Escape Magic (8 page)

“At first?” Her voice trembled a little.

“Yeah.” He smiled, twining his fingers with
hers. “You. I told you I could get addicted to you. But I don’t
think you’ll take me back to that place.”

“Why not?” She couldn’t take her gaze from
his face.

“Because that’s not what it’s about with
you. It’s not about losing myself or trapping you in a place you
don’t want to be. It’s about finding us.” He raised the hand that
wasn’t twined with hers to her face. “If that’s what you want.”

“I think…” She searched her feelings,
everything she’d felt since she’d left his bed that morning. The
reluctance to move away from him as she’d slid from the sheets, the
fear she’d never have such a night with anyone again, the joy when
he’d appeared at the theater. She nodded. “Yeah. I’ll try.”

“Good.” He grinned and raised the hand that
held hers. To her surprise, she felt a silken tug on her wrist and
glanced down. Somehow he’d tied one end of the scarf on her wrist
and the other on his while they stood together. “Just remember. You
can escape, but only if you
want
to.”

She shook her head. “Jeez. Is this what it’s
going to be like dating a magician?”

He tsked. “No. I’m not a magician.” He
kissed her again and waggled his eyebrows at her. “I just know all
the tricks.”

About the Author

Michelle Garren Flye is the
award-winning romance author of six novels. Reviewers have
described her work as: “an engaging novel with charming and likable
characters”, a story that “will make you believe in love and second
chances”, and a “well-written and thought-provoking
novel.”

Michelle placed third in the
Hyperink Romance Writing Contest for her short story “Life After”.
Her short stories have been published by the romance anthology
Foreign Affairs, Opium.com, SmokelongQuarterly.com and
Flashquake.com. She has served on the editorial staffs of Horror
Library Volume 1, Horror Library Volume 3, Butcher Shop Quartet,
Butcher Shop Quartet II and Tattered Souls.

Michelle has a Bachelor’s degree
in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s degree in Library and
Information Science from the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro. She is the mother of three and lives in North Carolina
with her husband and their rapidly growing collection of
pets.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider
posting a review on Amazon. I read all reviews and very much
appreciate your comments.

Connect with Michelle Garren Flye
online:

Website: http://michellegflye.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Garren-Flye/132688623422175

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/michellegflye

Want more?

Praise for Michelle Garren Flye’s other
novels…

Close Up Magic

“Michelle Garren Flye is a wizard with words,
and I completely enjoyed her voice.”

—Long and Short Reviews

"An enchanting story that will make the
reader believe in romance and magic!"

—Jersey Girl Book Reviews

“The threads of story and character were
woven together…dare I say it…magically.”

—Unabridged Andra

Ducks in a Row

“Michelle Garren Flye does not hesitate to
tackle some pretty uncomfortable subjects in Ducks in a Row. This
well-written and thought-provoking novel provides a realistic look
into how two people who love one another can find themselves on the
verge of losing everything…”

— Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Where the Heart Lies

"A romance with heart, heat, and a big
ambitious story covering miles of emotional terrain. You'll be
swept away."

—
Ellen Meister, author of
The
Other Life

"An ambitious and engrossing tale, full of
complexities of both character and plot. Read this one on the
beach, by the fire, in your bed… wherever. Just read it!"

— Stephanie Stiles, author of
Take It Like a Mom

"...a brilliant stroke of amazing and
entertaining story telling."

— Smitten with Reading

Winter Solstice

“…outstanding characters, wonderful
storyline, great dialog, and delicious humor that just adds flavor
to the story.”

— Booked Up Reviews

“The love scenes were exquisite and
beautifully done.”

— The Romance Studio

Secrets of the Lotus

“A glorious, sweeping love story packed with
surprises. Brava to Michelle Garren Flye on her splendid
debut.”

— Ellen Meister, author of
The Smart
One

“…a delightful story with a confident heroine
who is not afraid to be herself … I found it difficult to tear
myself away from this enchanting story.”

— Single Titles

“Michelle Garren Flye has successfully woven
a modern day fairytale in her novel,
Secrets of the
Lotus
.”

— Book Martini Reviews

And finally, a treat for those who missed
the first installment of the series:

Close Up Magic

By Michelle Garren Flye

Chapter One

Stacey Matthewson plucked her smartphone
from her pocket the moment the plane touched down, well before the
pilot turned off the sign banning the use of electronic devices. It
killed her to be out of touch, especially at a time like this. She
hit the call button and said two words. “Tell me.”

“Jeez, could that flight have been any
longer?” Bella’s smartass young voice greeted her. “You’re gonna
have to hoof it if you’re gonna make the show.”

“Forget that. I’ll make it. Tell me you got
me a ticket.” Stacey fought to keep the anxiety out of her
voice.

Her nineteen-year-old sister and part-time
assistant made her listen to a sharp crack of bubblegum before she
answered. “Of course I got you a ticket. It’s waiting for you.”

Thank God.
“Good. I guess you’re not
fired.” She hit the end button before Bella could tell her she
couldn’t fire her own sister. She was exhausted and exhilarated at
the same moment. In an hour or so, she’d be in the same room with
Andre Hawke.

Stacey had met a lot of celebrities, most of
them much further up the A-list than Andre Hawke was yet—possibly
further than he ever would be. As a free-lance entertainment
reporter, she’d written stories exposing the secrets of movie
stars, capturing the worst moments of the idols who, in the end,
proved themselves to be only human after all. Andre Hawke was small
potatoes for someone like her, but she’d found her sources drying
up after what she privately referred to as “the incident”—at least,
when she allowed herself to think about it at all.

