Page 49 of Cursed Luck
“Oh my God! You’re… better!” she said before asking someone to finish the order she was working on.
He gave her a bear hug, knowing she’d been worried over him. “I’m okay, promise,” he whispered into her ear.
Brandy cupped his cheeks and smiled. “You really are. Does it mean Mia’s back? Did you guys fix things? Do I need to go use my Broderick magic on her?” The latter she said with a hard glint in her eyes.
“She is, I think we did, and no you don’t.”
A throat cleared, and he pulled back.
“I wanted to introduce you to Mia’s parents, Lily and Adam Hemlock.”
Brandy’s lips formed an O, and a blush filled her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I—”
“It’s quite all right. You love your brother very much, and it’s clear you were worried,” Lily said, offering her a kind smile.
“He’s sometimes a pain, but I really do love him. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
“Mia’s with a client, and we wanted to bring back some tea for her,” Edward said.
Brandy nodded. “I’ll make her favorite. Should I warm a chocolate croissant for her?”
Edward nodded. “Whatever Lily and Adam want as well, but please take care with Lily’s. She has Celiac’s.”
“Will do!” Brandy said and ran off with the rest of their orders.
“Let’s sit?” Edward asked, waving toward an empty four top. “Oh, wait.” He ran to the back to pluck a few disposable bleach wipes and cleaned off the table.
When he returned from washing his hands, Lily set her hand on his arm. “Thank you, Edward.”
Later that evening, he insisted on taking them out rather than one of the women putting a meal together unexpectedly. After asking around, he found a restaurant with gluten-free options.
While they sat in a booth away from prying ears, Mia and her parents told him about their need to recharge in the forest. He learned about the hibernation that could take place if their body required rest. It helped him understand why she’d been gone for so long.
Those three days had been excruciating. She did look better to him after being run ragged with the shop. She was at his side, he hoped permanently if he didn’t manage to screw anything up. Edward planned on keeping a better eye on her.
His skin tingled as the image of Mia in a cabin on the outskirts of town came to mind. Plans started unrolling in his mind as he considered the drive would not be too long for them. A cabin surrounded by the land and plants she loved so dearly was exactly the place he would get her.
“Edward?” Mia whispered, her head tilted to the side in thought.
“Hmm?”
Mia studied him a moment. “I sensed your magic.”
“You did?” he asked, never considering she could feel the surge around him.
The three of them nodded. “I think we all did.”
“I’ve lived in an apartment this long because I didn’t have someone I wanted to make a home with. How would you feel about your parents using your apartment as a home away from their travels in finding fairies after we find our home?”
Mia’s mouth opened and shut a few times. “You’re talking about moving in together?”
He nodded. “When the time is right, yes.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful! We were planning on putting our house on the market while we were back.”
“You were?” Mia asked her parents.
“Honey, we are gone more than we are here. It’s rather silly to have the house sitting there collecting dust.”
