Page 49 of Destined Lovers

He smiles down at me. “And you, my little spitfire.” He grabs me and swings me around in the middle of the street, making me squeal like a little kid. “Thankfully, haven’t changed as much as I thought you did.”

What?

I put my legs down to stop the spinning and screw up my face. “What does that mean?” I snap.

“See.” His eyes dance with delight, “Spitfire.”

“No, what does ‘as I thought you did,’ mean?” I practically snarl.

“It means when I first saw you last week, I didn’t recognize you. It’s not a bad thing. I just was taken back.” He shrugs. “Don’t look into it that much. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

I stand there, offended, even though I have no right to be because he’s right. I was acting differently. I just hate that he noticed it so much to comment on it.

He grabs my hand again. “Come on, Pip. I’m sorry. Let’s go back to the room, relax and watch a movie. Your pick,” he adds to sweeten the deal.

“Fine.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No.”

“You sound mad.”

“Well, I’m not.”

“Are you sure?”

“Declan!”

“Okay, okay! You’re not mad,” he says. He just can’t help himself. “But if you are mad, I really am sorry.”

I shake my head and laugh. “You’re a big dope. You know that, right?” He doesn’t answer but brings my hand up to kiss the back of it, and just like that, our little spat is over.

“Come on, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are calling our names.”

* * *

“Where is Nora?” I hear my mam call out to my da.

“In here, Ma,” I yell and open the door to my secret painting room.

“Hi honey, stay in here, okay? Don’t come out, no matter what,” she whispers calmly, but I can hear the panic in her voice.

“What’s going on?” I ask as a loud bang echoes from the kitchen. “What was that? Where is Da?” I ask, suddenly panicked myself.

She grabs my face, kisses me with all her might, then pushes me back into my secret room under the staircase. “I love you so much, Hanora. Always remember that, okay?” She reaches up and takes off her necklace, her most prized possession that my granny gave her when she was dying and places it around my neck. She then picks up my thumb, uses it to press the pendant into my chest, right over my heart, and then places her thumb on top of mine.

“Imprinted on your heart forever, my love.” She chokes, and her tears fall down her face—something I’ve very rarely seen in my life. My mam is the strongest woman I know.

“Mammy! Talk to me. What the heck is going on?” I cry.

“Where is that beautiful wife of yours?” a strange voice booms through the house.

“I have to go now, Nora. He’s already seen me, but you will be safe here, okay? Do not come out, no matter what you see. I love you so so much.” She sobs and slams my door closed.

She places her finger up to her mouth, motioning for silence. The wall is made of a two-way mirror, so I can see her perfectly.

What is going on? What is she talking about?

---