If there was one thing Julia Whiting couldn’t abide, it was a messed up coffee order in the morning. No, it wasn’t the kind of earth-shattering peeve one would expect from a successful professional in this day and age with all the serious issues going on in the world. Not that she had to come face-to-face with them in St. John’s, Newfoundland on a daily basis. And really, it wasn’t such a big deal; she could always brew one in the kitchen at her office. But Julia liked things in order, which meant her latte simply should not contain sugar.

“You know that’s why you’re still single, don’t you?” April, her co-worker, said from Julia’s office doorway. She moved her finger in a circle. “That face you make when you’re displeased with your coffee? No one will shag you while your face is screwed up like that.”

Julia swallowed the offensive liquid and shuddered as her mouth filled with the unwelcome taste of sugar and some version of vanilla flavouring. She had asked for the real stuff—surely pure vanilla extract was not too much to ask for in a seven-dollar coffee.

“One in six times, they mess up my coffee. And it doesn’t matter if I go to the coffee place by me, or the one across the street. One in six—without fail.”

“You could always get a coffee here at the office. They just brought in one of those fancy single-brew machines. Or you could change your route and try another place.”

Julia grinned. “What madness you speak of—that would change my routine.”

“So you’d rather complain about it,” April said with her hand on the doorknob.

It was usually about now that Julia threw something at her friend and her day began. She had worked hard over the last five years to earn her place as the agency’s creative director and she credited her faithful routines for getting her there.

Julia regarded April’s flight-ready stance and instead of picking up one of the stress balls on her desk, she sat back. Maybe April was right—perhaps it was time for a change. While she loved her career, she had to admit, late nights at the office had earned her a quiet life. She tilted her head to the side. She hadn’t been on a date in nearly a year. It was time to shake things up.

“Say, are you going to the Halloween party this evening?”

April’s eyes widened and a slow grin spread across her freckled face. April reminded Julia of a faerie pixie with her short-cropped hair and cute upturned nose. April had been trying to get her to go to office parties since Julia had started working at the agency seven years earlier, but she had never gone. Not one to mix business with pleasure, Julia ignored the office gossip usually following the infamous parties.

“Are you telling me you’re considering going?” April clasped her hands together and Julia was certain she held her breath, too.

“I might consider it if you don’t make a big deal out of it.”

When April started bouncing up and down, Julia put her hand up. “I’m serious, April. The Bergman campaign is clewed up and I don’t think I can stare at my apartment walls for one more night. But if you tell everyone, I won’t go. The last thing I want is to be the centre of attention.”

April shook her head, grinning from ear to ear. “Mum’s the word. And don’t worry about a costume; I have the perfect one for you.” Before Julia could respond, April dashed away. Over her shoulder and loud enough so everyone could hear, she said, “I’ll come by your place at six to get us ready for the party.”

Julia couldn’t help but grin. She had few friends and April was by far the closest. Perhaps it would be fun. She’d had plenty of fun in her university days, but since landing an executive position with a prestigious advertising agency upon graduating with her MBA, she only had eyes for her work.

“Hey, are you really going to the party tonight?” James, the madly attractive new controller, asked from her doorway.

“Wow that news took longer to spread than I thought.” Julia’s belly did a little flip-flop when he smiled. By God, men like him shouldn’t be allowed to work in places where they could distract a girl from her job. His six-foot-plus muscular frame was accented by sandy brown hair and grey eyes that sometimes looked green in certain light, and dimples! Deep ones too. Julia shook the thought. There was no way she would ever get the courage up to ask him out.

“What are you going as?”

“I—have no idea,” she said. April had said she had a costume for her, but failed to mention what it was. No doubt something skimpy and meant to draw the wrong kind of attention.

“Oh that’s ok, you can be coy about it if you like,” he said with a genuine smile. “I am a fae prince,” he said and stepped into the office. He held her gaze as he walked to her desk and placed his hands flat upon it, then leaned toward her. “What is that smell? Vanilla? Mmmm,” he said with a wink. “How I long for a taste.”

She could have sworn his eyes glittered bright green for a moment before he turned and walked out of her office. Her pulse raced from his nearness and his words had caressed her like a lover’s touch.

Julia tried to focus on the laptop in front of her, but her thoughts drifted back to James. Her encounters with him up to this point had been strictly professional, but in truth, she had sort of avoided him as much as possible. Her current distraction with him was evidence enough that she could be in very real danger where he was concerned. No good could come from an office romance.

