Once Upon an Accidentally Bewitching Kiss (Book 6)
What readers say:
🌸“A truly bewitching story. I just adore the way grandma Edie mingles with fate to produce happy endings. That is one observant little granny. Lol.”
🌸“I humbly await the next installment.” 🌸“It's a pity we don't have our own Grandmother Edie.”Troy stared at her. “Alone?” he echoed, completely overwhelmed by this moment. Whatever he had expected to happen, it was not this.
Nora lowered her chin, her eyes falling from his, as though she did not dare look at him a moment longer. “First, Sebastian died and then my father,” she murmured, her hands wiping almost furiously at her eyes. “Then Christopher left and…” Slowly, she lifted her chin, her eyes returning to his. “I never loved my husband. I was a fool to marry him.”
Her sudden admission slammed into Troy with such force that he stumbled a step backward, his eyes fixed upon her face, certain she was a mirage.
“Neither did he ever love me,” Nora continued, shaking her head as if she were contemplating her life and the turns it had taken. “It seems ours was a marriage of convenience, only I had no idea until the day I married him.” A scoff left her lips, and her hands flew up, as though she wanted to rake them through her hair. “I thought he cared for me,” she continued, her eyes distant, “and I truly thought I cared for him, but…” Her eyes snapped up, and she stared at him. “I don’t know what happened. One moment I thought I was happy, and then…” She swallowed. “And then you kissed me.”
Troy flinched, and for an endless moment, they simply stood there and stared at one another.
The wind tugged upon Nora’s curls, whipping her hair around her head. Her cheeks shone rosy from the cold of the season, tears glistening along a trail upon her skin. Her skirts billowed behind her, as though she would take flight at any moment and be lost to him forever.
Then Nora took a step toward him, and her lips parted. “You were my friend, Troy, and then…then you were gone.” She held up a hand when he tried to speak; although, he did not know what he would have said. “No, I did not mean to accuse you of anything. All I’m saying is that…I felt alone. I have been feeling alone, and now that I’m back here,” her gaze swept over their surroundings, the place of their youth, and the ghost of a smile tugged upon the corners of her lips, “I’m starting to feel things again. I’m starting to remember what it is like to have someone to lean on, someone to talk to, someone to…to hold me.” Heartbreaking sadness rested in her eyes, and all of a sudden, she looked so vulnerable that Troy felt himself act without thinking.
Two large strides carried him to her, and he pulled her into his arms without a moment of doubt or hesitation.
And Nora came to him willingly.
Troy felt her hands curl into his lapels, holding on tightly, as she buried her face against his shoulder. Her own shook as she cried out the loneliness of the past five years, clinging to him as though she were drowning and he the only means to keep her head above the water.
And Troy held her as tightly as he could, for once not concerned with overstepping a line. Suddenly, life was simple again. She was his friend, and she needed him. His arms wrapped around her, tugging her closer into his embrace, as he rested his chin on top of her head, murmuring words of comfort he no longer remembered the moment they left his lips.
How long they stood like this, Troy did not know. However, eventually, Nora’s sobs began to lessen, replaced by deep breaths. Yet she did not release him, not even when she felt calm again. Instead, she held on, snuggling closer.
Troy froze when a smile stole onto his face.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?” Nora asked, that knowing tone in her voice Troy had missed these past few years. Then she tipped her head back and looked up at him.
Even though Troy could not look into her eyes, for she kept her head against his shoulder, he could feel them upon him like a caress. “No,” he lied.
Nora chuckled. “Yes, I am.” Still, she did not step back. “Unfortunately for you, I’ve decided to be selfish today.” Her head moved perhaps an inch away from his shoulder so she could peer into his eyes. “And I want you to hold me just a little bit longer.”
Swallowing, Troy nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
With a sigh, Nora sank back into his embrace. “You’re good at this,” she whispered, and involuntarily his arms tightened around her. “You always were. I remember whenever you held me like this, the rest of the world fell away. Whatever had disconcerted, angered or upset me before, no longer seemed important.” Her left hand slipped up to his shoulder and then curled around the back of his neck like an anchor, holding him to her. “How do you do it?”
Troy exhaled a deep breath. “I don’t know.” Slowly, the turmoil in his heart quieted and an old calm spread through his body, reminding him of the years when life had been simple between them.
She doesn’t believe she’s enough. He’s afraid to disappoint the world. Lady Nora Beaumont survived a loveless marriage and now carries a truth she cannot change—she cannot have children. It’s shaped how she sees herself, and why she believes someone like Troy could never choose her. She’s made peace with solitude—but some quiet part of her still longs to be chosen for herself, not for what she can offer.
He was told what duty requires—but not by the people who love him most. Troy Beaumont, heir to the Earl of Whickerton, once lost a chance at love. Now, surrounded by society’s expectations, he considers marrying for legacy—not happiness. His family would never demand it, but the pressure still weighs heavy. Deep down, he wonders whether choosing his heart over tradition will make him appear selfish—or finally whole.
They both believe love might pass them by—but Grandma Edie has other plans. As Troy and Nora reconnect, old feelings rise—and new fears, too. But love doesn’t wait for perfect timing. It asks for truth, trust, and a little bit of boldness. And sometimes the bravest thing of all is not to follow the rules—but to follow your heart.
Because in the end, what matters most isn’t legacy or expectation—it’s the quiet courage to choose each other anyway… society be hanged.
If you're drawn to love that isn't loud but loyal, not flashy but faithful, this story will feel like coming home.
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