Free True Love and Magic Tricks by Cassie Mae Page A

cheeks.
    She slips her small hand into mine and
gives it a squeeze before turning and staring into my eyes.
“Enough. And thank you.”
    “ Where exactly are you
taking my daughter tonight?” Mr. Sperling asks.
    I smile. “On the first date I should
have taken her on the last time.”
    Kaylee glances at me, curiosity
putting cute wrinkles above her nose.
    “ Tonight, we’re having a
do-over. Same plans, as if that first date never
happened.”
    “ I like this Nate much
better,” Mr. Sperling says.
    Kaylee nods. “Me too.”
    “ Have a good time sweetie.”
Mr. Sperling kisses Kaylee on the head. “It was nice meeting you,
Nate.” He holds out his hand and did he just smile? I must have a
rabbit foot in my pocket because it’s my lucky day. I shake his
hand before he changes his mind and tucks it under those massive
biceps.
    “ It’s been a pleasure,
sir.”
    He pats my back and walks into the
living room.
    “ So,” I say, turning to
Kaylee. “Is Mr. Pippi ready for visitors?”
    Kaylee grabs a sweater out of the
closet and smiles. “Not tonight.”
    “ Why not?” I ask, scared
that I’m no longer worthy of Mr. Pippi’s time.
    “ Because he wasn’t free
last Saturday night and since this is a do-over...” She shrugs then
laughs the cutest of laughs.
    I take her sweater and hold it for her
as she slips her arms in. When it’s in place, I take her hand and
place a kiss on her knuckles. “Ready for our first date?” I
ask.
    She jumps up, planting a kiss right
smack on my lips. “I’ve been ready since the first day I laid eyes
on you.”

Chapter 11

     
    “EEEEEEEWWWWW!” I shriek, pulling my
hand from under the bed. Something gooey slides between my fingers,
and I choke back the giant Slurpee I had for after-school snack.
“Gross, gross, gross.” I chuck the week old half-eaten orange in
the Hefty. Mr. Pippi squeaks from his cage, and I lean back on my
knees, frowning at my now diseased hand.
    “ Okay, I’m sorry ,” I tell him. “But
in my defense, the stench usually is your fault.”
    A large sigh vibrates my
lips, and I make my way to the bathroom to scrub. I send out mental
apologies to my mom who constantly hounded me to clean my room when
she was here. I would’ve grabbed Nate by those suspenders and
hoisted him directly to Mr. Pippi’s cage if it weren’t for the
disaster of my bedroom—which could probably be featured in the very
first episode of Hoarders: Teenage Girl
Edition .
    Our date was perfection though. I’m
still floating from the goodnight kiss he gave me.
    I blow out another sigh when I get
back to my room. Doesn’t even look like I’ve made a dent in it. But
the clock on my nightstand says I have 4.25 hours till Nate gets
here. So I tighten up my braids and slap on the rubber
gloves.
    “ Let’s do this,” I tell Mr.
Pippi. His response is to pee all over the magazine in his cage. A
grumble rips from my throat, and I throw the window
open.
    Yeah… definitely missing Mom’s
hounding right about now.
     
    ***
    The clock keeps ticking down, down,
down to when Nate’s supposed to be here. And I’m standing buck
naked in the center of my now clean room—minus the ten million
outfits I’ve strewn on my bed. At least it smells like strawberry
air freshener now and not rotting fruit.
    “ Ugh!” I growl, throwing
myself in the thicket of V-necks and capris. I’m so totally
hopeless. Mom helped me with this stuff before. I’d model outfits,
she’d do my hair, tone down my makeup… I looked killer on my dates, even if they
were few and far between.
    Something trickles down the side of my
cheek, and I use one of my skirts to wipe it away. I need a friend.
And I know I’m loud and nosey and a bit bossy, and she already has
a best friend that in no way can be replaced, but I reach over to
my phone resting on a pair of jeans and flick to Lexie’s
number.
    After three rings a guy answers.
“Hello?”
    “ Um… Lexie?” I joke, but it
comes out croaky because