Interrupted Magic by Karla Brandenburg (best reads of all time .TXT) 📕

this show on the road.” She unlocked the door and a cluster of customers walked in to browse what stock we had left.

Over the course of the day, we managed to sell most of the botanicals I had on display, and Cassandra sold a handful of outfits as well. We stuffed shopping bags with information on where to buy more of what they’d found after Windfall shut its doors. My special order remained on the shelf behind the counter.

Odd.

I took one last look around before we locked up. The shop had changed in the last year, from the gift shop Nora had started years ago, to the now nearly-empty boutique. I was ready to close this chapter of my life.

Chapter 36

After I’d dropped Ash at home, I continued on to Jason’s for dinner with my cousins. His wife Sharon greeted me at the door with a hug and his daughter Georgia ran toward me. I handed Sharon the pan of brownies, scooped Georgia up and hugged her tight.

“How’s my girl?” I checked Georgia’s eyes for the tell-tale glow of hidden talents, the one that had disappeared after her mother had attempted to steal my magic and this precious little four-year-old had stepped in to stop her. I imagined I saw a glimmer, but couldn’t be sure. Would her talents return?

I set Georgia down and crossed to where her little brother Remy was playing with blocks on the floor. When I held out my arms to him, he bounced, raising his arms for me to pick him up, too. I snuggled him close, breathing in the scents of baby powder and soap. His blond hair was baby fine and his blue eyes had darkened a shade. He was definitely Jason’s child.

“You got a hug for me, too?” Jason asked.

I settled Remy on a hip, but he reached for Sharon, allowing me to fully embrace Jason.

“You’re late,” Jeannine said, waiting for her hug.

All this love. I teared up again. Seriously, what was wrong with me?

“Last-minute customers.” I choked out the words and cleared my throat. I smiled at Travis. “Nice to see you again.”

He smiled and nodded. “Likewise.”

I turned to Sharon. “What can I help with?”

She waved me into the kitchen, where I was assaulted by the aromas of garlic and onions. I put a hand to my mouth, trying not to gag.

Sharon put a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “My nerves are making my stomach jump. Lots of stress these days.”

“I’d heard you’re closing the shop, and after breaking up with Kyle... You know I’m here if you need to talk about anything.” She offered a concerned smile and opened the oven to take out a pan of baked mostaccioli. The wave of heat sent the aromas at me and I ran for the bathroom.

Jeannine knocked on the door moments later. “Brynn? Are you okay?”

I stared at myself in the mirror, washed out my mouth and opened the door. “Yeah.”

“You don’t look so good,” Jeannine said.

Of course, I didn’t. Jeannine, on the other hand, looked perfect. Her shoulder-length blonde hair curled gracefully in a way my plain brown hair never would. Her make-up accented the Hanson dark-blue eyes she’d inherited.

She backed away. “Do you have the flu?”

“Pretty sure it’s just nerves. You know, those top three stressors hitting my life all at the same time.”

Jason met us in the hallway. “You okay?”

Jason, who had been bewitched by his first wife. He’d married another woman instead of Sharon even when he’d been prepared to propose to Sharon. This was my chance to confirm my unfounded doubts about Ian weren’t true. I squeezed Jeannine’s hand. “Can you give me a minute with Jason?”

Her brow creased and she answered with a wary tone. “Okay.” She returned the squeeze and continued to the dining room.

“What’s up?” he asked.

I lowered my voice. “This might not be the right time to ask, but I’m curious about what happened when you first met LeAnne, how she managed to steal you away from Sharon.”

His jaw clenched. “I don’t see how that matters now.”

I clutched his wrist. “Everything’s kind of crazy with me right now, and while my break-up with Kyle isn’t unexpected, I need to make sure my perception isn’t skewed. I met someone else and I’m a little spooked.”

Jason shot a glance over his shoulder. “What do you want to know?”

I knew from experience how Kyle had completely forgotten he and I had been dating when that woman had bewitched him. His memory didn’t return until she’d decided she was done with him. “You were practically engaged to Sharon, but then you married LeAnne. Why?”

Again, he shot a glance over his shoulder. “I suppose she flattered me and I fell for it. She also had—” he waved his hands in front of me, “—that thing going on. You know what I mean. She managed to make me forget about Sharon and I slept with her in a moment of weakness. When she turned up pregnant, I felt obligated to do right by her, even after I realized my mistake.”

I nodded and formulated my next question carefully. “To be clear, she managed to make you forget you were in a relationship? You had no recollection of your commitment to Sharon?”

Jason massaged his forehead. “In the beginning, when I was with LeAnne, she managed to make me forget everything else. Like I had blinders on. I didn’t realize what I’d done to Sharon until I was already in trouble, so I suppose the answer to that is yes.” He tilted his head to study me. “Are you thinking this person you met has screwed with you that way?”

I hesitated, and then decided he deserved an answer for being so frank with me. “We became very close very quickly, unnaturally so, but I haven’t lost sight of anything else. Maybe it’s just one of those things.” Was one of those things. “Doesn’t matter. Pretty sure he’s out of the picture again now.”

Jason stared at me. He’d