"We'll see. Listen, I can probably get away from work tonight if you need any help when Dorcas and Ambrose show up."

"Thanks, Lil." Anica was touched that she'd offer. "But Dorcas said it has to be just the four of us. And I . . . I need to put off that dance lesson. I want to have a clear head when they arrive."

"We don't have to drink margaritas, you know."

Anica laughed. "I do. Hey, we'll have another lesson, I promise. You got me hooked. I just need to get through this weekend."

"Okay. So what if I started writing a thriller?"

Anica thought she could get whiplash trying to follow Lily's train of thought. "Why?"

"Lots of lawyers write thrillers and put all this legal stuff in. I could start writing one, which would make me look more interesting and intellectual, and . . . bonus! I'd have to interview Griffin for my research."

"Lily, you hate to write."

"I know." She sighed mightily. "Hera's hickeys, what can I do that will convince him I'm a good prospect?"

"I don't know."

"I'll figure something out. Call me when Dorcas and Ambrose leave, okay? I'll have my cell handy at work tonight."

"Keep your fingers crossed that this works out. If so, we'll come down and have a drink to celebrate."

"Hold that thought. I could fix you each a martini that'll pickle your tonsils."

"I hope that's how it turns out." Did she ever. Walking into the Bubbling Cauldron with Jasper, knowing he wouldn't be changing into a cat again, would be like every birthday present she'd every received rolled into one. Finally she could antic.i.p.ate the joy of spending time with Jasper, both in and out of bed. At last they'd have a real shot at happiness.

Ambrose slipped a CD into the car's sound system and Frankie Avalon began to croon "Venus."

Dorcas reached over and punched the EJECT b.u.t.ton.

"Hey! We need Frankie tonight. This is like a super-duper matchmaking a.s.signment. You know how Frankie inspires me."

"And you know how Frankie makes me break out in hives. You wouldn't want me to go crazy and leap out of this car while you're driving sixty miles an hour, would you?"

He glanced at her. "You wouldn't do that, and you know it."

"It sounded exciting, though, didn't it?"

"I don't see why you get so upset about Frankie." Ambrose looked at her with a sad puppy-dog expression.

"Oh, let me think. Maybe because you've played that blasted CD a thousand times? Could that be it?"

"If I've played it a thousand times, why not once more? I'll keep it low."

Dorcas heaved a martyred sigh. "If you must."

"I must." Ambrose reinserted the CD and as the bouncy little tune began, he tapped out the rhythm on the steering wheel.

Dorcas did her best to shut out the music.

"How much does Anica know about lifting the spell?" Ambrose asked.

"Nothing."

"You didn't tell her about the contracts she and Jasper would have to sign, so she could get used to the idea?"

"That's not something you say over the phone, Ambrose. You don't get used to something like that. She would have freaked out."

"You're probably right. I sure hope this works."

"So do I. I looked through every resource, and even though this is the recommended cure, I couldn't find a single instance where it was employed successfully. But it's all we have."

Chapter 26.

At about five thirty, Jasper started watching the clock. He wasn't going to get his hopes up this time the way he had last night, but at least he'd finally meet Dorcas and Ambrose, the witch and wizard who held all the cards. They weren't infallible, though, which meant he might get transformed tonight and he might not. At this point it was a total c.r.a.pshoot.

A quick stroll into the bedroom rea.s.sured him that Anica had laid out his clothes. His shirt no longer reeked of chicken noodle soup, so she must have washed it. Earlier in the afternoon he'd smelled heated fabric, so she must have pressed both his shirt and slacks, since they had no time for dry cleaning. He'd been so tired he hadn't hung anything up, and then he'd turned into a cat who couldn't hang anything up.

Anica bustled around the apartment dusting and fluffing pillows and generally looking nervous as a . . . well, as a cat. That made two of them. He'd given up on his nap and was pacing, since there wasn't much in the way of activity for him.

Anica had lit a few more of her beeswax candles, and the scent reminded him of the great s.e.x he'd had with her in her candlelit bedroom. A bottle of red wine and four gla.s.ses sat on the kitchen counter. Jasper a.s.sumed that was in preparation for toasting a successful outcome. He hoped they'd use those gla.s.ses.

At five fifty-five, Jasper went into the bedroom. Anica could have followed him but she didn't. She'd obviously picked up on his reluctance to be observed during his change. He could only imagine how traumatic that would be. Once implanted, certain scenes could never be erased from a person's mind.

Lying on the bed he waited for the familiar dizziness to come over him. Maybe this would be the last time. He wouldn't want to give up the past five days. He'd learned a lot about himself and the world around him. And he'd come to love Anica with a fierceness that scared him a little.

But he couldn't be what she needed until he became a man twenty-four/seven. As the dizziness began he said a little prayer that the spell would be lifted tonight.

At six, Anica felt a pulse of energy move through the apartment. She must be attuned to Jasper's change because she could almost feel it in her own body. When she heard him rustling around in the bedroom, she knew he was getting dressed.

He appeared wearing the same shirt and slacks he'd worn for a week. It had become something of a uniform.

"Once this is over, you'll probably burn that outfit," she said.

He glanced down at his clothes. "Or keep it forever as a reminder."

"You'll want to be reminded?"

"Of course." He walked toward her and laid his hands gently on her shoulders. "It's been the most memorable week of my life."

