AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You always had mine, so it’s nothing. Did Mr. Magoo also give you an alarm clock to start your day?”
“No. What kind of alarm clock?”
He grimaced. “The annoying kind.”
She wanted to laugh, but the look on his face had her stepping in to reassure him. “If it helps, I have to report major activities in my life to him at the end of every week. Kind of like a journal but in a formal format.”
“So do I.”
“And I have three sisters who also want to know what I’m up to, being the youngest and all.”
“That I don’t.” There was a contemplative pause. “Did you and your sister settle things?”
Sapphire’s announcement hovered in her head, a secret that could either help them or destroy them. She nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Cool. Would you like to grab a bite to eat for dinner?”
“I…can’t.” Dismay flared that she couldn’t explain, not when both her secret and his reputation hung in the balance.It’s complicated. We can’t be seen together. You’re better off.“I have plans.”
Silence.
“Right. Next time, then.”
The easy acceptance brought another round of guilt, but she swallowed it like the last. When he turned to walk away, a thought ballooned and wouldn’t let go.
“Oh. Mad. By the way…”
“Yes?”
“Please stay away from Pearl.”
Maddox looked at her in confusion, then decided that it wasn’t worth asking about as he shrugged.
“Okay.”
Ruby watched his back as he left the hill, wondering how she could fix things between them when the truth was revealed.
Then a solution presented itself crystal clear in her mind and had her racing in the other direction.
Chapter 3
“The usual?”
Maddox nodded, then watched as the bartender, Rex, began to mix a concoction with all the colors of the rainbow with a glowing finger. A few more zaps and the drink was presented to him, dreamy in color and vibe. He mumbled his thanks, took a sip, and winced when the sourness instantly hit his throat before the sweetness coated his tongue. The spicy flavor kicked in a few minutes later, burning his chest before leaving behind a pleasant feeling of numbness.
“Good?” Rex asked.
“Always good,” he replied, then gestured for a second shot. The bald man got him another before attending to other patrons, and Maddox settled himself in his corner as low conversation and soft music surrounded him.
“I did the math, and I could have sworn I was protected. We even used that magic spell your aunt told us about…”
“It’s okay, sweetie. Breathe. We will find out if you are after the test. In the meantime, I suggest not drinking alcohol…”
He tuned the lovers out and listened to laughter somewhere nearby, along with slurred words.
“That was awesome. I was awesome. I threw the concoction and the house turned yellow!”
