Page 32 of Witch Upon a Star
“Confused is fine, so long as it doesn’t bring you down. Now,” I said pointedly. “What is it you need to finish around here so we can go on our date without you feeling like you’re not going to be ready for Friday on time?”
She blinked, startled by my question. “You’re… I mean, you’re not going to kiss me?”
The disappointment in her eyes would have brought me to my knees if I wasn’t already sitting on my ass.
I ran my hand through her hair. “Winnie, if I start kissing you now, I’m not going to stop. So no, I’m not going to kiss you yet. We’re going to finish putting your store together for your Grand Opening, we’re going to go on our first date and have a fuckingamazingtime, andthenI’m going to kiss you.” I pulled on her hair gently. “But have no doubt that my intentions towards you have not changed. Iwillbe inside you. Sooner,” I added with another playful pull, “rather than later.”
7
CALLIOPE
“You’re really going on a date tonight?”
After spending the rest of the morning plus the afternoon with Quinten in my shop getting things ready, I had still been loath to see him leave. True to his word, hehadn’tkissed me. Yet. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t spent the entirety of our day flirting, touching, and driving my hormones bananas. Even with all that distraction, though, we still accomplished a lot. I no longer felt like I was behind and felt confident that I could get my storefront ready in time for my Grand Opening Friday afternoon.
No doubt the garbageman would hate me come Thursday, though. We hada lotof boxes that still needed to be broken down and placed in the recycling dumpster out back. Thankfully, the trash pickup was twice a week.
Quinten’s confidence in us helped me to push past my confusion. I had no idea what had gone wrong, or right, with my original vision. I was so sure of the date, his words, and the atmosphere that I’d planned my entire future around that moment in time. But now?
Those three cards,Ace of Cups, Four of Wands,andThe Lovers, especially in that order, were a clear sign that love was in the air. If even one was different or reversed, I wouldn’t be so sure. But they hadn’t been. While some read for past, present, and future, I had asked my question with the intention of mind, body, and spirit.
Upright as it had been,Ace of Cupswas one of the happiest cards in a reading. It symbolized new feelings, an awakening. Especially if you’re single, as I was, it pointed towards the start of a new romantic relationship.Four of Wandsin answer to a romantic question oftentimes could lead to marriage. It also was a strong community card, which made sense given the lifestyle of Quinten’s motorcycle club. Especially when followed up byThe Lovers. I wasn’t sure yet what sacrifice I had to make for my commitment. There was a chance I had already made it by giving up time and watching him be with others, but I didn’t think so. Not when the card was the last one drawn.
Individually, each of the cards from my reading had pointed towards following love’s path, but together? It was one of the strongest reads towards love I could have gotten.
Mom had offered to do another reading for me when I got home earlier, concerned that I’d either consciously or subconsciously ‘stacked the deck’. Often when doing a reading for yourself or a family member, one can easily misinterpret the cards towards the outcome they desire most, even without manipulating which cards are drawn. Amateurs did it too, not understanding the broader meanings behind the suits.
I understood Mom’s concern, but Quinten’s near demand for me to confess how I felt without the influence of my tarot or visions made me realize that I didn’t need divine interventionto know what to do. I was going on a date with the love of my life, the man I would one day marry and who would father my two children. I didn’t need to know anything else.
My bedroom door was open. I’d already showered and was dressed. My room had changed a lot over the years, from my nursery to my adult bedroom. I wasn’t positive this was the bed I would lose my virginity in. For some reason, I could never see that clearly. Like we were surrounded by a mist too dense for me to see through.
I was wearing jeans, ankle boots, and a long green tunic. I didn’t know where he was taking me, but I knew he would be taking me on his bike. I wanted something classy while also comfortable and able to be worn on his motorcycle.
In my mirror, I met my mom’s eyes. “I’m going,” I assured her again. I was starting to feel defensive, which I hated. My mom and I had a great relationship, always had. Even in my teenage years, I always felt like I could come to her with anything. I didn’t want my decision to be with Quinten now to affect that.
My mom fought with her words for a moment before saying, “I just want you to be careful. If you are changing your future, you don’t know what other changes you could be influencing.”
I nodded. I’d already thought of this, but I also was very positive that, no matter those changes, Quinten would be by my side as I faced them. “I’ll be careful,” I promised.
“Your father and I still want to officially meet him.”
I’d assumed as much. Years ago, I’d pointed Quinten out to my parents, but they hadn’t actually met him yet.
I took a calming breath and concentrated. Since running into Quinten at the bakery when he’d first moved totown, I’d developed aseventhsense, as if my regular five and my witchy sixth weren’t enough. No, now I had a Quinten Beacon.
It wasn’t like I could concentrate and see where he was, along with his surroundings. It was more of knowing which direction he was in or how far away he was from me. It wasn’t an exact locator. Getting longitude and latitude coordinates, though, would be useless to me. Still, I’d found myself searching for him over the years, just to check in.
“He’s on his way,” I said with a smile. I could practically feel the wind as he rode his bike towards my house.
Opening my eyes, I saw my mom nod once. “Good, and don’t forget to use protection.”
“Mom!” I groaned, my cheeks flaming. As comfortable as I was talking to my mom about anything, I did not want her to know when and where I was planning on having sex.
“I meant a helmet,” she said innocently, even though I knew she hadn’t.
I glared at her as she left, cackling. Shaking my head that I fell for her joke, I finished braiding my hair and applying my makeup. I usually wore my hair loose, but I didn’t want it to look like a rat’s nest by the time we got to where we were going. The braid was quick, simple, and I could take it out easily.
I was heading down the stairs when I heard the rumble of his bike. My heart picked up its pace. I’d ridden on his bike countless times in my dreams, but knew this was going to be different. Better.
