Judi Fennell - Genie Knows Best

Copyright

Copyright 2011 by Judi Fennell

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Cover illustration by Anne Cain

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Contents

As always, to my husband and children. For the magic you bring to my life.

And to Steph. I couldnt have done it without you.

Every wish comes with complications

November 17, approximately 10:00 p.m.

Samantha Blaine held her breath and rubbed the copper lantern on the desk in her fathers office one more time. A little harder. A little longer.

But still nothing.

No smoke, no genie, not even a dust bunny. She was being ridiculous; the thing was as much a genie lantern as Albert, her double-crossing, soon-to-be-fiancmake that, her double-crossing, soon-to-be- ex -soon-to-be-fiancwas Prince Charming.

Useless . Albert thought she, like this lantern, was useless.

Trust me, Henley, hed said during the phone conversation shed inadvertently overheard not ten minutes earlier. Daddys little girl is clueless. Useless. On all fronts. Run the company? Her old man must have had another stroke back when he had that will drawn up. Shes incapable. Inept. Hell, she doesnt even have a clue what Im up to. She doesnt have a clue about any thing, so as soon as this memorial thing is over, Ill get my ring on her finger and my hands on the contents of that safe. Then youll get your money.

Samantha flicked the edge of the letter with the combination to the safe. Dads attorney had given it to her earlier. Hed said Dad had wanted her to have it tonight during the funeralno, during Dads life celebration . That was her father, always looking for the good in everything, but what good had there been in opening it now, in the middle of this party, just to retrieve a souvenir from her parents honeymoon? She didnt really want a reminder of the happily ever after she apparently wasnt going to have with Albert. Without him. Whatever.

She traced the lanterns curved spout, thoroughly appreciating the irony that Albert had been tearing the house apart for weeks trying to find the combination to the safe, yet shed been the one to open it.

Useless, was she? Who was the inept one now?

She tapped the flame-shaped finial on the lid. Finding this wasnt a victory though, because while Albert might not have been Prince Charming material, shed thought hed had some redeeming qualities, namely claiming to love her for her. Not because of who her father was or how much shed be worth someday, or what great merger-acquisition material shed be like other corporate types shed dated, but her . Not Samantha Blaine, heiress, but Samantha, the woman who had hopes and dreams of a long, loving relationship like her parents and the big family shed never had. She wanted so much to believe, so shed let herself hope that, this time, it was for real.

The troll had helped the illusion along not only by offering to sign a prenup, but also by stepping in and taking over the burden of running her fathers custom-car manufacturing company while shed been at Dads hospital bedside these past six months. Shed been so grateful.

And now this. And tonight of all nights. The jerk.

She blinked back the tears, determined not to let him get to her. But, God, shed been so trusting. So hopeful. Again.

And again shed been disappointed.

Samantha tucked some curls behind her ears, plopped her chin in her palm, and ignored Wanda the housekeeper, who was calling her name from the foyer. Samantha wasnt up for seeing anyone right now.

Oh, not because Albert had just broken her heart. Sadly, deep down, shed known he wasnt the guy for her. Shed known that. But hed been the firstshed thought guy in her life whod sincerely been interested in her. When Dad had had the stroke, Albert had been there. Hed helped out with the company and hadnt made any demands on her other than to sign paperwork.

That was when hed started mentioning marriage, and Samantha had let herself go along with the idea because, more than Albert being her One True Love, she hadnt wanted to deal with the fact that when Dad was gone, shed be alone in the world. Mom had died when shed been a toddler, so itd just been the two of them all these years. Shed never felt the lack of family more than she had when Dad died.

Albert had offered her a way out, so shed given in to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he was the real deal. Stalwart, supportive, there when shed needed something That was what shed always wished for, so shed let him in. Trusted him. Believed in the fairy-tale ending.

And now hed betrayed her.

She shook the long sleeve of the djellaba she wore over her street clothes up her arm and picked up the lantern, her reflection not distorted enough to hide the pain in her eyes at being betrayed.

Again.

Why was everyone always looking for handouts from her? What was wrong with her that she couldnt have someone want her just for who she was instead of what she had in her bank account or what she could do for them? It was sad really, how, with all the things money could and had bought for her, love wasnt one of them.

She ran her fingertips over the lanterns rounded side. Wouldnt it be perfect if this actually were a genie lantern? She could use a little magic in her life right now.

For her first wish, shed turn Albert into a belly-crawling lizard. Then shed bring Dad back, and then

And then Id wish for the genie to take me away from all this, to some place where all my troubles would just disappear.

And, in a billowing cloud of orange smoke, thats exactly what happened.

Or was it?

Orange smoke surrounded her, bursting from the lanterns spout like a boiling psychedelic tea kettle on hyper speed, and while Samanthas troubles werent disappearing, the office was. And the desk and the chair and the safe and everything else around her.

Everything except the lantern.

The cloud grew thicker, and Samantha didnt know what to do except grab that lantern and hold on tight.

Her body tingled as if grains of sand were bombarding her, and an odd sense of speed surrounded her as if the world were rushing by while the wind swirled such thick, orange smoke all over her that she should be choking but wasnt.

While she was pondering that, the wind and the world died down, and the orange smoke dissipated as quickly as it had appearedand this time Samantha did know what to think.

First, the half-naked guy in front of her wearing only an orange vest and baggy white pants was way underdressed for a funeral. Second, she was no longer at a funeral, and third

Where am I? Highly unoriginal, but then, clichs were overused for a reason, and she really didnt have a clue where she was.

The guy settled his fists on his hips and his orange vest gaped open, showing off a six-pack that had nothing to do with beer.

Izaaz, he answered, his voice skating across her nerve endings like smooth wine on fine chocolateor maybe that was because his eyes were the color of said chocolate and oh my, were they fine. Warm and bone-meltingly delicious.