Never Tell a Soul, Damon Priest

27. the most favorite

Too much had changed since the night Geneva dared to venture out of the Withers House. Since that Sunday morning she told Damon Priest her secrets and fears. It seemed only yesterday when she started to think of possibilities, of forgiving herself, her parents, and her aunts. For being free of guilt for the little pleasures. Of wanting adventure and excitement despite the sadness and pain.

Two years and yet it still felt so fresh. The feelings. The memories.

But so much had also happened since then. Ever since the Christmas dinner she shared with her family, things had fallen into place for her. Not without challenges, of course.

When she told her aunts that she wanted to go with Matthew to Coulway to try acting, they were horrified. Scandalized.

"I'll visit you often," she promised them.

"No, you will not. You'll get married. You'll get pregnant. Build your own family with the Stratfords."

"But I'm not quite ready to be married. I am yet to live my full life," she enthusiastically told them.

Her Aunt Prudence merely shook her head. "She's too much like Adeline," she said to Barbara.

That conversation was still as fresh as all the others in her head. Even now as she absently stared at the paper in front of her, she smiled, imagining her aunts' reaction to her latest letter. They might burn it or feed it to the birds, she didn't care. She wrote about her exciting week and she wanted to share it.

People passed around her in a blur as she immersed herself in what she was reading. She was aware of people rushing by with packages, of chatters that became muffled as the story on the page filled her senses. She was also quite aware that there were gentlemen from across the bazaar who had been studying her with interest for some time now. Yet she didn't care. Her mind was elsewhere, transported in a different place and time.

But when the gentlemen started talking loudly, she started to lose focus. It was obvious they were trying to get her attention. She would not have assumed it if she was uncertain, but for days now, they had tried to talk to her. She could have avoided going to the bazaar, but then she was not quite willing to give up her favorite place because of them.

When she felt a shadow fall upon her, she gritted her teeth. But when the owner of the shadow spoke, her head snapped up and her eyes widened.

"Are you aware that you have admirers three tables away?" he asked, his brown eyes smiling and glinting down at her. His curly brown hair was a mess from the wind outside.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in wonder, jumping to her feet, throwing her papers on the table.

"I came to see you, of course—Geneva, people can see us," he said when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well, I don't care!" she cried out, burying her face in his neck. "I missed you."

His arm went around her, his chest vibrating with laughter. "I missed you, too."

"Now, tell me why you're here," she said, pulling away from him, ignoring the curious stares.

"I missed you," he said, taking the seat across from hers. Damon looked around. "Where's Matthew?"

"Probably still with his physics teacher," she said, resting her chin on her palm, smiling at him with wonder. "I can't believe you're here."

"Stop staring," he said, leaning back with a chuckle.

"I can't help it. It's been months."

He rolled his eyes. "I shouldn't have tried so hard to make you fall in love with me. You're such a hopeless case."