Page 9 of Meet Cute Magic

“Not the Third Warlock of the Night Realm!” Jack shouts, pushing me aside and moving to his knees, lifting up the cardboard head like he’s a lost comrade on the battlefield. “I worked on this for four months!” Percy, sensing the vibes have taken a nosedive, jumps away and leaves me with the disaster he created, and I mentally remind myself not to get more treats next time I’m at the pet store.

“Oh, my god, Jack. I’m so, so sorry. He’s really a sweet cat, he’s just kind of…” I start, then restart. “He follows me and he’s a bit protective, so I guess when he heard you shout, he came to check on me and—”

“OUT!” Jack shouts, eyes still locked on his headless wizard.

“What?”

“Get out!”

I lift my hands placatingly, taking a step back but not leaving. I still need to get that damned flask, after all.

“Jack, I know this—”

“Get out!” He stands then, holding the head of the wizard, and I try. I really do. But the man is standing there holding the decapitated head of a fictional, grinning wizard and… I laugh.

“Are you laughing?” Jack asks, anger rippling through the words.

“No, I… it’s just…” I start, choking on another laugh because this entire situation is ridiculous, and I’ve always been a nervous laugher.

“Every time you Mayfields come in here, disaster strikes. No more! Get out!” he yells, pointing to the door.

I stand, putting my hands up. “Jack, I’m sorry. I really am, but I really need to talk to you, I need your help with something and—”

“You need my help?” he asks incredulously. “Ha! You’ll get my help when the fucking dead rise.” The irony of his words does not escape me as he continues to step toward me and I continue to walk backward toward the door.

“Jack, you don’t understand, it’s very—”

“Goodbye, Rosemary,” he says with bitterness, right before he slams the door in my face, locking it and flipping the open sign to “CLOSED,” and flipping me the bird.

I sigh deeply before walking back to my place, where Percy is sitting at the foot of my steps. “Come on, you little shit,” I grumble to him, opening up the front door to figure out what the fuck plan B could be.

CHAPTER 4

Rosie

49 days until Halloween

“So, how’d it go?” Phillip asks as I walk through the door. Fortunately, I have already brewed up a new plan in the time it took me to cross the street. It’s not ideal, obviously, but I think it will work.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

“Your grandson is a pain in my ass,” I grumble in response, moving up the stairs of the bookstore to my apartment above it. He lets out a deep laugh, his ghostly body floating above me as I walk toward my room. Percy swats at the wispy strands of Phillip as he continues to float behind me. At least he’s just as annoyed by our new guest as I am, I suppose.

“That good, huh?”

“I don’t think I’d be able to convince him to give me CPR if I had a heart attack in his store, much less a family heirloom. The man hates me.”

“Oh, he is far from hating you,” Phillip says in a much-too-knowing way. I walk into my bedroom and look over my shoulder at him, giving him a skeptical glance. He shakes his head and waves a hand with a laugh. “I just mean, who could hate you? You’re essentially a bubbly librarian.”

“Yeah, well, your grandson does.” I begin sliding hangers in my closet, a satisfying clack happening as they hit each other before I find what I’m looking for, pulling out my thick black turtleneck sweater triumphantly. “Aha!” I turn to the ghost behind me and smile. “He’s never going to give me what I need, but don’t worry. I’ve got a plan.”

“You know, I think I’m really going to love working with you, Rosemary Mayfield.” Phillip does a bit of a flip in the air before grinning at me.

I don’t bother telling him I wish I didn’t have to deal with him, since I’m only here because my grandmother turned him down, but instead, I stand and move to my dresser, finalizing the perfect outfit for sneaking among the shadows.

Later that night, well past midnight, I open my front door and turn, giving wide, angry eyes to my cat. We had a long talk before I left about how he absolutely needs to stay indoors to avoid any further issues. Some witches have familiars who love them and assist with their magic, but I just have… Percy. Percy, with no magical abilities or instinct for helping during spells, and whose only talents are finding a warm sunny spot to lie in and hearing the faintest crinkling of a food bag.