Page 62 of Under Your Spell

‘I’m in so deep, Clemmie. He’s everything. He’s like… the sun and the moon all at once.’

‘Ah, the smoon,’ I nod wisely.

Theo chuckles while Lil pretends to be outraged. ‘You mock me, but I’m telling you those three wishes we made…’

I groan. ‘Lil, you and those wishes!’

‘Remind me, Lil,’ Theo calls from the sofa, where he’s plucking at the guitar, making all these fancy, frilly notes run up and down. (I don’t know the lingo, okay, we’ve already covered this.) ‘What was your wish again?’

‘Big, unconditional, soulmate love,’ Lil answers promptly, squeezing her clasped hands between her knees, wriggling like a little kid. ‘And I swear, we have unearthed some, like, deep dormant magic in our veins. The wishes were supposed to be just for Clemmie but clearly our power spilled over. It’s like we summoned Henry into existence, and now there’s Serena and Bee…’

‘Sounds like you’re next, Clemmie,’ Theo says lightly. ‘Watch out, your soulmate is coming for you.’

I clear my throat. ‘I think I’m the proof that we don’t, in fact, have magical powers. But I’m so happy for you and Serena,’ I say to my sister.

‘We’ll see,’ Lil replies mysteriously, ‘but if it’s such a coincidence, get this – last night after my gig I ran into an old friend and she’s opening a new music venue in London and she wants me to be a part of it. It’s going to be small and arty, something that supports upcoming artists.’

‘You’ve been talking about something like that for ages,’ I exclaim.

‘I know!’ Lil squeals. ‘How’s that for doing a job you love?!’ She turns to Theo. ‘That was Clemmie’s wish.’

Her words take something in me by surprise. When we made those wishes, I was so sure I’d just lost the job I loved, but over the last few weeks I haven’t missed it at all. Well, maybe teaching my students, but the rest of it? The truth is it’s been a relief. That thought sends a wave of panic through me and I push it roughly aside.

‘Oh, I know all about Clemmie’s wishes,’ Theo is saying. ‘And I’m sure she’ll get everything she wants.’

Lil grins impishly. ‘Yes, because it’s like we’ve tuned into the vibrations of the universe or something. Honestly, I’ve never been so happy, and it’s making me feel so creative. And as for Serena’s wish… let’s just say that I’m having the best sex of my life. Henry does this thing where—’

‘Yes, all right,’ I cut her off. ‘We don’t need to hear about that, thanks.’

‘Don’t be such a prude, Clem. I’m trying to give you all my top tips here.’

‘We don’t need any tips!’ I say and then freeze, totally aware of how that sounded. ‘I mean I don’t need any tips and Theo definitely doesn’t need any tips.’

Lil is giggling, but Theo just winks at me. ‘Thank you, sweetheart.’ He’s using his gravelly voice again. ‘I’m glad to hear it.’

‘I meant,’ I say, feeling the hot red flush creeping up my neck, ‘that you don’t need to be subjected to the details of Lil’s sex life.’

‘Of course you did,’ Theo replies soothingly and I glare at him while Lil snort-laughs beside me.

‘Anyway,’ I say firmly, changing the subject, ‘back to the job thing. I’ve been keeping an eye on the academic job sites and there was a position that came up this week that I might apply for.’

‘You don’t sound very enthusiastic,’ Lil remarks.

‘Of course I am!’ I say quickly. ‘This is what I’ve been working towards for years. Of course I’m enthusiastic. It’s just… you know, job applications. They’re so daunting and there’s no guarantee I’ll even get an interview.’

‘They’d be absolutely mad not to hire you,’ Lil says staunchly and absolutely without basis.

As she tells me more about this venue her friend wants to open, her eyes keep darting away and I can tell I don’t have her full attention.

Finally, it gets to be too much for her because she bursts out, ‘Oh my God, Theo, I love that riff.’

I’ve got so used to Theo playing in the background that I hadn’t really noticed he was doing it, but clearly Lil had. She’s glowing with enthusiasm, half out of her chair, as if it’s a struggle not to move closer to the music.

She sings the notes in her lovely, clear-bell voice, the same notes I had told him I liked that first day he played.

‘Really?’ Theo looks so pleased it squeezes at something in my chest.

Lil nods. ‘Are you building something around it?’