* * *

The clock on her wall chimed five p.m. Julia snapped her laptop closed and grabbed her coat. April would be at her condo in half an hour and it would take her a good ten minutes to get there. Something told her she might want to have a glass of wine before April arrived for a little bit of courage.

Julia wasted no time walking from her office in Atlantic Place to her condo on Queen’s Road. She loved downtown St. John’s. There was always something going on from bands playing on the infamous bar-lined George Street, to boat tours at the ready to take excited tourists out through the narrows to view the stunning cliffs. Yes, St. John’s was gorgeous and lively and she had ignored its bounty for far too long.

Just as she flipped the lock to her condo open, April bounced around the corner. “I couldn’t wait until six so raced here to meet you to get started right away. We have a lot to do and the party starts in three hours which doesn’t give us much time.”

“Ok April, you need to relax. We have lots of time and if it’s really this much work, maybe I should reconsider.”

April grabbed Julia’s shoulder. It didn’t quite hurt, but it wasn’t exactly a gentle caress either. “No! I have waited far too long for this, now hurry up and get inside so we can get started.”

If Julia hadn’t known April for such a long time, she might have been weirded-out by her friend’s intensity. She took a deep breath and told herself she would just relax and go with the flow for now.

While April fussed to organize make-up and various items of clothing, Julia placed some leftover lasagna in the microwave for them both and popped a bottle of Prosecco.

“Exactly how many of these things have you gone to?” Julia asked.

“All of them,” April said with a proud smile. “Halloween is my favourite time of the year. It’s when everyone gets to be something else for a change.”

“I’m not sure I want to be someone else. I like who I am, but I would like to get out and blow off some steam.”

April laughed. “You’re more than overdue, and I promise you will have a lot of fun this evening. I hear James stopped by your office today,” April said with a raised brow.

“James stops by my office at least three times a week to go over budgets, April. Why would today’s visit have you intrigued?” This was exactly why she avoided office gatherings.

April shrugged. “No reason. It’s just that he’s single and gorgeous, and you are single and gorgeous and it would be a fun match.”

“Ok, stop. Please? I am not looking to change my marital status this evening.”

April put her hands up in front of her. “Ok, Ok. No more mention of James and the way he looks at you when you pass by,” she said with a sly grin.

Julia shook her head. “Enough! God, eat this will you?” Julia passed a plate of steaming, meaty lasagna to April. “You need some meat on your bones.”

“I don’t understand how you stay fit if you eat like this all the time, anyway.”

“It’s called cardio and I am very faithful. Tell me about my costume? What am I? Witch? Daenerys Targaryen from GOT? Or some slutty nurse?” In truth, she’d prefer Eleven from Stranger Things.

“Oh much better than any of that, my friend.” April jumped up from the table and grabbed a garment bag she had placed over a chair. She carefully unzipped the bag and pulled out a long, shimmering blue and silver gown that hardly looked tangible. “You are a fae enchantress.”

Julia’s fork clattered onto her plate. She had never seen anything quite as beautiful in her life. “April, where did you get this?” She pushed her chair back and moved toward the garment. She couldn’t be sure if it was a breeze from the window, but as she reached out to touch the delicate material, she was sure it lifted toward her hand. Odd. It felt like nothing at all. Somewhere in the back of her mind, James’ costume registered and a small tingle coursed through her.

“It was a gift from my grandmother many years ago. It never fit me properly and when you said earlier you would go this evening, I knew exactly what you would wear.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Julia said.

“Don’t say anything. Just sit there quietly and let me do your make-up how I want.”

Julia laughed. “Deal. As long as you keep pouring the wine.”

Julia let April fuss over her for the next couple of hours. She had never spent much time concerned with make-up and hair in her life, but had to admit it was nice for a change. They had moved her heavy, oval full-length mirror from her bedroom to the kitchen so Julia could watch the step-by-step transformation. Her hair was usually pulled back in a tight bun, hiding its length. Now, as April pulled the hot rollers out, big, loose curls tumbled down over her back. She had not seen it like this in a long time. She took a deep breath and let her shoulders relax.

April had not gone overboard with the make-up either. A little more weight on her lashes to accent her blue eyes, and some silver sparkle on her cheeks was offset by soft pink gloss on her lips. Julia smiled in the mirror. She was pleased with her reflection.

