Page 107 of Unhinged Magic
I maneuvered until I sat sideways on his lap, my legs hanging over the side. His hand curled around me, his knuckles rubbing my ribcage.
“Here you go, birthday girl.” Scar plopped a kid’s party hat on my head, tucking the string under my chin. She pulled out a couple of party blowers, handing one to Wesley, the both of them blowing into them like they were five again.
Throwing my head back in laughter, I caught Mom heading in my direction. Her mousy brown hair was just like mine, uncontrollable at the best of times. Right now, it was tucked into a low ponytail, a banana clip holding it tight.
“Happy birthday, darling.” She lowered, pecking me on the cheek and handing me a small card.
“Thanks Mom, I can’t believe you made it.”
My parents worked shifts at the local hospital, so trying to pin them down at the same time was almost impossible. I had somehow managed to introduce Wesley to them as my fated mate on separate occasions though.
“Dad’s sorry he couldn’t make it, but he will see you tomorrow for some of your favorite apple pie.”
I loved apple pie, especially when Dad made it. It had taken a long while for me to come to terms with the fact my parents had sent me away. But, as the years went on, I understood their reasoning for it. Even when I was unwilling to speak with them in the harder years, Dad had always made the effort to drop off apple pie to the boarding school office, and it had always made its way to me.
“I can’t wait,” I said, opening the card. Inside was a folded piece of paper; I opened it and my eyes widened.
A bank balance stared back at me. Enough for a deposit on a house.
I stammered, unsure what I was looking at. “Mom, what is this?”
She smiled wistfully. “When your grandfather passed away, he left you some money in a bank account to be given to you on your 25thbirthday. Over the years it’s grown with interest, and both your father and I have added to it ourselves on occasion. “It’s yours, but to be spent wisely, please.”
Wow. I struggled to find my voice.
“Of course, thank you,” I said, still in shock. I hugged her tightly, before she went to talk to Tyler.
I drew my gaze to Wesley who remained quiet.
“We could buy a house,” I whispered, and his grip on me tightened.
His lips lingered on my ear. “I have savings to meet you fifty-fifty.”
I hadn’t noticed Scar until her nose was between us, giving us the biggest hug. In no way was she being nosy. “You could buy the manor,” she said, having obviously overheard my mom.
I frowned, confused. “The manor as in thehauntedmanor?”
Her grin was devilish. “Pretty sure it’s not haunted anymore, and only we know that.” She winked, starting to walk away before turning to face us again. Her hand slanted across her mouth, whisper-yelling at us. “You might get it for a steal.”
It was true. The manor that I had found as a child, that had been my home in a previous life, was no longer haunted.
I turned to Wesley; he looked up at me with adoration. “Imagine if that manor was our home.”
A smile brightened his face at the thought. “Something like that would be a big job to restore. But it’s worth thinking about.”
At that moment a coo sounded from high above, and we broke apart to see a bird sitting on the gutter of the house.
“Is that a dove?” I asked, not believing what I saw.
“Yeah, it is.”
The bird instilled a strange awareness in me. I had never seen a dove in Cutters Cove before. It cooed again from its perch above, its black eyes looking directly at us.
I found myself entranced by this bird as it just sat there. Suddenly, it lifted into the air, soaring into the sky.
“Fly free little dove,” said Wesley as it disappeared.
My heartdropped.
