“I think I could,” I whispered. “But it’ll only work if we both want it.”
He didn’t answer, and his face was so serious. In the next breath McKale bridged the space between us, his warm mouth on mine. His hands held each side of my face. I reached up and held his forearms until he pulled away just enough to see my eyes. We sat there, reading each other and savoring our prospects.
“I’ve found more happiness since ye came along than e’er before in my life. For the first time I look forward to the future. I still can’t believe me own luck.”
Luck of the Irish. I let out a rattled laugh of emotion, but McKale frowned at me.
“Are ye sad?” He swiped the back of his fingers up my cheeks.
“No. I’m happy.” My chin trembled as I said it and I realized I was crying. I’d never cried happy tears in all my life. I never understood how joy could make someone cry. It was unnatural, like the way the sun sometimes shone through the clouds while it rained. Apparently I required profound, blissful relief in order to trigger a tearful response. And clover kisses.
A light pattering of rain began to tinker around us. We hurriedly packed up my laptop and returned all of the gifts to the bin. Instead of leaving right away, we opened the umbrella and sat under it together, eating. And kissing.
Now I knew why romantics listened to love songs and gushed about stories with happy endings. There was exhilaration in such sweetness. Feeling like this made me see the world differently.
It was after sundown as we jogged the long way around the portal back to the village. We slowed our pace once we heard music playing in the distance and saw light from bonfires in the clearing.
“Will you dance with me tonight?” I asked him.
He answered with a shy grin. “Aye.”
I was eager to get to the party. A twinge of magic zapped me in the torso. McKale and I stopped mid-step. My eyes scanned the darkened field with dread as mist wet our faces and hair. My heart pounded so hard I was certain McKale could hear it next to me. I couldn’t see anything out there. The portal was still invisible.
“Nothing there,” he whispered, still staring out into the blackness. “Perhaps someone shifted.” But he sounded unsure and his Adam’s apple dipped and rose when he swallowed. I stepped a little closer to him, wishing he didn’t have to carry the bin so we could hold hands.
“Let’s get out of here,” I whispered.
The twinge of magic had been an unwelcome reminder of the girl from another realm, lying in wait. I didn’t fool myself into believing she’d be a gracious loser when she found out about McKale and me. But the question was, what would she do about it? I stared in the general direction of where the portal was as we passed it, feeling with each step that we were dodging bullets and jumping land mines.
Maybe it was time to search for a four-leaf clover. Or a whole field of them. I was going to need all the luck I could get.
IT WAS STRANGE TO part ways with McKale and watch him carry the bin away. The blue container had been a constant part of my life for so long, and now it was going home where it belonged.
I went back to my room and was surprised to see Cassidy in bed. She stirred when I came in, rolling over and shoving something under the covers.
“Still tired?” I asked her.
She nodded and rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?”
“As if I know.” I laughed. “What were you looking at?”
She sat up and shrugged.
“Show me.”
“It’s nothing,” she insisted, pulling out a small item I recognized as her pocket calendar. “I’ve been keeping track of the date. Do you know your birthday’s only six days away?”
“Yeah, I know.” My insides leapt with nervous energy at the reminder. I plopped myself down next to her and we both laid back.
“You okay, Cass?”
“I don’t know.”
I took her hand and we continued to stare up at the low thatched rafters.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“A lot of things.”
“Please don’t be sad. Especially about me. I think everything’s going to be okay.”
She waved it off and cleared her throat. “How did it go when you gave him the gifts?”
I rolled toward her, curling up and smiling into her shoulder.
“It was amazing,” I whispered.
“Really?” I could hear the happiness in her voice. “Finally.”
“Everyone outside is dancing and stuff. Will you come with me?”
She shrugged and said, “I guess.”
“I wish Rock could come,” I whispered.
“You do?”
“Yes. He’s fun, and he makes you happy.” I touched the tip of her nose. “I do want you to be happy, even if I worry. Now, come on.”
We struggled out of her bed and got ready, pulling our hair back in ponytails. We walked out to the open area where a light rain still fell, finding McKale sitting with our parents. He stood when he saw me, and his face lit up.