“Now to get you into the dress,” April said. “I’m afraid there isn’t much room for undergarments so let’s go.”

Julia’s brows shot up. “Let’s go what?”

“Strip, baby.”

“No panties or bra?” While the gown was absolutely stunning, Julia wasn’t sure her heavy breasts could handle the lack of support and still look good.

“Trust me,” April said and turned around, affording Julia some privacy.

For a few moments, Julia stared at April’s back. It was one thing to get out for a night, but she had never been the type of woman to be bold enough to go braless or pantiless.

“I don’t hear any clothes being removed.”

Julia took a deep breath. Fine. She would try on the dress as April suggested, but if she didn’t like how it fit there was no way she was wearing it.

Shuffling out of her pencil skirt and blouse, Julia only hesitated a minute before releasing the three clasps at the back of her bra, letting it fall to the floor, then slid off her panties. She lifted the gown and was surprised when the material clung to her skin. Julia wondered if she might need some anti-static spray as she slipped it over her head. The gown seemed to hug each and every one of her curves in a way Julia had never seen fabric move. She watched in the mirror as the gown almost became one with her skin as she twisted around to fasten a button at the deep V just above her butt. When she turned around to the front again she was surprised to see how it lifted her breasts to make them look full and round. No bra she had ever owned did that.

“April, what kind of fabric is this? It’s like this was made just for me.”

“It was made for you,” April said.

Julia turned to find April dressed as a faerie pixie with a short, shimmery, wispy dress and actual faerie wings! “How on earth did you get ready so quickly?”

April smiled. There was something different about her as she walked—no practically glided—toward Julia. It was like she shimmered, not just her dress.

“Remember when I told you why I love Halloween so much?”

Julia took a step back. “You said you could be someone else for a change.”

April put her hand up. “Don’t be afraid, Jewel. This is my real self. It’s every other day that I have to pretend. We have been looking for you for a long time.”

Julia shook her head. “Very funny April. I get that you want to get into character, but this is a little much and you’re freaking me out now. My name is Julia, not Jewel.”

“You don’t know how important you are and there’s unfortunately little time to explain.”

The room spun around Julia. Her knees buckled a little and she had a fleeting thought that she’d been drugged.

April caught her just as the floor shot up to meet her. Julia blinked her eyes a few times and watched the ceiling as she floated into her living room and onto her couch.

“What—how?”

“Hush, Jewel. Just relax and let your feelings guide you. They will show you what I say is true. Now close your eyes and feel.”

Julia did as she was asked. In her mind’s eye she flew over fields and mountains in far-off lands. Faces floated around her that she did not recognize. Or did she? Somehow, as shocking as what April had said seemed, a part of Julia knew she was right. She was something more than human and the dress somehow validated it. She saw herself in it atop a mountain with a silver crown entwined with a large sapphire on her head.

She sat up. “There was something about the way James looked at me earlier. Am I—are we—”

“We are fae, and you are our queen. A long time ago it was necessary for you to hide from the Vampire King who wanted you for his own. Our people were nearly destroyed in the process. I have been looking for you for a century and finally found you on the day I arrived at the company for my interview. Do you remember?”

Julia did remember. April had stopped dead in her tracks, smiled, and embraced her. It had been an incredibly awkward moment. “Yes, I remember. But April, why now? We have worked together for years.”

“That’s a little more difficult to explain. Will you believe me when I say it’s important for you to meet with James tonight?”

“Logically, I would say you are out of your mind, but in my gut I believe it and that scares the crap out of me.”

“I know. There’s also a reason why you have been focused on your routine and unwilling to let love in.”

“Let me guess, this also has something to do with James and you want me to find out for myself?”

April smiled. “You catch on quickly, my queen.” April stood and held out her hand. “Now we must go to the party. You must trust your intuition tonight, Jewel.”

Julia took April’s hand and the room went dark. Her body felt as if it had been flung up against the wall before everything went silent. April laughed beside her.

“You can open your eyes now. We are here.”

Julia cautiously opened one eye and peeked around. They were in the bathroom at her office.

“How did you do that?” Julia whispered as she pulled her hand from April’s grasp.

“Like I said. Not enough time to explain this evening, but you will understand soon enough.”

