Page 41 of How Not to Hex a Gentleman (Witches of Edinburgh)

A MONTH LATER

KENNEDY

I hear shouting before I'm through the doors. Lily and I exchange a quick look as I shoulder the door to let her pass. We're both carrying dishes with food on them for our weekly dinner. Olivia's place is in the same building as her café but on the top floor. There are, of course, no elevators around these old tenement buildings. So Lily and I had to huff it up the stairs and then stand at the top of the stairs for a minute to catch our breaths. Then the yelling pulled us.

"I swear if you touch it one more time I will force-feed it down your?—"

"Parker!"

My friend is in the middle of the room near the big table, standing toe to toe with none other than Nicholas. Bennett comes out of the kitchen just as we walk in and walks over to me.

"I thought I told you to keep those two apart," I say, as he drops a kiss on the top of my head, reaching for the dish.

"I stepped away for thirty seconds to grab an extra spoon from the kitchen. I thought nothing could happen in that short of time."

"You underestimate Parker," I mumble.

Lily deposits her dish on Bennett as well and then we rush over to our friend.

"Hi, honey," Lily says, taking Parker by the shoulders. "Let's get you away from this side of the table, what do you say?"

"I say that arrogant jerks shouldn't be allowed—" I slap a hand over her mouth pushing her backward, as I glance at Nicholas.

"Maybe don't antagonize her before she's eaten."

"I only said chocolate chip is the superior cookie. Oatmeal and whatever that other name you called the cookie—snickerdoodle—I've heard of it. They're typically dry?—"

"What's dry are your taste buds," Parker snaps and then we're in the kitchen.

Olivia is at the counter and Bennett passes by to leave the room to give us some privacy.

"Parker, do you think you may be a little harsh on him? Isn't it okay to like other cookies?" I ask, keeping my voice low and as soothing as possible. She throws a glare my way as Lily pats her shoulder.

"He can like whatever he wants. Why should I care?"

"It seems like you care," Lily says, her words careful.

"I do not! He just seems to have a vendetta against me personally. It's like he can’t fight the urge but to disagree with everything I say. Who does that? I am almost never wrong."

She walks over to the sink and begins feverishly washing her hands. I turn to Olivia, who has finished transferring potatoes from the baking pan to the serving platter.

"Let me take that," I say, stepping forward.

Olivia gives me a quick smile and reaches for the other plate, full of bread. I don't move right away. There's something that's been nagging me for the last month and last night I had a dream that was basically all my fears realized.

"What is it, Kennedy?" Olivia asks, her eyes on me. The girls immediately catch onto her tone and turn to watch me as well. I haven't even talked to them about it because they were both gone by the time I woke up this morning.

"It's just—are you sure we don't have to worry about Professor Stewart doing anything?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper so no one in the other room can hear it. "It's making me nervous that he hasn't made any kind of moves."

"I agree," Lily says, stepping closer. "It seems strange that he would go through all this trouble and then nothing. I know you said your coven has messed with his spell in a way that doesn't make it seem like we had anything to do with it, but he's been watching us?—"

"I understand your concern, my darlings." Olivia meets our eyes one at a time and I feel reassurance in the fact that she's not concerned. "He's being watched by those around him and we're doing our best to monitor the magic throughout Scotland. It's the best we can do right now."

"So we should be on the lookout?" Parker asks, and Olivia nods.

"Yes, always. It's part of who you are and part of what your bond means to the magic community, but someone like Stewart doesn't require the magnitude of your powers. He can be watched by others." She takes a step forward and places her hands on Lily's and my arms while she looks at Parker who's standing between us.

"Grow your magic, grow your bond; that is your only job right now. To discover just how powerful you are. When struggles come, you'll be prepared to handle them."

Nicholas takes that moment to pop his head into the room. "Do you need?—"

"Nothing from you," Parker interrupts, before taking the dish from me and marching into the main room.

Nicholas looks at me and asks, "Is it really about the cookies?"

He looks like he genuinely wants to know and while I want to have pity on him, I think Parker would hex me if I gave him any kind of information. So instead, I just shrug and walk past him into the room.

Bennett is immediately behind me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest. He started these back hugs two weeks ago and I'm obsessed with how right they feel. I want him to keep hugging me like this always. Except when he hugs me any other way.

