Chick with a Charm (37 page)

She was probably searching for meaning and signs where there were none. At any rate, he looked way more fashionable than she did in his jeans and a chambray shirt open at the neck with the sleeves rolled back. He turned and helped Daisy out before glancing toward the park.

Scanning the area, he spotted her in no time. For a moment he stayed very still, as if getting his bearings. Everything about his body language said that he didn’t trust her, and that lack of trust tightened her throat with grief. But she had only herself to blame.

Daisy had no such issues. Tongue hanging out, doggie grin in place, she strained at the leash. Griffin kept her close to his side as he opened the gate, walked through and closed it behind him.

Then he started toward Lily, his grip tight on the leash. She held her breath, as if that would control the yearning that threatened to sabotage her plan. She was not here to beg him to take her back. No matter how powerful that urge was, she’d resist it with all her might.

Someone had cut the grass in the dog park earlier today, and the fresh smell would probably always remind her of this moment. Behind her, a young dad and his two daughters romped with their border collie. She’d remember those happy sounds, too, which were so at odds with the way she felt inside.

She’d never forget the way Griffin looked, either. He’d shaved before coming here. Not only was his chin smooth, but there was a small speck where he’d cut himself with the razor. The closer he came, the more she could see the uncertainty in his eyes.

Not surprising. He might wonder if she’d whip out a wand and put another spell on him. Meeting her had taken courage. Or love. She didn’t dare think about the second option.

He stopped about ten feet away from her, as if wanting to keep some kind of distance. She couldn’t blame him for that, either, although ten feet wouldn’t have protected him if she’d had devious plans.

She held out both hands in front of her, palms up. “I promise not to do anything magical to you or Daisy.”

“Okay.” He didn’t sound convinced. “But I’ll stay here, if you don’t mind.”

She nodded. She’d have to speak loud enough that the dad and his kids might be able to hear, but maybe that was fitting, that her apology be a semipublic one.

Meanwhile Daisy was going nuts wanting to close the distance between them. She whined and pulled at the leash, while her tail whipped back and forth in anticipation.

Lily started to give her a command to calm down, but Daisy wasn’t her dog anymore. Griffin might resent her attempt to control Daisy’s behavior.

Instead she focused on what she had practiced in her head a dozen times. “Thank you for . . .” She had to stop and clear her throat. “Thank you for meeting me tonight.”

“You’re welcome.” His voice was grave, all laughter and lightness gone.

She regretted that, too. She’d always loved Griffin’s laugh. “Last Tuesday night was a charged environment, and although I said I was sorry that night, I’m not sure you were in a mood to hear it.”

“Oh, I heard it. It just seemed . . .”

“I know. Not enough. And it wasn’t enough. So let me try again.” She took a deep breath and held his gaze. “Griffin, for my own selfish reasons, I took away your free will and caused you pain through no fault of your own. That was unforgivable, and I’m ashamed of my actions. I can’t give you back those days and nights I took from you, but I want you to know that I’m deeply sorry for the problems I visited upon you.”

He stared at her in silence for many long seconds. “That’s it?”

Her stomach churned. She hadn’t made things right with that apology, but then, a mere apology really wasn’t enough. “If there’s anything you want me to do that would in some way make up for—”

“No, no. I’m not looking for payback. I just . . . I just wanted to know if you had anything more to say.”

“No.”

He nodded, and some of the tension eased from around his mouth. “Okay.”

“But I would love—”

“What?” Instantly the tension was back. His shoulders stiffened and the suspicion that had begun to disappear from his eyes returned.

“I wanted to give Daisy a hug and tell her I love her. That’s all. You can stay there if you want, but if you’d let her come over to me, I’ll send her right back.” She clenched her hands together and held her breath. Surely he would give her this one small thing.

He hesitated.

“Griffin, this isn’t a trick or a maneuver. I just . . .” She ran out of things to say. Either he would let her give Daisy one last hug or he wouldn’t.

His chest heaved. “All right.” He leaned down to unhook Daisy’s leash.

As Daisy broke free, Lily dropped to her knees and held out her arms. Daisy bounded into her embrace, moaning with delight.

