Page 137 of Charmed, I'm Sure
Glassy green eyes—so much like my mother’s—met mine. “I’m fine, Magpie. You just… you have so many good people in your life, and I am so very proud of you.”
My breath caught. My mouth opened, but no words came out.
Silence stretched between us, my vision blurring as my own tears welled. How I had any left after the last few weeks, I wasn’t sure. But I couldn’t deny she was right.
I did have good people in my life.
Not many, maybe. Probably not even enough to count on both hands. But I’d rather have a few I could trust than a hundred I couldn’t.
“Y’all ready to head in?” Taylor asked quietly, his hand a warm brace against my back as the winter wind sent a chill through me.
I nodded, offering my aunt my arm for support as we made our way toward the house, the sound of laughter filtering out onto the porch as we climbed the steps.
“Aunt Evie!” Meredith screeched when she saw us, her face lighting up as she practically skipped down the hall toward the door. “You’re here! Guys, they’re here!” she hollered back toward the kitchen.
“Where else would I be, Gator?” Aunt Evie asked with a laugh, stepping inside just as my sister pulled her into a careful but eager hug.
“Gator?” Taylor murmured as I stepped past him, his brow winging up so comically high I nearly choked.
I tried—and failed—to stifle my laughter, my hand flying to my mouth as a snort slipped free. “Oh, cowboy. My sister may look like sunshine and rainbows, but she is the definition of ‘fuck around and find out.’”
“Elaborate,” he demanded, eyes narrowed in amused disbelief as we lingered outside the kitchen, the clink of dishes and murmured conversation drifting toward us.
Keeping my voice low, I explained, “Mer has a temper. A bad one. When she was little, she’d go off like a bomb over the smallest things—throwing herself on the ground, rolling around—”
“Like an alligator,” he guessed, lips twitching at the corners.
“Exactly. She’s reined it in over the years, but there are certain things that make her fuse extra short.”
“Such as?” he asked, palming my waist and pulling me into him.
“Such as her sisters being mistreated. Bigots. Idiots. Men being all of the above simultaneously.”
Taylor hummed, leaning closer. “And should I be worried about your sister?”
His words were a whisper over my lips, sending goosebumps cascading over my skin. Would there ever be a time when hedidn’taffect me like this?
Mother above, I hoped not.
“No, of course not,” I breathed, pressing myself against him and winding my arms around his neck as I pushed up onto my toes. Lips hovering a hair’s breadth from his, I whispered, “You have to worry aboutbothof them.”
His arms tightened around me, our smiles mirroring each other’s. “It’s a good thing you love me, then.”
“It’s a good thing they knowyouloveme.”
His mouth had barely brushed mine when Jaelyn poked her head into the hall.
“Are y’all just gonna hover out here all night, or actually come in and help us get this holiday started?”
“Your timing is impeccable as always, Jae. Thank you,” Taylor groaned, resting his forehead against mine.
Chuckling, I turned over my shoulder. “We’ll be right there.”
“Superhero!” Maddie shouted.
“Pretty sure he’s a villain,” Taylor responded, quirking a brow in my sister’s direction.
“Watch it, doctor boy. That’s my husband you’re talking about.”
