Chapter 49
Sabrina waved as she thanked Julia for dropping them off. Korrie went right up the steps, but Sabrina moved slower. Mostly because she was full of hot fudge and regrets.
She’d eaten too much, but that wasn’t the only thing worrying her.
She got her keys out of the mailbox and headed for the front door. The ice cream had been great, but she’d missed Gideon. Something was wrong. She didn’t know what, but it still bothered her, just like it bothered her that she hadn’t asked him.
She shouldn’t have let him leave without talking, but Gideon wasn’t a talker, and Korrie had been so excited about ice cream that she’d let it go.
She unlocked the door.
“Trip,” Korrie called out. “We’re home. Where are you, Trippy?”
Sabrina hurried in after him. “Hey, you know you can’t ride him at your current size, right? You’ll smoosh him.”
Korrie glanced over his shoulder. “I know that.” He went into the kitchen, still looking for Trip.
She wasn’t so sure he had known that, but he did now. She stood in the living room, too disconcerted to do anything but knowing she had to do something.
What she really wanted to do was check on Gideon. He’d probably think that was intrusive or that she shouldn’t have bothered, but she cared about him. A lot. And maybe it was time to tell him that.
Now he no longer had his curse to use as an excuse for why he couldn’t be in a relationship.
Just the idea of such a confession knotted her stomach. What if he’d used his curse as an excuse because he wasn’t that into her? What if he only liked her as a friend? What if, what if, what if.
Standing there wasn’t getting her any answers. “Korrie?”
He came out of the kitchen, holding Trip. “He still likes me!”
She nodded. “I knew he would. Listen, I need to go out for a little bit. You and Trip behave yourselves while I’m gone.”
“Can we watch Gunsmoke?”
“You can. Just don’t turn it up so loud the neighbors complain.”
He grinned. “Can we have Pop-Tarts?”
“You can. Trip cannot. And if you put them in the toaster, remember …” She raised her brows, waiting for him to finish.
“They come out very, very hot.”
“Right. Good. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
“Going to see Gideon, huh?”
How did he know that? “I just want to check on him.”
“Good idea.” With a sly smile, Korrie carried Trip back into the kitchen.
It took her seven minutes to get to Gideon’s, and then she drove straight past his house, her nerves getting the best of her.
This is so dumb. Just park, knock on his door, and talk to him. It’ll be fine. Whatever the outcome.
She turned around and parked. But as she leaned on the steering wheel and stared at his house, she knew it might not be fine at all.
If he said he just wanted to be friends, she’d be hurt.
She liked him too much. More than she should.
She’d let herself fall for him knowing he didn’t want a relationship. Knowing he was unavailable.
If her feelings got hurt, she only had herself to blame.
She glanced in the mirror and wished she’d fixed herself up a little before coming over here, but it was too late for that.
She marched up to the door with more confidence than she felt, fixed a smile on her face, and knocked.
Deep barking answered.
Gideon appeared a moment later, opening the door while looking back over his shoulder. “Zeus, hush. It’s just the delivery guy.”
“Nope,” she said. “Sorry to disappoint.”
He turned. “Sabrina.”
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Zeus appeared behind him, shoving his giant head between Gideon and the door frame to sniff Sabrina.
“Hi, Zeus.” She held her hand out for him to sniff. He licked her fingers and retreated. She looked at Gideon. “I guess he’s settling in, huh?”
“Yeah, he’s doing all right.” As if realizing he wasn’t being very hospitable, he suddenly stepped back. “You want to come in?”
“Thanks.” She stepped inside, her gaze going to the clock.
“Don’t worry, the curse is definitely gone,” he said. “I’m going to sell that thing immediately.”
“Really? Even though it’s a family heirloom?”
“It’s not the kind of family heirloom I want to see every day. It would be better in someone else’s house. Someone who doesn’t have history with it.”
She nodded. “That makes a lot of sense.” She didn’t know where to start. She couldn’t come right out with how she felt. “You okay? It seemed like something was bothering you.”
Sadness filled his eyes before he looked away. “No, I’m fine.”
“Gideon.” She put her hand out toward him but didn’t touch him. “You don’t have to lie to me. We’re friends, right?”
“Yeah, I suppose. But I’m fine. Really.”
She could let him have his lie and leave.
But that would mean dealing with her own curse, and she didn’t think it would let her ignore the fact that he still needed fixing.
He wouldn’t want her to do that, would he?
“The thing is … since I wrote Korrie’s name in the book, I still have my curse.
And that means I can sense that you’re still broken. ”
He made a face like that was ridiculous. “I assure you, I’m not. My curse is gone.”
She didn’t want to argue with him. She changed the subject. “What upset you at the grove?”
“Nothing.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, you don’t want to talk to me. That’s your right. But just know that you can talk to me if you want. I’m here for you. Always will be. I mean that. You can call me or text me anytime. For real.”
He stared at her, almost like something she’d said confused him.
She really did not get this guy. Or maybe it was all men. It had been a while since she’d been on a date. She’d been too busy with the move and the store to even think about going out with anyone.
