Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I look up from the wool and scowl. “I’m an adult. Of course, I worry about bills.”
“I’ve got you covered.”
I smirk and begin feeding the wool again. “Right.”
“I’m serious. For the foreseeable future, the only thing you need to worry about is that tapestry. You can pay me back later if it makes you feel better.”
I stop again and stare up at him. “You’re serious.”
“I’m absolutely serious. This is a big ask of you, and we all know it. But no one else has the skill set to help, so most of this falls on your shoulders. Therefore, the five of us will handle everything else. Your bills are taken care of.”
“I can’t sit at this loom or the spinner twenty-four seven.”
“Of course, not. But you have the freedom to work as much or as little as you want or need.”
I blink and stare down at my calloused fingers, overcome with emotion. I’d never expect anyone to be responsible for me and my needs.
Yet I didn’t even have to ask. They just knew.
“Thank you,” I say at last.
“You’re welcome. What can I do to help?”
I laugh and return to the task at hand. “I think you just did it.”
“How about we go out for dinner?”
I raise an eyebrow and glance his way again. “Did you just ask me out on a date, Giles Corey?”
“Hell, yes, I did.”
“Well, that sounds lovely. I’m going to need a break from this in about an hour or so.”
“Perfect timing. I just got a new shipment of larimar and howlite that I need to go through, so I’ll be in my office.”
“You don’t have that shipped directly to the shop?”
“I brought it here.” He shrugs when I wait for him to explain further. “I wanted to come home and see you.”
“That’s pretty sweet of you.” He narrows his eyes, and I laugh. “Lorelei will be so excited about the larimar.”
“I know. She’s the reason I ordered it. It’s damn expensive but necessary for a sea witch. I’ll be ready to go when you are.”
I nod and watch him leave the room, then rub my hand over my chest.
I was convinced that Giles wasn’t for me. That no matter how much I had longed for him all these years, he wasn’t fated to be mine, after all.
But now, after living here for a couple of weeks and being near him so often, after letting my guard down and letting go of the embarrassment, a light of hope fills my chest and makes me feel warm.
I sense this will be the most eventful year of my life.
“Let’s walk this evening,” Giles suggests as we step outside the house. “It’s warm.”
“It is a nice evening,” I agree, breathing in the fresh spring air. “The trees will bloom soon.”
He takes my hand and threads our fingers together, and we walk down to the sidewalk and toward town.
“What are you hungry for?” he asks.
“I don’t know. What do you want?”
“Are we going to be those people? The ones who can never decide on a meal?”
“I think that’s pretty much the norm, isn’t it? I don’t know. Are you in the mood for seafood?”
“I can always eat seafood. Let’s do that.”
I nod and then settle into the quiet of the early evening as we walk side by side to our favorite waterfront restaurant.
“I think Xander’s been at sea for about a week,” I say as the ships come into view. “It always makes me nervous.”
“That’s understandable. Your dad and both of your uncles were killed on a fishing boat.”
I nod thoughtfully. “I wonder if that’s one of the reasons Lorelei resists what’s between her and Xander. Maybe she’s afraid of losing him the way her mom lost her dad.”
“That could be,” Giles says slowly. “At least, it could be a factor. But I think it goes much deeper than that.”
“I do, too. Something happened between them. Something that made her leave town for two years. But she won’t tell us what it was. She won’t give us any details at all, and that’s incredibly frustrating because we tell each other everything.”
“Maybe she thinks she’s protecting you from something,” he suggests. “Or maybe it’s because Xander is the leader of our coven. Perhaps she doesn’t want to make the two of you dislike him and make it hard for you to work with him.”
“It really could be any of those things,” I admit. “It’s just frustrating because whenever we ask, she changes the subject. She’s so dang stubborn.”
“And smart.” He leads me to the door of the restaurant and holds it open for me. “Table for two, please.”
The hostess consults a board on her podium and then gestures for us to follow her.
I love Salem. I love the diversity here, and all the different people who live here and come to visit. Some are eclectic with piercings and loud hair colors. Others are more subdued. But for the most part, they’re all friendly and happy to be here.