“Why would you want to meet his parents?” Andrea asks, raising one eyebrow. We are sitting at a café around the corner from where I work since Andrea had a meeting in one of the offices nearby so we decided to meet for coffee.

“I don’t know, to get to know him better, I guess. Don’t you think it’s nice of him to ask me, though?”

“I think it’s weird,” she says, sipping her coffee and leaving a bright red lip-shaped stain on the cup as she places it back down again. “It’s what? Your third date tonight? And he’s already met your Mom and now you’re meeting his folks?”

“I guess it must mean you’re wrong and the love potion actually does work after all,” I shoot back.

She gives me a look. “Oh, please. You’re not still going on about that are you? It’s complete and utter bullshit, seriously. I promise you.”

“And now I’m going to meet his parents and they’re going to be confused as to why he likes me so much because I’m not even blonde like his usual type and they’re going to know something’s up,” I say. I know I’m being melodramatic, but I can’t help wishing more and more that Danny had never interfered and put the stupid potion into Jackson’s cupcake. It’s constantly at the back of my mind and I can’t secretly help feeling guilty about going to see Zelda in the first place. If I had never gone…”

“They’re going to love you because you’re a kind, intelligent, interesting woman. You’re beautiful inside and out, Lauren. I wish you could see that.”

“I wish I could too,” I sniff. My stomach is in knots thinking about meeting Jackson’s parents, even though I’m so flattered and excited at the same time.

“You could always come clean to him…” Andrea suggests.

I gape at her in horror. “He’ll think I’m crazy!”

She laughs. “Exactly. It is crazy. So just forget about it and move on. Are you scared about falling for this guy? It seems to me like you’re just making excuses to yourself.”

I start to protest but shut my mouth. I’d never thought of that. Maybe she’s right.

“I know you got hurt before, babe,” she continues. “But you’ve got to let yourself move on and that means opening yourself up to the possibility of being hurt again. It’s just the way it is.”

“I can’t believe I’m getting this advice from you,” I scoff. “The girl who refuses to date!”

She looks away but I can see the tiniest sign of a smile. Is Andrea actually blushing?

“Have you met someone?” I ask her… Surely not!

“Maybe,” she replies with a little smirk. She looks at her watch “Damn, I have to get back to work.”

“But I want to hear more about this man of yours,” I wail.

“Well you can’t, as you’ve chosen your new boy over drinks with us tonight!” she scolds.

I know she’s only joking. “You and Nina will be fine without me… and if we finish dinner early, maybe I’ll bring him along?”

Her eyes light up, “Oh yes, please do!”

I look at her suspiciously. “Well, maybe. But only if you promise to behave. No embarrassing stories. And no calling me Lolly!”

She laughs as she agrees and we hug goodbye. I leave the coffee shop with my head in a muddle of angst about tonight, but I’m also curious about Andrea’s mystery man who I can’t wait to hear more about.

Back at the office, a huge bouquet of luscious yellow roses is waiting for me at my desk I can’t stop the little squeal of joy that is torn from my throat. I rush forward and reach for the card. They can’t really be from him, can they? It must be a mistake, surely. I never get sent flowers!

“They’re beautiful,” one of my colleagues, Jenny, gushes, full of envy, fingering the delicate petals.

I read the little card attached:

I can’t help grinning. This guy seems too good to be true! I think of his gorgeous face and how much I want to kiss him again. Tonight, I think! He’d said he’d pop by and say hi after softball. But the unwelcome thought that it was all the effect of a gypsy spell puts a slight damper on it. I make a promise to myself that I’m going to have to do something about it.

At that moment, someone comes and stands behind me.

I turn around and my boss is rocking on his heels. Our eyes meet. He looks like he is about to cry.

I can feel my blood drain down to my feet. Oh, no. We haven’t got the contract. I open my mouth and ask the dreaded question, “What is it?”

He shakes his head sadly, the way doctors in movies do when they have lost their patient.

For a second my shoulders slump. Danny and Jackson were both wrong. Mr. Montfort didn’t just take offense to my shoe landing on his face. He took grave offense. He didn’t give us the job. I swallow my disappointment. “I’m sorry, Mr. Jenkins, really sorry,” I whisper. “Maybe I can go and see him. I’ll apologize profusely. I’ll show him that our system is miles better than anybody else’s.”

“Humph.”

I stop talking and look at my boss in astonishment. He looks a bit red and a bit strange. “Mr. Jenkins?”

A massive grin breaks out on his face. Then he steps forward and clutches me by the forearms. “We got the deal!”

“What?”

He punches the air. “We got the Stanfort deal! And you’ll be in charge of implementing it.”

I can’t believe my ears. Finally! I’m going to be doing something exciting. Out in the field. Not stuck in this depressing office.

I nod giddily as the rest of my team crowd around my boss. They’re all laughing and happy. Barry, who called me stupid in the elevator after our presentation, claps me on the back and says he always knew I would carry the project home. Tom pops open a bottle of champagne. Sandy has glasses. Champagne flows. The other staff also gather around to congratulate us. A glass is pushed into my hands. Bubbles rush down my throat.

My life is almost perfect. There is only one thing wrong, but I plan to make it right.

I need to tell Jackson the truth.