It was all way too much and Julia’s logic warred with her instincts. As she turned she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The woman in the reflection looked as regal as any queen she had ever seen. As crazy as all this was, deep within her, Julia didn’t feel unsafe. Could she really be queen to a people in great danger?

The booming music and flashing lights overwhelmed Julia’s senses. Every nerve ending tingled and she was hyper-aware of everyone in the room. Even without scanning the crowd, she knew James was not there.

But there was someone else who drew her attention.

Dressed in black from head to toe with eyes that glittered in the dark, the new graphic designer, Victor, watched her from the makeshift bar that was usually the reception area. Julia had only met him a couple of times and he seemed talented enough, but a brooding sort of fellow, so Julia had avoided him up to this point.

As he watched her, she could almost feel his gaze burning a path over her body’s curves, exposing her more than ever. April grabbed her hand and led her away from the bar and from Victor.

“Come. James is outside waiting for you.”

They stepped onto the large stone deck overlooking the harbour. It was a clear night and the moon hung low on the horizon. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Julia recalled a headline on some news feed stating that tonight’s full moon had not been this close to the earth in a hundred years. It glowed a yellowish-orange and she swore the man-in-the-moon smiled at her.

“Beautiful.”

James’ voice startled her. His fingers caressed the small of her back, sending excited shivers all the way to her toes. She turned around to find April missing, and James standing before her. The moon shone directly on his face, heat blazing in his eyes.

“I—didn’t see you there,” she said. “Where is April?”

“Inside, and safe, I assure you.”

“Safe? I don’t understand. Why would April be unsafe? What is going on?”

James reached for her hand and caressed her palm with his thumb. “We needed to awaken you long before you were ready, but believe me it is necessary. It took us so long to find you and I assure you, I will keep you and April safe. She has served us well.”

“Us?”

“Did she not tell you who I was? Am?”

“No. I admit, she has told me some fantastical things this evening, and I am trying very hard to determine what is sane versus the workings of an overactive imagination.”

James chuckled. His voice a deep, rich timbre drawing her in. There was something about him that drew her in and her instincts told her she could trust him.

He took her other hand and held them tight. “I cannot tell you all the things you need to know, but I can help you recall them for yourself. Will you trust me?”

Would she? Could she? Logic seeped back in. Perhaps she was letting herself be drawn into this fantasy merely because of loneliness. Could April and James have cooked up this scheme to draw her out of her shell? But if that were true, what about the gown? And what about how they got here?

“I don’t know what to think,” she said.

He smiled, the dimples deepening in his face. She wanted to kiss him, more than she had ever wanted to kiss anyone and before she could form another thought, he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. A light touch at first, he released her hand and reached around to the small of her back, pressing her closer.

James’ tongue sought hers as his hard body urged hers to respond. Warring with herself, she held back a little and let him kiss her at first, then something welled within her, a burning need to know what would happen if she succumbed to his seduction.

Julia met his tongue and shared in the dance. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He lifted her a few steps until she was pressed up against the railing. Julia’s head swam with images of them in another time and place.

Across a desert to a stone palace where they sat together.

In a thick wood with hundreds of pixie faeries watching, they pledged themselves to one another for all eternity.

Then came an image filling her heart with a sadness she could barely endure. Julia broke the kiss and pulled away from him. “I have died.”

She looked up into his face now lined with deep despair. “Yes, you died and I did not know if I would ever find you again.”

“Tell me what happened.”

“Kiss me again and see for yourself.”

Julia had to know. She pulled him closer and sealed her lips over his. Her need for knowledge was only seconded by her need to touch him. Her body pulsed with desire and a longing she had never known in this lifetime.

As they kissed, she saw one more image and it broke her heart into a million pieces. Victor stood over her with a glimmering glass dagger, dripping with blood. The anguish on his face was nothing compared to the rage on James’ and the burning she felt now in her chest. It was too much. The image was so powerful, she pulled away to grasp her heart.

“He said he would destroy us all to get to you. He nearly succeeded. In the end, he vowed if he could not have you, no one would.”

“He is inside.”

“He is and he will not hurt you again. Not while I draw breath. April and I weaved a protection spell into the fabric of your gown. He cannot harm you while you wear it.”

“But I cannot wear this forever.”

“No, but you can for as long as it takes us to get you someplace safe.”

“Why now after all this time have you and April revealed this to me?”

