Page 46 of Meet Cute Magic

“I don’t know, call us?” Poppy says, throwing her hands up into the air, and I give her a glare.

“I know, I know, but I don’t need to bother you two with my drama. I have it covered.”

Violet gives me a knowing glance. “I know you’re the oldest, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself.” I stare at her, her eyes sincere and settling in my chest with guilt I don’t have the time or energy to touch right now.

“So what happened?” Poppy asks, thankfully breaking the moment.

“I told him I’d help him,” I say, again, not a lie, just an omission. Unlike my mother did, magic doesn’t seem to see an omission of the truth as a lie. “And I needed to get something he touched from Jack’s place. Because of our… history, he wasn’t exactly excited to give me what I needed. So I had to prove things to him by bringing him to my place and showing him Phillip.”

“Phillip?”

“His grandfather. After Jack fainted—”

“He fainted?” Poppy asks, looking alarmed.

“He was fine,” I say with a wave of my hand and a roll of my eyes. “But he wouldn’t agree to just give me the flask. He insisted on getting the ingredients with me since he doesn’t seem to trust me to do it on my own.” Poppy shrugs like she can’t blame him, and I glare at her.

“Do you think he’ll tell our secret?” Violet asks, interrupting my staredown with our youngest sister. I shake my head immediately; that, at least, is not even close to a lie.

No part of me thinks Jack will ever betray me and tell our secret. I know it in my gut, even if I can’t really explain why.

“No. He’s very committed to helping his grandfather pass on. They were very close.” Poppy nods. “And it seems like he saw his grandfather do magic when he was a kid and kept that secret all this time.”

“But you kissed him?” Violet asks, and I sigh again before continuing to explain.

“One of the ingredients was the tears of a vampire,” I say, and Poppy nods sagely, while Violet lets out a loud laugh.

“Let me guess: Geraldine?” Violet asks, knowing the emotional supernatural. I nod.

“I took him to the club because he doesn’t trust me to get the ingredients on my own without causing a disaster.” I don’t tell them that I think the truth is he really just wants to experience the world of magic a bit more, but I don’t have to when Poppy’s eyes widen, and Vi gives an I can’t blame him look.

“Did he tell you about the card tower?” Poppy asks, apology in her words and on her face. I nod with a smile.

“Unfortunately, the day I came for the flask, I did the exact same thing and decapitated his warlock.”

“His warlock? Decapitated?” Poppy asks, eyes wide with panic.

“It was a cardboard cutout he made for his storefront.” Poppy lets out a sigh and leans back again, seemingly relieved I’m not a murderer.

“Anyway, you know the club rules,” I say with a shrug, desperate to tie up the conversation.

“Humans need to be kiss-bonded or else they’re free game for… anyone,” Poppy says, contemplatively.

“Exactly. And I couldn’t let him go in unprotected.”

“How was it?” Violet asks, suddenly intrigued.

“What?”

“The kiss, dummy!”

“Oh,” I say, then pause, trying to think of how to answer. “It was…” My sisters are staring at me with wide, anticipating looks, and I hesitate before answering. “F—” The word dies on my lips. “F—” Poppy lets out a loud laugh before I can even realize what’s happening.

“Loose lips muffins,” Violet says with a smug smile. “Can’t tell a lie.”

It’s not a lie! I try to say, but the words also die on my tongue, magic deciding that too is a lie.

Well, fuck.