“We have to wait.” His tone was no-nonsense. “If we show up holding hands tomorrow, Monica will fly off the handle and make our lives miserable. I’m not saying she won’t be just as bad in two weeks, but all the chatter with the townsfolk will have died down by then. They’ll be off gossiping about someone else if we wait.”
“And you won’t have to disclose our relationship in your report if we wait,” I surmised. It made sense. “That’s a very rational approach.”
“Yeah?” He looked hopeful. “I’m not saying this will work out. We’re both older and we’ve been through a lot. We’re not the same kids that we used to be.”
“No,” I agreed. “That fact might make things better.”
“It might make them worse.”
The statement grated. “If you’re going to start with a defeatist attitude what’s the point of even trying?”
“Because I can’t not try. Also, I’m not being a defeatist. I’m a realist. This won’t be easy.”
“No.”
“We’ve both been through far harder things. Heck, you just survived three crazy people trying to kill you and a flash earthquake that no one can explain.”
Did he have to mention the earthquake? Suddenly, I was itchy. “Yeah.”
“You’ve also survived your dreams crashing down around you,” he said. “We’ve both survived that. This would be a new beginning. We can’t just pretend the past decade didn’t happen and jump right back to where we were. We have to start slow and get to know one another as adults.”
He was offering me the world. His world. “That’s a smart idea.”
“Good.” He brushed his fingers over my cheek. “I’ll call tomorrow to make sure you’re okay. Even though we can’t date for two weeks, I can still see you. I’ll have more questions for you tomorrow.”
My mouth dropped open when he turned to descend the stairs. “That’s it? You’re not even going to kiss me?”
He chuckled and glanced over his shoulder. “Anticipation is half the fun. You should remember that from when we were kids. I’m pretty sure you made me wait two weeks back then.”
“Oh, so this is payback.”
He winked. “It’s the right thing to do. You’ve had a long day and I’m freaking exhausted. I want to be at my full strength when I finally take you out.”
Ugh. Why did he have to sound so reasonable? “Okay, but I bet it’ll be harder to go two weeks without kissing me than you think.”
“It’s going to be pure torture. I’m still up to the challenge.”
“I guess we’ll see who cracks first.”
The dimple in his cheek came out to play. “You’re on ... for all of it.”
For the first time in, well, years, I felt like a complete person. I was still puzzled over my newfound magical abilities, but the rest of it felt right and comfortable. “Right back at you.”
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About the Author
I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my novels. I have a particular brand of humor that isn’t for everyone – and I know that.
If you liked the book, please take a few minutes and leave a review. An independent author does it all on their own, and the reviews are helpful. I understand that my characters aren’t for everyone, though. There’s a lot of snark and sarcasm in my world – and I know some people don’t like that.
Special thanks go out to Heidi Bitsoli and Phil VanHulle for correcting the (numerous) errors that creep into a work of fiction.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
For more information:
author@amandamlee.net
Books by Amanda M. Lee
An Avery Shaw Mystery
Who, What, Where, When, Die
If it Bleeds, it Leads
Buried Leads
Shot Off The Presses
The Preditorial Page
Misquoted & Demoted
Headlines & Deadlines
Misprints & Mistakes
Bylines & Skylines
Off the Record
Unwritten & Underwater
Extra! Extra! Dead All About It
On Deadline & Under Fire
Above the Fold & Below the Belt
Oracles & Obituaries
New Media & Old Grudges
A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Mystery
Any Witch Way You Can
Every Witch Way But Wicked
Witching You Were Here
Witching on a Star
Something to Witch About
Witch Me Luck
Life’s a Witch
Charms & Witchdemeanors
The Trouble With Witches
Murder Most Witchy
A Witch Before Dying
A Breath of Witchy Air
Witch, Interrupted
Flip the Witch Switch
Witchin’ Around the Clock
A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short
Careful What You Witch For
Wicked Brew
On a Witch and a Prayer
You Only Witch Once
The Christmas Witch
Bewitched
A Solstice Celebration
Witchdependence Day
Happy Witchgiving
Merry Witchmas
Four-Leaf Clover
Thistle While You Work
Landon Calling
I Dream of Twila
How Aunt Tillie Stole Christmas
A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fantasy
A Witch In Time
Make A Witch
A Witchmas Carol
All My Witches
Close Encounters of the Witchy Kind
An Aisling Grimlock Mystery
Grim Tidings
Grim Offerings
Grim Discovery
Grim Reunion
Grim Expectations
Grim Holiday
Grim Rising
Grim Tempest
Grim Vows
Grimlock Family Shorts
Grim Like Me
Grim & The City
Now & Grim
Grim & Bear It
Grim & The Dead
Death Gate Grim Reapers
Only the Lonely
Only the Quiet
Only the Lost
A Mystic Caravan Mystery
Freaky Days
Freaky Lies
Freaky Hearts
Freaky Games
Freaky Places
Freaky Rites
Freaky Witches
Freaky Reapers
Freaky Fangs
A Charlie Rhodes Cozy Mystery
The Bigfoot Blunder
The Chupacabra Catastrophe
The Werewolf Whoops
The Megalodon Mix-Up
The Undead Uproar
The Incubus Impasse
A Moonstone Bay Cozy Mystery
Witchin’ USA
Witch Out of Water
Freaky Deaky Tiki
To Spell With It
Hex Type Thing
A Spell’s Angels Cozy Mystery
Bad to the Crone
No Crones About It
No Crone Unturned
Covenant College
Awakening
Whispering
Conjuring
Waxing & Waning
Graduating
Living Covenant Trilogy
Rising Covenant
Dark Covenant
Eternal Covenant
Dying Covenant Trilogy
Haunted Covenant
Desperate Covenant
Everlasting Covenant
2019 Shorts
Wolf on the Job
Luke on the Loose
Cupid in Crisis
Millie on a Mission
Jerry Takes Charge
Elemental Witches of Eternal Springs
Bat Out Of Spell
Spell on Earth
Hotter Than Spell
Spell or High Water