It’s a good theory, but I’m not entirely convinced. “Well, then explain why my emerald goes completely dry around certain individuals.” I don’t want to give my dad the details of my romantic encounters with Johnny, so I hope the question is enough.
His expression tells me I don’t have to say more. “I suppose you don’t want your emerald to work around certain individuals. It’s really as simple as your own willpower, Katrina.”
With a stretch to disguise an unbecoming blush, I study the parts of my body I can see and notice that I not only look fine, but feel great. Not a bruise or scratch anywhere. I remember the blow to my head as I was smashed into the wall… the dripping blood pouring from the gnarly wound at my crown.
My dad must notice my self-discovery, because he’s smirking when I look back up at him. “I healed you, remember? Maybe we should work on that memory next.” He winks.
I stifle a giggle then meet his eyes with a smile. “Thank you.”
This is a memory I’ll lock up forever, because I never want to forget the first time I was healed by an Enchanter, especially since that Enchanter was my father.
There’s a look between us that says more than I want to feel right now. Have I forgiven my father for being distant all these years? Yes. Do I feel like we can make up for lost time? No. That part still hurts. Do I love him, just as a daughter should? Yes, I think I do.
I’m a ball of nerves the entire morning as I wait for Johnny to visit, even though I know he’s coming to Summer Manor to see Rose and my father, not just me. My thoughts carry a cloud of darkness, and pain twists in my chest as my heartbreak resurfaces. Still, I manage to shower and slip on a pair of black jeans that hug my skin, along with a thin cream sweater. I’ve gotten used to how stubborn my straight hair is with a curling iron, so I use my magic instead. Seconds later, loose waves hang down my back, my lashes are curled, and a small dose of eyeliner rims my silver eyes, making them pop.
With a deep breath, I land on the bottom step of the grand staircase just as the doorbell chimes. It’s fifteen minutes earlier than Johnny was supposed to arrive. I look over to find my dad, Rose, and Charlotte staring at me from the great room couch, watching me expectantly, like they want me to answer the door.
“Go on, dear,” Rose says with a flick of her wrist. “Show him to my den, and we’ll meet him there after we’ve had our tea.”
Trying to calm my erratic heartbeat is useless. The effect Johnny has on me has not changed. And for a long time, I missed that helpless feeling I had with him—when my powers were no match for the way his presence enveloped me. Maybe I still do.
I swing the door open, and Johnny’s scent immediately invades my nostrils. He’s dressed in slacks and a T-shirt, all white like he was that day we spent on his yacht. And I realize this is the first time I’ve seen him in daylight since then.
Time has blessed him well. He has just enough scruff so that I see his masculine jawline and thick, sun-kissed lips. His blue eyes still pierce me with his stare, and he still dwarfs me with his height.
His brows lift a little, and his eyes widen like he wasn’t expecting me to open the door. “Hey, Kat.”
The deep husk of my name slipping past his throat rock my core. “H-hey, Johnny.”
“How do you feel?” A crease forms in his forehead as his gaze scrolls slowly over my body.
“Good. Better. Fine.” I look away, embarrassed by how I stumbled over my words.
“I’m glad.” He starts to open his mouth to say something else, but he turns his head toward the great room and sees we have an audience. “Um…” His eyes fall back on mine. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
Suddenly, whatever confidence carried me down those grand steps is gone, and I completely lose my nerve. Reality hits for the first time since I’ve seen him, and my insecurities drown me. I’m standing in front of the guy that broke my heart to sail off on a mission of revenge. He doesn’t deserve my forgiveness—not so easily anyway.
Instead of answering his question, I take a step back into Summer Manor and wait for him to follow. “Come this way, please. I’ll show you to Rose’s den. Paul and Rose will meet you there shortly.”
With a flick of my wrist, the door closes, and Johnny meets my gaze with bent brows revealing concern. I turn away swiftly and lead him down the narrow hallway to the corner room. He trails me closely—so closely, I can feel the air swoosh between us and his scent hits me again. That breezy, citrusy fragrance so vivid, I’m brought right back to the day we spent together on his boat.
When we enter Rose’s den, I can feel his eyes begin to wander over me again. I tense then turn to face him, expecting him to close the gap, ready to confront our time apart and his return. To my disappointment, his eyes have moved from me, and I wonder if I imagined that they had ever been focused on me at all. They shift slowly around the room, and his feet follow. His reaction is similar to my own when I first laid eyes on this mini museum. Greek figurines, artifacts, dusty books, and stones are rather unusual sights. This room is like a direct link to our heritage. Even though Johnny descends from Poseidon, I can imagine this room still holds deep value for him.
Lost in his presence, I watch him examine the space. Every little step he takes prompts me to say something, anything, but I don’t. In silence, I think of the year and a half we’ve lost and wonder what his plans for the future are. Will he leave again? Will he stay? I’m not sure if I’m ready to ask that simple question.
Too much silence has passed. “I can go get Rose and my father now if you’d like, or…”
Johnny snaps out of his spell and walks toward me. My heart lunges into my throat as he steps closer.
“Wait,” he says, his frown deepening, “not yet. I hoped we would get a chance to talk.”
“About what?” I don’t mean to snap, and by the look on his face, neither does he.
He opens and hesitates a second before speaking. “Your father is here. That’s a pretty big deal. When did he come back?”
Pondering how to explain such a complicated story, I bite my lip. “He showed up a week after everything went down at the carnival. He just knocked on the door, and he’s been coming around ever since. It’s been…” I pause and look up at Johnny, who’s listening intently. “Really nice.”
His expression softens. “Good. You’ve forgiven him.”
I nod. “It took me some time, but he did what he had to do.”
There’s a flicker of something in Johnny’s eyes, and I can’t help but imagine it might be hope, like he thinks that since I forgave my father, I could forgive him too. But somehow, the pain with Johnny feels deeper.
“You look great, Kat.” He bats his eyelashes downward, almost shyly. It’s enough to cause my heart rate to spike once more. Johnny isn’t a shy guy, but he’s obviously having a lot of trouble with this conversation.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw you yesterday.” He shakes his head. “I thought I prepared myself to see you again, but when I did…” He steps closer. “I mean, you’re the same but you’re… different.”
If my heart rate continues to escalate, it just might burst. “I’m older,” I say, desperately trying to calm my raging emotions. “One year, three months, two weeks, and four days older.”