Falling for the Genie (Genie's Love, Book 1) (9 page)

On Friday night, Max and I head to my place for dinner after he picks me up from work. I don’t have a car yet, so he’s been doing all the driving. He wanted to go out, but I suggested cooking something for us, and he jumped at the opportunity. I’m nervous to cook for him, but also excited.

At my apartment, I stab my key into the lock and shove the door open. Max and I walk inside, and he looks around. “Cozy,” he says. “Very homey. I like it.” He walks deeper inside, to the living room. “It seems very you.”

“Thanks.” I say. It’s not much, just some furniture and posters of chefs and dishes. And some of my favorite romance books and movies.

Sebastian must hear the noise because he comes out of my room. When he sees Max is here, I expect him to return to his lamp. He doesn’t, just stares at the stranger in the house, crossing his arms over his chest and scanning him from head to toe. He twists his nose, but doesn’t say a word.

Is he…jealous? He can’t be. He
shouldn’t
be. Because that would just confuse me more and cause me to re-explore what I feel for him, and I don’t want to do that when I’m with Max. Max, a guy I could possibly have a future with. Not with a genie who isn’t real and will leave me one day. A genie who made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t even want to be friends.

“I’ll start dinner,” I tell Max.

“Thanks, I’m starving.” He pats his stomach. “There’s something you should know about me, Lily. I’m always hungry. I’ve even won a few eating competitions. Not to brag.” He flashes a grin.

Sebastian snorts.

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll just be one minute. Need to go to my room to get something.” I gesture to the couch and chairs. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

“Any way I can help?”

“No, that’s okay.”

When I’m sure Max isn’t looking, I motion for Sebastian to follow me. “What are you doing?” I hiss.

He holds his hands up like he has no idea what I’m talking about.

“Stop snorting at him and giving him funny looks,” I say. “And please stay in your lamp.” I don’t want him to see me on my date. Not only will he make me nervous, but it’s not fair to Max. Not to mention I don’t want to see the jealous—if it is jealousy—look in his eyes.

“Sure thing, Master.”

“Don’t call me that.”

He’s about to say something, when Max calls my name, asking if everything is okay. I tell Sebastian to behave, then get started on dinner. I’m making mushroom soup and a pasta dish I used to make with my mom. Although it hurts, it’s a dish I love and hope Max will, too.

He once again offers to help, but I tell him it’s fine because I want to surprise him. The truth is, I knew this would be hard and I don’t want Max to see the tears in my eyes. He’d ask questions and I’m not yet ready to talk.

Once the food is done, I call Max into the kitchen and we start eating. I don’t want to stare at him, waiting for feedback, but I can’t help it. Not that many people have tasted my food. If Max doesn’t like the way I cook, that’s not a good sign.

I shove the negative thoughts away. No more being insecure.

“It’s good,” he says. “You’re a great cook.”

“Thanks.”

I’m a little disappointed because Sebastian gave me a bigger compliment. But Max isn’t Sebastian and I can’t compare them.

He’s gobbling the whole thing down, and the disappointment weighing me down lifts. “You’re an amazing cook, Lily.”

My cheeks warm. “Thanks.”

As we continue eating, Sebastian enters the kitchen. He takes one look at Max and his eyes fill with something. It looks like…pain. Could he be remembering the time we ate together and he got sick? Does it bother him that he can’t taste my food again?

I don’t understand him. What’s he doing? Didn’t we decide we’d keep our distance from each other?

Sebastian circles Max, studying him close. The expression on his face shifts to humor as he picks up a fork from the table and waves it around. Max nearly chokes on his food as he stares at the floating utensil. Sebastian drops it to the floor with a clatter.

Max gapes at the fork. “What was that?”

“What?” I ask, glaring at Sebastian, who’s leaning against the wall. He raises his hands innocently. He knows I can’t say a word to him without Max thinking I’ve lost my mind, talking to an invisible person.

Max follows my gaze and his eyebrows knit. “What are you staring at?”

I want to tell the genie to quit it, but I can’t. “Nothing,” I say. “The wind must have blown the fork on the floor.”

He shakes his head. “No, it floated in the air. I’m sure of it.”

I shrug. “I just saw it crash to the floor.”

He seems to be thinking about my words. After a bit, he laughs like he can’t believe what he’s saying. “Yeah, I must have imagined it.”

Sebastian chuckles from his corner. I glare at him again.

We move on to the pasta. Just like with the soup, Max tells me it’s good and starts to devour it. Sebastian grabs the edge of the table and shakes it. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we’re having an earthquake. Max must think the same thing because he shoots up, grabs my arm, and pulls me under the table. He buries his head in his knees, rocking back and forth, muttering it’s an earthquake. As if that’s not enough, Sebastian takes a fork and scratches it against a plate. He also must be using his magic to cause the windows to open and shut.

“This isn’t an earthquake,” I assure Max. “Trust me. I know all about them. And that noise…it’s from outside.”

