Page 5 of Enduring Magic

But her love for him had been established long before. Back when a kind little boy gave a tearful girl, who had just dropped her ice cream in the dirt, his own cone to make her smile again.

After a time, Coop had forgiven his parents for suppressing his abilities, but he still grew salty at learning things after the fact, and Summer hated to spring this on him.

“Confession?”

He frowned but nodded.

“I met your grandmother.”

“What?When?”

“She would come to visit my mother when we were small children, and she’d bring a lemon pound cake with this amazingly tart lemon frosting.” Summer smiled at the memory. “We were like a pack of ravenous wolves and devoured every last crumb whenever she’d pop over. Mama adored her.”

“I never knew.”

“I’m surprised because your gran brought you with her once.”

He appeared dumbfounded. “I don’t recall.”

“I think I was about six, so you’d have been slightly older. You were in time-out, pouting on the steps because you didn’t want to play with ‘dumb ol’ girls.’”

His frown cleared, and wonder lit his eyes. “I actually remember that! Grams refused to allow me any cake because I’d been a ‘right brat,’ according to her. One of you—wait! Notoneof you. It wasyouwho snuck around the side of the house and gave me yours.”

“I felt bad you didn’t have any,” she said with a laugh.

“And I feel bad I never recognized how sweet and generous you were even then,” he said softly. “How did you ever forgive me for being such an ass to you all those years, sweetheart?”

She looked down at the locket in her hand and turned it so the picture faced him. “It was all worth it, don’t you think?”

“Yeah. It definitely was.” His voice was gruff, and there was a sheen of tears in his eyes.

“Coop?”

He cleared his throat and lifted a brow in question.

Summer shook her head and gave him a tender smile. “You really need to stop blaming yourself, you know. The Eddie incident, the arguments, and the split… accidentally shooting me. It all got us to this moment.” She cupped his jaw and pressed her forehead to his. “And to that beautiful baby in the other room.”

“I know, but whenever I think of how close I came to losing you through my own stupidity…” He shuddered and closed his eyes. “Christ, Summer. It’s a wonder you didn’t pull a Spring and bury me.”

“Let’s not talk about the past anymore. I don’t want it to ruin your second proposal.” She handed him the locket and turned her back to him. “Will you put it on me?”

He complied with a kiss on her shoulder. “Let me see.”

She faced him and tipped her head to look as he straightened the chain and settled it between her breasts.

“Perfect,” they said in unison. Their gazes locked, and they both grinned.

“I love you, Cooper Carlyle.”

“And I love you, Summer Thorne-soon-to-be-Carlyle.” He leaned in and placed a firm kiss against her mouth. “And I’ve changed my mind. I think we should get married at Thorne Manor as soon as possible. On the front lawn, by the steps where you gave me the lemon cake. If that works for you.”

Overcome with love, the raw emotion clogged her throat, making speech impossible, so she simply nodded her agreement.

“I’ll inform our families while you’re on your cruise. When you get back, we’ll plan the perfect wedding.” He tilted his head and smiled softly. “The spring equinox? We’ll do it the proper witch way.”

“You mean that?” she whispered past her constricted throat.

It was no secret Coop had rejected magic at every turn during their odd mating dance. Until he’d come into his own powers and became comfortable with abilities being the norm, he’d been extremely wary of Summer and her family.

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