“I’m not fragile,” she says. “I’m working through some feelings but that doesn’t mean I want or need you less. I love that you’re trying to give me space, but Aiden, I don’t want it. I wantyou.”
She grabs a fistful of plaid fabric and tugs my face closer, so we’re on eye-level.
“Yes ma’am,” I murmur with a slight smile.
My hands settle at her waist, tightening as I pull her fully into me, erasing any space left between us.
Our breaths tangle in the air, the only noise a quiet hum of the television in her parents’ room.
“Tonight, I want to feel something that has nothing to do with life responsibilities, parents getting older, or sick kids.” Shesighs. “I want to know what it’s like to just… feel. And I want you to help with that.”
She brushes her lips against mine slowly, like she’s savoring every millisecond of it. Then before I can ask her to elaborate, she tugs my hand toward the door toward an event that feels like another step into our future.
About thirty minutes later, we pile out of my truck at Ever After Farms again, this time under twinkle lights instead of winter sun.
“Remind me what I’m walking into again?” I ask as we pass by the oversized silo by the parking lot that says, “Welcome to Ever After Farm”.
I hadn’t realized how much we relied on touch as a quiet assurance until I pulled back—and now that she’s asked me not to, my body remembers before my head does.
Even though I’d rather have her tucked into my side right now, I’ve settled for holding her hands, our fingers tightly woven together as we walk. I lift our joined hands and brush my lips over her fingers.
“Midnight Magic,” Chloe says at the same time as Evelyn says, “Midnight Reflections.”
I blink.
“Sorry. Midnight Magic is the whole New Year’s Festival,” Chloe explains. “Midnight Reflections is the concert.”
“Obviously,” Evie adds. “Keep up, Aiden.”
“I made more bracelets for Lucy,” Phoebe announces, shaking her arm back and forth. “Which one do you think she’ll like most?”
“Tough call,” Evie says, pausing in the path to hold Phoebe’s arm still enough to examine the choices. “I think the mirrorball ones are pretty fabulous myself.”
“Take one! It goes awesome with your outfit,” Phoebe insists.
Evie is actually speechless, a rarity, as Phoebe transfers the bracelet between them.
“It’s a pretty big deal to have your first concert bracelet already,” Chloe says, as we start to walk toward the ticket booth.
“Well, you have a pretty cool kid,” Evie says.
And I don’t miss the way Evie handles it like it’s gold, before covering it with her hand like she’s protecting it from thieves.
Chloe leans into my shoulder like it’s second nature.
We get glo-bracelets and necklaces with our entry fees, and soon we’re part of a sea of look-alike musical artists. Phoebe looks the happiest I’ve ever seen her, happily running up to strangers and exchanging friendship bracelets with them. She threads her fingers through my belt loop like an anchor as we watch.
“What’s this about?” I ask Chloe.
I’m impressed she hasn’t lunged after Phoebe yet, since her enthusiasm to share jewelry has her forgetting every rule I know my wife ever taught her about stranger danger.
“Holly Everheart?” She says the name as if I should know who that is.
When I don’t respond, she simply stares at me.
“What?”
“Her name has been in the news for longer than she had a career, so I’m a little surprised you’ve never heard of her.” She starts moving again, one eye on Phoebe.
