by Sydney Logan
“I’m a virgin,” she said.
His mouth dropped open.
Laughing, she snatched the basketball out of his hands. The ball sailed from the three-point line and circled the rim before rattling in.
Dylan sighed. “Okay, this is my deepest, darkest secret. The one you have to promise to take to your grave. Are you ready?”
She nodded eagerly.
“My favorite movie is The Little Mermaid.”
Angelina bowed her head in defeat and tossed the ball into the air. There was no way she could top that one. The basketball bounced in the distance, and a brief moment of silence hung between them until she erupted into a fit of giggles.
“I’m . . . sorry.” Angelina tried to catch her breath as the chuckles subsided. Dylan disappeared for a second and returned with the basketball under his arm.
“You think that’s funny?”
“I think that’s hilarious.”
Dylan grinned and took a step closer. He was breathless and sweaty, and his bangs hung loosely across his forehead. Without thinking twice, Angelina stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He glanced down at her lips, and Angelina’s breath hitched in her throat.
“If I make this next shot, you have to let me kiss you,” he said. “If I hit it from the three-point line, you have to let me kiss you twice.”
Angelina didn’t like the odds. She really wanted him to kiss her, but he’d only made two shots the entire game and both had been within four feet of the goal.
She needed a counter offer.
“I think you should let me shoot them for you.”
Dylan grinned. “No way. I want to earn my kisses—fair and square.”
Angelina sighed resignedly and watched as he placed his feet at the line. It was ridiculous, she thought, relying on some stupid three-point shot when, clearly, they both wanted this kiss to happen. The probability of him making this basket was about as good as Angelina winning the lottery.
Dylan eyed the goal, gave the ball two forceful bounces, and tossed it into the air. For the first time, his follow-through was perfect, and his jump wasn’t awkward at all. It was strong, graceful, and flawless.
And it was nothing but net.
All she could do was stare at the goal with her mouth wide open as the ball rolled away.
“By the way, did I mention I set a state record for the most three-pointers scored in a single high school game?”
Bench warmer, my ass.
“Dylan Thomas, did you just hustle me?”
Grinning, he shrugged and moved closer. Angelina shivered when he touched her cheek.
“Did you really like the daisies?” he asked softly.
“I loved them.”
He trailed his finger along her bottom lip.
Boldly, Angelina reached for the back of his neck and tugged him closer, pulling his lips to hers. Dylan groaned and lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding on tightly as he carried her away from the court. Their mouths remained connected, even when she felt her back being pressed against something solid and cold.
It had to be the metal shed. The house was too far away.
Angelina’s body tingled, desperate to have his hands and lips on every single part of her. The mere thought made her moan, which only encouraged him to kiss her harder.
She had never felt so desired.
Dylan buried his face against her neck while she clung to him. His strong arms held her against his chest, murmuring her name against her skin as he trailed his lips along her throat.
Dylan lifted his head, and his scorching gaze met hers. Tenderly, he kissed the tip of her nose and along her cheek, until his lips found hers once more. This kiss was slower and sweeter, and they tasted and teased as their breathing returned to normal.
Dylan kissed her one last time before lowering her to the ground. Angelina’s legs nearly buckled, and his smile was smug as she grabbed on to his shoulders for support.
“Proud of yourself?”
Dylan grinned. “Best basketball game ever.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” she replied, smiling up at him. “I learned the most fascinating things about you.
“Oh yeah? What was your favorite?”
Angelina began to sing the lyrics of Ariel’s song from The Little Mermaid, and Dylan’s eyes flashed with a mixture of laughter and excitement.
His voice was soft and low. “As if you aren’t sexy enough in your Bon Jovi shirt and your tiny shorts, now you’re singing to me? It’s no wonder I can’t control myself. How could I possibly resist you?”
She sighed softly when he kissed her forehead. His words made her heart ache, because she knew resisting was hopeless. His feelings were overwhelming and uncontrollable because that’s how the spell was intended.
It was cruel and unfair, to both of them.
And Angelina was powerless to stop it.
“Good morning, Angelina,” Maddie sang as she breezed into the shop. “Isn’t it a beautiful morning? The birds are singing, the sun is shining . . .”
Maddie had always been one of those irritating early birds who genuinely loved waking up at the crack of dawn, so this level of enthusiasm didn’t alarm Angelina. What did concern her was the dreamy look on her best friend’s face.
“I thought you were taking the day off?”
“I am, but I have so much to tell you!”
Angelina bit back a jealous groan. “Is this about sex? Because if so, you can spare me the details.”
“Look!” Maddie thrust her left hand in Angelina’s face, and there, on her ring finger, was a sparkling diamond.
Angelina gasped. “You’re engaged?”
“I’m engaged!”
With a smile as bright as the sun, Maddie told her all about Nick’s sweet proposal and their plans for a quickie wedding.
“When we were kids, you always said you wanted a fancy ceremony. We can’t possibly get everything planned in just a month.”
“A big wedding doesn’t seem so important anymore. Life is just too short. You know that better than anyone.” Maddie smiled wistfully and sighed. “I just want to be his wife. I want us to be in the same house, in the same town, for as long as we both shall live.”
