Page 78 of Slow Burn


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We reached the back of the line and I leaned into Laeth’s side, twisting my neck to hide my flushed face against his massive bicep as I whispered, “People are staring.”

His hand clenched mine tighter as he chuckled. “That’s small town livin’ for you, Bambi. You’ll get used to it.”

It helped that most of them looked happy to see us holding hands.

“Deva!” I heard a voice call from my left. Twisting that way, I saw Farah and Poppy sitting at a small bistro table by the window. They were both beaming and waving me over.

“Go on,” Laeth said reassuringly before placing a kiss against my temple. “I’ll get your coffee while you talk with your friends.”

Talk with my friends. I really liked the sound of that. Especially coming from myboyfriend.

I started in their direction, returning their happy, bright smiles as they both stood and pulled me into hugs that spoke of familiarity. “Hi,” I greeted, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear as I pulled from Poppy’s embrace.

“Hey. We’re so glad we ran into you,” Farah said as she waved me to take the empty seat at their table. The three of us sat. I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to check on Laeth and saw he was already looking at me, and when our eyes locked, he winked, his lips forming the words,I love you.

“Oh my god,” Poppy squealed, clearly having read Laeth’s lips just as easily as I did. “Look at you. You’re glowing! When did this happen?”

“Um, last night,” I answered, that balloon of happiness expanding inside of me. “Well,officially, at least. We’ve kind of been dancing around each other for a while now.”

“Oh, believe us, we know,” Farah said with a laugh. “The whole town has been buzzing about the heat between you two. We’ve all been waiting for you to realize it.”

My eyes widened as I leaned in and lowered my voice, my eyes darting between the two of them. “Really?”

“Of course,” Poppy said, her tone indicating that it was common knowledge, which was certainly news to me. “I mean, I’m not really surprised. After all, this was the work of Myra, and when that woman sets her mind to matchmaking, she won’t stop until she considers it a success.”

I jerked back in shock. “Wait. What? What are you talking about?”

Farah’s eyes went wide. “You didn’t know?”

“Know what?”

“That this is what Myra wanted to happen all along. She knew you’d be great for Cash, but she also knew that you and Laeth would be perfect for each other. She had this all planned out. She wanted you to finally be happy, and she knew Laeth could do that.”

I wasn’t going to cry in the coffee shop. Iwasn’t. But as I sat there, fighting back tears, another one of those little holes in my heart started to fill, this one belonging to Myra.

Maybe it was fate that brought her into my life, or some divine intervention. I had no memory of the mother who brought me into the world, but the woman who had saved me filled that place.

“She’s a smart woman,” Poppy said with a shrug before taking a sip of her coffee. “She knew you two were perfect for each other. She’ll be beside herself once it’s confirmed.”

Farah laughed. “Which you’ll probably have to do soon enough when she summons you to the next family dinner.” She leaned over and bumped her shoulder against mine playfully. “Bring Laeth and Cash with you. They’ll be more than welcome.”

I couldn’t wait.

The three of us continued to chat when that feeling I’d had in the park with Cash the day before returned. That itch between my shoulder blades.

I turned to see if it was Laeth who was watching me, but he was currently at the counter, placing our coffee orders. I did a quick scan of the café, but everyone seemed to be in their own little worlds, none of them paying me any mind now that they’d realized Laeth and I were a thing.

Farah placed her hand on mine in order to grab my attention. “Everything okay?”

I turned back to my new friends, shaking the feeling off. It was all in my head. I was so used to things in my life going sour, but everything was so wonderful at the moment that myimagination was playing tricks on me. “Yeah, sorry. I’m good. Great, actually.”

“I’ll say,” Poppy giggled. “Seeing as your fine hunk of man is coming this way, looking at you like he just won the lottery.”

I turned my head as Laeth closed in, and all thought of anything but him fled from my mind. He tilted his chin to Farah and Poppy, issuing a husky, “Ladies,” before extending my coffee to me. “For you, baby.” I melted a little in my chair. “You ready to go get the little man or do you want to hang with your friends a little longer?”

I loved that he was asking me, and as much as I wanted to sit and gab with Farah and Poppy, we could schedule that for another time. I missed Cash something fierce, and I was ready for him to come home.

“We’ll catch up with Deva another time,” Farah said, like she was reading my mind. “Give that cutie a squeeze for me.”

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