Page 72 of A Touch of Spring Magic

He finished to cat calls and shouts for more, but he held out his hand to Jessica.

“I’m inviting Jessica Maye to the stage for a duet of my favorite love song.”

Her heart shimmied in her chest, but she barely had time to be nervous as his large, warm, strong hands gripped hers and led her into the gazebo.

“What song?” she whispered.

“Any song can be a love song when sung to or with the right person,” Storm said, still holding one of her hands while Chloe folded her fingers around the second mic and gave her a goofy, unsubtle thumbs-up.

‘Cover Me Up’ by Jason Isbell.

Beautiful song, but Jessica’s emotions were soaring all over the place too much for her to comment.

“Together or alternate verses?” he asked.

“Together,” she choked out.

“Good answer.”

And then they sang, and Jessica felt the tears slip down her cheeks—just a few of them, but instead of pretending, she just allowed her feelings to fly free.

And at the end of the song, Storm saluted Lucas, Rustin’s younger brother, who loved to DJ parties and apparently play karaoke host.

“Bring on the next pop or country star,” Lucas shouted, and Jessica watched a few teachers and students egging each other on.

*

She wasn’t surewhere he would lead her, but the small olive grove with the raised planters with lavender and sage mixed in with the hedges that they’d planted side by side felt like a perfect choice.

“I probably only have a couple of minutes before we’re interrupted,” Storm said. “We’ve created such an ideal oasis of beautiful nature and peace that I feel a bit irritated that so many people are now sharing what I had been considering private.”

Jessica laughed a little. “Guilty, but I wanted that. I lived in Charlotte’s south end for several years, and while it was energizing and exciting, I often felt alienated. Trapped in concrete and glass and brick even though as far as cities go, Charlotte is beautiful, but so much noise and traffic, and I wanted something different. I feel like I’m finally home now. Why does that make you sad?” She brushed her fingers against his.

“Not sad. Just put in my place.”

“What place is that?” she demanded.

“The farm is your family farm. For generations. I was only a part of it for a short while, and while I took this job hoping for a showpiece for my résumé as well as experience with diverse garden-scapes, I fell much harder for you than I’d anticipated. I overestimated my strength to resist.”

“But you told me…”

“I lied. It’s always been you for me, Jay. Always.”

“No. It was the book. The tart. The fairy. She was the unbiased eye,” she confessed, sounding like she was babbling.

“Maybe there’s magic from the book, Jay. I don’t know. Way above my life paygrade, but for me…” He tapped his heart. “You’ve been in here since high school. Before high school, but I knew Rustin…”

“No, don’t say it.” She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his. “Rustin was…I don’t know. And he’s Chloe’s now. Heart and soul, and I’m all grown up. Rustin was exciting and dangerous, and you were so overwhelming in your acceptance that I didn’t know what to do. I was so overwhelmed and afraid of my feelings, or losing control, of losing me or what I thought was me, but I don’t want to be in control all the time, Storm. I don’t want to be alone.”

She breathed him in and despite her pounding heart and heated blood, a peace stole over her, almost as if some mystical incense and mantra were playing in the background of an invisible, cosmic yoga class, although since they were in her garden’s homage to Tuscany, perhaps it should be a prayer in Latin.

“I want to start again. Give us the shot I was too afraid to take.”

“I want more than one shot, Jay. I want all of you. I want to be an us. I want to help you with your business, and have you help me build mine. Collaborators in life and love. Say yes.”

She looked up at him, his eyes dark pools of mystery until the twinkle lights he had put on a timer blinked on in perfect timing.

“Yes,” she said. “Always yes.”

And she breathed him in again, ran a finger along his lips, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him—the first of many thousands. “Yes to you and yes to me and yes to us.”

The End

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