Lemon Pies and Little White Lies (32 page)

Chapter 17

“Can you send him up?” Ella Mae asked when she’d recovered from the shock.

Reba hesitated. “Do you want to brush your hair or put a little color on your lips?”

Ella Mae shook her head. “I don’t care what I look like.”

“Well, I’ll fix you somethin’ to eat while you two are talkin’. Three days without food is too long.” She got to her feet and opened the windows. “You had far too much on your shoulders, but that’s over with now. You should spend the whole day lying here. Listen to the birds. Smell the jasmine. Let the sunshine wash over your face. I’ll run around and fetch whatever you want if you just promise to rest.”

“What I’d really like is a shower, but that can wait. I need to lay eyes on that sword.”

“I’ll give you five minutes before I send Hugh up,” Reba said left the room.

Ella Mae swung her feet out from beneath the covers and made to stand, but the room swayed and she nearly fell. She reached out, fumbling for the bedpost, but her mother grabbed her around the waist, and whispered, “I’ve got you.”

The two women stood there for a moment while Ella Mae fought the dizziness. She then shuffled into the bathroom like an old woman and leaned against the sink. Chewy immediately took up his position on the bath mat, hoping Ella Mae was heading into the shower and that he could lap water from the floor and the sides of the stall when she was done.

“In a bit, sweet boy,” Ella Mae told him. She splashed cold water on her face and brushed her teeth. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, stunned by the pallor of her skin, the puffiness around her eyes, and her dull, matted hair.

“Could I brush your hair?” her mother asked. “I remember how good it felt the night you freed me. You brushed and brushed until I finally fell asleep.”

Ella Mae touched one of the limp strands sticking to her cheek. “A pair of scissors would be quicker, but yes, thank you.”

Her mother helped her to the wing chair by the window and began to gently loosen the tangles. Ella Mae glanced out the window at the cloudless blue sky. All signs of the weekend storm were gone and the world was awash in sunlight. Across the lush green lawn, her mother’s rosebushes were covered with plump, velvety blooms. Ella Mae’s gaze roved over the sea of flowers in the garden, and she took in a deep breath of perfumed air. When she turned away from the window, Hugh was standing in the threshold cradling a sheet-wrapped bundle in his arms. Ella Mae could tell by its shape that it was the sword.

Without looking at her, Hugh placed the bundle on the
bed. Chewy rushed over to greet him, his little tail wagging wildly. Hugh ruffled the terrier’s fur and scratched his back until Chewy flopped down, his tongue hanging from his open mouth.

Finally, Hugh straightened and met Ella Mae’s eyes. “I rehearsed what I was going to say a dozen times, but now I can’t remember a thing.” He began clasping and unclasping his hands. “There are no words to express what I need to convey.” Suddenly, he was on his knees before Ella Mae. “I’ve been such a fool.”

“Please, don’t do that. I’m not that person anymore.” She showed Hugh her palm.

“I know,” he whispered, his voice choked with anguish. “You gave your all to save everyone else. That’s why I’m a fool. I thought I was half a man without my powers, but I was wrong. It took the light coming from your hand to burn the fog from my eyes.”

Ella Mae gaped at him. “I thought you were unconscious.”

“I did pass out, but not before I saw the
real
you. I saw the woman I’d known since childhood. Sure, you looked larger than life and it seemed like you were bathed in starlight, but it was you.” He paused to collect himself, his face etched with pain.

Ella Mae’s mother fastened Ella Mae’s hair in a loose braid, set the brush on the nightstand, and put a hand on Hugh’s shoulder. “I’ll get you two some coffee.” She whistled for Chewy and left the room.

“You told me that your abilities didn’t define you,” Hugh continued. “I should have believed you. It’s always been your heart that’s defined you, Ella Mae. When I saw you pouring your magic out, it became so clear. I wanted to shout out that I never knew the full extent of Nimue’s plot—especially the
Merlin bit— but the world turned dark before I could make a sound.”

“What happened when you came to?” Ella Mae still felt numb when she looked at Hugh. She wished it weren’t the case, especially since he was laying everything bare, but she couldn’t help it.

“Everything was quiet. I knew that you’d defeated Nimue and that I had a choice to make. I could either run or try to make amends.” Hugh smoothed the quilt on Ella Mae’s bed. “When I saw the sword lying on the ground, I knew that doing the right thing was going to be really hard.”

