Sometimes, they’d swim and brainstorm during the day. Sometimes, they didn’t speak a word until he was done writing.
She loved the relaxed rhythm they’d fallen into. The way they worked around each other, giving each other the space they needed to get their jobs done. It was comfortable and domestic without being too heavy. She loved being able to help him. Loved having his presence in her house afterward.
Loved how sweet and appreciative he was. Loved how he never forgot her.
Loved him, if she was being honest. But that wasn’t something she was going to tell him. She knew the feeling was a by-product of having been alone for so long, and because of that, she was able to keep it to herself. Well, she’d hinted to Aunt Gwen about how she felt, but that had been on one of her aunt’s not-so-great days, and she probably wouldn’t remember. It had been nice to tell someone, though.
Not him, obviously. Telling him would only scare him away, this amazing man who thought he wasn’t enough for any woman.
Speaking those words to him could potentially destroy the happy little routine they’d developed.
And losing Easy would be far worse than living a life of unrequited love.
She didn’t even mind that much not telling him. She knew he liked her, knew he cared for her. She didn’t need him to love her.
Not really. Not at this stage of things anyway. She’d survived ten years of life essentially alone. She could spend a few more keeping her feelings to herself so long as he was in her life.
She hit send on her current project, and off it went for client approval. Now she’d head over to his house and do a little work in the garage. He’d given her a general idea of where he wanted things. She just had to unpack and organize.
Then the house would pretty much be done.
As would her time there. That made her a little sad. Even if they were doing their own things, she’d grown used to the presence of another person who knew her. Heady stuff for a woman who’d been known by no one but her aunt for so long.
But there was no reason he couldn’t still come over after his writing was done for the day. She knew she’d still see him. She just wouldn’t be as close.
After the book was done, maybe that would change. He’d have more free time, to some extent. She knew he’d be starting another book. That’s what writers did. They wrote. But he wouldn’t have the same intense pressure.
Then maybe they could take a little time to look for another, even more important book. One that could change both their lives.
She got that he didn’t really believe in it. After ten years of looking, she struggled with that, too. But hope was hard to give up on. Until Easy had arrived, the hope of that book had been the only reason she’d gotten up some mornings.
Tomorrow, while he was writing, she was going to visit Seymour. It had been a week since she’d taken him pies and enjoyed his company. Then she’d go see Aunt Gwen again. Maybe take her up to Nightingale Park for some fresh air and sun.
But today she was going to get Easy’s garage straightened out. As much as she could anyway. Organizing an entire garage in one day seemed like a monumental task. From what he’d told her, he’d paid extra for the privilege of having a single-car garage when he’d lived in the city, so maybe there wasn’t that much stuff.
She walked over to his house and let herself in through the back door by the pool. She’d been coming in this way all week to keep from interrupting him, but he was in the kitchen.
“Hey.” She smiled. “Late lunch?”
He nodded, sandwich in his hand and mouth full.
“I had the leftover pork lo mein from last night.”
He swallowed. “I ate my leftovers for breakfast.”
She grinned. “How’s the writing going?”
“Really good. I can’t tell you how much it helps that you’ve taken care of the house. Not walking through the clutter of boxes has taken a weight off my mind. I think it’s actually freed up brain space for more book stuff. Brainstorming with you has been great, too.”
“I’m really glad to hear that. I’ll be done with the house today after I get the garage sorted out.”
“Already?” He leaned on the counter and sighed. “That kind of sucks.” He laughed softly. “I’ve always thought I preferred solitude for writing, but having you in the house has been really nice. Comforting in a way.”
“I feel the same way.” His words warmed her heart. “I’ll still be right next door if you need me.”
“You know, you could bring your laptop over here and work. But I guess it’s presumptive of me to ask you to do that. I could just as easily take my laptop to your house and write. Except…”
“Except what?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t been invited.”
She made a face at him. “Why don’t you bring your laptop to my house and work? There. Now you have.”
“We could try it, you know. Maybe start with one day a week and see if we drive each other crazy or not.”
“True. But not tomorrow. I have errands to run. Groceries, post office, a visit to my aunt.” And Ginny’s favorite lake monster. “Do you need anything? I’ll be in town.”
“I have errands, too, but I’m not asking you to do any of that.” He ate another bite of his sandwich.
“Well, if it’s mailing stuff, I’m going to be there anyway.”
“Okay. I have one package to go out.”
“No problem. Leave it on the counter, and I’ll—”
“I don’t want to write anymore today.”
She stared at him. “But you have to.”
“Not really.” He shrugged. “I’ve been up since five. Couldn’t sleep, for some reason. It happens. Anyway, I finished yesterday’s chapter, then wrote another and am halfway through a third. I’m now a chapter and a half ahead of where I need to be. I’m doing great.”
“Wow. Good for you. If you want to take the rest of the day off, then I think you should. Do you want to swim? Or do something else?”
He smiled. “Something else.”
He looked like he was up to something. She smiled back. “Like what?”
