“Oh, heavens.” She set the bowl on the counter next to a series of round cakes. “I need to put a bell on you. No one should move that quietly, the fae included.”
“I’ll remember to announce my presence next time.” He laughed and backed away, giving her room to work while he contemplated her words.
Fae. Destiny wouldn’t lie to him. He felt that from the tips of his ears to the fluff on his toes. If she said he was the Easter Bunny, then he was the Easter Bunny. He no longer doubted it, but there was one glaring problem. He still didn’tfeellike a fae. Not that he knew what being a fae felt like, but he needed to figure it out soon.
“Did you know me before this happened?” he asked.
Destiny scooped a blob of icing and spread it onto the biggest section of cake. “Sadly, no.”
“Why do you say sadly?”
Her hands moved with otherworldly dexterity as she covered the sides of the cake, smoothing the frosting until not a single swipe mark remained. She didn’t look at him, instead moving on to a smaller section as she spoke. “If it isn’t obvious, I kinda like you.”
“I kinda like you too. More than kinda.”
“I like you a lot.” She met his gaze, and a pink blush spread across her cheeks, making his stomach flutter and his rabbit thump.
“What if this isn’t me, though? What if, after I get my memories back, I’m not like this at all? What if I’m an asshole?”
Her laugh reminded him of music, soft and cheerful. “I doubt the goddess of spring would have granted you this status if you were an asshole. She seems like a kind, pleasant woman.”
That was true. Eostre did seem kind when she visited them last night, but Pete also got the feeling she was hiding something, that the story was much more complex than she’d let on.
“I think this you is the you at your core,” Destiny continued. “Everything’s been stripped away. No past experiences or traumas are shaping your view of the world right now, so this is the most authentic version of yourself you can be. That won’t change.”
“I hope not.”
“You are who you are.” The conviction and sincerity in her eyes made his chest tighten. “And you’re…”
“I’m the Easter Bunny,” he said, which, sounded so weird he couldn’t help but laugh. It also felt…real.
She smiled. “Yes, you are.”
A cloud tried to lift in his mind. For a brief…excruciatingly brief…moment, something cleared. A memory or idea orsomethingtried to break through. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing and then blinking rapidly when his pinched-face expression did nothing to help him grab onto it.
“Are you okay?” Destiny asked.
The memory was there, so close…until it wasn’t. He shrugged, sighing as his shoulders dropped. “It felt like I was going to remember something for a second there.”
“Words have power, so I’m not surprised. Something as simple as saying things aloud can actually bring them to fruition.”
“Angel 101?” he teased.
“Exactly.” She picked up a section of frosted cake and positioned it on top of the biggest circle.
Words have power…Could it really be that easy? Hell, it was worth a shot. “I’m the Easter Bunny,” he said again, willing the light of memory to peek through the fog. “I’m the Easter Bunny.”
Destiny continued assembling the cake. “Damn right, you are. You’re the Easter Bunny.”
“The Easter Bunny is me.”
Her laugh was contagious. “He sure is.”
“Hi, I’m Pete Hasen, and I’m the Easter Bunny.” He held out his hand, and she played along, shaking it.
“Are you sure?” She arched a brow. “I’d like to see some ID.”
“No problem, ma’am.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.
