“Did you make Mina’s ring, too?”
“Would you believe me if I said I had?”
“I would. A week ago, I struggled, despite all the evidence, but today I can believe it easily. Then again, I have spent the past week picking apart everything I know about you and Powell. When Mina mentioned you at breakfast this morning, my father was less than complimentary.”
“I’m still waiting for you to get to the point.”
“You might have broken the charm, but you still have an uphill battle ahead of you. If you want to change the village council’s opinions today, you won’t be able to enjoy the festival. And Mina will be right by your side.”
“Meaning she won’t get to enjoy herself, either.”
“Exactly. And as much as she wants to help you, I know she has been looking forward to the festival since she first arrived in Skorsa.”
I laughed, though I kept the sound quiet. “Are you trying to tell me that I need to evaluate my priorities before you’ll tell me where Mina is?”
“I’m telling you that I need to know your priorities before I decideifI’ll tell you where Mina is.”
“She’s the only reason I’m here. I will happily spend the day with her, enjoying the festivities and forgetting about anything else. But if she can’t relax knowing that the charm’s lingering effects are still impacting my life, then I’ll let her push me to talk to people and try to reverse the damage.” I crossed my arms. “She’s a grown woman, Sam. She can spend the Midsummer Festival doing whatever she wants. If you interfere, you only increase the odds she doesn’t have fun.”
Sam grinned and held out the cups toward me. “In that case, you’d better bring her the lemonade I went to fetch. She’s with Gemma, Cole, Hannah, and Phillip on the far side of the children’s race area.”
I took the cups. “No Kayla?”
“She wasn’t there last I saw.”
“Thank Ward.” If my hands hadn’t been full, I’d have twisted my fingers into Ward’s symbol of protection. I’d rather not have to deal with Kayla twice in as many days.
Sam chuckled. “Don’t thank the gods yet. The day is still young.”
I gestured with the cups. “I’d better get going. As you said, I’m already late.”
???
I spotted Minathe instant I passed the crowd of parents watching the egg-and-spoon race. Her eyes weren’t on the contest. She was looking around in every direction, while trying not to let her companions notice her distraction. She probably wanted to know what had happened to Sam with her drink.
Then she spotted me, and I knew she hadn’t been watching for her cousin. Everything about her brightened. I moved as quickly as I could without spilling the lemonades, reaching the blanket where everyone sat before the rest of the group figured out what had caught Mina’s attention.
“You made it!”
Gemma, Hannah, and Phillip looked between me and Mina in confusion. Cole, on the other hand, watched me with a faint furrow between his brows. I nodded at him, then handed Mina one cup. “I did.”
“You were... expecting Alan?” Gemma asked, stumbling over the question.
“I told you to leave room for one more person.”
I looked at how everyone was sitting. To Mina’s right, Hannah sat with her legs tucked under her, her arm wrapped around Phillip’s where he sat at her side. To the left, Cole sat with Gemma in his lap. After yesterday’s meeting with Kayla, I wasn’t afraid Mina would pull away from me in public. So I settled behind her, stretching my legs out on each side of hers. “No extra room needed.”
She settled back against my chest and tilted her head to look at me. The green in her hazel eyes flashed bright. “How convenient. That means there will still be room for Sam if he ever makes it back.”
I tapped the rim of my cup against hers. “I think he planned to wander around a bit more. That’s why he sent me with the lemonade.”
“Did he?” Mina said so softly that only I could hear. She seemed to understand that he had done more than hand me drinks in passing.
I didn’t respond. The other couples on the blanket were staring at us, as were a few other villagers nearby. Mina’s free hand sought mine out, and I let her lace our fingers together. I tried to ignore the stares.
Cole’s frown deepened. “Does your decision to join the festivities this year mean none of the rest of us have a chance of winning the weight-throw?”
I smiled, remembering the good-natured teasing Cole and Jeff had thrown my way years ago, complaining that they didn’t even want to enter if I was competing. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I might sit it out.”
