The Love Potion

By Rosemary E. Johnson

Eddie fidgeted in his chair, pen poised over the dotted line. Once he signed the paperwork, he’d have nothing left to distract him from the young woman on the other side of the desk.

Which meant a conversation would happen.

Why oh why had he let their mutual friend talk him into testing this new love potion? He knew Nell was the company’s head analyst. He knew she had a thing for him.

He knew he had a habit of putting his size twelve-and-a-half foot in his mouth whenever a female was within earshot.

With a sigh, he scrawled his signature on the dotted line.

“Thank you.” Her smile made his insides wobbly as Jell-O. She offered him a glass full of colorless, bubbly liquid. “It’ll take a few minutes to take effect, but don’t worry. Everything is under control.”

Better to get it over with. Eddie downed the potion, shuddering as it tickled his nose.

“We’ll wait a few minutes, then head outside.”

He nodded, crossing one leg over the other, then switching. His brain galloped around his head for something—anything—to say.

“Let’s take a walk around the block.” Nell stood.

Eddie followed her into the hallway, shoulders aching from holding them so tensely. He didn’t feel any different. How long would it take?

When they reached the main lobby, the birdsong started. Eddie stopped short. Birds didn’t live in a corporate building. Was it the potion? At the risk of sounding psycho, he asked, “Do you hear them?”

Nell raised an eyebrow in question.

“The birds.”

“Interesting side effect.” Nell wrote on her clipboard, then smiled at him.

By golly, she was beautiful. He almost told her so, but snapped his mouth shut just in time. It was the potion. He’d never say something like that in real life.

Even though it was true.

Eyeing him, Nell bit her lip.

“You shouldn’t do that.” Eddie hurried after her as she moved toward the door. “Promise me you’ll never hide your smile.”

“I’ll try. Shall we go left or right?” She paused on the sidewalk, a breeze playing with her hair. The sun made it almost glow, bringing out bright gold from the ordinary brown.

Eddie forced his gaze away. “Right.” He laughed. “Right feels right.”

Shaking her head, Nell began walking. “How do you feel?”

“Wonderful.” Eddie grinned. “I really do.” His insides warmed as the potion took over, and he threw his arms wide. “The birds are singing, the sun is shining, I’m in love with the most beautiful girl in the world!”

Farther down the sidewalk, an elderly lady approached, a dog on a pink leash trotting beside her. Eddie bounded forward. “May I pet your dog? Isn’t it a lovely afternoon? Your dress is charming.”

The lady smoothed the flowered fabric of her skirt, her smile making her eyes disappear in a cascade of wrinkles. “Why, thank you.”

The dog wagged her tail when Eddie ruffled her silky fur.

He made sure to shake the lady’s hand before moving on. Matter of fact, he’d shake everyone’s hand. He started with two gentlemen resting on a bench and proceeded to a lady whose heels clicked on the sidewalk, but soon there were no more people except him and Nell.

So, he peppered her with questions—her favorite color, her hobbies, whether or not she liked to walk in the rain. Every time that hint of a smile threatened to break loose, his heart soared.

All too soon, their walk was over. Hanging his head, Eddie followed Nell inside. He would follow her anywhere.

At least there were new people to shake hands with. They were in the elevator, mid hearty hand-pumping with a man in a suit, when the adrenaline rush died out. His enthusiastic greeting faded into an awkward stutter. Since when had the elevator become so hot? He practically fled to the office and collapsed into a chair. “I was acting like a fool, wasn’t I?”

Nell sat close, resting her elbows on her knees. “I liked what I saw.”

“I’m sorry for any embarrassment I caused you.” Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. She was just trying to make him feel better.

“No apology needed.”

He studied her and found warmth in her eyes. She meant it. He plowed on before losing his courage. “Would you like to have dinner sometime?”

Her mouth twitched. “I’m free tomorrow night.”

Eddie released a huge breath. “That sounds… wonderful.”

She grinned.

Eddie braked and honked his horn. Nell burst out of the apartment, looking ravishing in a green dress and heels. This was date number twenty-nine, and she managed to look more lovely every single time.

She slid into the passenger seat and kissed his cheek. “Hello.”

“Hello.”

“Have you ever even been to a dance?” Her eyes sparkled.

“Not since high school. I stepped on my first partner’s foot and spent the rest of the night in the locker room with a book.”

“Well, I won’t mind if you step on mine.”

Eddie swerved into the street. “Good. Because I probably will.”

Nell’s laughter was sweeter than any birdsong.

“Whatever happened with that love potion?”

“It… um. Eddie?” Nell wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I need to tell you something.”

“Okay.”

Color flooded her cheeks. “It was soda water. We were working on a love potion, but it kept turning the test subjects’ hair pink. And… and I wanted to have a day with you where you stopped worrying about making a fool of yourself. Where you could just fall in love.”

Eddie stared at the road ahead. She’d tricked him, but she’d done it because she liked him. And she wanted him to like her. Which he now had the courage to do. Brilliant woman.

“I love you.”

She smiled. “I love you, too.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemary E. Johnson is a dragon-loving, cat-whispering writer and college student. Epic fantasy is her favorite to write, but she enjoys exploring other genres, too. She’s studying for a degree in Linguistics so she can do Bible translation, is a submissions coordinator for Havok, and has ten short stories published so far with another upcoming as a staff feature in Havok’s second anthology.

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