Page 82 of Under Daddy's Spell

“You mean the spell book?”

“Yeah. Well. I had some time to kill—”

“Tessa, you didn’t actually...”

Her head came up, and she admitted, “I did. Actually.”

“On what? The air conditioner? I know, it was Tightwad Thompson.”

Feeling like the worst person ever, Tessa shook her head.

Suddenly, Angie gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth. “Not Jordan. You hexed Jordan?”

“I didn’t,” she whispered. “But I’m pretty sure you did.”

“Me? How? I’ve never even seen the spell book.”

“It wasn’t a spell as much as a potion. And, with only two ingredients, it looked easy. Seven coriander seeds and spring water.”

“But you said there were only two left.”

“I used cilantro to make up the difference in what the recipe called for.”

“You can’t use those interchangeably.”

“Why not? It’s the same plant. I looked it up, and chefs do it all the time.”

“In pestos and spicy dishes maybe but not in sweets. It’s too strong. The combination of cilantro with the other spices, like cinnamon in muffins and cookies, would make them taste...odd.”

“Odd how?” Tessa pressed.

“I don’t know. I’ve never used cilantro to bake with before. Weird, I guess.”

“Would you say wonky?”

She thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, wonky sounds about right.”

“Jordan used that exact word. Mercy’s sake. He ate a hexed muffin I brought him as a peace offering.” Tessa dropped her throbbing head in her hands. “I wasn’t going to go through with it, Angie. After following all the steps, I realized how crazy it was, and chickened out. Seth came by to walk me out, and I panicked—”

“More like you were consumed with guilt.”

Tessa glanced up at her and had the grace to admit, “Yeah, that, too. I’m so sorry I brought you into this. I poured the potion down the drain, but I must have left the grinder out.”

“For me to find and bake into my muffins, making me an accessory to the crime.” Angie sat back in her chair and stared at her like she had two heads.

“I told you it was bad.” Unable to sit still, Tessa popped out of her chair and paced from the register, past the coffee bar, to the end of the bakery case. Out of room, she turned and retraced her steps. “As much as I screwed it up, I think it worked.”

“I’m supposed to be the quirky one. I burn incense and believe in the power of crystals, but do you really believe you cast a spell?”

She whirled and faced her. “I don’t know what to believe, Ang. We fought the entire week. Then suddenly, after eating a magic muffin, he’s calling me baby, rushing home from out of town to steal kisses, and waking me for mimosas at sunrise.”

“And the problem is...” Angie drawled.

“Don’t you see? If the change in him is because of the spell, it’s not real. Besides, it was only supposed to help us get along and bring us a little peace around here. That’s the part I don’t get.”

“Only one part? Hon, this entire scene is tripping.”

“Something went wrong,” Tessa muttered. “I need to look at that damn book!”

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