She stepped closer and wound her arms around his neck. "I'll bet. Memorable doesn't always mean 'good.' "

"In this case it does." He looked into her eyes. "a.s.suming I don't have to stay half cat, half man forever, I wouldn't trade this week with you for anything."

"I wouldn't trade it, either, although I have to admit I'll be glad to get my magic back. I never realized how much I depend on it. It's more a part of me than I thought."

"I'm sure." He ma.s.saged her shoulders. "I can hardly wait for you to get those powers back. It'll be fun to watch."

"Really? You're not freaked about it?"

"How could I be freaked? It's part of you. I cherish everything about you, Anica."

This is the moment. She recognized the emotion in his golden eyes and knew it was mirroring hers. She drew a shaky breath. "Jasper, there's something I want to tell you before Dorcas and Ambrose arrive."

"Hm." His smile was soft. "Might be the same thing I want to tell you."

"Wouldn't that be a coincidence?"

"Indeed."

"Jasper, I-"

The street door buzzer rang. Orion leaped from the sofa and ran off toward the bedroom.

"They're here." Anica gazed at Jasper, wondering if she should put off her declaration, after all. A moment like this shouldn't be rushed.

And yet . . . she'd screwed up the moment before. She decided that he needed to hear it now. "I'm going to say it anyway. I love you, Jasper."

He sighed with pleasure. "And I love you, Anica. I wanted to tell you before, but-"

The buzzer rang again.

"I haven't made it easy. I was afraid this situation was blurring our thinking."

"If anything, it's clarified my thinking."

The buzzer rang a third time.

Anica smiled. "We'd better let them in."

"Yeah."

Anica released the downstairs lock and stepped into the hall to greet the Lowells. As she ushered them into her apartment and made the introductions, she was gratified at the impression Dorcas and Ambrose seemed to be making on Jasper.

And no wonder. As usual, they looked like an ad for successful seniors-Dorcas in her purple cape similar in style to Anica's, and Ambrose in a gray wool coat with a forest green scarf tucked inside the collar. Dorcas had a large black purse over one shoulder and Ambrose carried a small leather briefcase.

Dorcas glanced at Anica and Jasper. "Everything seems to be going well here."

"Extremely well." Anica gave Jasper a quick smile. "Let me take your coats."

"You can have mine." Dorcas set down her purse and began taking off her cape. "But Ambrose will be leaving with Jasper, won't you, sweetheart?"

"Exactly." Ambrose helped Dorcas with her cape. "I noticed a restaurant called La Boheme about three blocks away. I thought I'd buy you a beer, Jasper."

"Hey, it'll be on me, Ambrose. It's the least I can do."

Anica gave him a questioning look. Ambrose had picked out the very restaurant where all of the madness had begun. She wondered if going back there might be painful for Jasper.

"I can give you a key to Wicked Brew," she said. "It's three blocks in the other direction, so it's the same distance, and you'd have complete privacy."

"But then I can't buy Ambrose a beer," Jasper said. "The restaurant's fine with me." He looked strong, resolute, as if he could handle whatever happened.

She understood the feeling. Because he loved her, she could face most anything, too. "All right, then I guess we should let you both be on your way." The minute she said it, she had the urge to grab his hand and beg him not to go.

But that was silly. Jasper would have his talk with Ambrose, and then they'd return.

On his way to the coat closet, Jasper offered to take Dorcas's cape. Then he hung it up and pulled his tweed coat off the hanger.

It was going according to plan, and yet having him leave seemed wrong all of a sudden. "Do you have your BlackBerry in your pocket?"

"Yep." He shrugged into the coat and grinned at her. "Gonna call me? Come to think of it, we could bring food back. Think about what you'd like and we can get it to go."

"That's not a bad idea." But she still didn't want him to leave. Also, she'd never asked why they had to be separated to conduct these discussions. That seemed like an important point.

"How about if we all talk together right here? If we get hungry we could order pizza. I don't see the point in you two leaving. Jasper and I don't have secrets from each other."

"That's wonderful," Dorcas said. "But the reversal of the spell can only take place if you are interviewed without being influenced by the other person."

"So you and I can go in the kitchen and close the door, and Ambrose and Jasper can have the living room. How's that?" The thought of Jasper leaving with Ambrose became more frightening with every pa.s.sing second.

Dorcas shook her head. "Not far enough away. You'd still sense each other's energy field."

"Then . . . then you and I can go to the end of the hall. It won't take long, right? We can-"

"Anica, it's okay." Jasper finished b.u.t.toning his coat and walked over to her.

"I just don't see why we have to be separated." She sounded like a whiny little kid and she couldn't seem to help it.

"If Dorcas says we have to be, then that's how we'll play it. Until now you've shouldered complete responsibility for my welfare, so it's probably hard to let that go."

She searched his eyes, which were so full of love and compa.s.sion. "You could be right."

"I am." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. "Don't worry. This won't take long, and then we can eat some good food and drink that wine you have sitting in the kitchen."

"Okay." She managed to smile, but as he went out the door with Ambrose, she couldn't control the churning in her tummy. No doubt he'd pegged the cause, though. She wasn't used to him going anywhere without her. She'd have to get over that, and now was as good a time as any to begin.

She gestured toward the sofa. "Let's get started."

"All right." Dorcas picked up her purse and carried it over to the sofa.

"Can I get you anything? We could open the wine. I have more. Or I could make coffee or tea, or I also have some-"