Deja Voodoo (A Cajun Magic Novel) (Entangled Suspense) by Elle James

you think?”
    Sport smiled, baring shiny white teeth.
    “Still, it’s not fair to Sport to be stuck in a man’s body. He’s not cut out to live as a human, and we don’t know how long the spell will last. If you teach him how to be human, how will he feel when he goes back to being a dog?”
    Calliope pouted. “Ah, Alex, you take all the fun out of things.”
    She pulled Calliope into a hug. “I’m sorry. It’s the practical side of me. The one that took care of over a dozen siblings for years.”
    “And here you are, trying to take care of me.” Calliope sighed and stared down at Sport sitting so naturally at the table. “And Sport.”
    “I’ll give my mother a call and see if I can talk our way out of dinner with the family.”
    “Good idea. Maybe you’ll have better luck than I did. I can’t say no to your mother.”
    “I think she’s got some Voodoo magic in her.” Alex headed back to her purse in the hallway, calling over her shoulder, “No one can say no to her.” She dug her phone out of the bottom and hit the speed dial for “Mom,” noting all the missed calls she’d had from her. And Theo.
    Lord. Why couldn’t he get it through his thick head she wasn’t interested?
    “Hello,” a bright female voice answered.
    “Let me speak to Mom,” she demanded.
    “Nice. I’m home for one day and my big sis doesn’t even say hello. I see how it is.”
    Alex prided herself on recognizing each of her sibling’s voices over the phone. As the oldest daughter, she was always the one calling to remind them of someone’s birthday. “Sorry, Amelia. When did you get in?”
    “I drove up from New Orleans this morning. I’ll be here a few days.”
    “Good. Why don’t you come by the gym while you’re in town?”
    “I will. I could use a good workout.”
    “Is Mom around?”
    “No.”
    “No? Where is she?” Her hope of getting out of dinner dwindling, she stared across the room at Calliope and Sport.
    “She should be back any minute. Had to run a pot of soup to Mrs. Badeaux. Apparently she’s laid up with the gout.”
    “Tell her to call me when she gets back, please.”
    “Why don’t you talk to her when you come to dinner?”
    Because I don’t want to come to dinner. Alex bit down on her tongue. She hadn’t seen Amelia for several months.
    “Oh, wait.” Her sister laughed. “You don’t want to come to dinner, do you?”
    She sighed. “How’d you guess?”
    “Dolley and Madison told me about the man Mom’s got lined up for you.”
    “So it is another matchmaking attempt. I knew it.”
    Amelia chuckled softly. “Dolley and Madison were all excited. They said he’s really cute. Even I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
    “Good. You can have him. I’m perfectly happy single.”
    “Honey, you’re preaching to the choir. But Mom means well.”
    “I know. I’ve just had something come up, and well…” How did she explain over the phone about her dog becoming a man? No one would believe it.
    “The only way you’re going to get Mom off your back is to bring a guy home.”
    As if a lightbulb went off in her head, she stood with the phone in her hand, staring straight ahead, ideas exploding within.
    “Alex? Did I say something wrong?”
    “No. No, you didn’t. In fact, you said something so right, I can’t believe I didn’t see it for myself.”
    “What did I say?”
    “Nothing. Just tell Mom I’ll be there for dinner.”
    “I’m taking it that it’s not on my account, although I’ll be happy enough to see you.”
    “Of course I’m coming for you, sweetie.” And to parade a man in front of Mom to show her I’m capable of getting one on my own . Perhaps Lucie’s Voodoo was exactly what she’d sold it as, the answer to her prayers, her dreams come true. “And tell her to set an extra plate at the table.”
    Finally, she’d get her mother off her back.
    She clicked the cell phone off and called out, “Calliope, we’ve got work to do if we’re going to