Page 61 of A Touch Charmed

Finn trailed his fingers up and down my spine. “We should probably get going soon. Wes and Audrey are going to wonder where we’re at.”

I rolled over and stretched my arms over my head, fully relaxed and content. “Okay. You first.”

He chuckled as he kissed my shoulder, and the vibration of it hummed against my skin. How had I gone seven years without this? Why hadn’t either of us fought harder? I didn’t want to wallow in time lost when there was so much to be happy about in the present, but it wouldn’t always be this easy between us. Relationships took effort. Would we be willing to fight when it got hard? Or would we walk away and get quiet like we did last time?

“Hey.” Finn searched my eyes. “Where did you go?”

I shook off the lingering doubt and gave him a smile. “Nowhere. Just old stuff.”

“I’m proud of the way you handled yourself with Warren tonight.” He brushed my hair back from my face. “That couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t, but it was necessary. Do you think I can win?”

“Everyone in this town knows what you’re capable of.” He kissed me and stood. “I’m glad you can finally see it too.”

I smiled at the ceiling as he went into the bathroom. When the shower turned on, I finally dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, and put my suitcase on the mattress. The next time we came back here, we’d begin building a life together on this cliff.

Where I’d always felt most at peace.

I pulled my clothes out of the drawers, but even after sitting on everything to smush it down, I only had enough room in my suitcase for my things. We still needed to pack up all of Finn’s stuff. Maybe he had another suitcase in his closet.

I pushed open the door and flicked on the light. He kept things surprisingly neat, but how many black T-shirts did one guy need? I searched around until I found a duffle bag on the top rack. As I pulled it down, a small black velvet box fell to the ground.

I picked it up, lifted the lid, and let out a gasp.

Inside was a simple gold ring with a small square-cut diamond. An engagement ring. A sharp stab of pain went through me. Had this ring been sitting here for seven years? Or had it been meant for someone else? I hated that I questioned it. And hated more that I didn’t know.

His shadow fell over me, and I spun around, hiding the box behind my back like I’d been caught doing something wrong. “I…”

I choked down the wooden spike in my throat. I didn’t know what to say or how to begin even asking him about this. A little voice in the back of my mind kept whispering that of course that ring couldn’t have been for me.

Finn could be with anyone, why would he want you? What makes you worth anyone’s love? You left for seven years and no one cared. You gave people something to gossip about when you came back, but this isn’t your home. This will never be your home. No one seesyou. You’ll always be defined by your relation to someone else.

That voice got louder as he approached me with regret in his eyes. “Let me explain.”

Oh, God. There was something for him to explain? I didn’t want to hear an explanation.

I dropped the box and ran out the back door.

I stood at the edge of the world and let myself feel small. Waves pounded the rock far below me as thoughts crashed over themselves in my head. I was going quiet again. I could feel myself doing the thing I promised I wouldn’t this time around.

My old insecurities continued to tap at the back of my mind, but they weren’t as loud out here. They didn’t even feel like my thoughts anymore. It was like someone else wanted me to feel that way, wanted me to question Finn. But that wasn’t me anymore.

I shouldn’t have run.

Last time, we’d let go instead of dealing with our issues. We let outside factors and people determine our relationship because we hadn’t fought for it. It cost us seven years. That wasn’t time I’d be willing to sacrifice again. It didn’t matter if the ring had been for me or someone else. We were together now. That should’ve been the only thing that mattered.

I let too much outside noise crowd my head. But I had to trust that he loved me, trust this was real. What was love without that leap of faith? It could be unexpected and scary, but in order to last, we had to make the effort. When things got hard, we had to choose us.

I turned around to go back inside just as he stepped around the side of the house. He looked at me, cool and distant. Then walked away.

Not this time. I was willing to get loud if he’d be willing to stay.

I chased after him, crossing the street and stopping at the edge of the forest. I wouldn’t go further. It wasn’t safe. A chill leaked out of the woods. My heart immediately jumped into my throat, but no black smoke followed. No telltale sign of the curse in sight.

The quiet worried me though.

Finn stepped out of the tree line. It confused me at first. Why would he go into the forest alone? He knew better. I shook my head to clear the fog that had descended on my mind.

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