Basically, I'm a big hug enthusiast.

"Can I steal you away for a moment?" he whispers in my ear.

"We won't be ready for a few more," Olivia says, as if he broadcast the question across the room. "Lana is still on her way from after-school club."

Bennett takes my hand, throwing a little wave in the direction of the others, and pulls me behind him. He stops long enough to grab my coat and helps me into my boots.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

He holds the coat open and I step in before he pulls his own on and leads me out the front door. Instead of heading down the stairs, he turns to the door at the end of the landing. Producing a set of keys I've never seen before from his pocket, he drops my hand long enough to unlock the door and push it open. He then laces his fingers with mine once more.

The door opens to a set of narrow stairs and in Bennett's other hand is his phone, the flashlight blazing. We take the stairs up in silence, and then we're at another door. Once again, Bennett unlocks it and when he pushes it open I realize we're on the roof of the building.

"Wow, I didn't know you could come up here," I say as I gaze over the city from here. I can see down to New Town and over the tops of the buildings leading toward the water. The night is clear, just after sunset, so there is still enough light to have the perfect view.

"This is where Olivia grows some of her herbs," Bennett says and I turn to see him standing behind me and a structure at his back.

"Is that a greenhouse?" I ask.

"Yes. I asked Olivia if I could show it to you."

"How did you know it was here?"

"She mentioned it."

Just then, Stella lands on the ledge giving me and then Bennett a quick look.

Nervous.

Is he? I didn't think so.

Stella gives Bennett another long look and I watch as my boyfriend shifts foot to foot under the scrutiny.

"Why is Stella looking at me with murder in her eyes?" he whispers and Stella lets out a squeak, making him jump.

"She likes to pretend she's tough, but she's a total softy." I make a face at Stella and she flaps her wings.

Tough. Amazing. Beautiful. Me.

She gives Bennett another look.

Smells nervous. And then she takes off.

I chuckle. I turn to Bennett and he watches her fly away. I expect him to come to me then but he doesn't move. He turns his attention to me and just stares.

"What?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing, I just feel like the luckiest guy on the planet."

I grin at the corny way he delivers that, but the feeling is mutual. I move toward him, just as he does the same and then his lips are on mine. Every single time we kiss, there's a touch of magic in it. He makes me feel cherished and secure in the way I've never thought possible. We pull apart, breathless, but I don't go far. I plunge my arms inside his open coat, snuggling close as he holds me to him.

"You really aren't scared of this—of me?" I ask, because today has been a day full of overthinking.

Bennett pulls back just far enough so he can look at my face. "Never." There isn't a hint of hesitation as he delivers that one word. "I am here to stand beside you, always. Not afraid of your power but amazed by it."

"You're not afraid that I'll turn dark and put a hex on you?" I tease, but there's a serious look in his eyes as if he knows I need the answer to that question.

"No, you know how not to hex someone. Your heart is too big and too kind to be anything but a witch that helps people. It's one of the things I love about you."

My breath catches at that word and I know he feels the change in me. There's a big grin on his face as he gazes down to meet my eyes and he drops a quick kiss to my forehead. "I love you, Kennedy Hellebore, a powerful witch, a brilliant woman, and someday an amazing teacher. I hope you're prepared to be loved and cherished for the rest of your life."

There are tears in my eyes that I don't even bother blinking away.

"Only if you're prepared to be loved and cherished right back," I whisper, and Bennett's arms tighten around me, almost like I shocked him. I pull one of my arms out of the coat and cradle his cheek.

"I love you, Bennett MacKay."

When I pull him toward me for a lingering kiss all the fears from today dissipate. I know this is only the beginning for us and my magical journey, but as Bennett cradles me in his arms, pulling me up on my tiptoes and kisses me with his whole being, I am not afraid.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Parker's shout reaches us from down the stairs and through the open door, and we pull apart reluctantly. "Stop making out on the roof and come eat!"

"Coming!" Bennett calls back before he leans down and places a quick kiss on my forehead. I slide my hand into his and we head back down the stairs.

I found my people—I found my family—and now I can't wait to see what the future will bring.

Thanks for reading Kennedy and Bennett’s story!