His eyes lit up. “I thought maybe we could take a little drive out to this place I’ve heard about. The enchanted forest.”
She sucked in a breath. “And look for the book?”
He nodded. “And look for the book.”
She clapped her hands. “Yes! Let’s go. As soon as you’re done with lunch, that is. I’ll go change while you do that.”
“Into what?”
She glanced down at her shorts and tank top. “Into jeans and a T-shirt. Maybe a long-sleeved overshirt that I can tie around my waist. It can be a little chilly in the forest. Not a lot of sun out there.”
He frowned. “There’s no sun anywhere here.”
“Well, there’s even less in the forest. You’ll see.”
“Should we bring flashlights?”
She hesitated. “We could, but the forest makes its own light. You’ll see that, too.”
“All right. I’ll go put on jeans as well. See you in a few minutes.” He started on the remainder of his sandwich.
“You come over to my place. We’ll take my Jeep. Better-suited.”
He chewed thoughtfully. “Are we off-roading?”
She laughed. “No. But we’ll have to park on the side of the road.” Then she left the way she’d come in, practically running back to her house to change.
She’d never had any luck looking for the book, but then, no one had remembered her this past decade until Easy had come along. She hoped he’d change her luck with the book. She just knew he would. She felt it.
Today was going to be the day that things changed for the better.
* * *
Easy leaned back in the Jeep’s passenger seat, letting the warm breeze flow over him. It was a beautiful day, as overcast days went, with the golden hint of sun that was never going to show its face. Perfect for a trip to the forest.
Sure, he could have written more. But Ginny was pretty much done working at his house, and that had been bothering him so much that he’d barely slept from thinking about it. The thought of not having her around made him feel like he was about to lose a very important part of his day.
Silly. She was going to be right next door. But that no longer felt close enough. Not for this amazing woman he was crazy about. So crazy, that he’d filled pages in his journal about her. At least one every day. Part of that was security, in case the worst ever happened and her curse caused him to forget her again. He figured this way, he’d have proof of what had already passed between them.
But part of it was that they were too early in their relationship for him to tell her how he really felt.
Instead, he journaled, page after page of scrawled writing about how wonderful she was. What they’d done that day and evening. Details of what movie they’d watched, what they’d eaten, what she’d worn…memories. But also insurance.
But journaling hadn’t helped him go back to sleep in the early hours this morning, so he’d gotten up, gotten to work, and come up with a plan. If they went to the forest today, that would mean she’d have to come back tomorrow to finish the house.
It wasn’t perfect, but it would buy him another day.
And today was shaping up to be a good one. Words done, he could relax a little and enjoy the time with Ginny.
He wasn’t convinced the magical book existed, but there were worse things to do than hike through an enchanted forest with a beautiful woman at his side. And it would make her happy, something that mattered very much to him.
He liked putting a smile on her face and making her laugh. This was something she really wanted to do, and she’d been working so hard to help him that it seemed like a no-brainer to give the book hunt a shot.
It was the least he could do until he figured out how to repay her for her kind help. He glanced over at his wolfy beauty queen. Did she have any idea how crazy about her he was? How much weight her help had lifted off his shoulders?
He was dedicating this book to her, that wasn’t even a question. In fact, he’d written the dedication yesterday.
To my dearest Ginny,
If there was only one person in this world I could remember, I’d want it to be you.
He hoped she liked that. Because in a couple months, when the book was out, he was going to present her with a copy open to the dedication page, and after she read it, he was going to get down on one knee and make things permanent.
It might be too soon now, but it wouldn’t be by then. Wolves moved faster than humans, and as he’d thought a thousand times, human rules didn’t apply. And if she still didn’t care about his shifting issue at that point, he wasn’t going to let it stop him.
Ginny looked over. “You look happy.”
He nodded without taking his eyes off her. “I am. Very.”
“Needed a little time off, huh? You have put in a lot of hours on that keyboard this week.”
“Yep. Thanks to you making it possible.”
“Nah.” She grinned. “You still would have written. You’d just be living in a box canyon of chaos.”
He laughed. “True.”
She turned off the main road and onto a new one that split a thick, forested area in two. The growth was so dense that the golden light of day turned green as it filtered through the trees. Her speed dropped, making it easier to study their surroundings.
He sat up a little straighter, the magic so present here it was almost like smoke in the air.
“Feel that?” she asked.
“Yeah, I do.” He watched the forest go by with a whole new respect. “I didn’t think it was going to be so strong.”
“It’s the meridian lines. Apparently, larger shifters like us are especially sensitive to the magic that leaks out of them. Maybe because we’re sort of forest creatures in our own right.”
“Seems possible. Where are we going to start looking?”
“I don’t think it matters.” She pulled off onto a wider section of the shoulder and parked, then turned to grab her backpack from the back seat. “I have a theory. I’ve been through more miles of this forest than anyone I know, and this is what I’ve come up with. If the book doesn’t want to be found, it won’t be, and you know why?”
