Chapter Sixteen

Phoebe

Two weeks later...

It was late when the cab pulled into the drive. After leaving Malpas House, I didn't know where else to go. I couldn't go to my sisters. They wouldn't understand. Besides, I couldn't be sure that Freyja wouldn't put a hex on Shaw.

Instead, I stayed at a hotel for a few days, hopping on a plane for a mini vacation, before deciding to go home. Stepping out of the cab, the front door opened, and before I could do or say anything, Sarah was hugging me tightly.

"You're home. God, we were all so worried."

And that was when the dam broke.

For the next few days, I cried while Sarah held me, telling me that everything was going to be all right.

I cried for Adam.

I cried for Shaw.

I cried for everything I'd lost and would never have.

Mainly I cried because he would never know how much I truly loved him. All I ever wanted was to heal his pain. Show him that there was more in this world to live for. I wanted to spend my life loving the man the universe designed specifically for me.

I think that was what hurt the most.

"Are you sure it's okay I stay here?"

"Oh please. We never stay here. Gunner prefers the clubhouse. Plus, we're waiting to have Pyro build us a bigger house. This place is too small for triplets. So, what are you going to do now?" Sarah asked, sitting next to me on the couch, sipping a hot cup of tea.

"I don't know. But Rosewood feels like home. I have some money saved. Maybe I'll buy a small house and get a cat. I've always wanted a cat."

Sarah chuckled. "Make it a black one. Go full-on witchy-woo."

I laughed. "The town would love that."

Sarah groaned. "This town can eat crow. The shit everyone has put Sugar through should be criminal."

"How is she doing, by the way?"

"She's getting better. Since the town meeting the other night, everyone seems more understanding. The biggest development is Martha Cohen. After she came clean with Sugar, the woman has taken it upon herself to set anyone straight who dares say a bad word about her."

"I wish I could have seen it. I still can't believe it was Stanley's sister."

Sarah grinned. "Oh, you can. Scribe recorded the whole thing and posted it on the town's website. It's the most viewed video since Frank got drunk and sang at the Irish Rose Tavern."

We both heard a knock at the door before it opened, and Beth walked in grinning from ear to ear. "Hello, girls."

"Hey, Mom."

"Hi, Beth."

"Well, Sarah, I came to tell you your husband is a man on a mission. He found out that you were not where you said you would be and is now scouring the town for you."

"Damn it!" Sarah cursed, getting to her feet. "He better not be going door-to-door."

"Oh, honey, it's worse than that. He's parading down Main Street with a bullhorn, shouting your name. Your father called and said if you didn't show up in the next five minutes, he was going to toss your husband in jail and throw away the key."

Grabbing her purse, Sarah ran for the door, yelling, "You tell Daddy he better not!"

Watching the young woman leave, Beth laughed before saying, "Gotta tell ya, Phoebe, it's never a dull moment with those two. I've never seen two people so perfectly suited for each other. I swear they never left high school."

Nodding, I wholeheartedly agreed.

"Now, I'm gonna head back to the coffee shop. Would you like me to bring you anything after I close up?"

"No thank you, Beth. I'm good."

"Alright. If you need anything. Just call."

"I will," I said when Beth showed herself out the door.

Alone once again, I sat in the silence of Gunner's cabin on the mountain and wondered what I was going to do today. It felt strange being so close to the clubhouse, yet not able to walk through the doors. I made a promise to myself when I left the city that even if I made my home in Rosewood, I would steer clear of the clubhouse.

That was Shaw's home.

Not mine.

He'd made his decision, and while it hurt, I could accept it and move on. The problem was, I had no idea what I was going to do next.

So, when I found myself an hour later dancing around the living room to Taylor Swift's "Love Story", I'd never felt freer than I did at that moment. Almost like everything was going to be okay.

I didn't know what fate had in store for me next, but I was eager to find out. This time, I was going to look for the joy in life, smile every day, and dance my way to happiness.

And that's when an idea came to me.

