“Fern! This is so exciting. Tell me all about them.”
She wanted to, genuinely, but her eyes kept flying to the bathroom door. “I’ll tell you all about him later. I’m glad you called, Mom. But I have to get going. Ren had areallybad night last night. Scott cheated.”
Mom growled, and Fern was pretty sure she huffed something about all men being sleazy before she asked, “How’s she managing?”
“She’s in the shower right now, but she’s okay. Holding up and holding on.”
“Wedding’s off?”
“Oh, it’s off.”
“As it should be. All right, I’ll let you get going. But I love you. I’m so proud of you—for all you’ve accomplished as an artist and for being so much more well-rounded than I ever was.”
“I love you, too.”
They hung up, and she sat in silence, listening to the fizz of her abandoned champagne, until the shower shut off and Ren eventually emerged.
“Why areyoucrying?” Renata questioned, tying her robe around her waist.
Reaching up to touch her cheek, Fern found it damp. “Relief, I guess?”
“Good talk with your mom?”
“Mhm.”
“Wanna tell me about it? I could use a little good news.”
“Are you sure?” Fern checked.
“I’m positive. You can andshouldcelebrate your wins, and I want to hear about them. Don’t stop living your life just because I’ve hit a... momentary chasm.”
“A roadblock?” Fern suggested instead.
“Eh, chasmfeels more appropriate.” Wrapped in her fuzzy robe, her frizzy hair knotted atop her head, and champagne in hand, Ren flopped into one of the plush chairs, looking like the sultry scorned lover in a nineties soap opera. Fern supposed that was an apt description given her situation.
“You really want to hear what I’ve been up to?”
“Yes. Tell me everything. Distract me.”
And she did, regaling Ren with the story of moving to Beckett Falls and all her revelations—minus the shifter bits. She unloaded her insecurities over not wanting a whole lot out of life and filled her bestie in on how she’d told off her mom before claiming her identities as an artist and as a businesswoman.
Fern only sidetracked herself a bit when she started talking about Elliott’s role in her growth. But she paused, realizing she was blabbing about her hot new boyfriend to a friend who’d just had her heart broken. “Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be. This is making me feel better. I feel like you’ve found your happiness.”
“I have, I think.”
“Good. It gives me hope.” Ren smiled at her with tears in her big brown eyes. “Don’t stop chasing it because of me.”
Themorningdawnedbalmy,full of birdsong and broken promises. It was supposed to be Ren’s wedding day; instead, she was leaving alone to return to the city.
Before Ren left, Olivia brought breakfast down to the Lodge, and they ate scones and cappuccinos near the waterfall. Liv, Fern, and Ren shared a long, tear-filled parting hug, then Renata left, promising to call and text any time she needed to vent. They’d see her through the months to come from afar, but it wasn’t easy to say goodbye.
Olivia offered Fern a ride, and she accepted, asking to be dropped at the little house at the end of Potter’s Lane.
Backpack and bouquet in hand, because they didn’t want the unused wedding flowers to go to waste, Fern hopped out of Liv’s car and stood on the gravel, swallowing the sunlight with a yawn.
“Hey, sugar.” A low, rumbling voice pulled her eyes open and forward, where a hulking man waited on the porch, greeting her with open arms.