Ella Mae immediately understood. “If you brought it to the bottom of Lake Havenwood, you’d have a permanent source of power again.”

“I’ll admit that I was tempted,” Hugh said. “In my hands, that sword was like a living thing. My strength returned the second I touched it, but I wasn’t blinded by it. Even when I swam off the island with the sword strapped to my back, I feared that my other form would take over and I’d lose sight of the choice I’d made, but I didn’t. I thought of you and of what you sacrificed for the rest of us, and I stayed
me
up here.” He tapped his temple. “I had command of my thoughts. I kept my eyes on Partridge Hill’s dock lights, and I was more man than creature the whole time. I was your man. Your Hugh.”

A sigh of relief escaped Ella Mae’s lips. “This weapon will be used for good. It can heal. It can restore one of the ruined groves. It will bring hope to many people.” She glanced at the bundle. “When my mother told me it was gone, I felt like we’d lost—that another enemy would take Nimue’s place. Loralyn. Or one of the priestesses.” Swallowing, she added, “Or you.”

Hugh shook his head. “I’ll never be vulnerable to magic
again. It’s cost me what I held most dear.” He gestured at the sword without taking his eyes off Ella Mae. “Nimue said this blade has a duplicitous nature. It changes depending on the person wielding it. If you use it, you can achieve amazing things.” He stretched out his hand and carefully touched her palm. “You might even be able to heal yourself.”

“I don’t need healing,” Ella Mae replied quietly. “If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I wouldn’t alter the outcome. I can live without what I’ve lost.” She took his hand. “Can you?”

Hugh gently pulled away and started pacing the floor, clearly frustrated that he’d failed to get his point across. “Don’t you see? Nothing matters without you. The man who loves you is speaking, not the selfish, irrational water elemental.” He stared at Ella Mae with such intensity that she nearly flinched. “You tried to convince me that you were the same girl I’d always known—with or without magic. Well, I’m the same guy you’ve always known. If we both shed those other selves together, there’ll be no more secrets.”

This created a tiny flutter of feeling in Ella Mae’s heart. “No more secrets,” she repeated. “Just a guy and a girl.”

“
Yes
.” Hugh smiled at her, his blue eyes shimmering. “I’ve wronged you. I don’t deserve you. But I will spend the rest of my days trying to be worthy of your friendship, if not your love. I will earn back your trust hour by hour, day by day. All I want is a shred of hope. If I can leave knowing you don’t despise me, then I—”

“I could never despise you,” Ella Mae said tenderly. “I couldn’t hurt you that night on the island and I can’t hurt you now.” She held out her hands and Hugh was at her side in a heartbeat, his arms sliding under hers, effortlessly lifting her out of her chair. She gazed up at him. “We never seem to catch a break, do we?”

He traced the curve of her cheek and then raised her hand to his mouth and kissed each knuckle. “Will you give me chance?” His whisper was nearly inaudible.

“This might be our clean slate. A chance to start over,” she said. “Or it might be the world telling us to let go. Maybe we’re just not meant to be together.”

“I refuse to consider that possibility,” he said. “When I look at you, I still see my future. When I stand this close to you, I still believe in happy endings.”

At this, Ella Mae smiled. She recalled her conversation with Aunt Dee and how Dee had laughed and said that Ella Mae had, and always would, believe in happy endings.

“Do you have enough faith for both of us?” she asked Hugh.

“I do,” he said, his words sounding like a vow. “Enough to fill an ocean.”

Ella Mae studied Hugh’s familiar face. She saw her past in his eyes—the boy who’d climbed the tree to fetch her kite, the teenager who’d dived from the highest rocks into the cool water of the swimming hole, the man who’d fought raging fires. He’d always held a place in her heart. She couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. “I can’t make you any promises, because I need to sort out what’s next for me. It wasn’t easy adjusting to being magical, but no longer belonging to a group of people I care deeply for is going to be even harder.” She squeezed his hand reassuringly. “But it’ll be wonderful to know that I can talk to you about anything—that I don’t have to hide things from you anymore.”

“I look forward to those talks,” Hugh said. “To any time that we spend together.” He grinned and, for a moment, he was his old self again. “The pie baker and the fireman.”

Ella Mae returned the grin. “I like the sound of that.”