And now that she was thinking about it, the one she wanted to go out with didn’t want to talk. “What is it, Gideon? I can tell when something’s broken, but I can’t read minds. If you want me to know something, you’re going to actually have to tell me.”
His eyes narrowed. “Won’t your boyfriend be upset if I want to talk to you at some strange hour?”
She squinted at him, trying to see when he’d lost his mind. “My boyfriend? Who would that be exactly? You don’t mean Trip, do you?”
“No.” Gideon crossed his arms. “The sprite.”
“The sprite?” She started laughing because it was the only thing she could do. She got her composure back. “You think Korrie is my boyfriend?”
He dropped his arms to his sides. “He kissed you on the mouth. You said you loved him.”
“Um, because I do. As a friend. And he kissed me because he’s very affectionate. Which I probably need to talk to him about. But I can promise you, Korrie and I are not a thing. We never will be.” She swallowed. “Because I already like someone else.”
He went still. “You do?”
“Yes, you big dumb man. You.” Her heart was racing, but she’d done it. She’d told him how she felt. Maybe she shouldn’t have called Gideon dumb, but how had he thought she and Korrie were a thing?
His jaw came open, but he didn’t seem to have anything to say.
“Why do you think I kissed you? What did you think would happen when you were so nice to me? And gave me the money from selling that watch? And paid for my ice cream. And my breakfast.” She put her hands up.
“I know you said you didn’t want a relationship because of your curse, but that’s gone now. And I thought …”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, making her forget what she’d been about to say. Didn’t matter anyway. He was kissing her. And while the move had startled her, she was more than ready.
His hand rose to cradle the back of her neck, fingers threading lightly into her hair. His touch was careful, as though she were something fragile, something precious he’d finally decided he was brave enough to hold.
The world beyond them—the ticking clock, Zeus’s soft breathing—faded into a hush. The kiss was a slow, deliberate claiming, as if Gideon had been holding back and had finally allowed himself to do exactly what he wanted.
Her knees nearly gave out, and she leaned into him without thinking, her free hand resting against the steady thrum of his heart beneath his shirt.
Something in his kiss said what had felt impossible to speak aloud: that neither of them was too cursed to be loved.
The taste of relief was almost as strong as the kiss itself, and when he finally drew back enough to breathe, his forehead rested lightly against hers as though he couldn’t quite let her go.
She clung to him, smiling. “So I guess you like me too.”
Before he could answer, the doorbell rang, making them both jump. Zeus scrambled to his feet and barked.
“Sorry,” Gideon said, inching toward the door. “That probably is the delivery guy.” He gestured at Zeus. “I needed stuff for him.”
She nodded, still smiling. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.” He opened the door and took bag after bag from the man on the other side, then handed him some money. “Thank you.”
Sabrina stared at the pile of Green Grocer sacks on the floor. “Is there anything you didn’t buy?”
“I wasn’t sure what kind of food a hellhound would eat, so I got a big selection of dog food.
Plus a rotisserie chicken, just in case.
Then, while I was ordering, I remembered I could cook in my house again without worrying about setting the place on fire, so I ordered food for myself, too.
” He scooped up a bunch of bags. “Hey, are you hungry? I could make us some dinner. Unless you’re too full of ice cream. ”
“I could eat. Maybe not a big serving, but sure.” She grabbed some more bags and followed him into the kitchen.
She started unpacking the bags while he found a can of dog food and emptied it into a tin pie plate.
“Here you go, boy. Let’s see what you think of this.”
Zeus didn’t even sniff it, just started chowing. Gideon nodded approvingly, then held up the can to look at the label. “Country-style beef stew is a hit.”
“Good to know.” She took out a bag of carrots. “Do you want to—”
“Kiss you again? Yes.”
She laughed. “I was going to say do you want to talk about what just happened in the foyer, but I think you answered it anyway.”
He took her hand. “I’m sorry I misinterpreted you and Korrie. I don’t have a lot of relationship experience. You’re going to have to be patient with me.”
“I can do that.”
“Is it too soon to tell you that I don’t want to see anyone else but you?”
She smiled. “No. I feel the same way.”
He exhaled. “Good. I like you a lot. In fact … I’m crazy about you. Is this happening too fast?”
She almost laughed, the giddiness inside her about to bubble over. “No.”
“So then, we’re boyfriend and girlfriend now?”
This time she did laugh. “Yeah, I guess we are.”
“Good. Fantastic. Okay, hang on. I’ll be right back.” He disappeared, returning a few moments later with a small, slightly tattered leather box. “This is for you.”
“How do you have something for me?” She took the box.
“I just do. I want you to have it. As a token of my affection and my promise to figure out this relationship thing to the best of my ability. That way, when I screw up, you can look at it and be reminded of my good intentions.”
She opened the box. Inside was the diamond watch she’d admired in his shop. “Oh, Gideon. That’s too much.”
“I don’t think it’s nearly enough for what you’ve done for me.
” He pulled her into his arms again. “You’ve given me my life back.
Actually, you’ve given me a new life. One I never imagined I could have.
I feel like the luckiest man alive. How do I pay you back for that? I can’t. But I’m going to try.”
She looked up at him, her heart overflowing with thoughts of the future and what was yet to come. “Well, you could start with another kiss …”