She throws her head back and laughs. The sound warms me, and I can’t help but smile. I may have screwed up the building, but I haven’t screwed up things with her. Good.
At least I’ve done one thing right. I’m here to build a resort, but maybe I need to build something else first. Something I lost.
Right then, my stomach growls and I realize I’m famished. “You hungry?”
She wipes tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, still laughing. “Yeah. Are you?”
“Starving. Let’s find someplace to eat.” I scan the site and see a white SUV. “Is that mine?”
“It is.”
“Great. I’ll drive. That, I can remember how to do. Ithink. We’ll find out. Come on.” I walk off but turn around, stepping backward. “And don’t think you’re getting off the hook from answering my question. I know I’ve got resting dickface. Be honest.”
She laughs again and a fissure of happiness spreads through me.
I do remember how to drive—and no, I don’t hit anyone or anything on the way to the restaurant. It’s really strange. I can’t grasp anything solid about myself—no names, no faces, no history. Just skills. I know howto drive but not who taught me. Can quote movies but can’t picture watching them. It’s like someone deleted my life but left the operating manual. That’s about the best description I can come up with to explain what this feels like.
All those thoughts are set aside when I get my first glimpse of town. I do a double take, in a good way. White buildings sparkle like sugar under the sun. Painted rainbows dance on nearly every windowpane. A unicorn statue stands tall in the square like a guardian of joy. It’s ridiculous. And perfect.
It seems like I’ve arrived in a place that only exists in dreams.
Or maybe a movie.
“I’ve been missing this place my entire life,” I murmur as we drive down Main Street.
Coco laughs again and my stomach does this whole constricting thing. It’s so easy to be around her. Plus, shewasat the trailer bright and early this morning.
Did she stay over last night?
Oh my God. I have no idea where I sleep.
“Mystic Meadows is pretty special,” she says, sounding genuinely proud. “For a long time the ley lines were latent, but in the past few months they renewed, and we want to keep things that way.”
“And the unicorn?”
“There are unicorns here.”
I nearly slam on the brakes. “Get out.”
This shouldn’t take me by surprise since Hercules is a lambicorn, but you know, amnesia and all.
“No.” She drums her fingers on the door. “We really have them. Do you want to meet one?”
“Hell yes, I want to meet one. Who doesn’t want to meet a unicorn?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Will it have magical powers? Will it look into my soul and tell me if I’m a good witch or a bad witch?”
Coco’s face changes and her expression becomes worried. I grab her arm and lightly shake it. Her gaze darts up to meet mine and my pulse quickens. “I’m just kidding. I know that I’m a bad witch and you’re a good witch.”
She smirks and points for me to pull over.
“Where will we be dining today?” I ask, parking.
“At the best barbecue in town: Unicorn Tails.”
“Well, with a name like that, it’s got to be excellent.”