A light surfaced in Hugh’s eyes, and Ella Mae knew she’d
given him the hope he’d been seeking. He leaned in, kissed her lightly on the mouth, and then enfolded her in his arms.

Ella Mae was surprised by the fierceness of his embrace, but she felt completely at home in his arms. Closing her eyes, she pressed her cheek against his chest, and thought,
There’s still magic between us. It might be the only magic that ever mattered.

•   •   •

Though Ella Mae took it easy for the rest of the day, she was concerned about The Charmed Pie Shoppe being closed for nearly a week. She knew she couldn’t go back to work until she’d regained her strength, but that night, she asked Jenny to join her for a glass of wine in the garden so the two of them could come up with a plan.

“I can take charge of the pie shop until you’re ready to come back,” Jenny said, dropping into one of the wicker chairs on the back patio. “I’m not as skilled as you, but I can follow your recipes, and I already know how to prepare and plate the sides. You’ve taught me so much since I started working for you that I feel like I know what’s best for our customers.”

Ella Mae handed her a glass of sparkling wine. A trio of raspberries bobbed in the tiny bubbles. “Which is exactly why I wanted to know how’d you feel about becoming a partner.”

Jenny’s cheeks flushed with pleasure. “Seriously? I’d love it! I was hoping you’d let me take Fiona’s place now that she’s decided to return to Scotland. If I promise not to slap any of the bridezillas, can I be your partner and still handle the catering side?”

“Absolutely. Here’s to new beginnings,” Ella Mae said, and the two women clinked glasses. “We’ll need to hire
another server. Someone who can also double as a delivery person. You and I can trade off waiting tables whenever our new employee needs to leave the shop. Personally, I like the idea of getting out of the kitchen more. I miss chatting with our customers.”

Jenny studied her over the rim of her glass.

“I know what you’re worried about,” Ella Mae said softly. “But I don’t need magic to create amazing pies. Sugar, the woman who made the Sunshine Lemon Pie, reminded me of that. As long as we use the freshest ingredients and are passionate about the food we create, people will never know that our pies aren’t enchanted.”

“You really seem to be okay with this.” Jenny shook her head in wonder.

Ella Mae smiled. “I am.” She gestured around the bloom-filled garden. “I wake every morning to this paradise. The people I love are safe. I’m living my dream of owning a pie shop.”

“The best in the country!” Jenny exclaimed heartily, and then grew serious again. “What will happen with you and Hugh?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure.” Ella Mae turned her glass and the raspberries bobbed like buoys. “We’re going take it slow. We hurt each other pretty deeply, and only time will tell if we can heal those wounds or if it’ll take someone else to do that.”

Jenny’s brows rose. “Someone like Finn Mercer?”

Ella Mae had nearly forgotten about Finn and told Jenny as much. “Has he moved into his mother’s house?”

“A couple of days ago. Since then, he and Aiden have been working like maniacs transforming that warehouse building. It’s going to be part workshop, part storefront. Both of them are really excited about launching Finn’s new
lighting line.” She smiled. “I haven’t seen Aiden this fired up since Suzy first agreed to have dinner with him.”

“That’s great. And I’m really glad he and Suzy are happy, though I miss her. Between the History in the Baking events, preparing for Nimue’s arrival, and keeping the pie shop running, I’ve barely seen my best friend.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

Ella Mae and Jenny turned to find Suzy standing beneath a metal arbor covered by blooming trumpet vines.

“Are you spying on us?” Ella Mae joked.

Suzy shrugged. “What can I say? I’m as stealthy as a ninja. A ninja bearing gifts.” She pulled up a chair and, after giving Ella Mae a hug, handed her a box of gourmet truffles and a gift-wrapped package.

“Let’s dig into these chocolates right now.” Ella Mae told Suzy to help herself to wine and then bit into a truffle. A burst of sweet pineapple combined with the crunch of macadamia nuts filled her mouth. “How do they pack so much flavor into one candy?”

She passed the box to Jenny, who examined the flavor chart with interest. “I have to try the wasabi ginger.”

“I’m going for the caramelized plantain,” Suzy said, selecting a truffle with a yellow squiggle of icing.

The women sipped wine, ate chocolate, and talked. By the time they’d tried the French toast, cinnamon latte, peach rosemary, lemon lavender, blackberry sage, and peanut butter honey truffles, Ella Mae was feeling rather giddy.