Page 27 of Cursed to Love (Cursed to Love #1)

Christmas Day

Paige stopped at the bottom of the stairs to admire Blake. He stood in front of the fireplace, as he stared at the lit Christmas tree. In the five weeks since the curse had broken, there had been more than a few moments when Paige had needed to stop and take everything in. She’d never been happier, and she didn’t ever want to take a moment of her life for granted.

When she’d been younger, the big events had held all the attraction. She used to count down the days until birthdays, Christmases, and summer vacations. Then it was graduations, a wedding, the occasional vacation, and Emmie’s birth. All those things were still important, but they were few and far between.

It was the tiny little everyday joys she consciously registered and appreciated now. She’d been truthful when she’d told Carolyn that she knew Blake loved her because of his actions.

Every day she and Blake said they loved each other, but she also made sure she showed him as well. Sometimes it was a tiny gesture like getting up first to make him coffee or folding all the laundry because he hated folding. Or she would make his favorite dish without mushrooms, even though she loved them, so he wouldn’t have to pick them out.

In the past, she would have just skipped the mushrooms altogether, but she’d been learning to please herself too. Cooking mushrooms separately so they could both enjoy what they liked was a small and easy thing to do.

Turning away from the tree, Blake noticed her and smiled. He held out his hand to her. “Any troubles getting Emmie to sleep?”

Paige took his hand and he led her to the couch, pulling her down to sit beside him. “Not a one. She almost fell asleep in the bath.”

“She didn’t get a second wind, did she?”

“Nope. Didn’t even last through one book.”

He wrapped his arm around her, cuddling her into his side. The only sound in the room was the crackling of the fire, and after the noise of the day, that was enough.

“Was today too much?” he asked as if reading her thoughts.

“No, it was perfect, but I won’t complain about the quiet.”

“I agree. Who knew three little kids under three could make so much noise?”

Paige snorted a laugh. “That’s what you’re going with? You think Emmie, Malcolm, and Jake’s sweet little niece made all the noise?” She poked him playfully in his side.

“Ow,” he mocked. “Okay. Maybe my brothers and I contributed a little.”

Paige pulled back so she could see his face. “You knew what Jake was bringing over, didn’t you? I bet you even helped him buy them.”

“Me?” he asked in a too-innocent voice.

“Okay, you go with that,” she said, laughing and snuggled back against his side.

Jake had arrived with Hungry Hungry Hippos and two Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. As soon as Malcolm and Emmie unwrapped the games, it became an all-out competition between the brothers. Jake included, who was just as much of a brother, if not by blood. No one could have said there was a dearth of cheering and trash talk, but somehow they’d managed to keep it clean because of the impressionable little ears around.

The day had been everything they’d planned and more, but she knew it had still been tough on Blake and his brothers: today had been the first Christmas without their mom.

A few weeks ago while they’d been putting up the tree, he had regaled her with stories of Akerman Christmas traditions. Some of the stories were from when his dad had been alive, and later, when they’d been forced to make new ones without him. She had laughed hard enough to get a stitch in her side. Emmie had loved hearing the stories too, even if Blake had exaggerated some of them. After getting to know his brothers again, Paige expected he might not have embellished them too much, but he probably made a few of them a bit more PG than the original events.

They’d started the day off opening presents with Emmie before the hoard descended for her and Blake to host brunch. For dinner they’d all gone to Jake’s parents’ house, something Kelly had approached her about the week before. She and Alex had taken turns hosting Christmas brunch and dinner over the years. Paige hadn’t minded being asked after Jessica declined. She’d been honored to pick up the mantle.

“What are you thinking about?” Blake asked.

“Just about today.” She turned around and straddled his lap, placing her hands on his chest. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. It…” He leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers, just a soft brush of his lips.

Wrapping her hand around the back of his neck, she parted her lips, her tongue seeking his to deepen the kiss. It didn’t last long, but Paige recognized the kiss for the distraction it had been. No matter how much he and his brothers had enjoyed the day, laughing and horsing around, every so often she’d see Blake take a wistful look at the Christmas tree. His brothers did too, where they’d hung so many of his mom’s ornaments.

He rotated on the couch, scooting back into the corner so he could stretch his legs out, and pulled her down beside him. She snuggled into him, her hand on his chest.

“Cade had some news,” Blake said quietly as if he was reluctant to share what he’d heard.

“You don’t have to tell me if it’s too hard right now.”

“No… that’s not it.” He linked his fingers with hers on his chest. “When Cade and I found the old letters and journals, we also found two old photo albums. Nothing was dated, which was really odd for my mom, as she labeled everything.”

“I know,” she said softly. “Remember when we were dating and I gave her flowers? And what she did to the card?”

