“Fine.” Luke rolled out of the opposite side of the bed. “If I can’t convince you not to go, then I should go pack. I’ll pick you up first thing in the morning.”
I flashed him my best smile. “I’ll be ready and willing.”
He circled around the end of the bed and yanked me against him. “You know, there is one advantage to taking you with me.”
“What’s that?”
His eyes brushed over my body. “I’ll have you all to myself for several blissful hours trapped in the airplane with me.”
My breath caught a little at his passionate suggestion. “Sounds like pure torture.”
“And here’s a taste of what’s to come.” His mouth covered mine, and for the next few minutes, I forgot all about packing.
After I finished putting together everything except the last-minute toiletries, I headed up to the big house to eat dinner. Expecting to dine at the small table in the kitchen, my father surprised me with a full meal laid out on the formal dining room table.
Uncle Jo, Aunt Delia, and Dani Jo joined us, and we dug into the dishes sitting on various trivets and potholders. It didn’t escape my notice how most of the food included my favorites. Ever since my decision to accompany Luke to Italy, Granny Jo had been doing her best to subtly convince me not to go.
“Good scald on the fried chicken as always, Granny,” I complimented when she floated into view.
“I’ll bet they can’t fry in Italy like I can,” she said, not giving up on her mission to make me not want to go.
I shoveled a mouthful of collards in my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. “No, the food won’t be the same, but I’m a little excited to try new things. Luke says I won’t believe the flavors, plus he’s going to try to take me to his uncle’s vineyard, too.”
Aunt Delia and Dani Jo gushed over the opportunity to visit a different country, asking me all kinds of questions about the upcoming trip. I promised both of them I would take as many pictures as possible and save enough space in my suitcase for souvenirs.
“Aren’t we glossin’ right over some pretty important details?” Uncle Jo waved his fork in the air as he chewed and talked. “Like the fact that you’re stepping into some sort of vampire soap opera? Or that your fiancé’s parents have a thing against witches?”
My aunt smacked her husband’s arm. “Now, don’t go discouraging your niece. Ruby Mae is tough as nails, and she needs to try and work things out with her future in-laws.”
Uncle Jo rubbed his arm like it hurt. “I seem to recall someone else who begged me not to visit her parents to ask their permission to marry her once upon a time.”
Aunt Delia scowled at him. “I did no such thing.”
My uncle stared up at the ceiling as if straining to remember, tapping the side of his head. “What was it my future bride said? Oh, yeah. That her parents would use up all their supply of goofer dust and use their root magic to run me out of town.”
Dani Jo snickered at her parents, and I egged them on. “And what ended up happening?”
My aunt rolled her eyes. “He fooled them the same way he fooled me with his country-boy charms. And by eating everything my mama put in front of him.”
“I also might have procured a little magical trinket her dad wanted.” Uncle Jo held up his hand at the side of his mouth as if he were whispering some big secret. “A little bribery can go a long way.”
I stopped munching on my bite, a sudden realization taking root. In all my excitement about getting out of my small town and experiencing another part of the world, I hadn’t thought about what I would do to win over Luke’s parents. And I was already starting from behind.
My father reached out to squeeze my shoulder. “I’m sure they’ll love you, butter bean. And if they don’t, well, then you’ll have to try your best to convince them otherwise. I’ve never known you to back down from a challenge. Ever.” He planted a peck on my cheek.
“Thanks, Dad,” I murmured, grateful to have him metaphorically kiss my emotional boo-boo better.
After the meal finished, Dani came back to my place and helped me go through a last-minute checklist to be sure I didn’t forget anything. Dad accompanied us because he wanted to be near me as long as possible.
“I truly am sorry for Luke’s loss, but I can’t help but feel that her love story is just so…” my cousin trailed off.
“Tragic?” I asked, stuffing another pair of clean undies into an empty space of the suitcase.
“No, romantic,” gushed Dani. “She wanted to love the person she chose and wouldn’t compromise.”
I snapped my fingers in front of her face as she swooned. “And Isabella died for her love. I mean, what am I going to do if Luke’s parents tell him he can’t marry me? This could be a truly bad idea for me to go. Maybe Granny’s right.”
My cousin shoved the suitcase aside and patted the space on my bed next to her. I sat at her request, and she took my hands in hers. “You told me not too long ago that you thought there was something Luke was hiding that was holding him back from you. Well, now you get a chance to make him face all the demons from his past. And better yet, you get to stand right by his side to help him through it.”
I frowned, considering her words. My reasons for going were noble, but the obstacles to get to the end goal would be bigger than I’d ever faced before.
“I’m glad I called Charli in Honeysuckle Hollow. She connected