Lily tried to be stoic, but having an armload of warm, wriggling, joyous dog broke through the tight control she’d had over her emotions. But she didn’t want Griffin to see her cry, so she buried her face in Daisy’s fur.

She did a very poor job of telling Daisy all she’d intended to say. The words came out all choked and soggy. Daisy seemed to understand, anyway. She kept trying to lick whatever part of Lily’s face wasn’t pressed against her silky coat.

With great effort, Lily reined in her emotions. Keeping her head down in the hope Griffin wouldn’t notice she’d been crying, she stood and gave Daisy one last scratch behind her ears. “Good-bye, Daisy,” she murmured. “Now go back to Griffin.”

Daisy stood, tail wagging slowly, and gazed up at her.

“I mean it. Go to Griffin.”

With obvious reluctance, Daisy turned and walked back to him.

Lily swiped at her eyes. “Thank you, Griffin.” She didn’t dare look at him or he’d know how upset she was.

“No problem.”

She detected sympathy in his voice, and she didn’t want that. As she heard the click of the fastener on the leash, she lifted her head briefly. “Good-bye.” Then she walked briskly, keeping back and shoulders straight, toward the gate.

Once she was home she could give in to the sorrow cascading through her at an alarming rate. But not now, when Griffin was watching. After walking through the gate, she turned for home.

She’d gone nearly a block when she heard a shout behind her. She turned in time to see Daisy, leash and all, leap over the gate and race in her direction. Next came Griffin, who vaulted the gate and sprinted down the sidewalk, calling Daisy’s name.

Like a linebacker going for a touchdown, Daisy dodged the pedestrians and kept her eye on Lily. When she arrived, she screeched to a stop and sat at Lily’s feet, panting and smiling.

“Oh, Daisy.” Lily fought the tears she’d just recently brought under control. “That wasn’t good.” Then she took Daisy’s leash and held it while she waited for Griffin to catch up.

Breathing hard, he came to a stop in front of her. “Here.” She handed him the leash. “I guess you need to hold on a little tighter.”

“Yeah.”

“I do hate long good-byes.” She managed a watery smile. “See ya.” Then she turned and continued down the sidewalk.

“Wait.”

She paused and slowly turned to face him. “I can’t hold on to my emotions much longer, Griffin.”

He stepped closer, close enough to touch. “Then don’t.”

She lifted her gaze to his, afraid to hope but afraid to lose sight of what might be right in front of her face, too. “What . . . what do you mean?”

“Let go.” He dropped Daisy’s leash. “I’ll catch you.”

“You can’t drop Daisy’s leash so you can catch me. You need to hold on to her.”

“Where do you think she’d go? She’s with the two most important people in the world to her, the two knuckleheads she’s trying to bring back together.”

He sounded almost as if he might want that, too. Lily swallowed. “I suppose we must seem pretty stupid to her. She doesn’t understand how complicated this is.”

“Maybe it’s not so complicated.” Griffin drew her into his arms. “When I saw that you were willing to walk away, I realized something.”

Being held by Griffin was so wonderful she closed her eyes to savor it.

“I love you.”

Her eyes popped open. “What?”

“That’s a hell of a response.” He smiled. “You’re not supposed to question it. You’re supposed to say it back.”

“But maybe you don’t really. Maybe it’s an aftereffect, a holdover from the—”

“Nope. It’s the real thing. I know what a love-potion crush feels like. It blurs stuff and makes a guy dazed and confused. This is a whole other feeling. Instead of blurring things, what I’m feeling for you now is bringing everything into focus.”

“Oh.” She could believe he was focused, because he totally ignored the people passing by on the sidewalk, people who had to walk around them, wheel baby strollers around them, even steer skate boards around them.

Griffin gazed at her intently. “In fact, this feeling snapped into focus about the time Daisy ripped the leash out of my hand and came after you.”

“But then you were forced into following her. Maybe if she hadn’t run, you wouldn’t be standing here.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be. Maybe it would have taken me a few hours before I pounded on your door.” Keeping one arm firmly around her, he cupped her cheek in his hand. “I’m not as impulsive as you are. I need you to teach me to act on the spur of the moment and do crazy things.”

