one?”
Back to rubbing at the dirt, Rose looked over to him, not a shred of remorse on her face. “Ah, well, I might have told a little fib about there being one. I happened to overhear them discussing you. I knew Merry was attracted to you but because of past circumstances I also knew she wouldn’t allow herself to act upon it, not unless she felt somehow powerless against it, to have the decision taken out of her hands so to speak. There was a lucky charm or two in the wedding cake I baked for Grace and Finn. Alas, this time I was forced to improvise.” Not missing the scowl brewing on his face she said, “Be angry with me if you must, Jack, but if you two were left to your own devices you would have pussyfooted around each other for goodness knows how much longer. That’s when I hinted in a roundabout sort of way at the cherries being enchanted and the seed was sown so to speak.” Ripping open a packet and sprinkling seeds over the prepared compost, she laughed at her own little joke.
Jack took a minute to let it all sink in. He’d been right when he’d told her there was no spell. It really did come down to the two of them and some good old fashioned lust. All these feelings he had were real. Which meant hers were too. Merry might not love him but she felt something for him—he’d bet any amount of money on it. Would Merry let herself believe it though? Could she accept that she’d given herself to him of her own free will?
“I’m not angry at you.” How could he be? “What if they hadn’t believed you?”
“Then no harm done. Between you and me, I wish I had thought to enchant the cherries. Then again, you two were generating enough magic between you to make an old woman blush. You would have found a way to make it happen. My way just sped it up a little. No matter though, it all worked out for the best.”
“Not quite. Merry will be gone in a few days.” For now she was in his bed and in his heart but their time together was coming to an end and he wanted her in his life permanently. He wanted the whole package.
“So, young man, tell me what are you going to do about it?”
“Whatever it takes to make her believe we can make this work between us.”
Rose nodded. “If you want some advice from an old woman, give her time, as much time as she needs. She’ll come to realize that no one can predict the future, not even me. Tell her there was no spell. What she chooses to do with that is up to her. At least you will have the knowledge that you were true to your heart.”
Rose picked up a small watering can, muttered a few words under her breath that Jack couldn’t quite make out and next thing water began to spout from the can. That wasn’t even the best bit. Rose took her hand from the handle and the small can moved on its own spraying water over the seeds she had just sown. Winking at him, she said, “Now that’s a spell.”
Chapter Six
It was late and Jack and Merry had the restaurant to themselves. Jack was licking chocolate sauce from Merry’s fingers while beneath the table her thighs squirmed together. Merry felt wonderfully decadent and was looking forward to the evening becoming more so. She wondered if she could get the chef to part with more of that dreamy chocolate sauce. Jack kissed each of her fingertips but when he got to her ring finger he hesitated.
“Why did you call off your engagement?”
For once Jack’s timing sucked. Surprised by the unexpected question, Merry withdrew her hand and dabbed at her fingers with a napkin. “Excuse me?”
“You told me you and Rex were engaged. I was wondering why you never went through with it. Why did you call it off?”
Buying time, carefully placing the linen on the table, Merry raised her big gray eyes to study him. “What makes you think it was me?”
“I saw the two of you together, remember? It wasn’t him.”
Okay. This wasn’t the way she’d envisaged them finishing off their meal. Certainly the way he’d
Back to rubbing at the dirt, Rose looked over to him, not a shred of remorse on her face. “Ah, well, I might have told a little fib about there being one. I happened to overhear them discussing you. I knew Merry was attracted to you but because of past circumstances I also knew she wouldn’t allow herself to act upon it, not unless she felt somehow powerless against it, to have the decision taken out of her hands so to speak. There was a lucky charm or two in the wedding cake I baked for Grace and Finn. Alas, this time I was forced to improvise.” Not missing the scowl brewing on his face she said, “Be angry with me if you must, Jack, but if you two were left to your own devices you would have pussyfooted around each other for goodness knows how much longer. That’s when I hinted in a roundabout sort of way at the cherries being enchanted and the seed was sown so to speak.” Ripping open a packet and sprinkling seeds over the prepared compost, she laughed at her own little joke.
Jack took a minute to let it all sink in. He’d been right when he’d told her there was no spell. It really did come down to the two of them and some good old fashioned lust. All these feelings he had were real. Which meant hers were too. Merry might not love him but she felt something for him—he’d bet any amount of money on it. Would Merry let herself believe it though? Could she accept that she’d given herself to him of her own free will?
“I’m not angry at you.” How could he be? “What if they hadn’t believed you?”
“Then no harm done. Between you and me, I wish I had thought to enchant the cherries. Then again, you two were generating enough magic between you to make an old woman blush. You would have found a way to make it happen. My way just sped it up a little. No matter though, it all worked out for the best.”
“Not quite. Merry will be gone in a few days.” For now she was in his bed and in his heart but their time together was coming to an end and he wanted her in his life permanently. He wanted the whole package.
“So, young man, tell me what are you going to do about it?”
“Whatever it takes to make her believe we can make this work between us.”
Rose nodded. “If you want some advice from an old woman, give her time, as much time as she needs. She’ll come to realize that no one can predict the future, not even me. Tell her there was no spell. What she chooses to do with that is up to her. At least you will have the knowledge that you were true to your heart.”
Rose picked up a small watering can, muttered a few words under her breath that Jack couldn’t quite make out and next thing water began to spout from the can. That wasn’t even the best bit. Rose took her hand from the handle and the small can moved on its own spraying water over the seeds she had just sown. Winking at him, she said, “Now that’s a spell.”
Chapter Six
It was late and Jack and Merry had the restaurant to themselves. Jack was licking chocolate sauce from Merry’s fingers while beneath the table her thighs squirmed together. Merry felt wonderfully decadent and was looking forward to the evening becoming more so. She wondered if she could get the chef to part with more of that dreamy chocolate sauce. Jack kissed each of her fingertips but when he got to her ring finger he hesitated.
“Why did you call off your engagement?”
For once Jack’s timing sucked. Surprised by the unexpected question, Merry withdrew her hand and dabbed at her fingers with a napkin. “Excuse me?”
“You told me you and Rex were engaged. I was wondering why you never went through with it. Why did you call it off?”
Buying time, carefully placing the linen on the table, Merry raised her big gray eyes to study him. “What makes you think it was me?”
“I saw the two of you together, remember? It wasn’t him.”
Okay. This wasn’t the way she’d envisaged them finishing off their meal. Certainly the way he’d
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