Mountain Charm (13 page)

“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 flickered 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.

If Celia noticed, she didn’t mention it. Instead, her mom smiled and sipped her peppermint tea while Angelina and Dylan held hands beneath the table.

“Dylan, how’s your article coming along?” Celia asked.

“I actually wanted to talk to you about something I read, if you’re feeling up to it. Would you mind?”

“Not at all.”

Dylan pushed his empty plate aside. “Well, I was doing research at the library yesterday, and Shirley told me about Abigail Rose and some kind of love spell.”

Angelina’s fork froze mid-air.

“According to the book,” Dylan continued, “Abigail was so heartbroken over the death of her husband that she and her sisters conjured some kind of love charm, hoping their daughters would never have to endure the pain of a lost love.”

Close.

Mother and daughter exchanged a look.

“
I know there was some controversy surrounding her husband’s sudden death,” Dylan said, oblivious to the sudden tension in the air, “but, if the stories are true, Nathaniel Rose wasn’t Husband of the Year, so I can’t see her being too choked up that he was gone.”

Angelina couldn’t believe all the evidence he’d found at their little local library. Who knew the tiny place and the old woman behind the checkout counter were both such endless wells of useful information?

Dylan looked between the two of them.

“So . . . I guess what I’m asking is if any of this is true? Did Abigail Rose murder her husband? And did she and her sisters conjure some kind of love spell?”

Celia cleared her throat and carefully chose her words.

“Obviously, we can’t confirm or deny if Abigail killed her husband. Nobody can. And as far as a love spell, our ancestors were famous for casting many hexes and enchantments.”

Dylan looked to Angelina. “Can you do that? Cast spells, I mean?”

“I
can
. I just choose not to.”

“But you have?”

Angelina nodded slowly.

“We all have,” Celia told him. “When I was nine, I accidentally cast a spell on a boy who’d pulled my hair on the school playground. He had warts for a month.”

Everyone laughed, and Angelina breathed a sigh of relief as her mom effectively distracted the clever reporter from any discussion about the love charm.

The rest of the week passed slowly, and visitors to the shop were few and far between. Online orders were keeping the store afloat, and Angelina was thankful she had taken the time to form strong relationships with her national vendors and musicians.

While the slump in local sales left Angelina with too much time on her hands, it seemed Dylan was busier than ever. He was constantly interviewing people and doing research for the article, and whenever she would ask how it was coming along, he’d admit it was still a work in progress and then quickly change the subject. Angelina had a feeling he was dragging his feet, and when she mentioned this to her mother, Celia would smile her irritating, omniscient smile.

Angelina was just getting ready to close another dismal day at the shop when the door chimed. Christine Williams walked in, wearing a pink halter-top and her mandatory skimpy denim shorts. She sashayed over to the counter, and Angelina resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
Who is she trying to impress?

“Hello, Angelina.”

“Hey, Christy. What can I do for you?”

She leaned her elbows against the glass counter and smacked her gum. “I was actually looking for Dylan. Has he been around today?”

Angelina clasped her hands tightly around the edge of the counter.

“No, I haven’t seen him.”

She frowned. “Well, do you have his number? I’d love to get in touch with him.”

It was irrational, the spike of jealousy that shot through her veins.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving out his number without his permission,” Angelina replied. “If I see him, I’ll let him know you’re looking for him.”

Christy tilted her head to the side.

“Everyone in town thinks you’re dating. Is that true?”

What could she say?
We haven’t actually gone out on a date. He’s just the victim of the cruelest love spell in the history of magic?

“No, we aren’t dating.” It was the truth, after all.

Christy’s face brightened. “Really? So, you wouldn’t mind if I asked him out?”

Angelina was sure she felt the blood drain from her face. The thought of Christy anywhere near Dylan filled her with rage, but what could she do? They had made no promises to each other.

“No, Christine,” Angelina murmured, dying a little inside. “I wouldn’t mind at all.”