Maybe It's Magic

Chapter 20

Thanks for sticking with me to the end...

*************

Six months later...

"Jake's got one with ESPN," Molly supplied.

"And Molly's obviously going to get NPR," Jake said.

"I only applied," Molly hissed. "I haven't heard anything back and maybe I won't. It's not for sure!"

"Yes, it is - for you." He dug a fork into her pasta.

She pursed her lips. "If you think you can flatter me into ignoring that you're a food stealer..."

"Shh! You guys!" Juliet held up a hand, her brows drawn. "Look. This is important." She turned her phone to face them. "What do you think of her?"

Jake took it, glancing at the woman in the purple skirt-suit off one of Juliet's dating apps. "She's pretty." He handed it off to Molly.

She agreed, then sighed. "Okay, Jules, what's wrong with this one?"

Juliet frowned. "I don't know. She might be too cute for me?"

Jake and Molly exchanged a glance. They'd definitely gotten to know Juliet by now and this was rocky territory. They had to be supportive, encouraging, flattering, and convincing all at once. "Is cuter than you even a thing?" Molly tried.

"I'm kind of wondering if she's cute enough," Jake said as earnestly as he could, taking her phone back even as it kept dinging and little heads popped up and disappeared. "Jesus! If she doesn't work, you got your pick."

The numbers weren't as high as Juliet might get on Tinder, but she seemed spoiled for choice on this app. And it was much nicer to look at, from what he knew of Tinder, way fewer dick pics, which he understood were - outside Molly's phone, and only from him, and only after 10 pm, and only with hilarious captions - definitely unwelcome.

Juliet took the phone back, a wrinkle on her flawless nose. "But the skirt suit. I don't know. It's so conservative."

"But that's what makes me think she'd work," Jake said pointedly. "Very first lady."

Juliet nodded at him significantly. "You're right. Swiping right."

Molly looked between them. "First lady?"

"Jake, did you not tell her?" Juliet rolled her eyes. "He's basically forcing me to run for city council next term!"

Molly turned to him. "Forcing her?"

"I just believe in you so much," Jake said to Juliet. "I'll explain later," he whispered to Molly.

"Explain what?"

There wasn't much to it. He'd said one thing to Juliet last summer and, since then, Juliet had sent him many text messages arguing back and forth with herself about it, during which he tried and failed to get a text in edgewise.

In the end, she decided to put it in her five-year plan and promised to thank Jake in her very first victory speech.

"Juliet is considering a career in politics," he finally said.

"You know, that makes a lot of sense," Molly said. "Back in high school, you did get us that extra vending machine on the second floor."

"I know, right?" Juliet put her phone away. "Anyway, are we done? I'm stuffed and I really need to walk this off."

Molly groaned in agreement.

Jake stared at the fairly giant plates. His was empty, Juliet's was barely touched, and Molly's was only half-done because of his help. "How can either of you be stuffed?"