Page 70 of Fairy Godmothers Aren't Cheap

“Yes, ma’am.” I sighed, frustrated at being caught as well as always feeling one step behind my trainee counterparts. “Ma’am?”

“Yes?”

“Why didn’t I get sent to fairy school like the others? I’d have thirteen years of knowledge under my belt, and wouldn’t be embarrassing myself or our family by messing up all the time.”

“You’d also be thinking like them,” Gram-Gram retorted immediately, waving a hand dismissively toward the bullpen filled with pink clones.

“But isn’t that the point?”

“No. Recall that I appreciate your creativity.” One eyebrow rose in my direction in silent question.

I nodded, summoning her earlier, almost-compliment to mind. She might appreciate my creativity, but it had gotten me into trouble, hadn’t it?

“Creative thinking is what differentiates a good fairy godmother from an exceptional one. Also, please remember that from here on out, until she is below the threshold, Char is on her own. No more wishes.”

CHAPTER21

~ Char ~

Isighed, leaning against the closed apartment door, fingers to my tingling lips. I was still in awe of how quickly James and I were moving.

He’d dropped me off, and we’d kissed out front until Randy’s stupid sports car alarm had started blaring. Seriously, nobody had even come within a few feet of the vehicle.

James and I had spent hours at Prince’s Island Park, cheering on runners as they crossed the finish line before heading to the beer gardens and listening to the DJ. I’d loved that James had paused to cheer on the last runners, the ones who were at the back of the pack, and who’d barely finished. Could the man make me love him more?

At one point, I’d thought of Estelle’s payback chant while cheering, going over it a few times in my head. Then, realizing it was pulling me from truly being there and enjoying James and the silliness of what we were doing, I let it go and rode the wave of fun.

I shook my head at myself. I’d been giddy and happy as well as a little bit silly. James had rolled with it, encouraging it. I’d told him some bad dad jokes, and he’d claimed they were worse than his dad’s. It had made me think of his mom and how sweet she’d been, teaching me a few quick stitches while fixing my shirt and then sending me home with a tiny kit of my own.

I’d then furiously buried the thought, trying not to think about what kind of man would keep a woman who didn’t fit with his family when he was obviously super close with them.

I texted James a goofy gif of a woman running in a marathon with a giant margarita and told him I was already training for our next run. Then I leaned my head against the door, eyes closed, allowing myself to feel the swell of sweetness thinking about the best moment of the night. We’d been dancing with people dressed up as dogs, doing silly dances like the mashed potato, and he’d pulled me into his arms, saying with affection, “You can have fun anywhere, can’t you?”

It had felt like I’d passed some sort of test. One I’d been studying for all my life.

“Did you wish for it? The grant?” Tamara demanded, and I startled, finding her standing at the top of the stairs, arms crossed like an angry mother waiting for her curfew-breaking daughter.

I started up the stairs, considering my argument. I sufficed with a simple, “Yes.”

James and I had returned our kitty ears when we left, but my whiskers and nose were still drawn in place and I waited for Tamara to comment on them. That or the obvious high I was riding upon.

But she stayed quiet, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Have you been waiting for me to come home?” I asked when I reached the top.

“I’ve been freaking out since you and James left.”

“I’m sorry.” Unable to hold it in any longer, I grinned, saying, “I think we’re dating.”

Tamara pulled me into a fierce, quick hug. “I’m so happy for you! He’s a keeper.”

The idea of keeping him, and him keeping me sent a spear of unwanted reality through my bubble of happiness. It was best not to think about the future.

Tamara released me, still looking tense, despite her happiness for me. Feeling bad for how she’d been stressing out over my wish that had gotten us the land grant, I tried to explain myself. “Making a wish for the grant has to be cheaper than buying the land on my own. Especially since I don’t have the money, and the grant was unlikely to come through in time. This is a win-win, right now situation, and sets me up for getting the karmic ball rolling.”

“But we banned wishing! And you don’t even have the money to pay Estelle for old wishes. And now you’ve added a new one that costs who knows how much!”

I swallowed hard, surprised by Tamara’s passion. “I’m playing the long game.”

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