“Right, she dated the back of it. I’d forgotten about that. Well… then you’d know why Cade and I thought it was funny that none of the photos had dates on them. Cade and I were in a few of them with Mom and her sister. Our aunt Chrys. But the crazy thing is Mom told me that Chrys died when I was a baby.”

“How old was Cade in the pictures?”

“Maybe one or two.”

“So, either your mom lied, or she couldn’t remember when her sister died, although that doesn’t seem likely.”

Blake sighed. “That’s what we thought. Kelly looked through the journals, but nothing stood out to her, so Cade hired a private investigator. She, the PI, found my aunt.”

Paige turned in his arms so she could see him. “She’s been alive all this time? Did she and your mom have a fight?”

“I don’t think so. She’s in a facility.”

“Like a senior’s home?”

“No, a psychiatric hospital. Cade got an appointment for us to go tomorrow. He took the first available one, but he won’t be able to go because he and Jessica are taking Malcolm to spend Christmas with her parents.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” Her parents were arriving tomorrow. They’d be staying with Jake’s parents, but Paige wanted to be there with Emmie to greet them. Maybe she could work something out.

“It’s right when your parents will be getting here. I’ll be fine, and Jake already said he’d go with me.”

Blake lifted her off him and took her hand. “Enough depressing stuff for now. Come here.”

He took her over to the Christmas tree and reached around to the back, pulling out a small wrapped box he must have hidden in the branches. “I have one more present for you.”

“You’ve already given me so much.” She went onto her toes and kissed him.

“Just one more,” he said.

Taking the box, obviously a jewelry box, she expected it was the earrings she’d mentioned. She pulled off the ribbon and flipped open the lid. Tears sprung to her eyes and she looked at Blake.

He was on one knee in front of her. “I know we haven’t been back together long,” he said as he took the box from her and pulled out the ring. “And proposing on Christmas is probably cliché, but if the curse taught me anything, it’s that I need to cherish every moment with you, and I don’t want to wait to make you mine. Paige, will you marry me?” Not waiting for her answer, he slipped the ring on her finger.

“Yes.” She threw herself at him, but she knew he’d catch her.

“I love you, Paige.”

“I love you more.”

He frowned. “No, you can’t say that.”

“Why?”

“Because then you’re diminishing how much I love you.” He used his thumb to wipe away the tear that slid down her cheek.

“I love you, Blake.”

“I love you too,” he said and then he kissed her with all his love.

* * *

December 26

“She’s in this room,” the nurse said. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” Blake said and turned to Jake as she walked away. “Ready?”

“I was going to ask you that.”

Blake didn’t know what to think or expect. He pushed open the door and walked in, Jake behind him. A woman sat in a rocking chair facing a window, her back to the door. Her view consisted of the low winter sun shining on barren trees.

“Aunt Chrys?” Blake asked softly, not wanting to frighten her, as he walked around to face her. Her eyes were closed, and except for the flutter of her lids, like she was in REM sleep, she didn’t move a muscle.

His aunt was eleven months younger than his mom, but she looked like she could have been her twin. He swallowed against the sudden emotion clogging his throat. Even understanding his aunt’s life was a shadow of what it should have been, it was difficult seeing her sitting there while knowing he would never see his mom again.

“Aunt Chrys? It’s Blake, Alex’s oldest son.” She didn’t respond.

“Aunt Chrys? Can you hear me?” he asked again as he lightly laid his hand on top of hers where it rested on the arm of the rocker. Her skin felt cool to the touch, too cool for the warmth of the room.

He didn’t even know if his aunt knew about his mom. Turning to Jake, he told him, “I feel out of my element.”

“Do you want to stay for a while?” Jake asked.

“I don’t know.” He turned back to his aunt and picked up her cold hand rubbing it gently in both of his. “Yes, let’s stay,” he said, changing his mind.

Jake pulled over the spare chair from the corner and pushed it at the back of Blake’s legs. “Thanks,” Blake said, giving Jake a quick glance.

Looking at his aunt’s hands in his, he could see how similar they were to his mom’s. “Do you think my mom knew she was here?” he asked Jake, without looking up.

“I don’t know. Maybe the nurse would know if your mom visited, or we can ask Cade to get the PI to look into it.”

“Maybe.” Blake wasn’t sure it would make a difference to his aunt, but it would be nice if they could shed some light on why his mom had lied to them.

“Do you know this girl?” Jake asked, showing him a framed picture. “It was on the nightstand and it’s the only photo in the room.”

“I don’t know her, but she could be the little girl from the photo album we found. If she is, then that picture is old because the girl should be about our age. How old do you think the girl in that picture is?”

“Fifteen maybe. With her dark coloring, I don’t see any resemblance to you, but then, you look more like your dad.”

“Do you think she looks a bit like Ford and Gage?”

Jake pulled the picture back to study it. “Maybe. If she does, it’s the eyes.”

