Inside, they are just entering the living room when Julia comes out. Her jaw drops but she keeps herself collected. “Hey, everyone.” She waves tentatively.
“What are you doing?” Jared says.
She freezes.
“Get over here for some hugs,” he finishes.
Her shoulder shrugs and she steps forward.
“She can’t hug, remember?” Dylan jabs Jared in the ribs, making him wince.
Julia sucks in her lips, holding back a smile before she lunges at Jared and he catches her. They hug, followed by the rest of the team. By the time she’s done, she wipes at her eyes quickly.
“I thought you all were mad at me,” she admits softly.
“No way!” Febin says.
“We were just waiting until the time was right,” Jared says, excitedly chewing his lip ring.
“Sit, sit.” Julia waves them to the couch and chairs. “We will talk after I get some drinks.”
“Are you happy?” I ask her as we grab lemonade and iced tea for everyone.
“You knew they were coming?” she asks between filling glasses with ice.
“Of course. They’ve been wanting to see you since the hospital, but I wanted to give you time to heal. They’re up to something.”
She sets down her glass and hugs me. “I was so afraid I made you lose them. Afraid that I lost them too.”
“Never,” I whisper in her hair. “We all love you. We’re a family.”
She shudders out a sigh before collecting herself and carrying the tray of drinks into the living room.
Julia is a happy hostess. I love it. I love her. I’m staring because when she looks at me, she widens her eyes and gestures her head back to Febin who’s been talking about all the shows they’ve finally been able to catch up on. She smiles and shakes her head as I bring my attention back to him.
“So did you tell her yet?” I ask.
“Nope. We were waiting to make sure you were healthy. We weren’t ignoring you, Julia.” Kate says.
“I thought maybe—” Julia says, tucking her hair back behind her hair.
Jared holds her gaze as she sets a glass down in front of him. “Just know there is nothing people could tell us to make us think differently about you. Nothing you could tell us. We trust and love you.”
Her smile is so big as she says, “Okay. I love you guys too.”
“We brought you the final version of the Shemesh-Tek fertilizer. We’ve had some free time. This one is perfect.” Dylan gestures to the front door. “But we left it outside because that shit reeks.”
“This batch is far superior. Sprinkle it over the plants and blast it with your UV light twice a day and they should be back in no time,” Febin says flatly.
The whole room stills. Febin chomps happily on a sugar cookie, unaware of the bomb he accidentally dropped.
“Uh,” Julia scratches the back of her neck.
Febin looks around. Blinks. Then says, “I said something wrong, didn’t I?” His gaze fuzzes out before coming back in focus. “Oh. I meant a UV light. Not yours. We don’t know about your powers.”
Julia’s eyes are wide as her hand stills in mid-air. I laugh and shake my head.
Jared drops his head into his hand. “Jesus.”
“He had one line,” Dylan mutters.
Kate smiles at Julia. “Well, cat’s out of the bag. We sort of figured something was going on with you before Ken destroyed the lab equipment.” She sees Julia shoot me a look. “But Nathaniel didn’t tell us.”
“We aren’t super geniuses for nothing. Will you show us something?” Dylan says with no shame.
Julia is blushing. “You guys don’t care? I didn’t mean to lie.”
“No, you have to keep talent like that under wraps. Or Big Brother is going to have you locked in a room before you know it.” Dylan grabs a cookie too.
“We won’t tell a soul. Don’t worry,” Jared says. “But … I do want to see too. I mean, if you don’t mind.”
Julia clears her throat and stands up. She shakes her head like she can’t believe what she’s doing. She grabs the remote for the surround sound and turns up the song playing. It’s a heavy rock song with a high, sweet voice singing about appreciating power. Her head rocks back and forth as her shoulders wiggle. She’s barefoot in her sundress and she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. Her feet start to dance, just like at the brewery that night that feels so long ago, as the music takes over. Her eyes close as she moves effortlessly, hypnotizing us all.
Nothing holds her back this time and soon her whole body glows a soft white. As the chorus comes on she spins and the white moves down her body to collect in her glowing hands. There is no heat though, just light. The song ends and out of her hands shoots two bright rainbows.
She laughs at the silliness of the situation but the others stare in awe. Febin has frozen with a cookie halfway to his mouth.
“Bravo!” I yell, shaking the others out of their reverie.
Julia bows dramatically as we all clap. She glows with joy. I pull her into my lap, no longer caring about PDA.
“You know, I think the next few projects are going to be a little different,” I say cautiously.
Julia’s smile grows and she adds, “We may need people who are open to a very different sort of work. People with a specific set of specialties.” She glances at each one of our friends as she speaks. “More research and development. Less paperwork.”
Their smiles grow as the agree eagerly. Except Febin. He still hasn’t moved.
“We may have some availability in our schedule,” Jared says coolly.
“So you’re gonna stay here for a while?” Kate asks Julia.
Julia grabs my hand. “Yeah. I’m still on short-term disability for a few more weeks but then I’m going give my two-week’s notice. I want to stay here and make some big changes.”
