Page 5 of Meet Cute Magic

I scoff and roll my eyes, crossing my arms on my chest. “What do my eating habits have to do with anything?”

“If I’m going to invest time in you and break the curse, I need to know you’re taking care of yourself.” A part of me lights up with hope because he’s not saying no. He’s not saying he isn’t going to help at all, so that has to be a good sign. Right?

“I didn’t eat because I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me today,” I say through gritted teeth. “But I have muffins on the kitchen counter that I’ll eat before bed.”

He nods approvingly. “What flavor?”

I blink a few times before answering. “What does it matter?”

“Don’t question my methods,” Phillip says grumpily.

I sigh, reminding myself to stay on his good side. “Lemon blueberry and double chocolate chip. My sister owns a bakery, and she makes them.”

His face lights up, despite him being a ghost and pale as, well, death. “Ooh, a bakery! What’s her specialty?”

Something in me snaps, and I put my hands on my hips, glaring at him. “Are you kidding me?”

“I’ve been dead for a year—I miss basic things like bakeries and muffins.”

“Listen, this is getting a bit ridiculous. Maybe we shouldn’t—” I start, reaching to put out a candle and hopefully break the connection, but his eyes go wide.

“I can remove your family curse,” he says quickly, and I stop, fighting my smile.

“From my entire family and future witches,” I demand, clarifying again.

He grins. “You’re a smart little witch.”

“Thank you,” I say, preening.

“I can do that, but I’ll need a favor in return. Once you accomplish it, I’ll break the curse, and you can go on your merry, lovestruck way.”

I narrow my eyes, not liking this at all. Mom told me never to make deals with the dead, and this feels very much like a deal. But also… I want to fall in love. I want to find my soulmate.

“What’s the favor?” I ask, trying to seem nonchalant despite my pounding heart.

“I want you to help me…” he hesitates as if he’s trying to decide how to phrase it, “… move to the afterlife.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m stuck here, between planes, not quite alive, but not in the afterworld, either.”

“Maybe you cursed too many people and have to repent?” I suggest, and he shakes his head.

“No, no, I chose to stay here. Wanted to hang out, see what happened before I really kicked the bucket.”

“So you chose to stay?” I ask, skeptical.

“Yes, yes, I wanted to watch and make sure my… curses went well.” There’s a self-satisfied smile on his lips as if he knows his curses have been playing out exactly as he had hoped.

“So you want me to help you?”

He nods fervently. “And when I do break the curse, you’ll no longer feel the burden of heartbreak.”

“The burden of heartbreak?” I ask. I wave a hand over my chest, where my most recent heartbreak is festering, an unfortunately familiar feeling at this point. “Will I still feel all of this? The pain of the failed relationships?” He contemplates my question for a moment, then shakes his head.

“No, all previous heartbreak won’t matter after the curse is gone. You won’t even remember all of those men you dated before.” My mind reviews my many, many heartbreaks over the years, each one taking a bit more from me. What would it be like to be unburdened of all of that, to be free of the bitterness each one left behind? A beam of glee moves through me, and I fight a smile.

“Mhmm,” I hum, not wanting to give anything away. “And what would that entail?”