Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(38)

“Are there places like that in Chara?”

“The building? Or what they do there?”

Knowing there was a wedding in process, I squirmed in my seat. I didn’t want him to think I was insinuating anything.

“Either.”

“Well, in some way, yes to both.” He gazed at the historic church with the utmost respect. “That place is powerful, I feel the same kind of energy when I go to the places I took you today.”

“I can see that.” I let the tension slide out of my body. He misread my question.

He tilted his head and glanced at me curiously. “Where you talking about the wedding part? Or the higher power part?”

I started laughing, that’s all I could do to hide the embarrassment.

“Do you want a wedding?” he asked sincerely.

I couldn’t say or think a single thought. The boy had the insight of truth so I couldn’t lie, and I refused to admit I was curious about how couples symbolized a bond.

Landen moved his chair closer to mine, wrapped his arm around me, and we watched the couples make their way out.

“They seem happy,” Landen thought, glancing at the groom, then back to me.

I could sense the bride and groom from where I sat. There was a love between them, but, for some reason our love felt older. Bonded at the core of our being.

“In Chara, we do celebrate when couples find one another. Friends and family welcome home the ones who were searching and their soul mates.” Landen paused and looked deep into my eyes before continuing. “We believe that we are each other’s gift from the heavens. We thank the heavens every moment for the love we feel. In Chara, ‘I love you,’ is more than just three words. They are never spoken unless that emotion is felt at our core. Right now we are just as, if not more so, committed as that couple. This is forever. This life and the next.”

He drew my face closer to his and said, “I love you, Willow. I always have, and I always will.”

He had the power to seize my soul with a glance. His voice, his words, they were so deep. I had to hold myself back, tell myself not to pull him to me and lose control in his arms in front of all these people.

“I love you.” I whispered daring to look at his lips.

An impish grin spread across his face, bringing his dimples to life. “It’s killing me to hold back, too.”

“It blows my mind how easily you can read me. How many times have I embarrassed myself today?”

“None. Your intentions are pure, your truth is something you offer without caution.”

“If you think my intentions are pure when it comes to you, then you are not reading me very clearly, Mr. Chambers.”

His eyes grew wide with fake surprise.

“Oh, you must have sensed truth in those words.”

Before I knew it I was in his lap, laughing uncontrollably as he tickled my sides. I moved in his embrace and latched my lips on to his. I controlled this kiss, and for a brief second I didn’t care who saw us. He gripped my sides and lifted me. “You keep that up, and I’m going to take you home this instant.”

So tempting.

“All right, All right. I’m focusing.”

I closed my eyes, let out a deep breath, only to open them and see him looking at me in a humorous way.

“Breathe deep? That’s your trick.”

I playfully slapped his shoulder. “Everyone seems to be in place. Images stick out,” I said trying not to smile.

One nod, a teasingly disbelieving nod.

“I’m serious.” I glanced around us. “Come on, let’s walk.”

We had only taken a few steps before I felt that familiar pull on me. I hesitated and searched the emotions around us. Somebody was painfully nervous. I spotted a young man pacing back and forth. He looked as if he were rehearsing a speech, playing the words across his lips. I watched him as he stopped his pacing and took a step forward, then halt and start pacing again. I was almost sure he was an image. He was stepping forward to a tree, but a tree would definitely not need a rehearsed speech.

“Do you see that young man over by the Dogwood tree?”

Landen followed my gaze. “What do you see?” he asked.

“A man preparing to give a speech to a tree.”

He erupted into laughter.

“What? Trees can be intimidating. That or he’s out of place just like I said he would be,” I thought as I raised my chin to drive home my point.

“Is the tree making him nervous?”

“Something is,” I thought.

“Your sure he’s an image?” Landen asked as he continued searching the people on the streets.

“If I get closer to him and feel a pull on me, then I’ll know for sure,” I thought pulling him toward the man.

“What do you mean, ‘pull?’”

“The images pull me to them, then after I help them, they push me back to where I began.”

We began to walk closer to the young man. As we did, he stopped his pacing again, then stood in place and pulled a little box out of his pocket. I knew then what he was nervous about. I started to walk faster. I could tell he was losing his nerve.

“Okay, you hold onto me. I’ll let go of him when it’s over,” I told him.

Landen held my hand tightly. The memory that I was going to use would be so powerful that this young man would have enough courage to last him for a lifetime. As I reached for his arm, the day shifted to evening, and the air had a gentle breeze. He was standing outside a quaint apartment building. I let the memory of seeing Landen outside my dreams for the first time come to me. The tension then left, and the young man took a deep breath and ran forward. I lost my touch.