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She ran a hand through his messy blond hair and plucked free a single strand. “Just in case,” she said. “You never can be too careful when it comes to hexes.”

They shared a smile, sad yet hopeful.

She turned around, knelt, and placed his hair alongside the other symbols of her love. Then she scooped and smoothed the dirt with her bare hands until the hole was no longer visible. Earth made new.

The offering complete, Devra rose to her feet. She waited. Waited to feel changed. Waited for a gust of wind to swirl around her or for the sky to crackle and burst with lightning. She waited for a sign, something, anything to confirm the spell had worked, to justify this hope she felt inside. But nothing happened.

The backs of Bradley’s fingers skimmed her hand, drawing her thoughts to him, to his being here now. She heard her father not so subtly tug David away, leaving her and Bradley alone.

“What does this mean, exactly?” she asked. “For us?”

“It means, well…” He swallowed. “I was thinking, maybe, we could go for coffee sometime?”

“Coffee?”

“Yeah. You know, in January.”

January, of course. When this always should have begun. Without the curse looming over them. Without the pressure of a deadline. A month that wouldn’t be filled with sex and adventure and elaborately shared notes, but two ordinary people getting to know each other over a cup of coffee.

In that moment, Christmas lights flickered on all around her, a blast of colour as the night sky faded to black. And while Devra knew this could be explained by outdoor timers and light sensors, she also knew, deep within her heart, that it was more.

Just then, the tourmaline pendant at her neck came unlatched and dropped to the ground. She exhaled a laugh, feeling a new lightness in her body as the snowfall thickened around her. She tilted her head and caught a single flake on her tongue, enjoying the sensation of ice giving in to warmth.

“Devra?”

There was a tremble in his voice, one she now knew to listen to closely. But when she faced him, she didn’t catch a glimpse of some other Bradley anxiously peeking out from behind high walls. She saw a man with his walls down, vulnerable, and inviting her to see him for who he truly was. She loved him even more for it.

She wanted to tell him as much. To throw herself on him and confess her feelings. But she also didn’t want to rush through this wonderous second chance she was being given. So she simply took his hand in hers.

“January it is, then,” she replied.

He tugged her closer, and she allowed her head to rest against his chest. She could hear his heart beating as strongly as hers, in rhythm with hers, as if heralding a month full of promise, one that stretched before them with endless possibilities.

EPILOGUE

It was finally here.

Devra had done her best to live the past year believing the curse was broken. But she knew she’d never be one hundred percent certain until this month had come and gone. Bracing herself against the cold weather, she stepped outside into the winter wonderland that was Calgary in December.

Boots crunching in the snow, Devra admired the lush evergreens and how icicles dangled from bare branches like crystals. The bright sun reflected off the fresh powder, causing it to shimmer. She inhaled deeply, her lungs experiencing the refreshing shock that came from crisp, clean air.

She was meeting Bradley at his work so they could go out for dinner once his shift ended. His idea. He likely knew her anxiety would be resurfacing today, and he wanted to keep her distracted. He was always thoughtful that way.

As she approached the store, she saw the seasonal tent that blocked the entrance. Memories rushed through her. Some of them nerve rattling. Some of them wonderful.

This was where she’d met the man of her dreams, after all.

Standing outside, she sent a text to see if Bradley was almost done. With Eunji’s early retirement, his newest promotion to manager had him taking on even more responsibility and working longer hours. Which wasn’t a problem for Devra, given she was also busy working on another update for Squally. Who, unfortunately, had not been able to rival the major players and become a household name as a high-end virtual assistant, but who had, with a few tweaks, found a niche supporting those recovering from substance use disorders.

Sorry, running late. Mind coming in and waiting in the staff lounge?

Devra couldn’t supress a shiver at the thought of all the Douglas firs and inflatable snowmen she’d have to walk by to reach the staff lounge.

Deep breaths. Nothing is going to hurt you in there.

Anymore.

Devra thought of her menacing little feline, fortified herself, and pushed onward into the elaborate Christmas village.