For a moment, a memory of the three of us sitting at our little round kitchen table flashes through my mind. Eric and his thousand-watt smile as he picked through the Chinese food we ordered, tossing me the parts he didn’t like. His smile was a result of dreaming of traveling north.
“When my brother would visit, he’d regale Eric with tales about the ski slopes, and how even I could go down on an inner tube and not hurt myself.” I sniffle a bit, trying to hold back the emotions that always threaten to spill over whenever I think about Eric. “After he died, there was nothing to keep me in Atlanta. He was the last piece tying me there. But I couldn’t just leave, since I had Lark to think about and plan for. It took me that entire time to plan our trip, sell the house, and pack the pod.” I close my eyes and think of each box I stacked and each box I sold.
“It’s hard for you to change the plans you made with him, isn’t it?” There isn’t an ounce of judgment in his tone, just acceptance and compassion.
Which almost makes this even worse. “Yeah,” I whisper.
Deep down inside, though, I know exactly what Eric would say. I know exactly what advice he’d give. I know he’d tell me,Wren, follow your heart. Home isn’t just a place. Sometimes it’s a person.
I know he’d tell me that because he always told me I was hishomeand he was mine. It didn’t matter where we ended up as long as I was near.
I’ve been so lost since the day he left me, the day I lost my home.
Until now.
CHAPTER 20
I’ve always foundthe concept of friendship strange. There you are, just a tiny insignificant blip in the universe minding your own business, and then this person comes barreling into your life at the speed of a freight train. They crash into you without one single apology, and while you are saying,How dare you,they smile and give you a hug.
Now, despite Saffron saying, “Hey, no talking to Paris,” I had every intention, of course, of not listening to her, because that is just the high-strung person I am.
What can I say? I like to live dangerously. In fact, I plan to shake up this entire town while being stranded here, u napologetically, of course. So as I stand in front of the bar, I arm myself with the knowledge that most people are more inclined to spill their secrets to a stranger than someone they have known for years. At least I’m hoping for that.
This could completely crash and burn, but I’m still willing to try.
I enter Autumn’s pub for the second time this month, only this time, I feel more confident, like maybe, just maybe, I might belong there. It’s a feeling I didn’t have before, and one thatstartles me. My foot catches on the step, and for a hot second, I think I’m about to go down.
I don’t, thankfully, but as I enter the bar, laughter flows around me. My boots clack on the wood as I head to our usual little corner, only to pause.
Not only are the girls there, but they are also each fawning over my baby brother, who sits in my seat.
I can’t even call it my seat, because I’ve only been here once before, but I sat there. It’s mine. I claimed it in my head.
Marching like a woman on a mission, I charge right up to him and knock him right off the chair and sit down. My blood simmers as the girls laugh and my brother stares up at me from the floor.
“This is ladies’ night,” I hiss with venom, unsure who is coming out of my mouth, because surely a demon possessed me on the walk over.
Arlo and I hung out in the attic for quite some time yesterday, so one of those witches could have shown up. This is just an episode of body snatchers.
“Wren,” Robin whines, flopping on the floor and throwing an arm over his eyes, not bothering to get up.
“You were in my seat.” For that matter… “Why are you even here? I didn’t see you leave.”
“I snuck out the back.” He lifts an arm to peer at me. “Also, the ladies invited me.”
I eye Autumn, because this screams her. Holding up her hands, she pulls her lips inwards to keep from laughing at me. “Want me to invite Arlo?”
“How dare you?” I tap the tabletop, unimpressed with all of them infiltrating my life.
“Ah-ah-ah.” She smiles at me. “You two were in that attic for a long time.”
“Yeah, Wren, what were you two doing up there?” Robin emphasizes his question with a lewd wag of his eyebrows. He’s still on the floor, I might add. He’s milking the fact I flung him there, and there he will stay until this conversation is over. I just know it.
Tricky brother.
“Drinking wine.” I avoid his knowing glare. Wait. Nothing even happened aside from relationship building. I have no reason for the heat that spreads across my cheeks. If he’d watched any episode ofSex and the City, he would understand.
Heathen.
