And as I tug her into a hug, inhaling the peach scent of her shampoo, it hits me that I love her with all my being.
I love her—this I’ve known. I’ve never stopped. But it’s the depth of this feeling that bowls me over. That’s why the thought of her marrying someone else made me angry, why the idea of her with Storm made me want to punch him in the face, why I’ve never truly been able to let her go.
And I don’t want to.
I want to keep her, protect her, love her with all I’ve got for as long as I’ve got her.
Her fingers curl into the lapels of my shirt. It’s a nice night, perfect for a walk. Winter solstice lights that haven’t been taken down flare along the street. It rained earlier, filling the air with the scents of ozone and earth.
“What are you thinking?” she asks as I hold her.
“About the Roman Empire,” I joke, referencing a pop culture phenomenon. I kiss her forehead. “I’m not thinking about anything other than you. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I love you, that I can’t wait to be your wife”—my heart nearly explodes—“and that Nana just ruined a great moment.” She presses her nose into my shirt and sighs. “Way to go, Nana.”
I chuckle and tighten my arms around her. “Why Blair Thornrose, are you saying that your nana planned this? That she let you have all the glory so that she could come in and steal it?”
“No, I think death gave Nana brain damage, is what I’m saying. Pretty sure that she’s out of her mind to show herself like that.”
“I think Rebecca knows what she’s doing.”
She tips her face up. “What makes you say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I shrug. “The woman’s had plenty of time to reveal herself up until now. The fact that she took this onemoment, this one second to do it says that there’s some other plan.”
Blair rolls her eyes. “Or she’s out of her gourd.”
“Or that.”
We laugh and her eyes crinkle as she grins up at me. My heart’s so big I don’t think it can hold one more drop of emotion.
She turns and we continue on our stroll. “What are you going to do about Storm? Are you going to call the police? Tell them that he admitted to the break-in?”
“Yes. He will be punished.” My body coils in anger at what he said about Blair. But I got revenge for her. It’s over; that’s what I should focus on. “You know he cheated at the carnival?”
She pulls away and shoots me a look of surprise. “What?”
“The night when y’all went to the carnival, he used his power to sabotage the boy who was firing the water gun beside him.”
She gasps. “He did not.”
“He sure did. I watched the whole thing.”
Blair lightly slaps my arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why should I have? Would you have believed me?”
“Well, I don’t…”
“No, you wouldn’t have. You would have thought that I was lying, trying to get you into bed.” I wink at her and she turns to me. “To be fair, I would’ve definitely been trying to get you into my bed.”
She giggles and nudges me with her shoulder. “You are so bad.”
“Badly in love with you. I’ve never stopped wanting or loving you.”
She shakes her head. “Me neither. You’re the first and only person who’s ever seen me. Who understands what I feel. I have a house filled with sisters, and they get me, but you get memore.And when I was cut off from you”—she looks away, exhales, looks back at me—“it felt like I was cut off from myself.”
Now there are tears inmyeyes. “Come here.”
