Page 74 of Stay for Forever

Chapter 25

If you’re going to talk to an animal, listen to what it has to say.

“What is Beltane anyway?”

At Mav’s question, I stop on the sidewalk. “Sometimes I forget you don’t know much about Winter Falls.”

He taps my nose. “But I’m learning.”

He is and I love him all the more for it. It’s been a week of bliss since Ashlyn’s wedding carnival. I never thought I was the kind of person to use a word such as bliss, but there’s no other word to describe how wonderful it’s been being with Mav in a real way.

No more sneaking around. No more lying to my family about where I’ve been or who I’ve been with. Plus, Mav’s been a great help at the Wildlife Refuge. My typical twelve-hour days have become normal eight-hour workdays. Bliss, I tell you.

“Beltane is the celebration of the peak of spring and the coming summer. The name Beltane is derivative from Belenus, the Celtic sun god.” I clear my throat before admitting to the rest. “It’s strongly associated with fertility.”

He cocks a brow. “Fertility?”

I feel my face heat up. “As in there are fertility rituals.”

He places his hands on my shoulders and leans forward to meet my gaze. “Do you want children, June Bug?”

I shrug. “Maybe in the future. I’m only twenty-six.”

“Your sister’s twenty-four and she’s pregnant.”

“My sister also chased after the man she loved for years until she wore him down and then she promptly decided she was going to give him a baby as soon as possible. No one should make decisions based on what Ashlyn does.”

“And Ellery just had a baby.”

I cock my head and study him. “Are you trying to say you want children?”

“Would it be such a bad thing to have my babies? The baby would be conceived in love since I love you and you love me.”

My heart seizes and I forget how to breathe. Maverick Langston, movie star and Hollywood A-lister, wants to have children with me?

He rubs my neck. “Relax, June Bug. I don’t want to lay you down on the grass at this very moment and plant a baby in you. Although, if you want to go back home, I’m down with practicing.”

I wag my finger at him. “Don’t distract me. I’m in the middle of a meltdown.”

“Why? Are you not open to having children?”

I throw my arms in the air. “I don’t know! I’ve never thought about raising the next generation of Hollywood legends.”

He frowns. “Who said anything about Hollywood legends? This is just me and you, Maverick and Juniper, talking about having children in the future. Hollywood has nothing to do with it.”

I blow out a breath before nodding. “You’re right. I freaked out there for a second. Can we erase the last three minutes from the record, please?”

He smirks. “And lose the opportunity to remind you of how you had a meltdown at the idea of having my children? No way.”

I punch his shoulder. “You’re adapting to Winter Falls entirely too well.”

He throws an arm over my shoulder, and we begin making our way toward the town square again. “Now, tell me all about these fertility rituals. Will there be naked men running around tempting the women of town?”

I giggle. “You have some weird ideas about fertility rituals.”

“And I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Winter Falls. Naked men running around wouldn’t be very unusual.”

He’s got me there. I lean into his shoulder as we walk. “Thank you.”

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