“Like cast a spell on you?” She didn’t want him to ignore her previous crimes now and bring them up later.

“Thank God you cast that spell.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I was too stupid to realize how much I needed you. The potion would never have worked so well if I hadn’t wanted you desperately. And I still do. Daisy understands that. She knows we belong together.”

At the look in his eyes, Lily’s knees grew wobbly. “We do?”

“Yes. Especially if you can find it in your heart to love me.”

Now she was
really
wobbly. To steady herself, she wrapped her arms tight around his neck. “I can find it in my heart.” Pressing closer, she lowered her voice. “To be honest, I can find it in all sorts of places.”

“Mm.” He leaned down, his mouth hovering over hers. “But this is about more than sex, you know.”

“I know.” She felt so good that it was a wonder she wasn’t giving off tiny sparks. “It’s about love. I love you and you love me.”

“For real this time.”

She sighed, filled to the brim with happiness. “Yeah, for real.” And so it was. Of all the times Griffin had kissed her, and there had been some spectacular kisses among them, this one was the best.

Griffin stood next to Jasper at the end of a carpeted aisle between rows of white folding chairs. At the other end a rose-covered gazebo decorated with white ribbons awaited him. The gazebo was surrounded by brilliantly colored flower beds and emerald stretches of manicured grass.

Beyond it, Lake Michigan sparkled in the sun, and the swish of the waves blended with the notes of a white baby grand positioned to the left of the assembled guests. A slight breeze from the lake brought with it the scent of roses and cut grass.

The setting was magnificent, designed to be savored. Griffin wasn’t in a savoring mood. He wanted this part over with, and the sooner, the better.

Jasper spoke in a low voice so the man standing a short distance behind them, Ambrose Lowell, wouldn’t be able to hear. “I still can’t believe it’s legal for him to conduct the ceremony.”

“I ran his credentials through the system. He’s licensed to do the deed.” As the only lawyer in the family, Griffin knew he should be more concerned about the legality of being married by a wizard.

But he really didn’t care, just so he made it to the honeymoon. In his briefcase lay airline tickets to Paris. The prospect of seven days and six hot nights with Lily in a city designed for lovers had wiped out any other thoughts.

“I’ll bet there was some magical funny business involved in those credentials,” Jasper said.

Griffin looked over at him. “Jasper, do you really give a damn?”

Jasper grinned. “No. I’m just looking for a way to distract myself so I won’t go crazy waiting for the whole thing to start. Why the hell didn’t we just elope?”

“Hey, don’t look at me. I suggested it several times. It wasn’t a popular choice.”

“You’ll both be glad you went through with this,” Ambrose said from behind them.

Both Griffin and Jasper turned. Griffin hoped the wizard hadn’t overheard the comments about his legal status. “I’m not so sure I’ll be glad,” he said. “Getting married is fine, but going through all this—”

“Gives it added significance,” Ambrose said.

“Speaking for me,” Jasper said, “the wedding’s loaded with significance already. I don’t need the fancy outfits and the hordes of people.”

“Ditto.” Griffin looked forward to having Jasper as a brother-in-law. They thought a lot alike, and Jasper would be the brother Griffin had never had.

“You probably don’t need the fancy outfits,” Ambrose said, “but it gives the hordes of people something nice to look at. And you definitely need the hordes of people.”

Griffin shook his head. “Not this guy. I’d be happy to stand in front of a JP with my best friend and both sets of parents as the only witnesses.”

Ambrose rocked back on his heels and looked wise. “Are you feeling joy at the thought of this marriage to Lily?”

“Oh yeah.” Griffin wasn’t sure
joy
even covered it. Such deep happiness filled him every time he thought about spending a lifetime with the woman of his dreams that he caught himself smiling constantly. “I’m bordering on ecstatic. I don’t know how well you know Lily, but she’s the most beautiful, most—”

“Well, except for Anica,” Jasper said. “Anica’s an incredible, amazing—”

“I suggest you two avoid that argument,” Ambrose said. “But you’ve made my point. You’re both filled with joy, as are your two brides. Can you even imagine how much positive energy that will generate? Are you so selfish you wouldn’t want to share it with as many people as possible?”