I screwed up. I didn’t check my sources
and I’m paying for it.
She winced at the memory, and, not for
the first time, wondered how she’d ever even gotten into this
aspect of reporting. Her college professors had expected great
things of her. They probably wouldn’t be thrilled to know she’d
degenerated into a bloodhound looking to shake down the latest
celebrity to fall off a wagon.

Stacey straightened her spine, shifting
uncomfortably in the cramped seat and reminding herself she’d made
a good living off the sensationalist reporting, at least until
recently. And what other choice would have allowed her to support
herself and her little sister for the past few years? What really
sucked was that after so many years knocking other people’s idols
off their pedestals, she finally had to do the same thing to
someone
she
admired.

She thumbed through the web pages she’d
bookmarked on her smartphone. Hawke was an up-and-coming magician,
a definite rising star on the horizon of celebrity. Fortunately for
her, he wasn’t there yet, so the scandal that had rocked his little
camp right after his first big appearance in Las Vegas hadn’t
reached most reporters in the industry. Which meant she had the
opportunity to write the story and get it out there before anyone
else caught on.

She paused on a picture of Hawke and felt
another tinge of regret that it had to be him. She’d actually seen
one of his magic shows at a tiny theater in New York and had
followed his career with interest since. He had it all: he was
good-looking, skilled, and had an air of sincerity that sort of
made you not even mind being the victim of his act.

She didn’t have time for regret, though. She
clicked her phone off and stuck it into her pocket, reaching for
the only bag she’d brought—a little overnight bag small enough to
fit under the seat in front of her. Her purse was large enough to
accommodate her laptop, so she didn’t have to wait for baggage
claim. As soon as the pilot clicked off the fasten seatbelts sign
and the crew opened the door, she’d be out and hopefully arrive in
time to catch Andre Hawke before the show. Just because no one else
had picked up the story yet didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen.

She banished the last of her guilty
feelings.
It’s not like I’m the president of his fan club or
anything.
And Andre Hawke is a big boy. He can handle a
little press. Even my kind.

Andre Hawke studied his reflection in the
mirror. The lean, handsome face that looked back reminded him of
the few memories he had of his father. He still had a hard time
associating that reflection with himself, although the thick, curly
dark hair and deep blue (some women said almost violet) eyes had
always been his, even when he’d been a dorky kid. He smiled and the
reflection smiled back, white teeth flashing. His brother had
suggested the teeth-whitening. The thought of Tony made the smile
fade.

Andre turned from the mirror, reaching for
the leather jacket he wore instead of a cape when he was onstage.
Softened by time, the jacket had belonged to his father. One of the
things he’d left behind and Andre had adopted as a prop, a reminder
of the family whose history was half true, half part of the
act.

On cue, his cell phone rang and he punched
the button. “Hey Mom.”

“How’d you know it was me?” His mother’s
lazy southern accent made him smile.

“Who else would call me right before a
show?” He picked up a white tipped cane, studying it with amused
interest before tossing it aside. The producer had left several
artificial-looking magic props laying around in the hopes Andre
would choose to adopt some of them, but Andre had no interest in
stereotypes. He wanted nothing to do with what people would expect.
He reached for his Oakley sunglasses and imagined his mother
sitting on the front porch of the little home where he’d grown up.
Were the crickets still singing? Was it really October? He’d lost
track of the seasons since he’d been in the Nevada desert, where
the weather was hot and dry, just as it had been two months before,
although maybe not quite as hot now as it had been early in the
summer.

“Andy, you know I wouldn’t do anything to
mess you up. I just wanted you to know how much we all love you.
We’re proud of you, son. Really proud.” She fell silent for a
moment and he closed his eyes, knowing what would come next. “Your
brother’s really sorry, you know.”

“I know.” Andre tried not to sound too
bitter. Tony’s antics had put him in a bad spot financially,
although he’d been able to work it out professionally. What really
hurt was the betrayal by the brother he’d always thought he could
count on. After all, they’d only had each other and their mother
after their father left them as children. He sighed. “His timing
leaves a little to be desired. Just make sure he stays in the
program.”

“I know you’re hurt, son, but try to look at
it from his point of view. You’ve always been the success of our
family…don’t interrupt!”

Andre shut his mouth, which had opened to
protest automatically. He frowned at the phone. How did she always
know? “I wasn’t going to.”

“Of course you weren’t. What I was saying is
that Tony’s always felt he had to live up to you. You’ve got to
give him a break this time. He failed. He’s sorry.”

“And when he’s better, we’ll move on.” Andre
took a deep breath, then covered the phone with one hand and
exercised some of the same misdirection he used in his act. “I know
I have to be on stage in thirty, Sara. There’s plenty of time.” He
uncovered the phone. “Sorry, Mom. They employ overachievers
exclusively here.”

“It’s okay, honey. I know you’re busy. I
just wanted you to know we’re thinking about you tonight. We’re
right there with you.”

“Yeah.” For a moment, he wished it were
really true. Or maybe he wished he could just pack everything up
and go home. Maybe he envied his brother for giving in to his
weakness, something Andre had never allowed himself to do. “I love
you, Mom.”

“Love you too, baby.” The click of the line
sounded strangely emptier than usual.

He stood for a second in the empty dressing
room. Any moment it would fill up with assistants and stagehands
seeking last minute direction. He’d never thought about the
complications of losing his agent during his first big show. A
six-month run at a large—if rundown—casino/resort on the Las Vegas
strip was the stuff dreams were made of if you were an
up-and-coming magician. It was the last thing Tony had pulled off
before he got drunk and gambled away the advance. All of it. Not
just his share. Andre had had to deplete his own savings to pay his
few employees and Tony’s extended stay in the rehab facility had
zeroed it out. Andre was broke until the ticket sales surpassed the
advance and his crew’s expenses.