He shook his head.
“Because I think the book is the seat of the town’s magic. All of it. The source of it.” She pulled her keys out of the ignition and zipped them into one of the pack’s pockets. “I’d bet my entire bank account that Amelia, the witch who started this town, knows exactly where the book is. Not that she’d ever tell anyone. But someday, hopefully today, we’re going to find it. And we’re going to get rid of these curses.”
“Is there any section of the forest you haven’t searched?”
“The Dark Acres, but I don’t think the book would be there.” She paused. “Although that would be a good place to hide it.”
Easy had no idea what the Dark Acres was, but to his writer’s brain, it sounded like the area had been named to keep people out. “Then let’s go there.”
Chapter Seventeen
Only Easy’s presence made Ginny agree to search the Dark Acres. It wasn’t the kind of place she’d ever wanted to go alone, even if she was a werewolf. But having him at her side made her feel safe.
What a nice thing to feel after so many years. She glanced at him as they began their trek. “Thank you for doing this with me today. I know you could have gotten more done on your book.”
He smiled. “You’re welcome. And I could have, but sometimes a break like this really refills the well, you know? Creatively, I mean.”
“So you think you might have Tomahawk Jones battle giant spiders?”
His smile disappeared, and his brows shot up. “Are there giant spiders in this forest?”
“Not in this part and maybe not giant, but when we get to the Dark Acres…” She shrugged. “The Dark Acres wasn’t named Happy Fun Land for a reason.”
“Great. Large spiders. Awesome.” He snorted.
Ginny couldn’t help but tease him. “If you feel the need to shift for protection, go right ahead.”
“I’m good. With my luck, I’d probably turn into a corgi.”
She laughed. “I’m going to keep my comments to myself on that one. But corgis are adorable.”
“Thanks.”
They pressed on through the dense woods. Ginny loved the enchanted forest. In her wolf form, she’d run through here many times. Even though the magic was thick and tangible, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Maybe it would be for other kinds of supernaturals, but to her it seemed to increase her sense of belonging. Even more so when she was a wolf.
Now that she was here with Easy, she tried to see the forest through his eyes. She pointed out some of the more interesting things around them, like the sprite moss that brightened the darker parts of the forest, or how you could tell if a nymph inhabited a tree by the face visible in the bark.
He took it all in, genuinely appearing to enjoy it. Maybe because, as a writer, he had a thirst for learning. Or maybe he just wanted to get to know this part of his new hometown a little better. Whatever the reason, the time passed quickly, and they made good headway into the forest.
It wasn’t long before their surroundings started to change.
Ginny brought them to a stop. “We’re getting into the Dark Acres now. It’ll be easy to see soon. All the trees will get darker, almost burnt-looking, the light will fade, and there will be new flora and fauna around us. Most of it more dangerous than what we’ve already passed. Mind it, and it will mind you.”
“Got it. You make a pretty good field guide. I appreciate the info.”
“I’ve just been here long enough to know this part of the woods is not a place where you want to drop your guard. Not that I think anything is going to happen. It’s just smart to keep your eyes open.”
“As we used to say in the Rangers, keep your head on a swivel.�
��
She smiled. “Tomahawk Jones says that in every book.”
“I suppose he does.” Easy grinned. “He gets it from me. Lead on, Lara Croft.”
With a little laugh, she started walking again. The trees and undergrowth grew thicker, making their path a ragged one. She did her best to lead them through the most open spots so they could avoid brushing up against too much foliage.
He followed close behind. “What are we looking for in terms of this book? Are there any signs as to where it is?”
“Not that I know of. I think we’ll just know it when we see it. I mean, a book in a forest isn’t a typical thing, so…”
“Right. I was just wondering if it’s in a knot in a tree or positioned on a rock or on its own little stand or what.”
“Good question. I wish I had an answer.”
“Maybe it’ll have a magical glow around it.”
“Could be.” She nodded. “That would help, actually.”
“Do you think it’s like Excalibur? Only the worthy can open it?”
She blinked at that thought. “I hope not. I’d hate to actually find the thing, then not be able to open it to write my name inside.”
“You’d be worthy. That’s not something you have anything to worry about. Me, on the other hand, who knows?”
“Nah. You’re one of the good ones. You’d be able to open it, too. No problem.” She gave him a wink over her shoulder.
He smiled. “Thanks.”
They walked in silence a little farther, the crunch of the forest floor and the hum of insects the only real sounds.
When the crunch softened slightly, Ginny realized Easy had stopped walking. She turned to see what had caught his attention.
He was staring off to the right. “I think I see a glow.”
She went very still. Because of the trees, she couldn’t see what he was looking at, but anything was possible in this place. Could it be the book? It was too much to hope for, and yet hope filled her like helium filling a balloon, lifting her with a lightness she couldn’t resist. “Do you think it’s the book?”
The Forgettable Miss French (Shadowvale Book 3) Page 12