Page 107 of Hopelessly Teavoted
“Really?” Vickie had, in fact, always wanted to drive the Packard.
“Yes.” His smile was wide, and all for her.
“I would very much like that.”
Pulling open the driver’s-side door, he gestured and held out the keys. She took them gingerly to avoid any more deaths.
Vickie slid in, buckled her seat belt, and tried not to notice how Priscilla and her brother exchanged a knowing look. Priscilla would carry on her parents’ tradition, the next generation of Harts prepared to meddle and encourage her relationship. It softened the blow of losing Persephone and Benedict, knowing that Priscilla and Azrael would look after each other always. Azrael snapped his fingers, covering his hands in formalwear, and threaded a gloved set of fingers between Vickie’s for a moment.
As Vickie turned the key in the ignition, the Packard hummed to life, and she relished the smooth ride, punctuated by faint whispers from the back seat that she couldn’t quite make out—probably for the best—and occasional squeezes from Azrael’s gloved hand—definitely for the best.
By the time Vickie dropped off Evelyn and Priscilla at Evelyn’s condo, the magic of anticipation thrummed between her body and Azrael’s in that wide front seat. If they were to seal things between them, she needed to come clean.
“Vickie,” Az started. “If you’ve changed your mind… I haven’t. I meant it all, and I still mean it, but if you have—”
“I haven’t. I love you. I still want to do this.” Vickie smiled, continuing, “There’s something I need to tell you, though.” Holding the steering wheel and guiding the behemoth of a car toward Hart Manor made her bold. Like she could direct her own sails.
Like it was time to stop fearing the possibility of loss, in the face of actual loss. To stop fearing clinginess, in the face of a love worth holding on to.
“The night in high school with the sugar-rimmed margaritas.”
“I remember,” Az said softly.
“I drank too much, and it was hazy, but when I woke up across that king bed from you, I thought for a moment that maybe I loved you. I reached for you, and I was about to tell you.”
“Vickie.” His voice was a question. “I need to tell you—”
“Hold on, Az. There’s more. I’m sorry I threw up instead of telling you how I felt. I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage. I was so afraid of losing everything we had, and then I lost it anyway. I want to tell you now. I don’t want to wait a second longer to tell you again. I love you.”
His gloved hand gripped her thigh now.
“Youneverlost me, Vickie. And you’re not the only one whofaltered in pivotal moments. Do you remember the time we went hiking?”
“When Priscilla bailed for her girlfriend and I dared you to go skinny-dipping, but you made me turn around until we were waist deep?”
“Yeah. That time.” Az’s voice was rough now, the words scraping out.
“I was sure you weren’t interested. Because you insisted that we could only swim if neither of us looked getting in.”
“Vickie. I was a teenage boy terrified of showing you my dick in the freezing mountain air.”
She snorted. “You don’t need my validation, but I will reassure you that all of you is perfectly magical.”
Good goddess, she wanted to touch him now. Not enough to kill him, but still.
It was taking all Vickie’s resolve to pay attention to the road, but she snuck a glance to her right and saw that he was blushing.
“I was not thinking straight,” Az muttered. “I was so into you, Vickie. I loved you. I still love you, so much. This whole time. I always have.”
Had she known the whole time, and just been too afraid to act on it? She bit her lip, uncertain which part of her immaturity of youth had prevented them from being together.
“Okay, then. If you weren’t disinterested, how did you really feel?”
“Vickie,” Az groaned. “I’m the worst. I… I snuck a look when you got out.”
“You absolutedog,” Vickie said, delighted at the admission. “Go on.”
Azrael covered his face for a moment with a gloved hand.
