I blink in surprise. “Yes. He saved me. Well, it was Rex, of course. But wow, Granny. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I experienced it myself more than once.”
Really? “When?”
She gives me a warm smile. “With your grandpa. His family is one of the founders.”
Oh, wow. I didn’t expect that.
“Did you know they’re cursed?” The question is casual, but I know it’s not.
“No.”
“They can’t leave town for longer than a week or two at a time. If they do, the curse begins to fester in their blood. Symptoms emerge. I saw your grandpa once. They get so itchy that they want to claw their own skin off. It makes them moody and restless. Some develop gut issues.”
“Wow. That’s awful.”
“It worsens the longer they’re away from home. Their blood will get tainted and make them sick.”
“Why are you telling me about this?”
“Because you need to know that Rex wanted to go after you and bring you home once he realized his mistake. He couldn’t, Cami. It would have killed him.”
Yet he came to me when he heard I was in danger, risking all of that to be sure I was safe. “I love him, Granny.”
“I know, sweetheart. That man is totally in love with you. He always has been. I knew you’d end up together.”
That doesn’t surprise me. Granny Jo’s intuition is legendary.
“We’re witches, Cami. Don’t forget we came from Salem. The ancestors’ magic courses through us. Someday, when you’re ready, I’ll be here to guide you.”
“I appreciate that.”
She doesn’t push me, knowing I’ll come to her when the time is right.
“I love you, Granny. I’m staying home. With your permission, I want to run the Butter Bliss.”
She nods, a pleased smile on her lips. “As you should. Love you, my Blissy Girl.”
The nickname Rex gave me makes perfect sense. It’s a prophecy come true.
The Butter Bliss Bakery is where I’m supposed to be.
And Rex? He’s my lumberjack biker, my lover, and he’s my property as much as I’m his.
Epilogue Mountain
It’s opening day for the Butter Bliss Bakery. The town has shown up in support of the local business and Granny Jo. She’s refused to miss it, propping herself outside the store in a comfortable chair. A blanket drapes over her lap, and she smiles at every person who stands in line, thanking them individually when they exit the bakery with boxes of prepared sweets.
Inside, I watch Cami in her element. She’s ringing up customers and packing their orders, thrilled to see the long lines and smiling faces. I’m here helping, sorting through the trays of baked goods and helping stock the glass cases as they empty. The women baked for a week to store up enough for the grand reopening.
My woman has worked hard, but I’ve never seen her happier.
I wink at her as she pops a quick kiss on my cheek, reaching for more cinnamon rolls. It’s hard to believe this place was a charred ruin six weeks ago. We’ve rebuilt it in record time.
Scythe enters the shop with Hayride. He’s walking slowly, and I know he’s still recovering from the gunshot wound to the gut. A grimace flickers over his features as he follows Scythe around the lines.
“I’ll be back, Cami.”
