Giving him a gentle squeeze, she fought tears of relief. “How did you get up here, Carl?”
Nina’s eyes narrowed at him then. “My boy here might still be learning to talk, but he’s a damn good listener. I’m betting, while we were out there like a bunch of hens clucking in a freakin’ henhouse, gearing up for that whammy of a spell, he was listening to every word and somehow, he figured out he needed to be on the roof. Somehow, he got past us in that mess downstairs. Am I right, little dude?”
His crooked grin almost faded as he gave Nina a look of pure guilt. He didn’t need to explain, though. Instinctively, Poppy knew he’d made the connection between the stones and the spire. How he’d done it might always remain a mystery, but he’d valiantly thrown himself in harm’s way to save her because Nina, these women, had taught him what heroism was all about.
Poppy shuddered another breath, refusing to consider all the things that could have gone wrong. “You tried to save me, Carl. You’re a real-life Robin Hood. I won’t ever forget that. Ever.” And then she hugged Nina, wrapping her arms around her waist. “I know you hate this right now, but just gimme a minute, and we’ll act like this never happened.”
Nina barked a laugh, looping her arm around Poppy’s neck. “You’re all right, kiddo. We good now?”
Poppy instantly let go with a weak grin. “We’re good.”
Wanda and Darnell, their eyes lined with exhaustion, gathered her up in a quick hug. “Let’s get you home. You need some sleep, and maybe a Xanax. Make that two,” Wanda teased.
Poppy’s head fell back on her shoulders as she laughed, and she caught sight of Rick, who smiled back at her.
He held out his hand to her, and she took it, letting him pull her close. “I have to apologize, Poppy. I’m sorry I didn’t know what to do with what you told me. You were right. I was wrong. I’m sorry I just couldn’t hear you.”
She shook her head, laying her cheek against his chest. “No. I understand. What I said was hurtful. You’d lost enough. I get it.” And she did. With hindsight, she understood how hard it had to have been to hear something so ugly.
Rick’s heart, steady and strong beat beneath her ear. “The thought of him hurting you scared the shit out of me, Poppy. It made me realize how much I want to start over. So what do you say to that? Starting over? Getting to know each other?”
She tipped her head back and gazed up at him with a smile. “I say, si, si, se?or.”
As the cold wind blew, and the moon shone down on them, he pressed his lips to hers, sealing the deal.
“All right, you two. Lay off the GD kissy face and let’s get the fuck outta dodge. My pain-in-the-ass familiar deserves some tuna and you two need all the Band-Aids.”
Poppy giggled at Nina as they began to walk toward the door of the building, stepping over the chunks of the spire and spitting piles of embers, but then something hit her.
Something she somehow couldn’t bear after all this.
She stopped and said, “Wait. Does this mean it’s over? I mean, because I don’t need bodyguards twenty-four-seven, are you guys just gonna leave?”
Nina rolled her eyes. “Fuck no, Miss Needy. Once you’re a part of the family, you’re a part of it forever. No one escapes the clingy fucking claws of OOPS.”
“Hear-hear!” Calamity cheered.
As they headed for the door, Poppy giggled again.
Yeah. Hear-hear.
Epilogue
Thanksgiving Day…
One new familiar/dancer/actress who’d found her purpose; a sexy, rediscovering-the-joys-of-being-a-warlock hottie developer; a half vampire, half witch with continually improving wand skills; a pretty blonde werewolf who doted on her little girl and did the best smoky eye on the planet; a halfsie with a secret to share; a therapist witch and her adorable family; a manservant who bastes a turkey like no other; a demon who has big plans for some Thanksgiving leftovers; a snarky cat who’s reluctantly, but willingly, learning to meet her witch halfway; a gentle zombie who will never climb another tree again, so help him God; a fresh-from-the-nursing-home ex-apartment building owner; happy, healthy children galore; football-watching spouses; and more accidental victims and their families than anyone can keep track of anymore, gathered together at Rick’s big warehouse to celebrate a very special day of thanks…
Poppy passed the platter of turkey to Rick, who stole a kiss from her, making her heart pound in giddy joy. “You know, after all these nights we’ve stayed up talking ourselves into a coma about almost everything ever in the history of ever, I don’t know if you like white or dark meat. Which is it, Familiar?”