Blake lifted his hand on top of his aunt’s to take the photo from Jake and felt his aunt’s hand move. “She moved. Aunt Chrys? Can you hear me?”

Searching his aunt’s face, he looked for any sign she’d heard him, but not knowing what could constitute as a sign. Rubbing her hands in his again, he figured it must have been an involuntary muscle reaction on her part.

“Let me see,” Blake said and lifted his hand off his aunt’s again but kept his gaze on her hand. It twitched, but he expected, like last time, that it was involuntary.

As he pulled his other hand out from under hers, to put her hand back on the arm of the rocker, her fingers moved again. His eyes glued to the movement, and he realized that it was deliberate. She moved her index finger back and forth. It wasn’t a twitch.

“Shit.” He glanced up at Jake. “She knows I’m here. What should we do?”

“I guess we wait.”

Clasping his aunt’s hand in both of his, he looked at her face. “Aunt Chrys. I hope you can hear me.”

Knowing her life had been stolen from her by a curse and that it wasn’t her fault made him angry at the spirit’s arrogance all over again. Did she even realize how many lives she’d stolen?

As the minutes ticked by, it reminded Blake of all the times he’d been locked in a curse. If he and Paige hadn’t fallen in love, or it had happened too late, would he have been stuck like his aunt?

Was she aware of her surroundings, just unable to do anything, like he’d been when trapped in his episodes?

His aunt’s finger moved again, then her eyelids popped open. She blinked before her gaze focused on him and she gripped his hand. “Blake?”

“Wow, you recognize me? How? Did my mom come to visit?” He sounded like Emmie, throwing out questions one after the other.

“I only have about two minutes before the curse takes me again. I realized a long time ago that my curse is reality distortion…” She looked startled for a moment. “What day is it?” she asked, panic in her voice.

“December twenty-sixth,” he told her. She didn’t ask what year, so he didn’t offer the information.

“You’re thirty now. The curse?”

“It started, but I fell in love and broke it. I’m so sorry that you can’t?—”

She waved her hand at him in dismissal. “Don’t worry about me. It’s too late now. Find your cousin. Her name is Maeve Montgomery, no middle name. The last time I saw her, she was fifteen. She was in the foster care system. I should have let your mom raise her like she wanted to, but I was too arrogant and stubborn. I thought the curse wouldn’t affect me. Maeve was born the same year as you, on November sixteenth. She was my life but I?—”

Her eyelids fell closed and her hand went limp in his once more.

“Aunt Chrys?” he asked, even though he knew it was too late. She’d been sucked back into another episode. They’d waited thirty minutes for her to come out of her last one, and they had no way of knowing how long she’d been in it before they’d gotten there.

When Carolyn had triggered Blake’s curse, he’d been stuck in it for over four hours. Since his aunt had been living with her curse for decades, this might have been the only time she would be aware the entire day.

Blake placed his aunt’s hand back on the arm of the chair. “I’ll come again, Aunt Chrys. And we won’t give up on finding a way to break this curse for good.”

Leaning over, he placed a kiss on his aunt’s forehead.

When he straightened, Jake was taking a picture of his cousin’s photo.

They walked out of his aunt’s room, and Blake stopped to speak with the nurse. “My aunt’s hands are really cold. Could you please give her a blanket or turn up the heat in her room?”

“Sure. I hope you had a good visit.”

“Thank you.”

Walking back to his truck with Jake, Blake wondered if he’d given his aunt false hope by saying they were looking for a permanent cure. He had no way of knowing if she had even heard him.

Sitting in his truck, he glanced over at Jake. “You’re going to look for her, aren’t you?”

“You know I have to,” Jake said quietly.

“I do. And of course, I’ll help. Maeve is family. But… one of these days you’re going to have to accept that you can’t save everyone.” Blake knew it was futile telling Jake that, but just like Jake hadn’t given up on him, Blake wouldn’t give up on Jake.

Blake started the truck, eager to get back to Paige and Emmie.

* * *

He’s racing against the curse. She’s sinking beneath it… and their time is slipping away.

Jake Young is fiercely overprotective of those he cares about, driven by guilt and the haunting memory of the one time he failed to protect someone he loved.

He made a promise after that: never again. No attachments, no risks—and certainly no love. With his loyal St. Bernard at his side, Jake is content keeping everyone but family at arm’s length.

Until he discovers Mae McFadden.

Cursed and running out of time, Mae’s nightmares—filled with despair and sorrow—are consuming her. Breaking the curse could save her, but there’s a catch: it demands true love.

For Jake, love means risking everything. For Mae, it’s a vulnerability she swore off after a lifetime of abandonment—even her English Mastiff earns more of her trust than her new found family.

But the curse is relentless. As a snowstorm traps them, danger closes in, and the clock ticks down, Jake and Mae must decide: will falling in love be their salvation—or their ultimate destruction?