Page 31 of Magically Generated
He scrubbed a hand over his face.“That’s why I ran into you at the first sculpture—I wanted to see people experiencing it.I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but I—”
“No, that’s okay.I understand why you didn’t say anything.It’s just…I was the victim of a romance scam.”She looked down.“More than two years ago—it was shortly after my mother died.I hadn’t been with anyone since then.That’s why I freaked out when you complimented me.I kept hearing his voice.Recalling how gross I felt afterward, when I remembered that we’d been intimate.”
Everett’s gloved hand was underneath her chin now, but he didn’t tip it up, didn’t force her to meet his eyes.“I’m so sorry.”
“I have some trust issues.Obviously, you telling me that you could do magic is a very different situation, but I still couldn’t help thinking…”
Well, now she was thinking that she should see a therapist.
“Can I hold you?”he asked.
She nodded, already snuggling against the bulk of him.His touch grounded her.
“I’d never try to scam you,” he said, “but I know you may struggle to believe that right now.I know it’ll take time for you to fully trust me.”
“It might take a lot of time, but I think I want to try.”
Although it was terrifying to say those words, she meant them.Her life had contracted in the past few years.She’d kept it small to avoid risk, but it hadn’t healed the gaping emptiness inside of her, and she didn’t want to live like that forever.The time she’d spent with Everett had been a revelation.
Nora swiped at the tears collecting in her eyelashes, then tilted her head up to his.His lips met hers in a gentle kiss that she could feel down to her toes.It warmed every part of her.
She pulled back and let out a shuddering breath.“I think I’d like to head home,” she said, clutching his arm.
“Could you wait a few minutes?I want to make one more thing for you.”
He lifted his other arm, and after a moment of holding it out, snow lifted from the ground, as if by magic.
No, itwasmagic.She could see it happening, unlike before, and the snow sparkled in the air.It was incredible.
Holy shit.
He raised the arm she was holding, but she didn’t let go, though she loosened her grip.She suspected that the physical contact was the reason she could see this, but she didn’t say anything; she wasn’t even certain she’d be capable of speaking, and besides, she didn’t want to disrupt his work.Though she wasn’t sure what he was making, she didn’t care.No matter the final product, this was mesmerizing.
A magically generated snow sculpture.
Nora stared as it took shape.Everett removed some snow from the bottom to create a heart.It was about twenty centimeters thick, standing on its end.
“Wow,” she said.
His head snapped toward her.“You can see it?”
Chapter 14
“You’remakingaheart,”Nora said.
He frowned.Nobody had ever been able to see him do this before.Even earlier, she hadn’t seen the process; she’d just seen the result.Why…
Oh.She was touching him.That had to be it.
All this time, he’d thought it was impossible to show someone else what he could do, but apparently, there had been a way all along.
Or was it only with her?
Either way, he was glad that she could watch.He smoothed the perimeter of the heart, making sure it was perfectly symmetrical, then lowered his arms.As usual, there was awhoosh.
Nora fumbled in her bag, and a moment later, she held up a granola bar.“Eat.I don’t want you passing out again.”
He couldn’t protest when she used that bossy tone.He took off his glove, opened the wrapper, and ate the granola bar in a few bites.