He shakes his head quickly. I stick my head out from under the table and find Sebastian leaning on the same wall with a smug smile on his face. What he’s doing is so immature. I’m convinced he’s jealous. He won’t admit that he feels something for me, yet he ruins my date? “Stop it,” I mutter.

He just looks at me with hollow eyes.

Max lifts his head. “Who are you talking to?”

His hands are shaking. I crawl out and reach for his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “Are you okay?”

He nods. His face is pale and his eyes are wide. I shoot Sebastian another glare before spending the next few minutes coming up with excuses as to why my apartment looks like it’s being haunted by a ghost.

***

Once Max leaves, I march into my room and throw the door open. Sebastian isn’t around. I catch sight of his lamp sitting on my bed, and a part of me wants to hurl it to the floor. It wouldn’t break, of course, but maybe he’d feel what he’s done. He ruined my date with a guy I’m really beginning to like. And now I’m not sure he wants anything to do with me.

I grab the lamp, and instead of chucking it against the wall, I rub the side of it, feeling the roughness of those swirls. Smoke appears, then the genie, with his arms folded, chin raised high.

“What the hell was that?” I demand.

He sends me an, “I didn’t do anything” look. I slam my hands on my hips and stare him down. He does the same.

“Do you know how long it took me to convince Max that my house isn’t haunted? That I’m not a witch and that I’m not crazy? Are you really that jealous?”

His eyes narrow. “Jealous?”

“Yes, jealous. I don’t understand why. You made it perfectly clear that you don’t want whatever’s happening between us to happen, so why don’t you let me move on with my life? We decided you’d stay in your lamp.” I know I’m being very harsh with him, but he needs to grasp that he can’t go around screwing things up for me. First my job and now my love life? Maybe the best course of action to take is to finish up my wishes.

A pang stabs my stomach. Despite how pissed I am right now, I don’t want him to leave, even though I know he has to.

His lips are pressed in a firm line. “I don’t want you to date him.”

“Oh my god…”

“Because he’s not a good person.”

“What?”

“He’s not a good guy. I was just protecting you.”

I gape at him. Is he serious? “What are you talking about?” Max seems like a great guy. He’d never hurt me, he’d never scare off the guy I’m currently seeing. He’d never mess anything up for me. I’ve only known him for a few days, but I
know
him.

Sebastian shrugs. “He’s not a good person.”

“So instead of talking to me about it, you pretty much nearly gave him a heart attack?”

He pushes some hair out of his eyes. “I did that because I knew how you’d react. Like you’re reacting now. You don’t believe me.”

“No, I don’t. I have no reason to.” Max doesn’t make me feel small or bad about myself. He makes me feel special. He’s listens to everything I say, even though I know I must bore him out a little, especially when I go on and on about the latest book I read.

“Lily, please—”

“Do you have proof?”

He shifts from one foot to the other. “It’s not something I can explain. It’s something I feel when he’s around. He makes me uneasy.”

“There’s a word for it, Sebastian. It’s called jealousy.” He won’t admit that he has feelings for me, and he’s taking it out on Max. That’s the real reason behind all of this.

He rolls his eyes. “I’m not jealous.”

“Really? You said yourself that you’ve never felt anything for anyone. So how can you know for sure what jealousy feels like?”

He’s quiet for a bit before saying, “I told you I don’t feel human emotions. I’m just trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need your protection. I can take care of myself.”

He rakes his hand through his hair. “I know you can, but you’re blinded and don’t see things for what they are.”

“
I’m
the one who doesn’t see things for what they are? Really?” He’s the one who won’t let us explore what’s happening between us. No, what
was
happening between us. I can’t be with someone who terrorizes someone else. He saw the look on Max’s face. How he was seconds away from needing to be sent to the emergency room. And Sebastian just laughed.

Even if Sebastian is right and Max isn’t a good guy—which isn’t true—he didn’t deserve that treatment.

“Lily, please consider my warning.” There’s a desperate tone in his voice.

I sigh. “Look, I’m going out with Max. He’s not going anywhere and you need to accept that.” Assuming Max still wants to go out with me. I won’t toss my genie’s words away, though. I’m going to be careful. “Promise me you won’t do anything like that again.”

His head dips toward the floor before he raises it. “As my master, it’s my duty to protect you.”

“Okay, but as your master and as your friend, I’m asking you to give me space and not interfere with my life. Can you do that?”

His gaze holds mine. We stare at each other for about a minute before he mumbles, “Your request is my command, Master.”

It’s useless, I know, but I keep texting my mom, and every hour, I check for a response. She made it clear she doesn’t want me in her life, but I’m still hopeful. Maybe a part of me is certain she’ll get out of her depression and reach out to me. But I keep a wall around my heart, because even if she contacts me, she might shut me out again. I wouldn’t be able to bear that.

After what happened at my apartment last night, I don’t expect Max to text me this morning. But he does. I find myself smiling and looking forward to spending time with him. Sebastian enters my mind, but I’m trying to keep him out. He remains in his lamp most of the time.

I still haven’t come up with my second wish. I want it to be perfect.

