Chapter 55

fifty-five

ELLA

“What about the reception?”

I’m taking two steps to every one of Luke’s, his long-legged stride able to cover more territory than mine.

“We won’t be long, I promise. You won’t miss anything.”

“Can you tell me where we’re going?”

“Do you trust me?” He tosses over his shoulder with a wink.

Implicitly.

I wish my parents were here. I think they’d love that their best friends will one day become my in-laws. Maybe it’s presumptive, but I’m wearing a ring, so I don’t think it is. We’ve been working our way to each other for years without even realizing it.

Maybe it was foolish to romanticize their whirlwind romance. Now that I’ve lived one for the last two weeks, I’m seeing new facets to their relationship. I wish I could talk to them about it. And ask them how to manage it all.

We’re getting further and further from the wedding, but I recognize where we are. There was a clearing I always sat in when I needed to just, exist. Pumpkins were always my first choice. Flowers were my second.

But I don’t remember there being so many. Or the colors being so vibrant.

“I told you once about a field of flowers I planted for someone.”

I remember that letter. And I remember thinking that it was something Luke would do, wishing he’d done it for me. And he did.

“You planted these for me ?”

“I wanted you to always have fresh flowers.”

I think back to the bouquet at Midnight at the Hollow two weeks ago. “Did you know then?”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t, but those flowers were for you. It wouldn’t have mattered, anyway.”

“Any more surprises I should know about?”

“Actually.” He holds up a finger and crosses to the flowers, then bends down to retrieve something. My breath catches when I see what it is. “I believe this is yours.”

My shoe from our first Midnight in the Hollow.

“I really loved those shoes,” I breathe.

His dimple winks as he grins down at me. “Do you have the other one?”

“Hidden away, but yes. I do.”

“Put it on her foot, Dad!” Lucy calls.

I turn and see his family huddled at the edge of the trees.

“I told you that you wouldn’t miss anything.” He drops to a knee and lifts the edge of my dress so my foot is exposed. I wore boots today, so I balance with a hand on his shoulder as he pulls it by the heel. “Is this a fantasy for women? Will the shoe fit?”

“Would you like the real answer, or a made up one?”

“Always the real answer.” He chuckles .

“I think we’d all like to indulge in a little Cinderella fantasy now and then.”

As he slips the precious shoe onto my foot, it’s every bit as magical as I expected it to be. Despite all the chaos it took to get here.

Luke stands, gathering me into his arms.

“I’ve got a wild family. Lots of animals. A beautiful daughter. I’ve somehow stumbled onto this crazy enchantment that sounds pretty important to keeping our land. I’m a lot to take on right now. I don’t have everything figured out. But it’s all yours if you want it.”

Like I’m any better off. I also have baggage.

“Are you mine?” I whisper.

“Are you?” he counters, brushing a hair from my face.

“I’ve got no idea what I’m doing with my life.” I smile at the words. Sweet freedom. “I have a farm, but I don’t live here yet. I’m a little bit of a mess.”

“We can figure that out together.” He leans closer to me, a fraction away from kissing me.

“I’d really like that.”

“And spend all our time checking off bucket list items,” he adds.

“There are still a couple of items on my list I’d like to get to.” I smile against his lips.

When we kiss this time, the fireflies whip in a spiral around us before spreading out to hover over my flower field.

My mother was right. The stories were right.

Love truly is the strongest magic there is.