The Witch is Back by Sophie H. Morgan

Author:Sophie H. Morgan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-06-15T18:12:02+00:00

* * *

Dinner lasted for two hours, with conversation flowing like the wine Bastian’s dad poured with abandon. Maybe too much abandon—his voice got progressively louder, and toward the end he’d started to profess a desire to see the Grand Canyon that same night.

They’d finally made an escape from the table when Bastian had stood and tangled his hand in Emma’s, saying that they’d walk off some of the meal in the gardens before they went home. She’d finally relaxed, no longer as jittery as she’d seemed at the beginning. True to his mom’s nature, Diana had clearly read Emma’s nerves and had kept up the conversation, including her but not putting her on the spot as she’d unintentionally done at the beginning.

Now they headed for their old place in the gardens at a slow, easy pace. They were out of sight of the house, lost in the folly. Their hands brushed as they walked side by side and neither moved farther away. The stars were easy to see out here, diamonds spread out on black velvet, and he lifted his face appreciatively to take in the sights and smells of a home he’d put to the back of his mind for seven years.

“Sorry about that,” he said after a moment of walking in comfortable silence. “I think Mom is a little caught up with the idea of a wedding.” More so than he’d anticipated, considering the circumstances. “I think it takes her mind off...well, things.”

Emma’s shoulder nudged up in a half shrug. Her expression was elsewhere.

Probably normal, considering the slight awkwardness behind the discussions. Bastian kicked a pebble, watched it dash across the ground. After all, nothing like planning a wedding when everyone knew the real motivation wasn’t love but survival.

He was working out whether to address that when she stopped and wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m sorry.”

He stopped, too, though his heart jolted once against his ribs in anticipation. “For what?”

“Being rude.” She chafed her arms as his expectations dimmed again. “Being quiet. For not being able to talk. I must have embarrassed you.”

His hand flew out, caught her arm. He hadn’t thought through the action but found he couldn’t now release her. “Embarrassed me?”

She didn’t look him in the eye, focused instead on his hand. “I get so nervous in groups. I’ll try harder next time.”

His brain worked as he tried to puzzle it out. “I know you’re not comfortable in big groups.” She never had been. He wouldn’t call four a big group, but he’d never been shy like her. “Why would that embarrass me?”

Now she did look at him. Like a page in a book, he read frustration, annoyance, shame. The last killed him. “They’re your parents.”

“Last I checked.”

“I’m meant to be your...” She squirmed. “You know. Fiancée.”

“Last I checked.” His voice came out huskier.

She shot him an impatient look.

His brain was obviously slow because he just wasn’t connecting the dots. “You’re going to have to spell it out for me, Emma.”

“Just forget it.” She tried to pull away, but he held on.

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