Macy, Andy, Max, and I are going to a club tonight. As I put on some makeup, I catch Sebastian’s reflection in my mirror. He’s leaning on the wall behind me, his black hair falling into his eyes. I can’t see the expression on his face, but his mouth looks a bit tight. I know he doesn’t approve of this, and honestly that doesn’t matter. He’s not my father, not my brother, not my boyfriend. He doesn’t get to tell me what to do or who to date. Max is one of the sweetest, kindest guys I’ve ever met. I won’t let a jealous genie mess that up for me. Though my heart still skips a beat every time his face enters my head, I need to forget about him.

His warning lies at the back of my head, but I pretend it’s not there. I won’t screw up a relationship with someone who makes me happy.

Sebastian doesn’t say a word as he follows me to the living room, where I check my hair one more time. I don’t talk to him, either. I know he’s going to drill into me how he feels about Max and I don’t want to hear it. As much as I like speaking to him, it’s easier if we don’t. Because I’m not in the mood for arguing, especially when I’m about to have fun tonight, something I haven’t done in a while.

Max picks me up and we meet Macy and Andy at the club. It’s filled with mostly college-age kids. Macy and Andy join in the dancing, and Max smiles at me. “How was your day?” he asks.             

It kind of sucked. A few customers were too demanding, a kid spilled juice on my shirt, and one table didn’t leave a tip. I don’t want to down our vibe, so I say, “Good. Yours?”

He smiles again. “Better now.” He takes my hand, pulling me close. “Boss was a little hard on me, but I don’t want to think about that now.” He kisses me. “I’m really glad you’re in my life, Lily.”

I kiss him back. “Me, too. Do you want to dance?”

He kisses me once more before leading me to the dance floor. A fast song is playing, and everyone is toppling all over each other as they sway to the beat. It’s very stuffy and there’s barely enough room to move. Max holds my hand tightly so I won’t get pushed away or swallowed in the crowd.

When the music changes to a slower beat, I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder. Shutting my eyes, I let the music flow through me. Dancing like this is peaceful, but not like it was at my prom with Sebastian. Dancing with Max doesn’t move me like it did with the genie.

My eyes fly open. Sebastian. I can still feel the way his heart pounded, how his breathing got heavy, his eyes filled with emotion, his hands sending shivers all over me. Max’s hands rest on my back, but I barely feel them. Sebastian’s hands felt like they were burning me. I can still remember how good it felt.

Shaking my head, I throw all that away. It’s in the past. It needs to be forgotten. I’m being a terrible person by thinking about another guy.

“You okay?” Max whispers against my ear. “You’re a little tense.”

“Yeah. Just thinking.” I haven’t told him about the crap I’ve been through yet, but I feel close to him and comfortable enough to start opening up. But not now. Tonight, it’s all about having fun.

He holds me close. He doesn’t have that intoxicating, exotic smell as—no, I
won’t
compare them. When will my heart and mind understand that Max could be the right guy for me and not Sebastian?

Macy and I take a break and sit at a table with our drinks. She beams at me. “I finally got you to come here.” She rests her hand on mine. “Max is really good to you. You seem so much happier.” She narrows her eyes playfully. “I’m waiting for a thank you.”

I roll my eyes. “Thank you so much, Macy.”

She giggles, then gets serious. “Really, you’ve changed so much. For the first time in a while, I actually see you smiling.”

“I
am
happy.” I play with my drink as a frown crawls onto my face. “Macy?”

“Yeah?”

I look at Max, who’s doing the robot with Andy. They’re not dancing with the other girls, and ignore the ones rubbing themselves against them. “Do you think Max might not be a good guy?”

“Why are you asking that? Did he do something to you? Because if he did—”

I stop her from pulling up her sleeves, something she does when she’s about to bite someone’s head off. “The opposite. He’s very sweet to me.”

Her eyes fill with confusion. “Then why…?”

I play with my drink some more. “I don’t know. I guess it’s a feeling I have.” As much as I like Max, I don’t want to throw away Sebastian’s warning. Maybe I
am
blinded. Maybe Macy sees something I don’t. “Does anything seem off about him?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Andy told me he was very messed up after his ex broke up with him, but that’s it.”

Max and I talked a little about his ex-girlfriend and he told me she broke up with him the night of their two-year anniversary. He cried for days, refused to leave the house, and thought his life was over. But he worked through it and is in a much better place now. There’s always a chance he still has feelings for her, but he assured me it’s over. And I believe him. He doesn’t get mysterious texts when we’re together, he doesn’t seem distracted, and he doesn’t look at other girls. He seems to be really into me.

I hug Macy. “Thanks. I’m probably just freaking out. I’ve never felt this way about a guy before.” Not counting the genie.

“Max is a great guy—not as great as Andy, but he comes close.”

I punch her playfully.

“He’s someone you shouldn’t let go of so easily,” she continues. “It’s okay to be scared, but you can’t let that hold you back from being completely open and honest with him.”

I know what she’s referring to. She’s telling me to tear down my walls and let him get to know the real me. The good, the bad, and all the baggage that comes with me.

I’m ready.