“They work fine,” I complain.
“You deserve better,” he retorts, halting his work in frustration.
The fluttering in my stomach explodes into full body lightning. He glares at my reflection in the mirror for a moment and I show him my grin. I’m not sure how well he can see it, but I know he can sense my joy.
He returns to drying my hair as he mutters, “You’re maddening.”
“You’re wonderful.”
“No.” He drops the towel and turns me to face him, cupping my cheeks. “You’rewonderful.”
My heart hammers against my ribs and I think they might just part to let him in. “And so are you.”
He hugs me close, crushing my face against his chest. I can hear his heart beating like the deep drums of Khazad-dûm, except it’s not Orcs it’s detected, but a threat of a different kind.
He’s falling in love with me, too.
thirty-three
The Second Chance Fantasy Begins
It’s a beautiful morning. The sun has crested the hills and is peeking through budding trees. It takes so long for spring tospringhere, but I know when it does, it’ll be gorgeous.
I pull open the door to the shop and tuck in the unicorn book-end wedge to hold it open. I unfold the sidewalk sign that Renee and I did up in colorful chalk a few days ago.
Your Second Chance Fantasy Awaits You Inside!
*Opening Weekend! All books 15% off!*
Maybe there are too many exclamation points, but we were excited and it felt appropriate.
On the other side is the featured book of the day,The Tyrant King’s Bride, and a little magical projection of the physical book. The book spins from front, to spine, to back, to gloriously designedend pages. Bastian did the most incredible work of all there, capturing the characters’ likeness in a possessive and feral pose.
It’s going to sell today, for certain.
I run inside and grab the gold trimmed red carpet, then roll it out through the open door. It opens with asnapnext to the sign, making my cheeks hurt from how hard I’m grinning. Within minutes, someone strolling by pokes their head in. To my surprise, I realize it’s Aaron, and beside him is a lovely woman holding the swell of her pregnant belly.
“Welcome to Second Chance Fantasy,” I declare in a cheery tone. “I’m Cait. Is there anything I can help you find?”
Aaron beams fondly. “What a one-eighty you’ve done on the place, like magic.”
I laugh, maybe a little hysterically, and wave the comment off. “Just a lot of great helpers.”
And a little magic…
“This is my wife, Brittany,” he says, giving her a little pat to move her forward.
Wife.
Pregnant.
But Robbie…?
I squint, then shake my head. “Cait,” I say again, reaching for her hand.
She gives me a shy smile and takes the handshake.
“I’m not Robert’s mother,” she says quietly, releasing me.