I knew what I was going to do.

"It's perfect." I smiled, looking around the enormous building a few days later. It was everything I was looking for and more. Sitting smack-dab in the heart of Rosewood, the old general store was just big enough for what I had in mind. To make it even more perfect, it had an apartment on the second floor.

"And it's a steal." Lacey Hall grinned. "However, it's going to take quite a bit of work to get this place up and running."

"I'm not worried about a little hard work. Besides, I already have a contractor in mind."

"Montclair Construction?"

I looked away. "I haven't quite decided yet."

Lacey frowned. I knew what she was thinking. Montclair Construction was the best there was around these parts. However, they were too close to a situation I needed to distance myself from. And while I would have loved to have Pyro work on this project with me, I didn't want all the distractions he would come with.

Mainly my soon-to-be ex-husband.

Needing to change the subject, I asked, "How is your brother?"

"He's getting better every day. He still hasn't woken up yet, but I'm not giving up on him."

"He will wake up, Lacey. I know it."

The pretty woman smiled. "Alright. So, I will write up the contract and email it to you. Once you agree, you can come into the office and sign the papers. I know the current owner is eager to sell it. So, everything should go smoothly."

"Perfect," I replied, looking around my future business when the front door slammed open and there stood Bailey in all of her ornery fury.

"You witch!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls. "I've been worried sick about you, and you've been hiding out in Gunner's house this whole time!"

The door opened again.

Gasping for air, Sarah whispered her silent apology as Devlyn, Claudia, Skylar, Henley, and Sugar filed in behind her.

"Jesus, Bails. You damn near took out Howard at the hardware store!"

"Not my problem." The Queen Bee of the clubhouse glared, waiting for me to say something.

"So, what do you think?" I asked, looking around my new place.

"What do I think?" Bailey clipped, walking over to me. "I think you need to have your fucking head examined. Do you have any idea how worried we've all been? Priest is losing his fucking mind. My bestie is beside himself. King was close to calling out the National Guard, and don't even get me started on what your crazy-ass sisters are planning. Something to do with a doll, pubic hair, and fire."

"Why would Priest care about anything regarding me?"

"We all know, Phoebe," Henley admitted. "Scribe told us everything after you both left for New York."

"Oh."

"Oh!" Bailey huffed. "Is that all you can say? We are your sisters. The ones who always have your back and you say ‘ Oh '?"

"I'm sorry if I hurt you, Bailey, but Priest didn't want anyone to know the truth."

"We are not just anyone!" she shouted, stomping her booted foot on the ground.

"Calm down, Cupcake, before you lose your shit." King groaned, walking through the revolving door I apparently had.

That was definitely going to be the first thing I fixed.

"Shit's already lost."

Standing before me, King said nothing until I looked up at him. "Had us worried, sweetheart."

"I heard," I whispered.

"Is she here!" Dimeter shouted, running over, only to grab me in a tight embrace. By the time he put me back on my feet, I was dizzy.

I really didn't understand why everyone was so upset.

Dimeter, of all people, should have known that I needed time to center myself after everything that had happened. And while I was happy to see everyone, I really wasn't in the mood to rehash my time in New York. What was done, was done. And nothing I said would change the fact that Priest didn't want me anymore.

Yes, it still hurt, but I was slowly mending my broken heart.

"You had us worried, Sis," Dimeter said softly.

"So it seems. Let me assure all of you I am perfectly fine. Better actually. I wish Priest nothing but happiness, and I know he wants the same for me. So, while I appreciate your concern, I just want to move on."

When everyone looked down at their shoes, I knew something was up.

"What?" I asked, looking at Dimeter. "What is it?"

Dimeter refused to say a word, as he looked at King, who sighed.

"Well, Phoebe, that's going to be a problem."

"What is?"

"Moving on."

"Why?"

Then, if this conversation couldn't get any more aggravating, the one person I didn't want to see walked in and clearly said, "Because you are still my wife."