“Because tonight you were open to it, because tonight is special. Only once in a hundred years can memories of a past life be revealed to a living soul. You have been reborn, but you still possess much of your former power. I knew any connection between us would surface enough memories back for you to see for yourself. Otherwise you would think we were both crazy and we would risk losing you forever.”

Either this was the most amazing truth the world had ever known, or they were all crazy and she was even more so for considering it for even a second.

“What now?”

“Now you can do whatever you want,” he said. “I would like you to come home with me where I can protect you.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And what happens when I take off my gown?”

He stepped closer. “I get to cherish and pleasure you in ways it would take ten lifetimes to forget.”

Julia’s belly flip-flopped at the thought of his hard body covering hers and his thick cock thrusting into her until she begged for release. Was that a memory or wishful thinking?

He took another step toward her and she placed her hand flat on his chest. “What about protection? I thought you said all the protection was in the gown.”

He leaned in and whispered, “You will be safe in my home, I promise.” He nipped her ear with his teeth and her body arched toward his. A jolt of desire raced to her clit. Crazy or not, she had to have this man between her thighs.

“Your mind is already made up, my precious Jewel. Let me take you home.”

“Yes,” she said and before she could blink, her body was pushed through time and space again.

His home was not what she expected. “Where are we?” She gazed about trying to take it all in at once. Stone walls were covered by beautiful tapestries, including her favourite, the Bayeux Tapestry.

“This is my home—our home.”

“Yes, but exactly where is here? I’ve never seen a castle in Newfoundland. And is that real?” she asked, pointing to the tapestry. When he nodded, she said, “I thought the original hung in Normandy.”

“That is a replica and this is the original. We are deep in the Black Forest of Germany,” he said. “As you must have gleaned by now, travelling great distances is not a barrier for us. Come, let me show you around.”

For the next hour, he shared stories of things they had done together and places they had visited. Theirs had been a great love, spanning centuries, until Victor fell in love with her and changed all their fates. Julia was still struggling to take it all in when James opened a set of double doors.

“This was our chamber.”

Her jaw dropped when she stepped inside. Two walls held floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, including an upper level with various nooks and crannies with cushions so the reader could sit and read in different places. On the other side of the chamber, were floor-to-ceiling windows and a king-sized four-poster bed facing a thick forest at the foothills of the castle. Julia could not imagine a more pleasant or perfect room.

“I love everything about this place,” she said.

James stepped up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her back toward his body. “We have spent many days and nights here enjoying one another’s company and pleasuring each other. Let me love you like that again,” he whispered in her ear.

Somehow, when she turned in his arms, she knew this was exactly where she was supposed to be. She slipped her arms around his neck and drew him to her for a deep, soul-stirring kiss. James picked her up and brought her to the bed. He set her down and stepped back. Julia’s gaze followed his fingers as he slowly undid the buttons of his shirt revealing a sculpted chest begging for her touch.

She slid her hands up and down his chest and took one very taut nipple into her mouth. The air hissed through his teeth as she flicked it with her tongue. James pulled his shirt off the rest of the way and reached for his pants, but Julia pushed his hands away. Kneeling before him she slid her gown off her shoulders and pushed it down to her waist, revealing her heavy breasts and needle-hard nipples.

“I need you,” James said in a hoarse voice. “I feel I may burst if I don’t get inside you soon.”

Julia smiled and reached for his pants, unzipped them, and pushed them down past his hips. Moisture pooled between her thighs when his cock sprang free. He grabbed the sides of her gown and slid it down her thighs. Her clit throbbed when he slid his hands up her hips again and brushed her inner thigh with his thumbs.

Kicking the gown off completely, Julia knelt before him and took his hard cock in her hand. She desperately needed to taste him and ensure he was as frantic for their joining as she was. Stroking his length she gazed up at him and locked eyes as she took the tip of him in her mouth. She sucked hard, marvelling his gasps and shudders.

“Oh my sweet vixen, you bring me to the edge too fast,” he said, pulling back. In a swift move, he kicked his pants off the rest of the way and flipped her onto her back, pinning her arms above her.

He spread her legs wide as he grazed the delicate skin of her neck with his teeth. She writhed beneath him. He moved his head lower and sucked one hardened nipple. Julia’s body thrust forward and her wet heat brushed the head of his cock. She could wait no longer and lifted her hips, ready for him.

