She kissed my chest, then pressed her cheek against it, wrapping her arm around my waist.
“I remember coming home and lying on my bed, just staring at the ceiling and thinking, I’m not who I thought I was. The world didn’t work like I thought it did. And maybe everyone else had known this all along, and I was just an idiot.”
She hugged me tighter.
“We moved right after that. My parents wanted a change of scene, and I think they even thought it would be good for me. They could see something was off. I’d gone from a cocky, smart-mouthed fifth grader who only came home to eat and sleep into a kid who hated leaving the house.” I exhaled. “But I think the move made it harder. I had to start over—without my magic powers.”
“But then you met me,” she said brightly. “And that was a good thing, right?”
“That was a good thing.”
“Until I made you pretend to be my fiancé. Attend social gatherings. Host dinner parties.”
“Yes, but . . .” Rolling over, I covered her body with mine, eager to lose myself in her again. “It also has its perks.”
The next morning, I woke up early and headed to the park for my run. I was hoping it was early enough to avoid the Prancin’ Grannies—and I even parked in a different spot—but no such luck.
“There he is!” shouted one of them as I got out of my car. Before I could get my earbuds in or make an escape, they came prancing over, wearing bedazzled pink and indignant expressions.
“Hello, ladies.” Reluctantly, I faced them down, reminding myself they were not lions, just old ladies. Ignoring the itch under my skin, I forced myself to ask the polite question. “How are you?”
“Fine, fine. We were hoping to catch you,” said one with a head full of curls the copper color of a penny. “We want to hear all about your big news!”
“We know her.” A granny wearing lipstick in the same shade of pink as their shirts nodded excitedly. “We’re friends with her grandmother.”
“Oh. You mean Felicity.” My mind worked overtime to think of something more to say, and nothing came.
“Yes. Her grandmother is Daphne Sawyer,” put in a granny with a neon yellow sweatband around her head. “She and her husband John own Cloverleigh Farms, but their kids run it now.”
“I heard the wedding is going to be at Cloverleigh Farms.” Another granny, this one with seriously thick penciled-in eyebrows, pushed her way to the front. “Is that true?”
“Uh, we hope so.”
There was a chorus of sighs and murmurs about what a beautiful place Cloverleigh Farms was, a few comments about other weddings they’d attended there, and a general air of smiling, nodding approval. They were also eager to establish their connections to the Sawyer family.
“I just love the Sawyers. So kind and welcoming.”
“And so generous. When Hank had gall bladder surgery last year, they sent a pie.”
“We always play in John Sawyer’s charity golf outing. Such good people.”
“Daphne still invites me to the annual staff Christmas party. We go every year, even though I haven’t worked there in years.” Copper penny curls paused. “I’ll probably be invited to the wedding.”
In the brief silence that followed, I could practically hear the ruffled feathers.
“Will it be a big wedding?” asked the one with the neon sweatband. “Lots of guests?”
“No,” I said firmly.
“Why not?” The smiling, nodding approval was replaced with narrowed eyes, hands on hips, and accusatory stares.
“We want to keep it small,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
“Small!” Copper penny curls was offended. “When you’re a local celebrity? That’s no fun!”
“You should do something spectacular,” said penciled eyebrows. “Like fireworks.”
“Oooh! My grandson flies those planes that tow banners,” neon sweatband told me. “You should do that.”
“My Alfred drives those horse-drawn carriages that take tourists around,” said a short granny in the back. “Something like that would be nice and splashy.”
“Yes,” added the one with bright pink lipstick. “Isn’t a small wedding just a bit selfish of you?”
“Selfish?” I repeated, dumbstruck.
“Everyone in town is so happy for you! We feel proud that such a brilliant, successful young man chose a hometown girl to settle down with!”