“Oh, Maddie, I’m so happy for you!”
Maddie was bouncing. “You’ll be my maid of honor?”
“Of course!”
They hugged, and when Maddie pulled away, Angelina couldn’t help but notice the sudden frown on her friend’s face.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s something else I have to tell you,” Maddie said quietly. “Nick’s been offered a job with a trucking company in Atlanta. He’d still be on the road, just not as much, and it will be local runs. It’s a fantastic opportunity for him, with steady pay and stable hours.”
Angelina’s heart clenched.
“You’re moving away?”
Maddie nodded. “That’s another reason we’re getting married so soon. I’m already calling chapels in Gatlinburg, trying to get us booked. We won’t even have time for a honeymoon before he starts his new job.”
It wasn’t as if Angelina had expected them to grow old and gray together in Maple Ridge. Maddie was a free spirit and had always dreamed of traveling the world. Atlanta wasn’t exactly a tropical paradise, but it was a start. Nick was a good guy, and she deserved to be happy. Still, Maddie was leaving, and for a selfish moment, Angelina wondered how she’d ever live without her best friend. They’d been together since they were kids, and Maddie had stood by her side during the whole mess with Adam and through the agony of her dad’s illness and his death. Maddie had been Angelina’s anchor through so many storms, and now she was moving away.
Maddie watched her friend closely, her eyes wide and hopeful as she gauged Angelina’s reaction.
This is not the time to be selfish, Angelina told herself, so she swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back her tears.
“So, when ar
e we looking at dresses?”
Maddie beamed.
Chapter 9
When Angelina arrived home, she was surprised to find her mom lying on the couch. A protective Cash was standing guard by her side. Angelina kneeled next to the chair. “Mom? Are you feeling okay?”
Celia sighed and opened her eyes. “Just a little nauseated and weak today. I’m sorry I haven’t started dinner—”
“Don’t apologize,” Angelina said softly, adjusting the damp washcloth against her mom’s forehead. This was part of the process, and they both understood that. Good days. Bad days. Times when she felt like she could run a marathon and others when she couldn’t drag herself out of bed. Angelina knew they had been lucky with the vomiting and fatigue so far, but it still broke her heart to see her mom so frail and exhausted.
Celia didn’t like to take the anti-nausea pills Dr. Campbell had prescribed. She preferred to use peppermint extract or ginger root to combat the nausea that almost always accompanied her chemo treatments. That evening, however, when Angelina offered to get the medication, her mom didn’t put up a fight. Fighting back her tears, Angelina helped her mom to her bedroom and stayed by her side until Celia drifted off to sleep.
Dylan finally organized his notes and emailed them to Steve, his editor at the magazine. Luckily, Steve was impressed with his thorough investigation, but Dylan grew nervous when the word deadline began creeping into the phone conversation. They didn’t settle on a date, which was fine for the moment, but Dylan knew the clock had officially started to tick.
Steve would give him a deadline.
Soon.
To be honest, Dylan had plenty of information to write his story. He’d talked to dozens of people and had seen and heard enough to know that there were, indeed, witches in Maple Ridge. He could probably write an entire book about Abigail Rose, but his magazine wanted a story about Appalachian folklore and present-day witchcraft in the hills. While he had more than enough details to write a lengthy article about Angelina and her mother, he couldn’t deny that his heart just wasn’t in it.
Still, he continued his research. Shirley, the librarian, had given him his own table in the nonfiction section where the folklore books and journals had taken up permanent residence. He was currently studying Appalachian potions and enchantments—and most of it was pretty ridiculous—but when the librarian mentioned a love spell, Dylan’s inquisitive ears perked up.
“Love spell?”
“Originally conjured by Abigail Rose,” Shirley said. Dylan grinned at the note of reverence in the elderly woman’s voice. He heard it all the time. To the people of Maple Ridge, Abigail was still considered a saint. “Nathaniel Rose was a boozing womanizer who abused his wife. Remember what I said about his death?”
Dylan checked his notes on his laptop. “Liver failure, right?”
The librarian nodded. “Abigail claimed he’d accidentally eaten poisonous mushrooms while out hunting, but many believed she’d just grown tired of the nightly beatings and her husband’s philandering ways. A distant cousin claimed that Abigail had crumbled a little mushroom into her husband’s stew. Of course, no one knows for certain, but Nathaniel died three days later.”
Interesting.
“So what does that have to do with a love spell?”
Before she could answer, a group of school-aged kids rushed into the library. Shirley headed to the checkout counter while Dylan flipped through the book of spells, searching for any information about Abigail’s love charm.
The noise in the library quickly became deafening, so Dylan gave up. With a tired sigh, he closed his laptop and waved to the librarian before heading to his vehicle.
Dylan planned to ask Angelina about her grandmother’s supposed love spell, but when he arrived at the house and found Angelina crying on couch, his research was immediately forgotten.
“Hey,” he said, kneeling in front of her. “What’s wrong?”
“Just a bad day.” Angelina sniffled quietly, and his heart broke when he saw her red-rimmed eyes.