With achingly slow strokes, James pushed just the tip inside holding himself there until Julia was sure she would orgasm just from that small movement alone. “James please,” she said. “I need to feel all of you inside me, now! Take me hard!” Her voice didn’t even sound like her own. She sounded guttural. Wanton. Desperate.

Releasing her hands, James pulled her knees up so her legs hooked over his shoulders and thrust hard. Her breath caught in her throat at being filled fully and completely. She knew one more hard thrust and she would climax. But James didn’t move. The first tingle of her climax was almost upon her and she needed him to fuck her hard.

“Please, oh please, James.”

“Open your eyes,” he said.

As she gazed into his crystal blue depths, he grabbed her ass and thrust in and out in a pounding rhythm. Watching him above her was mesmerizing as his body claimed hers. Her first climax was intense and just as it passed another built and crested. Her body shuddered and shook as he brought her to multiple heights to the point she could scarce draw breath. Finally, he thickened inside her, driving her over the edge once more. This time was so explosive, she gripped him as tight as she could and squeezed her eyes closed.

Images of places and people flashed before her in an intense flood of memories filled with emotions and knowledge, proving everything he had told her to be true. She opened her eyes again. “James, I remember,” she whispered.

Enough of her old memory had seeped through for her to realize this was just the beginning of a night of pleasure. They had been insatiable in their past life together and not even time could quell their passion for one another.

“I had to watch your face to be sure you remembered,” he said with moist eyes.

Their bodies still connected, Julia reached up to brush away a tear from the corner of his eye. “I remember that I love you more than my own life and never wish to be parted from you again,” she said.

James moved within her again, more slowly this time. He slipped his arms under her shoulders and stroked her face with his thumbs as he kissed her softly. Before long, the heat built within her again. James pulled out and flipped her onto her stomach, lifting her hips just enough to bury himself inside her from behind. Julia loved the command he had over her body in this position, penetrating much deeper. Her body clenched around his cock as her climax peaked yet again. She gripped the pillow and pushed back as her body shuddered around his. Two, three more thrusts and he slammed into her body hard as he orgasmed with a growl. The sound stirred Julia to her very core.

Hours later, as they lay depleted in one another’s arms and the first grey streaked across the sky, Julia brushed away a tear of her own.

“What do we do now?”

“You mean about Victor?”

“Yes. You said I am safe here, right?”

“You are safe in this chamber and in the gown, but that’s the limit of it.”

“Who created the magic for the chamber?”

“We did, on our first night here. We have had many enemies over the years, though none as dangerous as Victor.”

“Can we not recreate it and expand it?”

“I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way,” he said and frowned. “The night we created the spell for this place was the same night we created life.”

Julia sat up. “April!”

“Yes, April is our daughter. It is a rare and glorious occurrence for us to conceive and we have only been able to once.”

“I remember that night,” she said and snuggled closer to him. “We both knew special forces were at work. Do you really think we cannot recreate it again?”

“I don’t know, my love. But I am willing to try anything to keep you safe and if that means we must live out eternity here, so be it.”

“I want to see April.”

“You will. She will be here tomorrow.”

“Do you think Victor will harm her in order to get to me?”

“I think he is capable of anything and April has been extra careful herself. She is also wearing something special for protection.”

Julia was pleased to hear it. She had often wondered why she had been drawn to April when for the most part she had been a bit of a loner. But her friendship with April had been different from the beginning and now she knew why.

“James?”

“Yes, my love?”

“What do you do for food?” Julia was suddenly ravenous.

“We have a cook who will bring us whatever we want, whenever we want. Would you like breakfast?”

“Yes, eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, and cheese, please.”

James gave her a curious look and smiled. “All protein?”

“Yes, I’m not usually that big on heavy food in the morning, but I feel like I could devour an entire pig. Is that bad?”

“No, it’s not bad at all,” he said. “In all our years together you were only this hungry in the morning once before.”

Julia tried hard to recall on which morning he referred when it hit her. She sat up and turned toward him with wide eyes. “You don’t think?”

He shook his head as a grin spread across his face. “I don’t know, but it is a little too much of a coincidence.”

Julia touched her lower belly and rubbed back and forth. Could it be? Could she be blessed twice in an eternity? Though they still had many hurdles to overcome, at least they had found one another again and that counted for something. The fates could not be so cruel as to separate them again. Either way, she was where she was supposed to be. Come what may, they would face it together.