Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Autumn

One Week Later

“ H ow’s married life?” Julie asks me as she bites into her chicken sandwich.

Blaire grins wide. “Yep. We want all the details.”

I laugh. “Life is incredible. Every day, I’m convinced I’m living in a fairytale.”

They swoon, as I chat about everything that’s happened.

“Wish he had a brother,” Julie says. “Or a hot, single best friend.”

I shrug. “Sorry. Both of his friends seem very taken. There is his ex-bestie, though.”

“Yeah?” Julie asks.

I shake my head. “He’s a red flag. A giant one.”

“Red is my favorite color,” she tells me, smirking. “Maybe I can help him?”

“Now you sound like me,” I tell her.

“Exactly. It worked for you,” she says with a laugh.

Blaire reaches forward and grabs my hand. “Let me know when we can look at cottage designs.”

“Oh shit,” I say, my mouth falling open. “I almost forgot. The love spell. Shit.”

“I’m officially eight for eight,” she brags. “Just waiting for this one's spell to work.”

“Is there a time limit on it?”

“Three moon cycles,” she explains. “So, we have a month to see if I have a perfect record or not.”

“The pressure,” Julie says, lifting her margarita. “You’re fucked, Blaire.”

I look between my besties and smile wide.

“Why are you looking at us like that?” Jules asks with her head tilted.

“I love you two. Thank you for always being my best friends.”

“Oh goodness,” Blaire says. “Please don’t cry. If you do, I will too.”

I laugh. It reminds me of Harper.

“I realized when I was in the worst place of my life you were both always by my side, no matter what. Through thick and thin. Through my moods. Neither of you cared and still loved me the same, supported me. Not everyone has that. Some people have to walk through the fire alone.” I think about Zane and his life experiences. “I never had to, and I’m so damn grateful for that.”

Blaire and Julie wipe tears away.

“Okay, you’re not supposed to cry. But having perspective changes things.” I pick up my napkin, thinking back to the beautiful letter Zane's mother wrote him.

As Julie opens her mouth, a deep voice says my name from beside me. I look over to find Sebastian.

Julie and Blaire give him a death stare.

“Autumn. Can we please talk?”

I glance at my friends and they shake their heads. Then I remembered how Zane acknowledged his ghosts; maybe it’s time to do the same for mine.

“Okay,” I say, sliding out of the booth.

Julie shakes her head.

“It’s fine. Five minutes,” I tell them, then turn to Sebastian. “Five minutes.”

“Okay,” he tells me, and I move across the room toward the hallway by the bathrooms. I shove my hands into my pockets.

“Go ahead. You’ve got my attention,” I say, glancing down at the time on my phone.

“Congratulations.”

I look at him like he’s lost his mind. “That’s it?”

“Yes. And I genuinely mean that from the bottom of my heart. At first, I was frustrated and angry. Mainly with myself because I’d realized how badly I’d fucked up. Seeing you with Zane drove home what I already knew—that I’d lost you forever. I knew he would never let you go because he doesn’t take good things for granted.”

I swallow hard.

“I wanted to make a scene at his father’s wedding, knowing I could ruin it.”

“Thank God you didn’t. You’d have embarrassed me.” I’m brought back to how desperate Celine was and how she’d already accomplished that with no help.

“It’s the only reason I didn’t.” He breathes out slowly. “Zane Alexander is one of the greatest men I’ve ever met, and I’ve always hated him for it. He’s always been better at everything. Again, I'm in second place.”

I open my mouth to say something, but he shakes his head. “I chose it, Autie. And I’m not fighting for you because you should have someone who can truly love you the way you deserve. Ego aside, I saw the way you two looked at each other, and there’s no way I could make you that happy. I’m really fucking sorry for hurting you and for cheating and all the stupid shit I did and said when we were together. I didn’t realize what I had until it was gone. This is me saying I hope you have a beautiful life with the man of your dreams. Love like that is what the rest of us wish for.”

I let out a soft laugh. He remembered my stories about Mr. Dreamy. “Thank you.”

He opens his arms and I hug him. It’s odd to experience no emotions when I was stupidly obsessed with him for so long. We pull away, and he walks toward the exit. When he’s out of sight, I replay what he said, not wanting to forget a word. Julie and Blaire are staring at me so I take a deep breath and return to the booth.

“What did he say?” Blaire asks.

“He apologized and told me congrats. Not in that order.”

They look as shocked as I feel.

“Yeah,” I repeat what he said about Zane.

“Maybe he isn’t such a bastard,” Julie says. “He gave the ultimate sacrifice in a way. His heart in exchange for your happiness.”

“Oh, please tell me you’re not getting soft for him.”

“If I’m choosing a toxic man in your life, it’s won’t be him. Love you, but don’t want your sloppy seconds or small dicks.”

I burst into laughter.

“However, Zane’s ex-best friend?” She tilts her head. “What does he look like?”