Dylan sat down on the couch and pulled her into his lap. Angelina went eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck while he held her close. Quiet sobs wracked her body as she buried her face against his neck. He had no idea what was wrong, and he didn’t ask. He just stroked her back, soothing and soft, and after a while, her tears finally calmed.
Angelina rested her head against his chest as he nuzzled her hair.
“Better?” Dylan murmured.
She nodded.
“Are you hungry? I could make something. I’ll try very hard not to burn down the house.”
Angelina’s soft giggle was music to his ears.
“Actually, I’d like to check on my mom, but . . . after that, there’s a place I would like to go,” she said, smiling at him through her tears. “Will you come with me?”
Dylan nodded. She had no way of knowing, but he would follow her anywhere.
“That’s the Big Dipper,” Dylan said softly, pointing toward the northern sky.
Angelina knew he was trying to distract her with his constellation talk, but all she could really concentrate on was how nice it felt to be nestled against his side. They were lying on a blanket in the grass while Cash splashed happily in the pond. The mosquitoes were being merciful, letting them have the peaceful moment without too much interference. Their hands were laced together and their heads were close as they gazed at the stars.
Angelina took a deep breath.
“Mom was so sick today. I’d forgotten how lucky we’d been with the chemo. When I came home, she was just lying on the couch, too queasy to even lift her head. It was heartbreaking seeing her that way. I’d forgotten . . .”
Her voice trailed off, and Dylan rose on his elbow, gazing down at her. Dipping his head, he gently kissed her forehead, and she sighed.
“I never forget that she’s sick,” Angelina continued, “but sometimes, especially on her good days, it’s easy to pretend everything is normal. But nothing’s normal. Nothing will ever be normal.”
“She could still beat this.”
“I know, but there will still be yearly tests, and my heart will die a little each and every time we step into that oncologist’s office. Our normal is gone forever, no matter what.”
Angelina felt so selfish, but between Maddie’s news and her mother’s illness, she needed to talk to someone.
“Thank you for listening.”
Dylan smiled and gently squeezed her hand. “I’ll always listen.”
Angelina sighed and focused her attention on the sky once more.
“I bet the stars aren’t this pretty in Nashville.”
Dylan chuckled. “You’d win that bet. You can barely see them in the city.”
“To me, they’re just little specks of light in the sky. I take them for granted.”
Dylan gazed down at her. Although he knew she was worried about her mom, he couldn’t help but think something else was bothering her. His suspicions were confirmed when Angelina told him about Maddie’s move to Atlanta.
“They’re getting married before they go,” Angelina explained. “Not only am I losing my business partner, but I’m losing my best friend. I know it sounds selfish—and I’d never say that to her—but it’s just another reminder that I don’t value people while I have them in my life. I wait until they’re leaving. Or worse—I wait until they’re gone.”
He hated hearing the bitterness in her voice. “You’re not being selfish. Your mom is sick and your best friend is moving away. You have every right to vent. And I know you’ll miss Maddie, but you’re forgetting one important thing.”
“Which is?”
“It’s just Georgia. You can always visit.”
Angelina nodded. “One hundred ninety-six miles.”
“You already have a route mapped out, don’t you?”
“Yep.”
“See? That isn’t far at all. It’s actually farther to Nashville.”
Angelina’s face flick
ered with sadness.
“Everybody leaves.”
Dylan let go of her hand and placed his palm on her cheek. Tilting her face toward his, he smiled down at her. “So we should appreciate them while they’re here.”
Sliding her hand along the back of his neck, Angelina pulled his lips to hers. Dylan moaned quietly, gliding his hand up her thigh and along her stomach as they kissed.
“Angelina,” he murmured, trailing his lips down her neck.
Their touches were intense, but they weren’t frantic. Dylan kissed her slowly and sweetly, and while it was maddening on so many levels, he knew it was what she needed.
Angelina needed him to be gentle. She needed him to be tender.
When he opened his eyes, he found her piercing blues staring up at him. Dylan trailed his fingertip along her eyebrow and down her nose before pausing at her lips. Angelina puckered and placed a soft kiss against his finger.
“I know it’s a little late now, but I have to ask. Is there a girlfriend waiting for you back in Nashville?”
“No, but if there were, I’d dump her immediately.”
“Well, that seems kind of rude,” she teased.
Their laughter faded as Dylan pulled her hand close to his chest, letting it rest against his pounding heart.
“Do you feel that, Angelina? My heart has never beaten so fast, and it only does that when I’m with you.”
Dylan kissed her once more before rolling onto his back. He pulled her into his arms, and Angelina rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes as she listened to his racing heart.
He didn’t know it, but hers was hammering just as fast.
Maybe faster.
Celia was feeling much better the next morning. She even managed to eat some scrambled eggs, much to Angelina’s delight. Because Celia felt guilty for starving him the night before, Dylan had been invited to breakfast.
This also made Angelina happy, and she couldn’t believe the difference in her outlook. She felt a little lighter, a little hopeful. And it was all because of the man at her side, with his arm resting casually on the back of her chair. They would sneak little glances at each other, and when Celia would turn toward the stove, Dylan would nuzzle Angelina’s hair. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the two of them to keep their hands to themselves.