The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic(8)

“First of all, my life does not revolve around Jacob McNealy,” Sadie hissed, her stomach pooling into a mess of nerves as she finally said his name aloud. “I’m not even thinking about him.” Just then a whoosh of cold air shot into the diner as the door opened, and Sadie, whose back was to the entrance, whipped her head around so fast her neck cracked. She let out a shaky breath when she saw it was only Mayor Elias.

“I’m so convinced right now,” Raquel deadpanned. “Look how convinced I am.”

“I haven’t seen him in ten years. I shouldn’t even care that he’s back in town,” Sadie said, massaging her neck as the corners of her mouth pulled down into a frown. She knew full well that shouldn’t didn’t mean much when it came to Jake. “I don’t care, even if—”

“Mayor incoming,” Raquel hissed, cutting off her lies.

Sadie immediately sat up straighter. Raquel smoothed the napkin in her lap and ran a hand over her hair.

“Sadie, Raquel,” he said, walking over.

“Mayor Elias.”

“And how are my constituents this fine morning?” he asked, running a hand down his tie before sticking his thumbs through his suspenders. Impeccably dressed as always, Elias cut a striking figure with his dark skin and darker hair.

Sadie and Raquel mumbled their answers, always reverting to their teenage selves under Elias’s gaze, which had turned stern. He had the unique ability to make you feel like you’d done something wrong, even if you hadn’t, because he knew, at some point, he’d be right. He held up a hand.

“Lovely, lovely. Now, about the autumn window displays,” he started just as his husband, James, called his name from the corner booth. “Well, more on that later, I suppose. Breakfast beckons.” He patted his stomach and left them.

“Saved by the bell,” Raquel whispered. “Now, back to Jake.”

Sadie groaned.

“I mean, it’s not like he ‘dumped you.’” She made quotation marks with her fingers around the last two words. “You’re allowed to move on a decade later, you know?”

“I—we … it was complicated.”

“Was it?” Raquel demanded, her tone dripping with skepticism.

“The river flooding, seven bad omens in a row. He’s obviously the nightmare.”

“At least we finally agree on that. He’s a dipshit. Always has been.”

“You’re only saying that because he broke my heart.”

“Duh. You’re my best friend. You’d hate any idiot that broke my heart too.”

Just then Janie stopped by to drop off their Gold Rush scrambles and Sadie’s coffee. Sadie inhaled the steam coming off the hot plate, eying the maple sausage hungrily. Her stomach rumbled, and Raquel gave her an “I told you so” look. Ignoring her, Sadie picked up a rasher of bacon and dunked it in her coffee before folding the whole piece into her mouth. Stress eating at its finest.

“That,” Raquel pointed her fork at Sadie’s coffee, “is disgusting. You just contaminated your drink with pig parts.”

“It all goes to the same place, you weirdo.” Sadie rolled her eyes.

“You’re going to be okay, you know,” Raquel said in a casual voice that wasn’t quite convincing. “I know it sucks, but—” She shrugged.

Sadie picked up her coffee, the mug warm in her hand, but as she brought it to her lips, her temperamental magic turned the ceramic cold and the bitter taste of ice-cold coffee hit her tongue. The back of her neck prickled, and she scrunched her shoulders, forcing herself not to turn around again. The urge to throw a dash of salt over her shoulder, or at the very least squeeze the buckbean in her pocket, was almost overwhelming. Goose bumps rose on her arms. “Something wicked this way comes.” She tried to brush it under the rug like she always did, but the rug wasn’t budging. Some things refused to be swept.

“Camilla is trying to convince Mom and Dad to let her get a tattoo,” Raquel said out of nowhere, changing the subject and breaking into Sadie’s thoughts.

“What!” Sadie laughed. “In what world?” Raquel’s parents were stricter than strict. Raquel had once been grounded because she played an April Fool’s joke with a fake nose ring. When Sadie had tried the same trick, Gigi had told her how darling it looked.

“I know, right? ‘What kind of example do you think you’re setting for Sofía!’” She imitated her mother’s voice and accent. “Mind you Camilla is nineteen and Sofía is sixteen, but God forbid they go against Mamá y Papá Rodriguez. Been there. Failed that. Remember when I tried to skive off my therapy session when we were in middle school? I thought Papá was going to have an aneurysm.” She laughed. “He sat in the waiting room every time after that. I think he’d still sit in the waiting room if I let him.”

“Only because you’re his princess,” Sadie said with a smile. “How are your meds, by the way?” She usually asked every few months, but Raquel had been so stable she’d forgotten to check in and felt a little guilty for it.

“Dr. Attenburg upped the dosage a few months ago, and it’s—” She shrugged. “It’s good. It numbs me a little too much sometimes, but it’s better than the alternative.”