Page 68 of Hexed
It also reminds me that I never will; it’s like teasing me with the end of a rainbow but never letting me hold the pot of gold.
Damn.I had hoped the feeling Venesa has been inspiring in me was a fluke. I even halfway convinced myself it was all in my head. Something spawned by the cold feet of me being forced to agree to this sham marriage with a girl I owe my life to, instead of meeting someone who actually makes mefeel.
But now, after less than a second in Venesa’s presence, I know the only person I’ve been lying to is myself.
Everything else falls away when I look at her.
Everything.
She’s glancing around the store and grinning at something Fisher’s saying, that silvery hair piled high in a mess of a bun on top of her head. A few strands are loose around her face, and my hand twitches, wanting to push them out of the way, just so I don’t miss seeing a single inch of her.
If you had asked me a couple of weeks ago, I’d say connections like this with people you’ve just met don’t really exist. They’re fairy tales. Delusory.
But I guess it’s easy to pretend things are unrealistic if you’ve never experienced them yourself.
“What areyoudoing here?” Aria rubs at her temples like even seeing Venesa is a drain on her psyche.
Venesa’s smile widens, and she looks over at Fisher with a smirk before both of them walk to where we’re sitting.
“We’re here to help.” She pulls out a chair right next to me and slides into it, tucking a strand of that hair behind her ear and studiously avoiding my gaze.
Doesn’t matter. The side of my body buzzes anyway, and I have to stop myself from peeking at her just to see if there’s any sign she feels it too.
A flush of her cheek. A stuttered breath. A twitch of her fingers.
“Don’t act so happy to see us here, Aria, baby.” Fisher plops down next to Venesa, throwing his legs out wide and an arm behind her chair.
I grit my teeth, that new and unfamiliar burning swirling through my center as I watch them.
Aria’s shoulders stiffen, a flush blooming under her cheekbones. “I’m not your baby, Fisher. You can’t just go around calling people that.”
Venesa’s eyes narrow. “Have you ever met Fisher, Aria? He calls everyone ‘baby.’”
Aria scoffs and crosses her arms.
“Then again, you should know that better than anyone.” Venesa tilts her head.
“You’re pathetic,” Aria snips.
“I’m a lot of things.” Venesa shrugs, amusement flickering like a candle in her gaze. She reaches out and picks up one of the white roses and then says, “You should do white daisies.”
Aria frowns at her. “Whywould I do that?”
Venesa twirls the stem in her fingers before bringing the rose up to her nose and inhaling. “They’re good for wedding stuff. Happiness, love…” She glances at me. “Fertility.”
My neck grows hot, and I shift in my seat.
Fisher opens his mouth, useless words flowing out yet again.
This whole thing is tiresome as fuck. It’s like I’m watching them all be in high school, throwing low-grade barbs at each other just because they don’t know how to deal with their hurt feelings and their petty jealousies.
“Enough,” I demand. “All of you are giving me a fucking headache.” I look at Aria. “They’re here, whether or not you like it, so you might as well use them. I gotta go anyway.”
Aria frowns, her eyes growing sad. “What? You’re leaving?”
I nod. “Scotty and I gotta go do some things.”
There’s a question in her gaze, but like the dutiful wife she’s about to become, she knows better than to ask.