Blaire playfully rolls her eyes.

“Uh. Actually, hold on. I’m friends with his mom on social media.” I unlock my phone and go to Silvia’s profile. “It’s not the best photo.”

She drops my phone. “Are you fucking kidding me? I think I just fell in love.”

Blaire snickers. “Let me see.”

Her eyes widen, too.

“I need you both to repeat after me: red flag,” I say.

“Have you met him?” Julie asks.

“Yes. Briefly,” I admit.

“And? What was he like?” Blaire asks.

I think back to when he showed up at the manor. “Sad. I could tell he was harboring a lot of regret.”

“I can see it in his eyes,” Julie mutters. “He looks destroyed.”

“Yeah.” I take my phone back and lock it. “For mediocre pussy, apparently.”

Blaire nearly spews the sip of margarita she was drinking. She coughs a few times as she laughs.

Julie sighs, and I think she might actually feel sorry for him.

“Look, I’ll make you a deal. If he’s ever allowed back in Zane’s life and you’re still single, I’ll play matchmaker. Not because I think you’ll fix him, but because you’ll break him down and rebuild him properly.”

“Promise on it.” Julie holds out her hand and I take it.

“Promise.”

“Ooh.” Blaire rubs her arms. “I just got the chills.”

Julie grins. “And so it begins.”

I tilt my head at her. “What does that mean?”

She smiles. “Harper.”

“Wait, she gave you a prophecy?”

Julie nods. “But you know the rules.”

Blaire looks between us. “What? Someone fill me in.”

“It’s almost impossible to chat in detail to anyone about it, except Harper. Or until after the thing she predicted happens.” I touch my throat.

“The words get caught in your throat,” Julie explains. “Like it only fully lives inside you.”

Blaire pokes out her bottom lip. “I want a love prophecy!”

I laugh. “You’ll get one eventually. Everyone close to her does.”

“Give me a hint, at least,” I say to Julie.

“The One is the brother of someone I trust with the most valuable thing in my life. It can only be Zane and you. My friendships with both of you are everything to me. No one else we know has a brother,” she explains.

“That’s the only thing that makes sense.” Blaire pauses.

Goosebumps cover my arms. “Technically, they are brothers now. Tell us after something happens, okay? I know you’ll be able to share then.”

“I will,” she confirms.

“Now I’m invested!”

The three of us are lost in our heads as I contemplate her prophecy and what it could actually mean.

A fresh basket of chips and salsa is set in front of us. “I have some good news. I think I’m going to start writing again.”

“This is the best thing I’ve heard all week,” Jules says.

“So happy for you,” Blaire adds. “You found yourself.”

“Zane found me.” An overwhelming sense of happiness and calmness takes over as the curse that’s smothered my creativity vanishes. “I’m finally ready.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and when I see his name, it’s like I summoned him.

“Go ahead and answer it,” Julie says. “You want to.”

I grin wide. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” they both tell me. “You know what to do.”

My cheeks heat. “All answered calls get put on speaker.”

I close my eyes and answer, turning down my volume and leaning in to listen.

“Hey, Pumpkin.”

Julie holds her hands over her heart.

“Hey. I was thinking about you.”

“I was thinking about you too and had a weird feeling.”

Blaire’s eyes are wide and she rubs away her goosebumps. She mouths: that’s twin flame shit

“I’m fine. Just eating chips and queso.”

“Hi, Julie and Blaire.”

They laugh and greet him as well.

I clear my throat. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Okay?” I can still hear the smile in his voice.

“I spoke with Sebastian.”

“And?” His tone is still light. “Do I need to drive to Bookers and beat his ass?”

“No, no. Julie is here. She’s a black belt in karate and has been asking to destroy him for years. I was safe, I promise. I was confronting my ghosts,” I say. “And I felt like he wouldn’t leave me alone until I let him speak.”

“And what did he say? Let me guess, he’s madly in love with you and his dumb ass is going to try to steal you away from me even though we’re married?”

“Pfft,” Julie says.

I quietly explain what happened. Julie and Blaire give me every expression under the sun when I relive it again, this time, not leaving out any details of what Sebastian said.

“He said you were one of the greatest men he’s ever known and that you’re the only person who can make me happy.”

The line is quiet for a long time.

“Hello?” I ask.

“This is where you say you’re joking.”

“No. He offered a heartfelt congratulations,” I admit.

“Wow.” He sighs and I can imagine him running his fingers through his dark, messy hair. “It’s true, though.”

I snort-laugh, and my besties do too. “Of course it is.”

He chuckles.

“Told you I was a Ghostbuster,” I say as our entrées arrive. I move my phone, taking it off speaker. “I love you.”

“Love you too. Thank you for telling me. I’m kind of relieved.”

“Me too,” I say.

“I think that’s everyone, Autie. We confronted all of our ghosts.”

“How does it make you feel?” I ask.

“Light as a feather.”