Page 8 of Kiss and Spell

“How do you know my godmother?” he asked.

Cindy played with her water glass. “We’re part of the same Crass and Crafty group online. My username’s Suddenly Cinderella because I crocheted my own dress for my brother’s wedding.”

“That’s impressive,” he said. “I wouldn’t know how to crochet a hat.”

Cindy brightened. “It was a fun challenge. I didn’t have any mice or birds to help me make it. Honestly, I’m more of a Sleeping Beauty person because I love to sleep in.”

Xavier nodded. “I see.”

The conversation came to a jerky halt. They sipped from their drinks in companionable silence. He ordered them dessert, but Cindy politely declined to share the order.

“Can I be real with you, Your Highness?” Cindy asked carefully after a few minutes.

Xavier watched as she cradled her glass between her polished nails.

“You can be real with me.” He was trying to use more human slang to fit in, but the words always felt a little odd in his mouth. He’d been trained in the ways of royalty and manners since he had a silver rattle in his hand. Once an Alder prince, always an Alder prince.

She tilted her head, her brown hair falling around her oval face in waves. “You seem like a great guy, but I don’t see us going on a second date. Whitney told me all about your… problem.” His stomach dipped. Cindy glanced around and lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I like fairy tales, but I’m not interested in starring in one, you know?”

His heart thumped in disappointment. Yet another date gone bust. He gave a soft smile. “I understand your hesitancy.”

Cindy smiled back; her dimples winked at him. “Besides, I don’t think I can help you with your situation.”

Xavier said nothing. Cindy continued talking. “I’m a terrible Grove resident. I leave pennies on the ground. I spill salt everywhere. I wouldn’t know how to break a curse.”

Cindy sipped her water with a grin, clearly relieved to have made her confession.

There it was. The real reason why he’d been on twelve first dates in the last two weeks and why he found himself stuck to the Garden State. How could the universe ever let him forget that he was hopelessly, impossibly cursed to find his perfect kiss?

Xavier looked down at the remnants of his dark chocolate cake. Madame Caraway told me they had good cake. He shoved that thought back down and touched his pendant, the last gift from his sister Primrose. If he had any chance of seeing her or the kingdom again, he couldn’t get distracted. Focus.

“If you need help with an audition or staging a play, then I’m your person,” Cindy said gently.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He was being polite. Once he dealt with this pesky setback, he would be running through the closest fae door back to the Realm as soon as possible.

“The Grove is filled with plenty of qualified people who can help you,” Cindy pointed out. “This town is a magnet for strange, nice people.”

Xavier made a sound of agreement. His mind recalled one not-so-strange person. The one who helped him when he was completely lost. An image of Ursula standing on the boardwalk appeared before him. A cream-white blouse hinted at her shapely body. The gathered printed skirt matched the headband that held her lush, curly hair out of her eyes. Those dark chocolate eyes held his attention. Her teasing question echoed in his memory.

Do I look strange to you?

He blinked away that image. A rush of guilt filled him when Cindy peered at him from across the table. Her attention quickly dropped to the phone in her hand. The lady was possibly texting an SOS to a friend to save her from this extremely uncomfortable evening. What was wrong with him? Thinking about another woman before he’d had a chance to properly talk to the one in front of him.

Had his eagerness to break his horrid curse made him so thoughtless?

A waiter approached, arms folded behind his back. “Can I get you anything else tonight?”

Xavier glanced over at Cindy. From where he was sitting, he could see she’d had her finger lingering over a rideshare app button. Right. This date was officially over. They split the bill, finished their drinks, then left the restaurant. By this time, the stars were coming out and night sounds played in the near distance. A well-lit car parked across the street flashed its lights. Cindy waved to the driver, then jerked her chin toward it. “That’s my ride.”

Xavier extended his hand to her. “Thank you for a wonderful evening.”

Cindy quickly shook it and let go. “I wish you nothing but the best.”

Xavier watched as Cindy departed in her ride; the taillights glowed in the darkness. The night was still young, but disenchantment had settled over him like a layer of fog hovering above the ground. Once again, he failed to be the charismatic prince he needed to be to break the curse and get back to his real life. He looked toward the streetlamps and headed downtown. Xavier wanted to be anywhere but here, but he didn’t know where to go.

Ursula, in her loose tank top and bubbling cauldron–patterned pajamas, stared at the half-wilted, gray Swiss cheese plant on her windowsill. She held back a warrior princess scream. She’d just gotten her new leafy pal two weeks ago and the leaves looked terrible, as if moths had devoured it for a midnight snack. A leaf broke off and fluttered down onto the sill.

She took a deep breath and tried to relax, but hot frustration seared in her gut. Why couldn’t the universe just leave her and her plant alone? After Ursula finished out her shift, she climbed up the stairs to her apartment, changed into her pajamas and watched her favorite episodes of Living Single on her laptop.After watching Maxine and Kyle flirtishly spar with each other for an hour, Ursula still couldn’t get to sleep and decided to clean up the apartment and brew herself some tea. She had just finished drinking her second cup when she noticed the dire state of her plant.

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