Page 89 of The Forbidden Fling

When her attention fell on one woman in the crowd, the feeling surged, glowing and fluttering its wings.

* * *

After the last totem had been awarded, the staff moved the seating logs to one side, and the celebrations kicked up a notch. The band jumped into a lively acoustic set, encouraging everyone to dance and clap their hands. Ella and Riley led by example, twirling and spinning each other in circles, Ella’s dress fanning around her as Riley guided her through the steps.

Despite the night’s contagious energy, Diana kept to the edges, tapping her feet to the beat and watching the dancers, lit by the glow of the torches. Molly and Quin copied the accordion player’s fast steps, tripping up in the process and laughing harder and harder. Diana’s gaze landed on Faye. She was twirling with one of her dads, David, who’d flown out to celebrate. He moved with all the grace of a clumsy chicken in chinos.

Diana wanted to take it all in. The way the air buzzed with electricity and lingering smoke, the way laughter carried above the music, radiating pure joy. Above the canopies of flowers, stars sprinkled the indigo sky like fireflies. Beyond the cliffs, blanketed by darkness, she knew the sea continued to rock against the shoreline, forever changing, forever moving, but a constant all the same.

She thumbed the totem on her necklace. The dove. She’d never associate an animal so gentle with herself. It was a strange feeling. Like belonging—but also not. Something out of reach but eerily close. For a moment, she wondered if her familiar had any connection to her mum.

When a body bumped against hers, she turned.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” Ella teased, before she could mask her expression.

Diana leaned back against the wall. “Are you here to set me up again?”

Ella’s gaze passed over the courtyard, where Faye was trying to teach her dad how to vogue. “It didn’t work out too badly last time, did it?”

Diana shook her head. “Do I even want to ask how you know about that?”

“We have CCTV.” Diana’s mouth fell open, but before she could reply, Ella nudged her again. “Kidding. I mean, we do have CCTV. But not like that.”

Diana breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re a menace. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“A few times.” She gave her a small smile. “Do you want to know the truth?”

“Yes.”

Ella eyed her, like she was assessing the validity behind her statement. “I can feel it. Some energies leave traces. Powerful ones. Like Hansel and Gretel but less lame and more epic.” She waved her hand in Faye’s direction. “You two are pumping out enough energy to make even Saint Valentine sick.”

Diana bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes finding Faye across the room again.

“You feel it, though, don’t you?” Ella pressed. “The way your bodies search for each other?”

Faye glanced their way, joy lighting her face, and something in Diana’s chest squeezed. She didn’t need to say anything. Judging by the knowing look in Ella’s expression, she already knew.

Just like Diana did.

“You haven’t got long,” Ella said. Then she winked and skipped off towards the band. She whispered something in the singer’s ear, they both grinned, and he brought the song to a close.

“Now for a group dance,” he called, clapping his hands together. “Just follow me. Everybody!”

Ella shot her a glance from across the courtyard, and Diana sighed. Whatever the woman was up to, she decided to play along. If she were to listen to the calling of her guide, she needed to push past life’s restraints, and that included not waiting on the edge of the dance floor.

“Everybody, clap your hands.” The man demonstrated over his head, stomping his big black boots. “Now spin the person on your left.”

Diana had no choice in the matter; she was thrown into action by a short man, the courtyard circling around her. She stumbled, then righted herself, remembering her dance lessons.

“Swap your partner!”

Diana was catapulted to the left, landing in the strong arms of another man who smelled like cinnamon. Her eyes widened. She was dancing with Faye’s dad, David. He grinned as they moved left and then right, the dance floor packed full of bodies. She caught sight of Faye as they circled around, her grin making her heart flutter again.

After another spin and clap, they swapped partners, and the two of them slotted together like magnets. Faye grinned, her hands warm and firm and sparking flames as they brushed against her skin.

“Are you having fun?” Diana asked, her own happiness tripling at the sight of Faye’s.

“I am now.” She held her tighter. “I want to talk to you properly, though.”