Page 3 of Love Potions and Paperwork

“Clo!” called a warm voice that had heat blooming in my stomach down to the toes wiggling in my boots.

I looked over my shoulder, my eyes meeting Glen’s at the door. His arms were laden with pastry boxes, muscles flexing beneath his tight T-shirt. “Sorry, I’m a little late today.”

“It’s okay,” I said breathlessly, a warm flush creeping up the back of my neck.

Glen and I had been neighbours growing up. We went to all the same grade schools, played in the band together even—I’d had a crush on him since… forever.

There was just something about his warm brown eyes. Like a cinnamon latte. Or maybe a freshly baked croissant.

His shaggy, slightly curly hair was drawn into a loose bun on the top of his head, the picture of masculine beauty with his strong jaw and award-winning smile. Seriously, hewonBest Smilesenior year, it was a shock he didn’t end up modelling after school. But—much like me—there was a family business that needed staff.

“Where can I leave these?” he asked, hooking his tongue on his elongated canine.

Glen was a Werewolf, so for three weeks out of the month, he did the deliveries. The rest of the time was handled by Teddy, their tiny Dwarven assistant baker. I relished these weeks when he was well enough to visit our cafe… If you could call a routine delivery of a product we paid for avisit.

Way to be pathetic, Clover. Get it together would you?

I hastily added steamed milk to the cups along with tonic and popped lids on the drinks before setting them into a little recycled cardboard tray.

“See you tomorrow, Eugine?” I asked, trying to pretend that a veritable demigod wasn’t hovering by the door.

“You bet!” the monster squeaked, turning on his heel and side-stepping Glen to head out the door. “Happy Friday, Clover!”

As the door swung shut behind Eugine, Glen strode up to the counter, setting the boxes down with a doggish grin.

“Nice to see you, Clo. How are you?”

I avoided his eye, taking hold of the boxes as Talia appeared from the back, arms laden with lids and syrups.

“Oh! Hey G-Money!”

“Talia,” he greeted, flashing her a charming smile, “gorgeous as ever.”

Of course.

For as long as I’d had a crush on Glen, I’d been invisible to him. I tried and failed not to burn with jealousy at the attention he gave my gorgeous blonde co-worker. Well… I guess she was my employee now.

I turned with the boxes in my hands, trying to tune outtheir flirting when an open container caught my eye. My stomach dropped. The shimmering pink powder I’d hastily scooped into Eugine’s drink was more rust than amber.

“Oh, heavens,” I moaned, sitting the boxes on the counter beside the jar. I sent up a prayer to the goddess that I was just losing my touch as I turned the label towards me.

I wasn’t losing my touch.The jar wasn’t ground Hestivian clay at all. It waspowdered vampire venom.

Usually, an ingredient mix-up like that would mean the potion would fail. Unless the ingredient you replaced was an amplifier. Which it was. Along with all the other things I’d tossed into their cups… I’d given Eugine a bonafide lust potion. An incrediblypotentlust potion.

I ran a hand down my face, cursing myself for being so careless. If I’d known with of the hundreds of skyscrapers he worked in, I would’ve ran after him.

Poor Eugine was in for a very,very, interesting day.

One

Eugine

If you asked me what possessed Eugine—I have only looked at a fashion magazine while waiting in line at the drugstore—Grillo to take a job as the executive assistant of Maeve Randall, Editor in Chief ofSiren Magazine, I’d probably say something stupid like“resume building”.Or that I desperately needed to pay the sky-high rent on my pitifully small flat on the west side.

In either case, I’d agreed to take the job despite theabsolutelyinsane GlassDoor reviews.

Seriously, one of them described working for Maeve as being similar to letting a lioness eat you alive—slowly, with a fork and dull knife.

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