45. Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Five
‘ I don’t understand how you found this place. Do you know how many hours I’ve spent searching for it using maps and the internet?’ Willow watched the water bumble over the rocks and pebbles, and the ripples extend from the stick she threw in before it floated down the stream and tangled in the weeds. On the edge of Grandma Jax’s land, it was a place she believed fairies played and lured travellers away. Being there after all these years felt surreal, especially in the presence of Nate.
‘I could say serendipity. A wrong turn here and there. But.’ He ran his hand along the back of his neck and shuffled his feet on the riverbank. ‘I’d be lying. I hired a private investigator. They phoned me just as I was leaving Whitby.’
‘You hired a PI? For me?’
He nodded. ‘I knew how much it meant to you. It was the least I could do. Thank goodness, Jez didn’t phone the police accusing me of breaking and entering when he caught me snooping around the cottage to check whether this really was the place. Found it yesterday. Don’t you ever answer your phone?’
She ignored his question. He’d found this for her. Her heart pounded with a reignited emotion for him, but her head screeched at it to stop. ‘Wait. What are you doing up here? You’re supposed to be on your honeymoon with your new wife.’
‘My what?’
‘Your wife, Rebecca. The one you rushed home to marry after your last night of freedom. I can’t believe I was so stupid. I trusted you, shared everything with you, and foolishly believed what you said.’ Rage boiled up inside her, pushing gratitude aside, and a rush of electricity spread to her fingers. Sparks of magic longed for a release.
‘I meant everything I said.’
‘You’re married, Nate.’
‘Where did you hear that from?’
‘Amber. Don’t deny it, Nate. I saw the photos. You and her at the Christmas Ball days before we met. Her recent declaration of love and joy at being Mrs Reynolds. Both times we were together, you were with her.’
‘Shit!’ Nate raked his hand through his hair, grabbed her arm, but the jolt of energy forced him to release it. ‘Ow. Fuck. It’s not what you think. Did you see the photos uploaded yesterday?’
‘No. I saw enough. Besides, you know I don’t use social media.’
‘Which is why I never thought it’d be a problem. I mean—’ Nate frantically scrolled his phone, cursing the lack of signal under his breath, ‘—I bet Amber wouldn’t show you the new ones, even if she checked. She hates me. Yes, I took Rebecca to the Christmas Ball and yes, we were engaged. But by Christmas Day, as far as I was concerned, it was over. I promise.’ He braved touching Willow again, turned her towards him, and lifted her chin up so she could see the intensity in his eyes. ‘Rebecca married Jamie, not me.’
‘Jamie?’ He gave her his phone, allowing her to scroll the wedding photos. Willow was transfixed by the stunning bride she recognised, beaming at the camera, wrapped in the groom’s arms, with Nate standing to one side.
‘Jamie, my globetrotting influencer brother, swept her off her feet when I was too busy at work trying to provide her the lifestyle she declared she wanted. The brother who, unknown to me, was the man I caught in my bed on the day of the Ball.’
‘He did what? That makes no sense.’ Yet the photo proved otherwise.
‘What doesn’t? The fact she fell in love with him and married him months later? If you saw his Instagram feed, you’ll know many women want to marry him. He receives several proposals every day.’
‘I’ve seen his Instagram. I can use Google, you know, I’m not a complete Luddite. Besides, her post said Mrs N. Reynolds, not J. And there were no photos of him anywhere on her page. Just you.’
‘His full name is Noel James after being born unexpectedly on Christmas Eve. He detests his name and has always been Jamie. Rebecca has been on a social media blackout since Christmas, and they’ve kept their relationship secret from everyone except a select few.’
‘Why?’
‘You’ve seen what the media’s like. A scandal about him having an affair with his brother’s girlfriend would’ve ended his career. Sponsors would run a mile. Rebecca also wanted a fairy-tale wedding without the press. Now they’re married, the media will focus on that. I’d no idea it looked like me and her were still together on bloody Facebook. Or it’d affect us. I had to go back for the wedding. I was his best man.’