We share a smile and I squeeze her hand. She sends warmth into it.
“I think there are some very exciting opportunities ahead,” I say, grinning at her and then the team.
“We’re going to change the world,” Dylan says, their gaze far off.
I glance up to Julia and see the moisture balanced in her smiling eyes.
“We’re together and that’s all that matters,” she says.
Epilogue
Julia
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine …” I coo softly to Ferngully as I spritz her with mist. With it, I send a little warmth and light her way, just as Febin directed.
She’s flourishing. All the girls, named and fitting right in at Nathaniel’s house, are green and healthy. I have learned a lot about electromagnetic wavelengths these past few weeks and it turns out, that sure, I can kill a plant with radio waves, but I can also blast it with just the right amount of light waves to help it grow. With the help of the perfect concoction that Shemesh-Tek developed as fertilizer, all my girls are green and full.
I shake my head with a smile as I remember the team’s visit the other day. I have never felt so loved and like a part of a family. It’s the best feeling in the world and more than I ever thought I could have.
“Are you singing to the plants again?” Nathaniel comes up behind me, his strong arms circling my waist.
“At least I’m not talking to them?”
“This time.”
“You two need to keep that stuff in private,” Lincoln says.
“We aren’t doing anything,” I say at the same time Nathaniel says, “And you need to wear a cat bell so we know when you’re coming.”
Lincoln ignores his brother. “Are you ready? I don’t think Madame Curie can wait much longer.”
The sleek greyhound rescue is proving Lincoln’s point by pulling so hard at her harness she’s looks like a reindeer about to take flight. Her thin tail whips excitedly, smacking Lincoln in the leg.
Madame Curie is the only member of the family who’s as restless as Nathaniel. I have watched them play fetch for hours, neither of
them showing signs of stopping.
“We’re going, we’re going.” Nathaniel slides his hand into mine and we make our way into the perfect summer night.
On our way out to the street, I check on the small garden flourishing under my constant attention. It’s just a few plants—some easy perennials and a few wildflowers. But it’s all mine. There’s just a hint of coolness in the air to warn of the coming changing season but for now it’s the perfect temperature to stroll through town with the ones I love.
Madame Curie pulls Lincoln a few feet ahead of us as Nathanial and I stroll peacefully hand in hand.
We turn down the street where I used to live and find the Davies out in the garden.
“We’re right behind y’all,” Mr. Davies calls out. He’s patiently holding out a shawl to wrap around his wife’s shoulders as she flutters final touches over her plants.
Their garden is flourishing again—thanks to Shemesh-Tek fertilizer and a little special love from yours truly—and as Mrs. Davies stops to sniff her roses, I feel a glow of warmth spread through me.
Nathaniel squeezes my hand, bringing me back to reality.
“I love you,” he whispers in my ear.
I nuzzle his shoulder with my cheek and whisper, “I love you too.”
I watch Mrs. Davies without realizing as she hums to the plant. Her gaze meets mine in a flash of clarity and a little buzz tickles the back of my brain. She gives me a conspiratorial wink. I don’t know if it’s because she knows what I did to the garden … or something else.
Ever since I met Maggie May, I can’t help but wonder who else might be walking around with abilities like mine.
Abilities. A gift. That is what it is--not a curse. Not an illness. I am healthier than ever because I have learned to love this extraordinary talent of mine.
“Come on. Or Lincoln is going to get there first and eat everything in town.” Teenage boys are no joke. After successfully completing the Lite-Brite project, Shemesh-Tek has been so busy, we have to turn away work requests. Thank goodness, or that kid would eat us out of house and home.
I tug Nathaniel along after waving goodbye to the Davies, who will meet up with us later.
We wander into the town square along with dozens of neighbors pouring in from all directions. We share waves and pleasantries with all we pass. It’s the annual Hot Springs Cleanse, a night when the hot springs in the center of town are at their most healing, according to legend. Nobody really knows where or why the festival started. Rumor has it that everybody used to hop in nude until they added the food trucks and bouncy castles and it morphed into a family affair.
Jared walks up and hugs me and fists bumps Nathaniel. Kate and her family show up later. Dylan and their partner Stacy swing by to say hello before getting in line for the hot springs. Even Febin is here too, both hands full of food at all times.
Whatever the reason for the event in the town square, I’m just happy to call El Lugar my home. Thankfully, there is a light breeze blowing the sulfur smell easterly and all that fills the air is the smell of popcorn and fried food. I lift my chin and close my eyes as a strong wind blows my hair back. There is something to the air though. I can feel it, but can’t define it.
Maybe there is something to the old legends of this town after all.
I open my eyes and take in the scene around me. The square is filled with happy townspeople. Harry from Free Energy is handing out coffee to the Davies, who’ve just arrived. I recognize a few other friendly faces that I have met these last few weeks and they smile and wave at me. Smack dab in the center sits the biggest hot spring, steam curling up into the night air. The line to take the next dip is about ten people deep so the boys and I decide to eat first before we take our turn.
