Page 59 of Bewitched By the Siren
“You moved here?” I ask, the synapses in my brain all misfiring at once.
“Yeah,” he says, his lips curving up. “I live here. Right next door to my favorite person.”
My facial muscles tighten, and I can’t stop the smile that curves my lips. Brendan exhales harshly when he sees it, then mirrors my expression.
“Does that smile mean you’ll give us a shot? That we can see where this thing between us goes?”
“Yes.”
Brendan lets out a little whoop and scoops me up into his arms. I laugh as he swings me around, but the sound dies when he sets me on my feet and stares down at me with glittering eyes.
“Put me out of my misery, Hali,” he murmurs. “Kiss me. Please.”
Pushing up onto my tiptoes without pause, I press my lips to his. Fireworks explode behind my eyelids as a missing piece ofsome cosmic puzzle snaps into place somewhere in my chest. I don’t know if this is forever, but it feels like it might be.
Like Brendan Howser is my person, and I’m his. Like we were meant to find each other.
Like we were meant to be.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Brendan
I gotabout an hour of sleep last night after Hali and I celebrated our reunion––several times over––but I don’t feel tired at all as I watch her perform a sound check on the stage the town erected for today’s festivities.
People mill around me, eating their shrimp and grits from disposable cups, checking out the many vendor booths, and eagerly awaiting Hali’s performance. When she reminded me last night about the festival today, I remindedherthat she agreed to be my tour guide.
Was that really only a week and half ago? So much has happened, it feels like that conversation was months ago, not mere days.
Hali looks over and smiles, shooting me a wink as she finishes up and jogs down the steps to join me. I wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly to my chest. She sinks into the embrace, hugging me back with all her strength.
“Ready to try some shrimp and grits?” she asks as I release her.
I promised to wait until she was done with her sound check before sampling any. She wanted to see my reaction, first hand.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I say with a mock flinch, and she chuckles before wrapping her hand around mine and pulling me toward a booth.
“You’re going to love it,” she says over her shoulder, and I just smile.
I know I will. I love everything about this place, but most especially, the woman holding my hand.
Some rational part of my brain intrudes, telling me I can’t possibly love her. That I only met her a couple of weeks ago, and I barely know her.
But I push that voice away. I know enough. I know that she’s kind and loyal. Funny. Heart-stoppingly beautiful in every way.
I love her.
And I intend to make sure she knows just how much, every day for the rest of our lives.
Sure, it’s going to be complicated.Haliis complicated.
“Oh, there’s Mom,” she says, breaking me out of my thoughts as we approach Grace.
“Hey, you two,” she says, beaming up at us from her wheelchair. “Denny and I were just about to get some food. Want to join?”
We agree on a booth, and Denny pushes Grace over to the end of an empty picnic table while Hali and I order. When the person working the register at the booth hands me two cups, I peer into them with a dubious expression.
“What?” Hali asks, grinning at my expression.
