Page 99 of Fairy Godmothers Aren't Cheap

By the time James pulled up out front, I was antsy from being alone with my thoughts. I hopped in practically before he came to a complete stop. He chatted idly as he drove, and I did my best to keep up with my end of the conversation. I told him I was looking for a place, and he said he’d keep an ear out. He told me about his classes, and I asked a few questions. But by the time he parked at the diamond, I was no longer able to ignore his long looks of inquiry. If I didn’t get my head sorted and my focus dialled in, I’d get slammed by a ball tonight.

“I made a wish that you’d like me,” I blurted out as James cast me another one of those long looks after turning off his Range Rover. “And now it seems you do. But it’s not real. So, I think you should give me some space so you don’t get my hopes up and break my heart when the wish wears off.”

I grabbed my equipment from the floor by my feet and went to open the car door. James hit the lock button.

I whirled on him. “Seriously?”

He was quiet. Calm.

I flicked my door handle a few times. “James?”

“When?” he asked, his demeanour calm.

“When what?”

“When did you make the wish?”

“I don’t know.” I fumbled the stupid lock button, releasing my door. Ha! He didn’t have the child lock on. Triumph!

“Well, whenever it was, I’m pretty sure I’ve liked you longer.”

Door open, I turned to him with a frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Close the door.”

“No.”

“Close the door and I’ll tell you.”

I sighed and threw myself deep into the seat like a sulky teenager, shutting the door. “What?”

He leaned over the console between us and cupped my chin, turning my face toward his. Shivers shimmied down my spine and my breath caught. I loved the way he looked at me with such tenderness and acceptance, even when I was acting loony. His eyes were an electric blue tonight, the intensity disturbing my thoughts and shutting me down, sending me to a place of peace and calm.

He was going to kiss me and prove he loved me—even when I talked crazy. It was one of the things I loved most about him.

“Because I’ve had a crush on you since your inventory days,” he said.

“What?” My mouth dropped open in surprise, and he landed a light kiss.

My world was spinning. He’d liked me for that long? I needed to check my invoice. There were a lot of crush-related wishes on that list, but I thought James was a more recent addition.

He had to be on there somewhere. Because I clearly wished for every little whim my heart desired, so why wouldn’t I wish for an amazing man like him?

I really needed to look up that date, though.

A wish that was several years old would have worn off by now, but what about more recent ones? Estelle had said something about time, but also space and fate, and one’s ability to regain the destiny of their lives. The problem was, I still didn’t understand any of it.

I tipped my head down, breaking contact with James.

He’d only made a move on me recently, so why would he wait that long? Was it because I’d caused his affection to spark—not through simply being my whimsical, loony self, but by being a randomly blind wishing machine?

“You lost your crush on me?” he asked.

I couldn’t look at him, but gave my head a small shake.

“Then?”

“How would we even work?” I looked up, pleading with my eyes for him to explain that what I felt was real, that it wasn’t because of a wish and that we could make all of this work. Forever and ever like his parents. That he’d give me a no-broken-hearts guarantee.

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