Page 41 of Perfectly Matched

On the other hand, the list of things she would miss about her life on the island seemed endless. “This is insane,” she said as she slowly swam back to shore. She was second-guessing everything without even knowing if Payson wanted to be with her. Or even if she would consider living on the island. And if she did, that would be the fuel she would use to petition Nikita about the law. And if Nikita refused,thenshe would make a decision. “No sense thinking about leaving until I have to,” she mused to herself.First thing’s first…she needed to talk to Payson about their future plans and get a feel for what she wanted.

She finished the last few strokes with a renewed sense of energy. She shook the water from her hair and took a moment to sit on the grass and let the sun dry her as a small cyclone of wind kicked up and circled her.

“Oh no, you don’t.” She stood and tried to shoo away the wind. “I’m mad at you. If it weren’t for you blowing away my arrow, none of this would have happened. You had the power to guide that arrow into her, and instead, you…” Hannah paused as she replayed that moment in her mind: the tingle she’d gotten from looking into Payson’s eyes and the realization that she’d actuallyseenHannah. Her hesitation at the instant connection and the weird gust of wind that had blown her arrow so completely off target. What if the wind knew what she did not? That a mistakehadbeen made, and Payson and she were the ones who were destined to be together.

“You knew, didn’t you?” she said as she poked at the air, and the wind played the notes that confirmed her suspicion. She threw her head back in laughter as she spun in a circle and held her arms out. “You knew,” she repeated as a lightness surrounded her heart. The wind stilled, and Hannah bowed. “Thank you, my friend. Thank you,” she whispered as a breeze tousled her hair, then became still again.

It was the confirmation she needed to put her fears and doubts aside, and she now knew what she had to do and where her destiny lay. One way or another, she would be with the woman who’d captured her heart with as much magic as any of Piper’s arrows and spells.

* * *

It was late, and the newsroom had an almost eerie stillness to the air. The calm before the next storm, Payson thought as she gathered her purse. The morning news crew would be here soon, and the room would once again be filled with a flutter of activity. As she shut her computer down, she glanced at the corner office. Jason was staring at his computer, hands hoveringover the keyboard. He took a quick glance in her direction, and as she waved a good night, her phone chimed.

“Hey, Tegan,” she said as she pushed open the back door.

“Please tell me you’re coming out tonight. I really think it’ll do you some good.”

Payson pinched the bridge of her nose. She was exhausted mentally and physically, and she was in no mood to socialize with anyone. Not even Tegan. All she wanted to do was go home, pour a glass of wine, and be left alone. The night that couldn’t come soon enough she now just wanted to be over. “No, I just want to go home.”

“Want me to come over and keep you company?”

“No, but thanks anyway. I just…” She trailed off as her breath caught in her throat, and her stomach bottomed out. “I…uh,” she muttered as she focused on Hannah leaning against her car with a bouquet of flowers in hand. She was wearing her usual black jeans and white collared shirt, but she had her cuffs rolled up, exposing large golden bracelets. “I’ll call you right back.” She ended the call and stood staring at Hannah as goose bumps tickled her skin. A part of her wanted to run into her arms and kiss her deep, while the other part wanted to tell her off. And as she approached Hannah, that was the part that won the emotional tug of war.

“If those flowers are for me, you can keep them.” She brushed past as she unlocked her car. “In fact, I’m a little shocked you’re even here. I figured since you already checked out of your hotel room, you would have skipped town by now.”

“What are you talking about? I told you I would be here,” Hannah said.

“You told me a lot of things, Hannah Archer, or whoever you are,” she said with a bite. “Look, I don’t know what your game is or what you’re trying to get out of me, but I’m on toyou. I had Tegan do some digging into who you really are, and she said you’re a ghost.”

“A ghost?” Hannah snickered. “I’m not sure what Tegan meant by that, but I can assure you, I’m as alive as you are.”

“It’s not meant in the literal sense. It means you’re someone who flies under the radar so they’re not detected. It means,” she spat, “you’re just like my ex.” Tears began to sting her eyes. She did not want to cry in front of Hannah. In fact, she didn’t want to cry over this anymore.

“Payson, I swear, I can explain.”

“Uh-huh, sure. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to go home. It’s been a long day.” She folded into her car and shut the door. She was not in the mood for excuses. Now or ever. People that told the truth didn’t have to go back and explain themselves.

“Payson, please. Will you just stop for a moment and listen to me?”

Payson heard the muffled plea, lowered the window, and white-knuckled the steering wheel. She took a breath, calmed herself, and rubbed the sweat from her palms on her jeans. “You have five minutes. Then I’m driving away, and you and I and whatever it was we started will be through.”

Hannah nodded. “I’m a…” She trailed off and averted her eyes.

Payson blinked once, then twice, as she waited for Hannah to complete the sentence. But when no other words came, she rolled her eyes in irritation. “You can’t even explain yourself, can you?” she muttered.

Hannah lowered her head and mumbled, “I’m not quite who I appear to be.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know,” Payson said as she began to drive away. She was not about to be fooled twice.

“I’m a cupid,” Hannah blurted, and Payson slammed on her brakes.Wait, did she just say what I think she just said?

Hannah approached her window. “I know what that sounds like, and I wouldn’t blame you for thinking I’m crazy, but I’m telling the truth. I’m a cupid from a place called Archer Island, and I was originally sent here to get you and Madison together.”

“Me and Madison?” Well, that at least explained her annoying push to get them together.

Hannah nodded. “You were destined for one another, but I, um, I kinda screwed up and missed when I was trying to shoot you with her companion arrow. So I was sent here to correct my mistake, but instead, I’ve since learned that you and Madison are not destined for love. You and I are.”

Oh, this was not only beyond delusional, it was starting to feel a little creepy. “Okay, wait, back up…you said you’re a cupid? As in a stripper?”

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