a perfect past, and no one did. Everyone made mistakes, but his mistakes were the ones she just couldn’t get past.
Even though those he’d wronged had long forgiven him. Even though they wished him well and actively sought his happiness.
When Ravenna had mentioned their conversation, Zuri had felt a flash of jealousy, and that kind of green felt worse than frog pox any day. She wasn’t the jealous type. Zuri didn’t believe the emotion served anything.
Being jealous was a reflection of insecurity.
It didn’t change anything. Jealousy of Ravenna, who was beautiful and powerful and fearless, all the things Zuri strived to be, wouldn’t change what they’d talked about. It wouldn’t change Ravenna’s feelings, or Phillip’s.
The only thing it could do was hurt Zuri.
Needlessly.
She wanted his kiss.
Wanted it more than she’d wanted