‘His best man? How could you do that? They cheated on you.’
‘They did, but meeting you made me realise you can fall in love deeply in a moment and I never had that with Rebecca. Why should I stand in their way? They deserve happiness. They followed their hearts. Like I should have done. When you told me to leave, I decided to let the dust settle instead of fighting for you. And then, I worried what would happen if the media linked you with the potential Jamie scandal. With the Clara feud, they’d have had a field day. Instead, I tried to forget you. Which is impossible. I never realised by waiting I’d lose you to Glenn.’
‘Glenn? What’s he got to do with this? We’re just friends.’
‘So you said. Yet I saw you kissing on the beach.’
‘You were there?’
‘You didn’t answer my calls or messages, so after the wedding I came up to check you were okay and tell you everything. I bumped into Amber, who said you’ve been together for months. Yet you call me a cheat.’
‘She what? I’ll bloody kill her. Amber lied. There is no me and Glenn, there never has been and never will. That kiss you saw was thanks to her slipping a love potion into our drinks. I can just about forgive her that, every witch gets tempted to meddle in other people’s lives with good intentions, but lying…’ Anger flared, sending a blue ball of energy flying from her fingers. It skipped across the stream until it scorched a patch of grass opposite. Stunned, she froze. Her magic never did that before.
Nate stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her, and drew her into an embrace, distracting her from the damage.
‘I could have lost you.’
‘But you didn’t, Willow, I’m here. Speedwell Cottage is here, and you’ve discovered your family history,’ Nate cajoled. ‘Everything has turned out okay.’
His words and embrace soothed her, and any remaining anger directed at Amber notched down to a simmer.
‘I love you, Willow Anderson, even when you’re angry.’
‘You do?’ His fingers caressed her face and brought his lips closer to hers so she could feel his words dance in the air between them.
‘I do.’
***
Willow grabbed Nate’s hand and led him up the stairs of the Old Ram, away from prying eyes. With the apple blossom still tucked behind her ear, the energy and sense of well-being from the orchard pulsed in her blood; she felt alive. The world was calmer, colours brighter, and her more acute senses tuned into the hum of the earth, of nature. She could hear each individual note of the birds’ melody outside, the soft creak as a rosebud in a vase opened, and smell each component of the blend of Nate’s aftershave. The electricity she’d experienced the first time she held Nate on that cold night was nothing compared to this. She needed to share the energy buzzing through her, and allow him to feel the power. She longed for his touch. To feel the intensity of each stroke, caress, and kiss.
Locating his room, he wasted precious minutes rummaging in his pocket for the key before she led him into the bedroom. She slammed the door behind him, securing the lock. Wasting no time, she kissed him. The heat and passion made him respond instantly. Clothes flew across the room, as they both undressed, eager to touch each other with no barriers. Her skin shimmered with magic and any ghosts in the Old Ram soon averted their eyes, allowing the Mexenby witch to claim her man in peace.
‘Well, that was different,’ Nate said, holding a contented Willow tight. ‘I could get used to sleeping with the Mexenby witch.’
‘I don’t think you could call that sleeping.’
‘So I wasn’t dreaming the sparks, lights and—’
‘No, you weren’t. Who knew what a walk in the orchard could do?’ said Willow.
‘Maybe we should do it again just to make sure I wasn’t asleep.’ His fingers trailed across her back, sending shivers through her body. She edged away.
‘I can’t. I have to go back home. Vincent needs me, and I need to lock up.’ And tackle Amber .
‘Phone Rosa. She’ll do it. Just say you’ve some amazing gossip to tell her tomorrow. She’ll be more than happy to help.’
‘I guess.’ He was right. Without details, today’s events would satisfy Rosa’s desire for juicy gossip.
‘Come on, Mexenby needs its witch to stay the night, even in a bed that isn’t made for one, never mind two. I suspect Arnie wants to celebrate your return, and so do I.’
Willow picked up her phone and dialled the Emporium.