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I roll my eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a bunch of old women.”
“Who you calling old?” Cayenne barks from behind me, and I lock my muscles to stop myself from jumping and screaming.
I fist my hands on my hips and go on the attack. “You shouldn’t have—”
I don’t have a chance to finish my accusation before Sage rushes toward me and begins hauling me away. “Come on. Come on. It’s time for the maypole dance. You don’t want to miss an entire year of fertility, do you?”
I plant my feet. “As a matter of fact.”
I look up at Mav with pleading eyes. I may even pout my bottom lip a bit. Didn’t he agree to save me from fertility rituals today?
He places an arm around my waist and hauls me near. “What’s this about a maypole dance?”
I indicate the giant pole in the middle of the square. There are several ribbons in a variety of colors attached to the top. Several women, including three of my sisters, grasp the ends of the ribbons.
“No time to explain,” Sage grunts out as she continues to try and drag me away. “It’s starting.”
“Why do women dance around the maypole and not men? After all, both the male and the female must be fertile in order to produce a child.”
“He’s not wrong,” Rowan says as he joins our group.
“I’m all for it, but Aspen kicked me when I took hold of a ribbon,” Lyric adds.
“You’d think in a town that prides itself on equality both the men and the women would be involved in any fertility ritual,” Cole adds. Baby Willow waves from the carrier on his chest as if she agrees.
“Maybe we should kick off a new tradition. The men and the women will dance around the maypole,” Mav suggests, and I give him the stink eye. So much for helping me avoid the fertility rituals today.
“About damn time,” Forest booms as he comes up to us. “I’ve been saying the maypole dance should be inclusive for years.”
“What do you say, June Bug? You want to dance around the maypole with me?”
Dang it. If Mav is willing to dance around the maypole, I can hardly say no.
“Will someone snap some photos?” I’m going to need evidence for future bribing purposes.
“I got this,” Sage says and holds up her camera.
I narrow my eyes on her. She was awful quick to agree to this. She winks at me. Shit. She planned this all along, didn’t she? How the hell did she manage it?
Mav entwines his fingers with mine. “Come along, June Bug. It’s time to celebrate spring or the coming of summer or fertility or this god Beltane or something similar.”
I laugh as we hurry to the maypole with Cole, Lyric, and Rowan on our heels. “I’m impressed with how close you listened to my explanation.”
I wave to Aspen, Ellery, and Ashlyn as we pick out ribbons to hold onto. “Where’s Lilac?”
Aspen points to one of the bonfires. “Pretending to be fire marshal.”
“She’s full of bologna,” Ashlyn shouts. “She’s afraid of the maypole.”
“Having a baby isn’t a horrible thing. In fact, it’s pretty awesome,” Ellery adds as she smiles at Willow.
“I can’t wait,” Ashlyn says as she stares up at Rowan with her hand on her belly.
The entire town is going to know she’s pregnant if she doesn’t stop rubbing her belly. Of course, knowing Ashlyn, she won’t care if everyone knows before it’s ‘proper’ to tell people. She doesn’t do proper.
The first strains of Zombie by the Cranberries begins and everyone starts dancing.
“What is this?” Mav asks. “I thought we’d dance to some Gaelic folklore music.”
“In Winter Falls?” I have to yell to be heard over the music.
He tilts his head back and laughs. It’s a beautiful sight. One I hope to witness every day for the rest of my life. I am so gone for this man. If he leaves me, I’ll be lost with no desire to be found.
