Page 78 of Witch You Weren't Here

A heart.

He was tracing a heart on her palm. There was no medium for the magic, despite the tingling. He was just there, holding her hand and distracting her because he knew she needed it.

It was possible it was backfiring though, because now inside she was full to bursting. And when Joe and Sandy were declared husband and wife, and they leaned over the beautiful autumn bouquet for a kiss, there was a crackle overhead and a shower of light like the falling sparkles from a firework erupted around the room.

A collective gasp sounded and heads tipped back, watching the gold and silver as it fluttered down towards the crowd and then dissolved away. Everyone clapped and began standing up to see the happy couple walk back down the aisle.

Harry’s hand withdrew so they could stand too and Kay’s eyes skittered over the guests when her brother and new sister-in-law made it out of the room, going back into the dining room. Luckily, there were only knowing smiles on some faces and curiosity on the non-magical ones. The protective magic had worked. The non-magical guests thought it had been a clever special effect, planned for the moment.

‘That was very pretty,’ Harry leaned forward to murmur in her ear, sending a shiver down her neck as his breath brushed her skin.

‘As far as mistakes go, I guess.’ She bit her lip, a flush on her cheeks as she turned to look at him. Now they were standing, Kay could see he was wearing a dark charcoal suit with a bright blue tie … and that her family were watching them with interest.

They fell into step as they followed everyone out to line the wide hallway and throw confetti. Her shoulder brushed his arm as though her body couldn’t stop itself from seeking his, and she caught a small glimpse of his lopsided smile. There were shadows back under his eyes and the hollows of his cheeks seemed more pronounced than they had earlier, but she supposed he didn’t have Tina’s magic make-up to repair the damage of their jaunt across Europe. At least, she hoped it was that.

‘How is your dad doing?’ she asked.

‘No change that I can tell. He’s been pretty stable for the last week, according to my mum.’ He rubbed a hand on his chest, beneath his tie. ‘I was so convinced when I was away that I had to get back to him, I should feel relieved now, but …’ He shrugged.

‘Has the itchy-magic-compass feeling not gone?’ She leaned closer, lowering her voice. Honestly, she’d be sneaking inside his suit jacket in a moment.

‘The what?’ His smile was slow. And dazzling.

‘Oh,’ she wrinkled her nose. ‘That’s what I call it.’

His eyes scanned her face, before he seemed to remember himself. ‘Right. I like it. But no. I’m home but it’s still … coming and going.’

‘That must be driving you to distraction.’

He laughed. ‘You could say that.’

‘You won’t try to figure it out?’

‘I already gave that my best shot when I went out to Prague in the first place. I thought I was moving in the right direction, but nothing has actually changed, so maybe …’ His eyelashes lowered as he glanced down at her mouth. ‘I just have to be patient.’

He wasn’t talking about her, was he? There was no way Leon had been right when he said he thought Harry’s magic had sent him to Prague for her? He was talking about his dad and somehow helping him with this mystery illness. That would be the thing his magic would be focused on.

‘Kay.’ Her mother appeared with some of the small boxes of confetti Jaz had prepared. ‘You need to come and stand with the rest of the wedding party.’

Kay took a box by its little cardboard handle, juggling it with her flowers, and flicked a glance at Harry. She wanted to invite him along. She knew that Joe and Sandy wouldn’t mind. Their big day wouldn’t be happening at all if it hadn’t been for him.

Maybe that was why he’d had to find her? To be with her for when Joe and Sandy needed the use of Ashworth Hall – his magical link to protect the witching community of Biddicote teaming up with his itchy magic compass. But … Joe was married now. Harry had saved the day. The feeling would be gone, wouldn’t it?

Before Kay could invite him, her mum offered Harry a box of confetti too, accompanied by a politely dismissive smile, and then hooked her arm firmly through Kay’s to pull her away.

Joe and Sandy emerged and the hallway was full of cheers and a shower of pastel petals – which might have lifted up higher and swirled in perfectly aesthetic eddies – while Becca stood at the end, taking photographs of their beaming faces.

The wedding party followed, heading for the first of many staged photographs that would be taken during the break between the ceremony and the reception, and when Kay looked back down the hallway, Harry was already gone.

Half an hour later, Kay’s cheek muscles were spasming from smiling so much, she was desperate for a wee and sure the effects of the energising tea had stopped working. Joe and Sandy had disappeared to have a break before the reception started and the rest of the wedding party were finishing up with family and couple photographs.

‘Where are you going?’ Her mum noticed her breaking away from the group and followed her to the door.

‘Just for a comfort break.’ Please don’t say you’ll come with me, she thought. She needed a breather.

‘OK, sweetheart, hurry back, won’t you.’

Kay forced a smile. She’d been hurrying since 6.30 a.m.

---