“I suppose I’ll have to add it to the list of things you said I didn’t know about you.”
I adjusted on my arms to ensure I wasn’t crushing her. “I hope that list is shrinking.”
The heat of her body underneath mine and the flush of her cheeks beckoned to me, and I couldn’t help but wish I could lean down and kiss those lovely lips. Lizzy lay there unmoving, as if lost in thought.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked her. My words snapped her out of whatever she was thinking.
“I believe we’ve lost this one as well,” she said.
“Like you said, there’s more to life than winning.” And I wouldn’t trade that moment with Lizzy for anything. “Although we should finish up to show we’re good sports.”
We fought our way to a standing position and finished our race.
“Those two are more in sync than I would’ve thought possible,” Lizzy said as Charlotte and Pastor Collins accepted the first-place ribbon.
I loosened the string tying the balloon to our ankles and gave it to Lizzy. “It took us a moment to get in sync, but we finished. Here, for you.”
She took it and stared up into my face, something serious flashing in her eyes.
“And for the last activity, we will use a little bit of magic,” Charlotte said.
She led us over to her candle stand. “You will make a new candle scent based on a memory that you share. All you have to do is both think of it, and then let a fae partner put their magic into the pot to create your candle scent.”
I frowned. Lizzy and I had some wonderful moments, but we had some not so good moments. Was there really one we could choose?
“We got the information, so we don’t have to finish,” I said gently.
She tied off a loop on her balloon string and stuck it on her wrist. “We should do Pemberley.”
She chose to do a scent having to do with my home? I wasn’t sure where she was going with this. “Oh well, Pemberley is nice.”
“No, I mean seeing you at Pemberley, with Georgiana. You were… different from how I’d ever seen you before.”
We’d been snowed in at Pemberley, and seeing Lizzy there, I’d striven to make her feel at home. “You made me want to be different.”
“Remember that night when we were next to the fire and Georgiana was playing the harp? We should choose that one.”
I did remember. While my sister had gently plucked out Greensleeves on the harp, I’d gazed at Lizzy from across the room. She’d looked achingly beautiful sitting near the fire,the flames highlighting the spark in her blue eyes. I’d wanted nothing more than to pull her close and declare my love for her right there.
“That is a pleasant memory.” My power flowed into the vat of candle wax.
“I remember how easy it was to just be there, how relaxing and calm. I hadn’t felt that way with anyone for a long time.” Lizzy watched my magic, longing flashing across her face.
My heart ached a little. “Me too.” It had been such a wonderful moment, I’d love to go back.
“Shall we see what you created?” Charlotte walked up. I cut off my magic, and she sniffed. “Ooh, smells like smoked cedar and frosted pine—a wonderful winter scent. Very romantic.”
Chapter 5
Iwokeupthenext day to my phone vibrating. Grabbing it off of the side table, I checked the time, worried I’d slept in. Lizzy and I planned on meeting at the Hearthside House Inn that morning in order to speak with John Rittle before he left for the day.
Instead, I saw a message from my Aunt Catherine.
Hello, Nephew. The Trents will arrive in town today, and we will be holding a dinner for them at my home tomorrow night. Please plan to attend.
I’d never gotten a text from Aunt Catherine before. I’d been under the impression that technology wasn’t her thing. Despite that, I didn’t appreciate the assumption that I’d come. I pulled up the message to tell her I couldn’t make it. And paused. I couldn’t just fire off a text like I would with Charles or another friend. If I worded this wrong, I’d hear my aunt’s indignation until the end of time.
I set the phone aside and leaned back in my bed, trying to compose something that would be suitable. Netherfield cast odd shadows across the ceiling that stretched and merged into the silhouette of a woman, soft flowing hair, lively posture—unmistakably Lizzy. I blinked, and in an instant it disappeared. After a moment more, the silhouette regathered and lifted its chin as if it was about to challenge me to a verbal duel.
