Page 19

Their laced hands sent chills through Daisy’s spine.

He ran his thumb across her hand, his gaze following the movement with a gentle smile pulling across his lips.

Daisy was caught in a trance, entirely engrossed by him and unable to pull away.

She didn’t even want to try. The wonderful food and delectable wine mattered little when it came to the true gift sitting across the table from her.

As a comfortable silence settled over them, Daisy looked down to her food, her hand humming with energy as Ethan’s hold remained tight around her.

The longer she concentrated on the feeling, the quicker her mind began to imagine how it would be when it disappeared.

The emptiness, the hollowness, was that something she could endure another time?

Already she’d fallen heavily into Ethan, just from the fledgling interaction, and she couldn’t fathom what it would be like when the spell’s effects were washed away.

What would remain of this?

Daisy slowly pulled her hand out of his. “Ethan,” she began in a small voice, “have you ever…used magic to get something that you really wanted?”

“Something I really wanted,” he repeated, setting his fork down against his plate. If he was confused by the question, he worked hard not to show it. Ethan pressed his lips together. “Well, how honest are we being?”

“Entirely,” Daisy murmured.

Ethan smiled mischievously. “I may have used an illusionary spell to hide my wrinkles for an hour or two,” he confessed sheepishly. He sighed before waving a hand across his face a few times, as if he was shaking the magic away.

When he lowered his hand, Daisy barely noticed the difference.

If anything, something felt more homey about his face.

Simple lines creased around his lips, signs of a lifetime full of smiles.

Short wrinkles curled around his eyes, but Daisy only recognized it as moments of laughter permanently etched onto one’s face.

He only looked more like himself, and Daisy was so glad to see every bit of it.

“Perfect,” she cooed, barely even realizing the word left her mouth.

Ethan grinned, his eyes finding her lips for a moment, pulling the very breath from the back of her throat. “If a spell isn’t hurting anyone, Daisy, it’s harmless,” he said. “That’s what you were asking, right?”

She nodded.

“Then that’s my honest opinion.” He grasped his wine glass and held it up for a toast. “But, in the meantime: to our perfect selves,” he said.

“To our perfect selves,” Daisy agreed, raising her glass and tapping the rim against his own. The short ding rang through the rowdy restaurant, and Daisy beamed, unable to hide the happiness rushing through her.

The rest of the dinner continued on in a pleasurable way.

They finished their meals and scooped their way through a desert they could hardly stomach.

And when Ethan paid the bill, Daisy eyed the tip he entered when he turned away, and held back her immense pleasure at his kind self.

There wasn’t a doubt she had about the man who was sweetly walking her home.

Somehow, after all that time, Gary had been waiting for her to find Ethan, and he had been more patient than she had ever been.

The evening air was warm that night. It smelt of faraway rain and leftover heat from the blistering afternoon.

Daisy was woozy from the dinner and the feeling of Ethan’s hand wrapped around her own.

He kept her close to his side, walking entirely in time with her, never once changing their pace.

The quiet around them was more than comfortable, as if each other’s presence was all they could’ve asked for.

“You know,” Ethan finally said, “I feel as though I’ve been waiting for this moment since elementary school.”

Daisy laughed. “Don’t tease.”

Tugging on her hand, Ethan paused in the middle of the sidewalk. “Daisy,” he said, his voice firm but not aggressive.

She turned, a street light casting a hazy amber glow down upon her. “Ethan.”

“You’re beautiful,” he said. “And, every day, I’ll wish I would’ve said it sooner.”

The breath hitched in the back of Daisy’s throat.

The word wish hung on the back of her mind as he stepped closer, entering the disc of light she already stood in.

The entire town of Willowbrook faded away.

There was no longer any distance between them, only the gentle inhales and sharp exhales they both gave in anticipation.

Ethan dipped his head, his lips testing and wanting before capturing her own in a gentle kiss.

The motion made Daisy’s legs wobble till he snaked an arm around her waist, keeping her upright.

She touched the side of his face, the scratchiness of his stubble rubbing against her palm.

When he pulled away, Daisy was breathless and whole again, holding onto him as though she would disappear the moment she let go.

But, then again, as Ethan led the way to her house, Daisy wondered how long it would be till it did all fade away, if his feelings came from the spell. The fear was as resounding as the pleasure, the emotions clashing through Daisy’s life like an unstoppable hurricane.

Daisy clutched onto his hand as they walked further into the night.