Magic Mansion by Jordan Price (best fiction books to read .txt) 📕

he couldn’t simply say nothing to his girls. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion that Sue had received her fair share of “consolation” the night before, since she seemed a heck of a lot more collected than he’d seen her in quite some time.

He wedged himself between Sue and Bev on the sofa and put an arm around each of them. He gave them a squeeze and said, “It’ll be okay.” Although it wouldn’t. At least one of them was going home.

He glanced up as John strode in, striking in his lean black suit. John paused, framed by the archway, as if he was considering where to place himself in the room, but before he needed to choose whether to join Kevin or everyone else, Iain sent them to their marks and the process of setting up the scene began. John stood center back, between Kevin and Ricardo. Ricardo would have loved to tell John how tempting he looked in that suit (with cufflinks? Oh yes.) But doing it with Kevin right there just felt wrong. Still, when John allowed their upper arms to brush, Ricardo could hardly keep himself from shouting at the crew to hurry up already and get it all over with. Because couldn’t they see he and John had better things to do?

Finally, after what seemed like half the morning, tape rolled. Monty smiled at the small group of magicians while Ricardo pondered how strange it must feel for Sue to be facing her new beau across the room—at least as strange as standing right beside him, unable to touch anything more than elbows.

On Iain’s go-ahead, Monty began: “Greetings, Magicians. I suspect you’re eager to hear who will be moving on to the Final Four. Not only will this elite top tier of contestants be competing for the title of Grandmaster Magician and a coveted quarter-million dollar prize, but for making it this far, they’ll win so much more. A five-hundred dollar shopping spree at Ruth’s House of Shoes. Five hundred dollars worth of Prestige cosmetics. Five hundred dollars from Petsmart, for all your performing doves’ and rabbits’ needs. And a thousand dollars to spend at Bordeaux Formalwear. That’s twenty-five hundred dollars in prizes…but that’s not all. In addition, each Final Four Magician will perform in his or her own half-hour prime time magic special.”

Any other day, Ricardo would have probably been bowled over by that announcement. Now, though, it was just icing on the cake. John Topaz loved him. All other news paled in comparison.

“That means our audience hasn’t seen the last of Ricardo the Magnificent, Professor Topaz, and Kevin Kazan. But who will star in the remaining show? Bev, Jia, Sue…please step forward.”

The front rank of magicians broke away and stepped up to the gaffing tape X on the parquet floor. It seemed unfair to Ricardo that upper-body strength had figured so prominently in the last challenge. It was a shame Jia and Sue had ended up pitted directly against one another, or that neither of them had trusted the other enough to do the right thing with their hang-time points. If they had, Kevin Kazan would have been stepping up there instead of Sue.

“Bev,” Monty said, “what would it mean to you to win your own half-hour special?”

“It would be incredible, Monty. School visits, library visits, I only get to perform for a few dozen children at a time. But on television, and then later, on DVD…it would be a dream come true.”

“Unfortunately, Bev, that dream won’t become a reality just yet. You’ve been voted out of the Mansion…and it’s time to say goodbye.”

At the sound of those words, Ricardo’s heart sank. Not that he’d expected her to make it even this far. Just that he would miss her so much. Bev’s head sagged, and she stood very still. Everyone watched her. No doubt the pause would be edited to be shorter, or longer, or filled with dramatic music in post production. But there in the ballroom, in real time, in real life, it stretched painfully long. Until finally Bev looked up again, and said in a choked, small voice, “I didn’t really think I’d end up in the Final Four. But I guess there was always a shred of…hope.”

Monty’s voice was soft. He was starting to choke up, too. “We’ll miss you, Math Wizard.”

Bev nodded brusquely, first to herself, then to Monty. Then, turning, to the remaining magicians…after which, she strode, red-faced and stiff, out of the ballroom.

Monty took a deep breath, centered himself, and continued. “Jia, what would it mean for you to continue on to the Final Four?”

“I’ve worked so hard to get to this point, Monty. Incredibly hard. I know I have what it takes to compete with the best of the best. Sue is a strong competitor. There’d be no shame in losing to her. And if I don’t earn that half-hour TV special now, I’m confident that I’ll land a show of my own someday. I’d just prefer it happen sooner rather than later.”

“Spoken like the showman we all know you are. And Sue? How do you rate your chances of moving into the final phase of competition?”

“I think my chances are very good, Monty. I’ve done well in every challenge up until now. I’ve done my best. That’s all anyone can do.”

“Wise words. Two contestants, both beautiful, both talented, both deserving. And only one slot left in the Final Four—so unfortunately, one of you…is going home. And that magician is….”

Another hideous pause—no doubt Iain had told Monty to linger there so a commercial break could be inserted. But then Ricardo saw Monty take an extra few moments to gather himself, and his voice, when he finished, was tender. “The gift shop girl from Magicopolis. Sue, your time in Magic Mansion has come…to a close.”

Sue nodded. Tears sparkled on her eyelashes, but nothing like the raw, uncontrollable deluge of sobs she’d been prone to the last few days. She smiled bravely, and said, “It’s okay.” And maybe,