Arcanum (Tales from the Tarot)

41. Chris

Two weeks later

T he light of the full moon lit up the backyard, dotted here and there with the yellow glow of fireflies. Even though it was June, goosebumps raced over my skin as I stepped outside in nothing but a pair of boxers. I wasn’t on board with the whole naked-in-public thing, even if it was midnight and no one should have been looking out their windows.

Ever since my bumbling explanation of misdemeanors, Greyson kept his underwear on for his little moonlit cleanses. He was already outside in a pair of trunks, staring up at the silver disk in the dark sky. A white candle flickered between his palms, along with a few more in old-fashioned lanterns that he set out on the ground.

Earlier in the night, I spread out a blanket and added some pillows. In the spring, I’d upgraded from the oh-so-fancy cooler to an actual picnic basket, which I set down next to the blanket. It was my first-ever ritual with him and the only reason I was doing it was because he’d promised snacks. But the more I thought about it, the more I could get on board with picnicking at midnight, especially if we got to do it in our underwear.

“Now what?” I asked quietly, standing awkwardly beside him and spreading my hands. Even though he’d invited me to join him on other occasions, I hadn’t taken him up on it. I preferred to tiptoe my way into witchcraft. But for once, I said yes, hoping the night would go smoothly and that I wouldn’t make a total ass out of myself.

“Close your eyes and exhale,” Greyson replied, his eyes already closed and looking as serene as a Buddhist monk. “Let go of everything that’s worrying you. Let the moonlight wash it all away.”

As far as closing my eyes and huffing out a breath, I did as he said, but visualizing all of the other stuff wasn’t happening. My mind was too busy racing with all the ways I could fuck this up for him to calm down or let go of anything.

“Deep breaths,” he reminded me.

“Hang on. I forgot something.” I knelt next to the basket and rooted around inside, grabbing what I needed. I’d hoped it would calm me down, but all it did was ramp up my nerves, which I’m sure wasn’t suspicious at all to my emotion-feeling witch of a boyfriend.

Fucking get it together, Brandt.

With a quick exhale, I turned to stand, except I found that Greyson was also kneeling. But not just kneeling. Kneeling on one knee. Like I was. My gaze darted to his hand and the small black box he was clutching. Like I was…

And just like that, my nervous bubble popped. We busted out laughing at the same time, ambling toward each other on our knees. As soon as he was close enough, I took his face between my hands, ring box and all, and kissed him.

“You first,” he said with a smile as he pulled away, nodding to the velvet box.

“No, it’s ok. You go.”

“No, I insist.”

“Ok.” I exhaled another quick breath and cracked open the box so he could see the ring, a white gold band with a row of moonstones down the center, flanked by two lines of real meteorite dust. After looking at hundreds of rings online and in person, trying to imagine them on Greyson, I knew that was the one the second I saw it. The word “moonstone” had barely left the jeweler’s lips when I nodded emphatically and threw down a credit card.

“I’ve been carrying this ring around for weeks,” I admitted sheepishly. “I had a whole thing planned but this felt like the right time. Just us . And the moon, which I know you love.

“I don’t know why we work, but somehow we do. And I don’t know what the hell you see in me, but you’re everything I’ve been looking for, everything I never even knew was possible. You’re the only person I want in this world and I want to spend my life with you. Greyson Darkholme, will you marry me?”

Since he had a ring box of his own, I assumed the answer was “Yes” but that didn’t stop me from holding my breath while I waited. There was always a chance, however slight, that my little speech would make him change his mind.

Thankfully, he didn’t make me suffer long. Nodding eagerly, his pale eyes shone like the moonstones in his ring. “Yes. Of course I’ll marry you.”

“Thank God,” I whispered, pulling the ring free from the velvet cushion. “I think lost the receipt.”

He scoffed and pushed my shoulder gently. “Christopher!”

Chuckling to myself, I slipped the band onto his finger, relieved when it slid into place without being too big or too small. Trying to get his ring size without asking had been tricky, but I’d somehow pulled it off.

“And, you, my darling smart ass,” Greyson said, adopting a serious expression. He opened his box to reveal not one, but two rings. One was a sleek black metal and the other a black silicone. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me and making me the happiest person on earth?”

“Yes,” I spit out, a nanosecond after he was finished speaking.

“I’m surprised you said ‘yes’ so quickly. I was sure you’d have another joke in there somewhere.” He arched a pointed brow as he plucked the black metal band out.

“Me? Joke in a serious situation? Never.”

“Mhmm.” He set the box down and slid the metal ring onto the appropriate finger, smiling at it once it was in place. “The other one is for work.”

“I figured. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t want you losing a finger while jumping over a fence or anything.”

“No, I’m kind of attached to all of them.” I grinned and took his face between my hands, kissing him eagerly, sealing our commitment and a lifetime of unspoken promises to one another. I knew it wouldn’t always be perfect; we’d already had our share of hiccups. But he was perfect— perfect for me, anyway.

The love I had for the man in my arms was bigger than the full moon overhead and I hoped he could feel it with each beat of my heart. It was his, after all. I literally owed my life to Greyson. Since he pulled me from that explosion, each breath I drew was because of him. For him. I couldn’t imagine loving anyone else the way I loved him.

Before I met Greyson, I didn’t believe in magic or true love or anything I couldn’t verify with cold hard facts. Most days it still seemed surreal. But it was real. He was real. And my life was so much better with him in it.

I couldn’t wait to see what else God or the universe or whatever had in store for us. Good or bad, I knew we’d make it through anything, hand in hand. Like my parents, and like his parents, it was time for our happily ever after.