Jacinth beamed. "Douglas is a veterinarian specializing in horses. We met when I granted his wishes, like Kieran with you. He'd just regained custody of Ben and Molly after his divorce, needed a nanny, asked me to stay temporarily..." She spread her hands. "The rest is history."
Mandy frowned, her fork pausing halfway to her mouth. "Wait... a Djinn married to a veterinarian?"
Jacinth's musical laughter filled the dining room. "Yes, he's human. Completely, wonderfully human." Her dark eyes softened with obvious love.
"So… you married a human?" The words tumbled out before Mandy could stop them, but Jacinth didn't seem offended.
"Yes, and it's the best decision I ever made." Jacinth's smile radiated pure joy. "Though it wasn't an easy one at first. The age difference alone..." She shook her head. "I'm over nine hundred years old, after all."
Mandy choked on her water. She stared at Jacinth's youthful face, trying to grasp such a span of time.
"Love doesn't care about age or magic. When it's right, it's right." Jacinth reached blithely for more garlic bread. "Though the Djinn Council wasn't thrilled."
"I can imagine," Mandy murmured, thinking of Kieran's formality and respect for tradition.
"Kieran helped smooth things over with the Council," Jacinth said, as if reading Mandy's thoughts. "He may seem stern and traditional, but he understands that love doesn't always follow conventional paths."
That surprised Mandy. Though he had shown moments of warmth during their brief interaction.
"Oh, he didn't approve at first." Jacinth's dimples appeared. "But he came around. I knew he would."
Heat flooded Mandy's cheeks. "Were you reading my mind?"
"No, no." Jacinth laughed. "Only ancient Djinn can do that. Your expression said everything - wondering how someone so traditional could support a human-Djinn marriage."
Mandy ducked her head, embarrassed at being so transparent. She focused on twirling more pasta onto her fork, using the moment to compose herself.
"So, how old are the children?" she asked, genuinely curious about this magical-human family.
"Ben's seven, Molly's five." Pride filled Jacinth's voice. "And Talya, she's fourteen. We rescued her from a bad situation, but really, she adopted us. She started high school this year."
"She's wonderful - so full of life. Teaches her Djinn friend about phones and computers. They spend hours giggling over TikTok videos."
Mandy took another bite, mind whirling at the image of supernatural beings on social media.
"I so want to write a Djinn romance now," she told Jacinth, snickering.
"Oh?" Jacinth's laugh chimed. "What kind of Djinn hero? Tall, mysterious, and princely perhaps?"
Heat flooded Mandy's cheeks. "I was thinking generally," she protested, though plot threads already spun. "Maybe a charming Djinn who meddles in everyone's lives for their own good."
"Are you implying something?" Jacinth's laugh filled the kitchen.
"Who, me?" Mandy feigned innocence. "I never base characters on real people. That would be unprofessional."
"Of course not." Jacinth's eyes sparkled. "Just like none of your characters were inspired by anyone real."
Heat crept up Mandy's neck. Mr. Devon, her high school music teacher, surfaced in memory - his warm baritone, kind blue eyes, graceful conducting hands. The hero ofSymphony of Lovebore a striking resemblance.
"Really." She took a hasty sip of water, avoiding Jacinth's knowing gaze. "My characters are completely fictional."
"You're adorable when you blush," Jacinth said, her musical laugh filling the kitchen again. "And you're a terrible liar."
Mandy chuckled, recovering a bit. "No, really. They are, I swear."
She struggled to find words to explain. "It's more about inspiration than copying. It could be anyone, anything - a brief encounter, a movie scene, song lyrics. Just a feeling that stays with you."
"Like music triggering emotion?" Jacinth tilted her head.