Of course we’re going to take our turn. This is the first time I’ve let myself come to one of the town’s events. I meet as many people as I can. I shake everyone’s hands freely, not once worrying about burning anybody. So many people express happiness at finally getting to know the girl who seemed so lonely. They are thrilled to see Nathaniel hand in hand with someone too.
I love this weird little town. I love how accepted I feel. I belong here.
Angel and I have only been able to catch up a few times since the events with William. I shared the truth about learning to control my powers and I could tell Angel was happy for me. I briefly wondered if their pain had been faked as a way to get close to me but knew that level of detail couldn’t be made up. We were still friends. I worried about Angel and wondered if a time would come when we would finally meet. Only they seemed more distant than ever. It was Angel, however, who sent me an exposé on William Moore written by one Miss Mayday. That caused even more truths about William Moore to surface. Even tonight, there is a tension in the air when he’s brought up. He would have most likely been here, overseeing things. But everybody seems light and free tonight. I don’t know that anybody misses his watchful presence.
One park bench with his face on it has been tagged with graffiti blacking out his tooth and devil horns added to his perfect hair. The words “good Will gone” are written over his tagline.
There’s a small band playing folky bluegrass and Nathaniel and I dance. Well, he tries to dance, for my sake. His arms flail and his knees sort of do this bobbing thing. When he starts to snap like he’s doing the Carlton, I take his hands in mine and lead him through a simple two-step. I dance freely and without thought.
Later, Lincoln goes off with his friends, probably using Madame Curie to flirt. Nathaniel and I are finally up to take a dip. He wore shorts and I, a short summer dress. We wade in only to our knees.
He sighs in pleasure. “It is magic,” he teases.
I’m about to agree when I feel something more. Energy pours into me all at once, like drinking from a firehose. I wish I hadn’t avoided this my whole time here. My hands begin to glow before I even realize what’s happening. Thankfully, I quickly convert the energy to harmless heat waves back into the water before anybody notices.
Except Nathaniel. He scoots closer to me.
“That was cool,” he whispers.
“I better get out before I blow a fuse.” I’m joking, but we both climb out of the spring to let the next people have a turn.
I take a deep breath as the summer night dries our legs. Nathaniel and I stop to kiss and I make him little dopey with my gift. He shudders before slurring, “You be careful writing checks you can’t cash.”
I flutter my eyelashes coyly at him before kissing him again.
Everything in my life is at peace. It’s more than I could have ever hoped for. I have found a home where I belong. A life with a family that loves me.
My phone buzzes and I see a text from Maggie May. “They found another one. And she needs our help.”
I respond and slide the phone back into my pocket.
Zebulund and Moore weren’t working alone. Men like that don’t give up easily. More danger is coming. But I’m ready now.
I know my power.
No more running. No more hiding. When danger comes, I will protect my family and others like me. And if it doesn’t come to me, I will go looking for it.
After all, who wants to lead an ordinary life when you can be extraordinary.
About the Author
Piper Sheldon writes Contemporary Romance and Paranormal Romance. Her books are a little funny, a lotta romantic, and with just a little twist of something more. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two needy dogs at home in the desert Southwest. She finds writing about herself in the third person an extreme sport in awkwardness.
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http://pipersheldon.com/newsletter
Acknowledgments
Reader, this book took me some time. Okay, so that’s an understatement. I started writing this in 2019 knowing it would be about a woman desperate for connection and unable to touch. Boy, if I had only known what was in store. Full disclosure, it was meant to release the summer of 2020 b
ut turned out it was very hard for me to write about not being touched during a pandemic. It took some time to get my writing feet (er, hands?) back under me, but I couldn’t be prouder of myself than I am for finishing this love story.
When I was able to find my voice again, despite the ever-present uncertainty and fear, I found myself pulling so much strength from Julia and Nathaniel. From Lincoln and the team. People have hope. People endure. Evil loses, LOVE ALWAYS wins. It’s a theme that I chose to write over and over because it is the truth that I chose to focus on. In darkness there is always light. Thank you for taking the time to be on this journey with me. Be safe. <3
To JR, always. You know why. Thank you.
Thank you to my sensitivity reader for your honest feedback.
Thank you to my mom who supports me and loves me no matter what and has to keep reminding me of that fact because I am forever her needy little girl.
To Matt - I’m fairly certain you will never read this so it’s safe to say to admit to the world that you’re pretty alright as far as brothers go. I’ve been following you around since I could walk and I appreciate you for putting up with me and sharing some of your nerdy science brain juice.
To Tina for helping find my inner heroine.
To Tracy for ALL THE READS. Boy, how this book has changed, much like the world, since I first started writing it. Love you so.
To Nora, I feel like I say this every book, but really, I could not have done this without you.
To Ellie, Thank you for all the calls that kept me grounded through a really tricky time.
To Brooke for all the love and laughs through the hardest times. And thanks for having amazing taste.
To my reader group, Pipes Peeps. You all mean everything to me and keep me laughing on the darkest days.
To Lynsey, who I am thinking about constantly. You are one the strongest people I have ever had the honor of knowing. You astound me every day. I love you and I will see you soon.
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