“Oh, honey. Come on upstairs. We’ll put our bags down and warm up, huh?” Beks gave her a gentle smile.
She stopped Beks before they got very far. “You’re not a rebound, you know that right? I thought about that at first, but you’re not. I’m done thinking short term and doubting this—doubting myself, doubting you.”
Beks took her hand. “Thanks, Mari. I believe it, but it feels so good to hear it.”
She smiled and helped Beks into the lobby. “Oh. Warm. I didn’t realize how cold I was.”
They headed up to what was their room for one more night. They dropped bags and backpacks, mitts and coats and hats in a messy heap before going to the sofa to slump down in a pile.
Bekka’s cards were on the table waiting for them, and Mari wanted to see what was going to happen here, what Beks was going to tell her.
“You want me to read before we—”
The big French doors blew open, the winter wind blowing in and bringing snow.
“Oh my god.” She hopped up, hurrying to the doors to close them, laughing. “Snow belongs outside.”
“It does. It—man, my cards went fly—” Beks stopped and blinked.
“It’s locked. I don’t know how it just flew open like that. So weird.” She watched Beks. “Are you okay?”
“Uh-huh.” She picked the three cards up from the sofa. “Wow…look at this.”
The first card was a lady who was lounging on a divan, with the Empress written on the bottom.
“That’s a pretty one. She’s…like, royalty?” She recognized some of the symbols for women on the card.
“Yes. I’m ready for love. That’s what this one means, and this one?” A couple stood there, each holding a cup. “I love the way we communicate.”
The final card she knew.
The Lovers.
She sat with Beks again. There wasn’t any reason to be skeptical of that reading. “So this means we’re perfect for each other, hm? I can totally believe in that.”
“I—Yes. Yes, the universe seemed to be incredibly straightforward here, wouldn’t you say?” Bekka stared at the cards with a wondering smile.
She wasn’t going to think too hard about how the wind had actually drawn the cards, or that those doors had never blown open before. “Which one of these two people is me?” She chuckled, watching Beks.
“Funny girl. You’re the angel, right? My fierce, wild angel?”
“Are you sure? Maybe you’re mine,darlin’.” She played with the word, mimicking that amazing drawl Beks had pulled from somewhere deep in those Texas roots to defend Marissa from her evil ex.
“Boobs to bones, honey. I’m in, no cheating, no bullshit, just you and me and making a life.”
“And Poe. You and me and Poe.” The no-bullshit part was maybe the best thing she’d heard in a long time. “I can’t wait to move into our little house.”
“I hope Poe likes me. I intend to make him a happy kitty.” Beks lifted her face for a kiss. “Almost as happy as his mom.”
“Good luck with that. I’m pretty damn happy.” She gave Beks that kiss, lingering over it, letting it smooth out all her rough edges.
When she’d come out here, she’d been heartbroken, doing some guy she’d never met a favor, her world a wreck. Then a sweater-wrapped, tarot-reading whirlwind had slammed into her and demanded that she have some faith in the holidays.
It was like being bashed in the head with an elvish snow sprinkle.
Marissa hoped the magic never faded.
Never.