‘Are you in the car?’
‘Yes, I’m on my way in to pick up the kids from school.’
‘You need to get over to the store.’
‘Why? What’s wrong? Are you okay?’
‘Jax Lexington just appeared in town! I swear to God, he was just here.’
‘Who?’
‘The guy from the book.’
The line went quiet for a moment then Emma started speaking slowly. ‘Bel … have you been drinking?’
‘What? No! Oh, for goodness’ sake. I’m telling you, this guy walked into the store a minute ago and he is the spitting image of Jax Lexington. Get over here. Pronto.’
No more than five minutes later, Emma’s car pulled up outside.
‘He’shere,’ Bel said, putting her fists to her mouth in an attempt to contain her excitement.
‘I still have no idea what you’re talking about. Who’s here?’
Bel whipped out the book from under the desk and slammed it on the counter. ‘Him. Look!’ she said, pointingpast her friend to the cafe across the road, where the man in question sat sipping from a mug. ‘It’s Jax Lexington. He’s right here in Wessex!’
‘That’shim?’ Emma asked, her dubious expression echoing in her equally doubtful tone.
‘Look,’ Bel said, holding the cover closer to Emma’s face and tapping the image urgently. ‘It’shim.’
‘It’s not him.’
‘Well, obviously it’s nothim,’ Bel said impatiently, ‘but it’s who he would be, if he were a real-life person.’
Emma stared at her silently for a few moments. ‘I am officially worried about you,’ she said with a shake of her head.
‘He has the same rugged good looks and chiselled jawline that makes women’s nether regions quiver,’ Bel said.
‘Nether regions?’ Emma repeated.
‘He’s easily six foot and has blue eyes,’ Bel continued, ignoring her friend’s cynicism.
‘And you’re saying that this fictional creature has magically appeared right here in Wessex?’
‘Kind of. I brought him here,’ Bel announced matter-of-factly.
‘Of course you did.’
‘I manifested him.’
‘Bel, I love you like a sister, and you know that I would literally die …’ Emma paused briefly. ‘Well, not die, but take a minor … somewhat painful … but ultimately superficial injury for you, right? But I’m beginning to think that you needto be committed for your own safety. You can’t “manifest” a person, fictional or otherwise.’
Bel rolled her eyes. ‘I’ve been practising this manifesting stuff—you know, putting out good vibes, law of attraction and all that,’ she said. ‘I made a soulmate list and wrote down everything I wanted in my perfect man.’ She stopped, and lifted her gaze back to the man across the road. ‘And there he is.’
‘Riiiiight.’
And this was exactly why she’d never told her best friend about the soulmate list. She knew Emma would make fun of it. ‘I don’t care if you don’t believe me.’
‘Okay, whatever,’ Emma said, throwing her hands up. ‘It doesn’t matter how he got here … I’m excited for you. Now, go over and talk to him.’
