Page 4 of A Summoned Husband

Sarika wrapped a hand around Imani’s shoulder, pulling her in with a relaxed sigh. Her thumb traced slow circles as her eyes fell closed and she let her head rest on Imani’s shoulder.

I looked over my group of friends.

We were a hot mess.

Alicia sat on the opposite side of the table, grabbing a glass as Vi thumped the book down.

Wine glass in hand, I sat at the end of the table and settled on my knees.

Exhaling, Vi wiped her heavy curls back from her face and cleared her throat dramatically.

Imani groaned. “Seriously?”

“Shh.” Vi flipped through the pages. “Oh!” She clapped her hands as excitement took over. “This one!”

Finishing off my wine, I debated getting up and getting another. Sighing, I set the empty glass down and leaned over the book not wanting to miss any more antics. How she had decided on the page, I had no idea. It looked like a bunch of nonsense to me. Undecipherable symbols with no particular order. “What is it?”

Always one for the dramatics, Vi leaned in and dropped her voice low. “A summoning spell.”

“Now how in the hell do you look at that and see a summoning spell?” Imani sucked air through her teeth. “Are you fucking with us?”

Vi cocked a brow. “What do you mean?”

“That!” Imani waved a hand over the symbols. I was thankful she did because I was beginning to think I had to start from the top and recount my drinks, sure I was seeing things. “It’s just nonsense. Looks like something my kids would write up.”

Vi rolled her eyes. “You’re just messing with me because you don’t want to do it. Look here.” She dragged her finger under some symbols at the top of the page. “Summoning spell. Clear as day.”

“As what day?” Imani argued.

Alicia nudged Imani. “Whatever. Fine. Summoning spell. Whatever you say, Vi. You do you, baby girl.” Sometimes it was better to just play along until she tired herself out.

Hands folded together, I rested them on the table. “Summoning what?” Looking over the strange array of symbols in the text, I wondered how the hell Vi was reading anything in this book. With its worn, watermarked pages and what looked like handwritten script. I think Alicia was right and she was just on something right now, making it up as she went.

Fine. Let her have her fun.

“Hmm.” She tapped the tip of her finger to her lips. “Love.”

I scoffed, the sound coming from low in my throat.

“It’ll have to be Alicia or Eden then,” Vi decided.

“What will have to be me or Alicia?” I asked. The last thing I wanted was to be the centre of whatever nonsense we were about to get up to. Especially with Vi at the helm.

Her brow dropped as though I just asked her the most ridiculous question known to women. “If it’s a spell for love, you two are the only ones who need it. Imani is happily married to Mr. Wonderful, I’m dating a great…” her eyes cut to Imani before she could say anything, “guy. Sarika has been hiding that hottie from the bookstore from us. The one with the boobs that won’t quit and the hips Shakira sang about.” Vi wagged her brows at Sarika.

Sarika continued to sway with her eyes closed, ignoring Vi’s prying.

“So?” Vi pushed.

Alicia dipped her head, pushing a loc behind her ear. “So… it’ll have to be Eden.”

All eyes whipped to Alicia.

Of the group, Alicia was the more mysterious one. She worked a corporate job with amazing pay and benefits, had the apartment we went to the least, and barely whispered about her love life until it was over. I often had to go out of my way to visit her, afraid she felt she was on the sidelines of our lives. She wasn’t. She just had a need for privacy so ingrained in her, she didn’t know how to be anything else.

“Alicia,” Imani sang. “Have you been holding out on us?”

“It’s nothing serious… but just in case it turns out to be, we should leave the love summoning to Eden.” Averting her gaze, she looked up at the ceiling as she brought her drink to her lips.