No Vacancy (The Aveline Series Book 2)

Chapter 57

PENN

We werein the final scene of the reenactment, and though I would never admit it out loud, I was having a blast. I had one more line, one I fully intended on delivering beautifully, as I had memorized it backstage during the intermission. I didn’t even have the script, it was folded and stuck in my back pocket. It was my time to shine.

I held out my hands, taking both of Darcy’s in mine, and gave my last line with the most emphasis I could muster. “Mine dearest Catherine, thou are mine one true love, and I hast known it from the instant I laid eyes on thou. Thou are mine heart and mine soul. I love thou with all’s that I am. Forever.”

Nailed it.

Now it was Darcy’s line to end the whole program. We would hold hands and stare into each other’s eyes as the curtain closed, and then we would all take off to eat and party.

Darcy’s throat bobbed as she swallowed, and I noticed her hands were kind of clammy. She had been so nervous, and I had found it completely endearing. I hadn’t pegged her for someone who would have stage fright. She was always so confident and sure of herself, but I couldn’t help noticing the fact her eyes never left mine during the entire reenactment.

Her mouth puckered as she blew out a small breath. “And I am yours, and I shall aye be only yours until the end of time.”

And then instead of standing and staring quietly at each other, Darcy placed her hands on either side of my face, and she kissed me.

The final curtain closed, and Darcy and I were still connected, our mouths moving in perfect synchrony. I welcomed her, my hands roaming through her hair, and my mind on nothing else except the way she tasted like mint.

“Huh, I have never seen that ending in all my years here in Aveline.”

Darcy and I parted abruptly, our mouths red and throbbing, the lingering sensation of her still on my lips. Lettie stood with her arms crossed over her chest, a smile on her face a mile wide.

I cleared my throat, wiped my bottom lip with my thumb, and looked down at my feet. Darcy stood with her 19th century dress flowing around her as she nonchalantly fixed her hair and straightened the bottom of her gown.

“I need to go change so that we can get ready for the dinner.” She headed toward the back, grabbing Lettie by the elbow and giving her a look I read as a form of “shut up.”

I bit my lip. “Hey, Darce?”

She stopped and turned slowly. “Yeah?”

“I think I liked your ending better.”

I changed out of my outfit quickly, but I needed a minute to collect my thoughts. Darcy had kissed me. I didn’t know what it meant or what she was feeling. I didn’t know what was going to happen or if she would even want to get to know me better. I didn’t know if she would ever even consider dating me or if she would run away from the idea. I didn’t know a lot of things, but what I did know was Darcy and her family and the entire town of Aveline did not deserve what I had come to do.

And because of that, my life was about to change.