Page 114 of Magic in the Moonlight

“Oh, here they are.” Mom smiles genuinely at us when they approach.

Ellister and I stand, and I self-consciously brush off all the donut crumbs off my hands, smooth my flannel shirt, and wipe some residual dirt off my jeans for good measure.

“Hi,” I say with awe, and I manage, “It’s very nice to meet you.”

Ellister steps forward with his hand out. “Hello. I’m Ellister and this is my wife, Hannah.”

Dad shakes his hand but stays guarded. “If you two are from the same place, how come one of you has an accent and the other doesn’t?”

This man misses nothing.

“We didn’t grow up in the same area,” Ellister answers honestly. “But we were sort of thrown together along the way.”

“He saved me,” I add, lacing my fingers with his.

He smiles at me softly. “We saved each other.”

“All right.” Getting down to business, my dad crosses his arms. “Let me take a look at you. I can tell when a person is good just by looking them in the eye.”

It sounds hokey, but it’s the truth. My dad can sniff out a sketchy individual any day.

I’m confident I’ll pass his test. Ellister, not so much. In my Astrid-given memory, my dad didn’t trust him the moment they met.

But Ellister was soulless then. He’s different now, and I hope my dad can see that.

Plus, in this universe, there’s no bargain for a life. No enemy who might come to take anyone.

Dad has no reason to be paranoid.

First, he stares at me. As if he can immediately sense the familial connection between us, his expression turns wistful, and he pats my shoulder in a fatherly way.

His stamp of approval.

Next, Ellister is under Dad’s scrutiny. This one takes a little longer. It feels like a minute goes by, even though it’s probably only twenty seconds.

Then Ellister gets a hearty pat on the shoulder, too.

“Okay.” Dad puts his hands on his hips. “Are the two of you looking for jobs?”

I nod enthusiastically while Ellister responds with a polite, “Yes, sir. That would be much appreciated.”

“Okay, then. Fall is in full swing, and I’d like to say it’s our busiest season, but that’d be a lie. We’re in need of employees all year round. There’s a lot of work to be done around here. If you can learn how to clean out horse stalls, feed chickens, and do some landscaping, that’d be a good start. Each season has its challenges, but I can teach you as we go.”

Little does he know, I won’t have a learning curve. I could operate this farm in my sleep.

“I grew up doing this kind of work,” I tell him, my soul jumping for joy. “It won’t be hard for me to start wherever you need me.”

Ellister feels my elation through our bond, and he gazes at me lovingly. “I might not be as talented as my wife, but my stall-cleaning skills are unbeatable.”

My dad smiles. “You’re hired. I’m Bobby Wildwood, and this is my wife, Catrina. Our son is Chase—you probably met him already. And you’ll see a few others around here. We’re literally one big family.” His face lights as he points at someone coming out of the barn. “That’s my brother, Tommy. My other brother, Terry, he’s got the wanderlust, so he’s only here at Christmas, but his wife and kids are a hoot. My sister Billie’s around here, too, and she’s got a little one who you’ve got to look out for.”

I furrow my eyebrows. “Look out for?”

He chuckles. “Millie’s four, but don’t let her big brown eyes fool you. She’ll pick your pockets every chance she gets. Then there’s Jack. Hello, Jack!” Dad waves at the old man as he drives by on the golf cart.

Without stopping, Jack grips the brim of his hat and tips his head in greeting.

Mom chimes in, “My sister and her son come by quite often as well. Cathy and Cody don’t work here, but they help out where they can. If you get overwhelmed by all the people, I apologize in advance.”

---