Chapter 17 #2
As we continue to enjoy our meal, I update him on the latest renovation details at the salon.
We also discuss some of the behind-the-scenes work for the festival that I’ll help with now that I’m officially part of the team.
We laugh over Elvira’s latest antics at home and speculate on how big she’ll get someday.
To some, this might seem super mundane and boring. But to me, it’s so much more. This is the kind of connection I’ve always longed for. Just being with Hal, talking about our days and sharing a meal, makes me happy.
As we’re near the end of our meal, Hal’s cell phone starts ringing.
He pulls it out of his apron pocket and looks at the screen, his brow furrowing.
“Everything okay?”
“It’s my sister.”
I make a shooing motion. “Dude, you gotta take it. Don’t worry about me, I’ve still got some food left here. Take your time.”
“I’ll keep it brief,” he assures me, and answers the phone. “Hi, Fern. What’s up?”
I try not to eavesdrop, really, but his sister’s voice comes through loud and clear. It makes me wonder if Hal’s quiet speaking voice is a sasquatch norm or if they all tend to boom.
“Have you thought more about what we discussed?”
“Is that why you’re calling me again so soon, and in the middle of dinner, no less?”
“Sorry, I forget the time difference. But someone’s got to convince you to come back home, little brother, and it might as well be me.”
My stomach drops at her words.
Then my anger flares. Hal’s happy here, and I’m getting a vibe already that she’s about to try and guilt-trip him for that.
Squashing my urge to grab the phone and give her a piece of my mind, I take hold of Hal’s hand in silent support and he clasps it like a lifeline.
“Fern, let me make this perfectly clear once and for all. I love you. I love our parents. But I will not be moving back.” There’s a note of finality in Hal’s voice.
“My home is here in Mystic Hollow. I love my life here. I’m part of a wonderful community and have plenty of friends to rely on.
” He looks at me, something warm and wonderful reflected in his eyes. “And now I have a boyfriend too.”
I grin so hard my jaw hurts.
“Y-you what?” his sister shrieks through the phone.
Hal jerks the phone away from his ear and winces.
“Are you for real?” she says, her voice less ear-splitting this time.
Hal looks at me and grins, his eyes never leaving mine. “I have a boyfriend. His name is Skylar.”
There’s a pause and then she says, “Isn’t that the hairdresser human you told me about?”
“Yes,” Hal says with obvious pride.
My heart seriously can’t take this guy. He’s wearing down every last defense I’ve built up to protect myself. But I’m okay with him tearing them all down. My heart’ll be safe with him, I trust that now.
Hal holds the phone away from his ear again when his sister booms, “Halcyon. Maple. Atwood! Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?”
“Maple?” I mouth at him. He didn’t tell me his middle name was the same as his mom’s.
He blushes.
So fucking cute.
Gingerly, he holds the phone back to his ear, but I can still hear every word. “Well, we’ve only just recently started dating. We were friends for quite a while, but now we’re working on building a deeper relationship. We even have a hellhound puppy we’re raising together.”
“Jeezus, Hal, what the hell has happened in the last few weeks?”
My lips twitch. What hasn’t happened lately? Magic going haywire, naked gnomes causing trouble due to magic mushrooms of the paranormal variety, demon portals opening out of nowhere, and a hellhound pup staking her claim on Hal.
Oh, and us becoming boyfriends.
“A lot. But good stuff, I swear,” Hal says, noticeably shying away from any more details.
“I’m very happy right now, and as much as I appreciate your concern, I wish that you and Mom and Dad would respect my wishes.
I know you don’t fully understand them, and I can’t make you, but I hope that you’ll at least trust that I know what I want—and that it’s all here in Mystic Hollow.
In fact, I’d love it if all of you came out here for a visit sometime.
Then you could see how wonderful this place is and how happy I am here. ”
There’s a long silence on the other end of the line.
“You’re really not coming back.”
Even I can hear the note of sadness in her voice, and for a second I worry that maybe Hal will change his mind.
But if he does, I realize, I’ll go with him. Because wherever Hal is, that’s where home is for me.
“No, I’m not,” Hal says softly. “Maybe for a visit, if that’s something Skylar would enjoy too.
But, Fern, I’m settled here and have been for years, and now I’m building a life with someone else too.
That takes top priority for me, even over my family.
You, of all sasquatches, should understand that.
Isn’t it the same with you and your husband?
You and Redwood are the most devoted couple in our entire extended family.
Ever since you got together, neither of you have wanted to be apart from the other. ”
“That’s true.” She sighs. “But interspecies relationships are complicated, and there are so many challenges you two will face.”
I fight back tears, squeeze Hal’s hand tight, and mouth I’ll always have your back.
“Relationships are complicated no matter who you love, but living in Mystic Hollow means we’ll have far fewer challenges than we might elsewhere. We’re not expecting it to be easy, but Skylar and I are ready to face any difficulties as a team.”
I nod my head in vigorous agreement. If it means being with Hal, I’m ready for whatever the universe wants to throw our way. He’s fucking worth it.
“We’ve got this,” he adds, his voice full of calm conviction.
And damn if it doesn’t make me feel good.
And fuck, I really want to hug him again.
“All right, little brother. I promise to stop pushing you to come back, but I hope you know that the forest is always open to you, and we would always welcome you. And your boyfriend.”
“I do know, and I love you all, but my life is my own to live, and right now I’m exactly where I need to be.”
She sighs. “I’ll talk with Mom and Dad. I can’t guarantee I can get them to stop bugging you too, but you know how they feel about technology these days.
They rarely use phones anymore for anything.
Increasingly, they’ve been taking refuge deeper in the forest, away from everything and everyone else. ”
Hal chuckles. “And neither of us are surprised. It’s the usual progression for sasquatches as we age, after all.”
“Except for you,” she grumbles.
Hal snickers. “We’ll see how you and Redwood are in a couple of decades. For now, I’m the family outlier, yes. It’s simply time to accept that. Be sure to give Mom and Dad my love, and like I said, it’s an open-ended invitation for all of you to come here too.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” she says. “It’s been far too long since I last saw you, and perhaps that kind of travel adventure would be a good experience for your nephew in another couple of years when he’s old enough for it.
Plus, he’s starting to remind me of you when you were young. It’s long past time he met his uncle.”
“I’d really like that,” Hal says softly.
“Yeah, me too. Miss you, little brother.”
They say their goodbyes, and Hal puts the phone away with a sigh of relief.
“Halcyon Maple Atwood?” I ask, smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. I’ve noticed I do that a lot around Hal. Smile, that is.
Hal buries his face in his hands and groans. “Leave it to a big sister to full-name you in front of your brand-new boyfriend.”
I lean closer and reach my hand up to stroke his hair. “I love your name. It’s beautiful, just like you.” Then I whisper into his ear with deliberate softness, “Halcyon. Maple. Atwood.”
He shivers all over, and I get a heady rush.
I file that away for later. Full-naming my boyfriend has a very different effect when it comes from me—and I really fucking like it.
Just then, a server appears, sets down our bill, and takes away our now empty plates.
“Since I’m the one who invited you on this date, please let me pay,” Hal says.
I bite my bottom lip. “I’ll make it up to you once I’ve got some cash again, I swear.”
“It’s my pleasure, really,” Hal says, so much warmth radiating from him that I can’t help but wonder if he really meant what he said earlier.
That he really does see us as potential life mates, just like the penguins he loves so much.