And that’s when I crashed into him, or he crashed into me, rather.

Paper bags launch into the air. Glass jars loaded with herbs and paint rain down around me as my ass plummets towards the ground. I brace myself and throw my arms back, slamming my eyes closed, but … I don’t make an impact with the stone. Instead, I find a thick arm around my waist and a scowling pair of eyes that can’t decide if they want to be green or brown.

Air whooses out of me and time stops as I stare deep into his eyes, right down to his soul, one that clearly does not remember me but calls to my heart all the same. It stings more than I thought it would. I briefly give the rather pissed off barn owl circling above us a moment of attention, then I look back down to his face. He’s changed immensely since the last time we met. Dimples and laugh lines have been replaced by hard set creases of worry and irritation.

Not that I would need a second confirmation, but the dark spash of a birthmark along the right side of his severely angled jaw is present, flaring the same bright gold as the first time we met. His cheeks are soft, flushed and partially hidden beneath waves of black falling from beneath a knitted beanie, he’s hiding. He blinks once, black lashes sweep across his cheeks and catch the lamplight.

And just like that, time marches on.

😱😱

GENTLEFOLK

Look at them!

The hobo immortal and grumpy witch are here in all their glory, thanks to Henni Eklund.

Arlo and Thatch are from Phantom and Rook, a book of mine that’s releasing in late November and is endlessly hilarious, angsty and full of second chances, no matter how old you are.

I’ve got the blurb up on my site, a cover artist commissioned and potentially a narrator who fans of TJ Klune’s work will know. I have a ton more art commissioned of these two, so be prepared for sweet and spicy. 🥰🥵