Spells A Bayou Magic Novel - Kristen Proby Page 0,30
out of the heart of downtown to the beautiful park that is my favorite part of the city. He parks near one of the walking paths and takes my hand as we meander through the green trees that fill the huge park.
“I love this place,” I admit as we approach a stone bridge that crosses over a river that runs through the heart of the park. “I don’t take many days off, but when I do, and if I don’t have a commitment with Miss Sophia and the coven, I come here to walk and enjoy this place.”
I lead him off the path to a clearing that’s surrounded by ancient oak trees, their heavy limbs touching the ground.
“I like to have picnics, right here, in this spot. I’ve always felt drawn to it.”
Lucien, who’s been quiet since we arrived, takes a deep breath and then looks down at me. “Would you like to know why?”
“Sure, tell me why I’m randomly drawn to this part of a random park.”
“Well, the arbor was right here,” he says, pointing to a specific spot on the grass. “And the chairs were set up over there. And right where you’re sitting is where we stood and exchanged vows, roughly one hundred years ago.”
I feel my jaw opening and closing like a fish out of water, but I can’t make my brain engage.
“Your hair was shorter then, but it was the roaring twenties, and that was the style. And your white dress was beautiful.”
“We got married, right here,” is all I can say.
“Yes.”
I look around and feel sudden, intense sadness. My eyes fill with tears, and suddenly, Lucien’s holding me, rocking me back and forth.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry, darlin’.”
“I wish I could remember. In all the years I’ve been having the dreams, I only see the bad things. The scary stuff. I don’t get to see the joy and love we shared. I feel robbed.”
“I can see that,” he says and kisses the top of my head. “Maybe we can figure out a way for me to show you sometime.”
“The spell you conjured this morning might let me see your memories.”
“It’s worth looking into. But for now, let’s enjoy what’s happening today, Millicent.”
“How long were we married?”
“Which time?”
“All of the times? How long did our marriages last? In Salem, I remember thinking that we’d been married for almost ten years.”
“I think the longest was about thirty years. The shortest, a few months.”
I sigh and kiss the middle of his chest before pulling back and looking up at him. “But we never parted of natural causes, in old age.”
“No.” He brushes his thumb over my forehead. “That’s my goal in this lifetime.”
“My stubbornness cost us some time.”
“No, things are happening the way they’re supposed to. You’re not yet thirty. These days, that’s not old to marry.”
“It’s a far cry from sixteen,” I say with a laugh, remembering that he said I was that age the first time we met, all those centuries ago.
“Very true. I think that’s a step in the right direction for feminism,” he says. “By the way, do you have plans for your birthday next week?”
“How did you know—?”
He raises a brow, and I blow a raspberry through my lips.
“Our birthdays are always the same? My goddess, are we just living the same lives, over and over again until we get it right?”
He doesn’t reply, just frowns and looks down at his shoes, and I know I’ve just hit the nail on the head.
“Lucien.”
“I think that’s the case, yes.”
“Well, damn. That’s heavy.”
Lucien pulls me in for another hug, and we simply stand here, in this special place, breathing each other in. And it’s in this moment that I decide to not waste any more time. I want to be with this man, as much and for as long as I can. He’s meant for me. Just like Cash was meant for Brielle, and Jackson is meant for Daphne—although those two have some work ahead of them.
Stubborn pride has no place here.
Life is too precious.
Love is too sacred.
“I want to take you home,” he murmurs. “To my home, if you’ll let me.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I feel him grin against my hair, and then we walk back to the car.
Suddenly, as we approach his little white sports car, he pushes me behind him as if to protect me from something.
“Are we being mugged?” I ask and peek around his shoulder and then feel my stomach roll. A smear of blood runs along