Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“You’ve never heard of…you know…” I dragged my lip through my teeth. “You don’t think magic exists, right? Like…the house isn’t magical, and Aunt Peggy is normal…”
Her eyebrows started to rise. “Is this part of the cult thing your mom told me about? I thought she was exaggerating.”
“Oh yeah. Totally.” I waved it away. “No, I mean, I’m not in a cult. My parents are…”
I made a face—no explanation available—and she laughed, albeit a little nervously.
“It’s just that Great-Uncle Earl—who still works there and has changed his name to Mr. Tom for reasons no one understands”—more nervous laughter—“is very…strange. And he wears a cape and claims he’s a gargoyle. So I didn’t know if your Aunt Peggy… I don’t know. I’m trying to make sense of it.”
“Oh!” She nodded like it suddenly made sense, and then leaned back as Austin approached the table with our coffees. He set them in front of us before heading back to grab his drink. “Right, all that. Well, I’ve never met him. But Aunt Peggy said he was really old and a little addled, and you’re supposed to just go along with his fantasies until they all make sense.”
…until they all make sense…
Aunt Peggy might not have gotten the house magic, but she knew both the house and Mr. Tom were magical. She’d been made privy because she’d been in line to become an heir and instead was nothing but the legal guardian of sorts.
How crazy to know magic existed in the world but not be able to experience it. I was pretty sure that would drive me crazy. I wished my life wasn’t as dangerous, or lately as heartbreaking, but I wouldn’t trade what I’d gained in O’Briens for the world. I loved having magic and learning about the magical community.
Austin pulled his chair a little closer to mine and put his hand on my thigh, getting comfortable.
“So how’d you guys meet?” Diana asked, not looking at Austin. I got the idea he made her nervous.
“No, no. No way!” I waved my finger at her. “Tell me about the kids and husband and how everything is going.”
“How is that even remotely as interesting as a new life in a creepy old house with a new boyfriend?” Diana returned, mock-scandalized. “I saw your instas. Are you guys living a lavish lifestyle, or what?”
I launched into our fake investor story for Austin, sharing the parts of my life that she could understand. It felt frustrating and strange to leave out the magical aspect of our lives, but I doubted Diana would even want to know the truth. She had her life set up the way she’d always wanted it, even if the family was currently driving her crazy. Blasting her world perception to make my life easier would be a crappy thing to do.
“So what’s next?” Now Diana did look between us, lingering on Austin a little longer. “Living together, life partners, maybe a little pitter-patter around the house?”
I scoffed. “I had one of those, remember? Much younger than you. That part of my life is over.”
“But Austin, you don’t have kids, right?” Diana pushed.
“I don’t, no,” he answered, laying his hand over the back of my chair. “That wasn’t part of my life’s plan.”
My heart squelched with the memory of why. He’d gotten a vasectomy a long time ago, after nearly killing his brother. He’d been trying to do humanity a favor, apparently, by not duplicating what he thought of as a danger to those around him. It was untrue, and while I was plenty fine not having another kid, I knew he would’ve made a great father. Maybe not back then, but certainly now. He’d been wild and young, that was all. I hated that he’d thought so poorly of himself that he’d decided to prevent himself from procreating.
I rubbed his leg in support. “We’re middle-aged now, anyway,” I said, making light of the whole thing. She didn’t know that we were paused at this age forever. “That time has passed.”
“Not even remotely.” She shook her head adamantly. “My friend Clarice—you remember Clarice, the one with the long blond hair who always buys expensive sunglasses she can’t afford?” She waited for my nod, though I barely remembered her. “Well, she just had an oops at forty-two. Talk about a surprise! They hadn’t been able to get pregnant since the last one nine years ago. She thought she was going through early menopause. Nope. Surprise baby.”
I grimaced. “Helluva surprise.”
“Yeah. She had a mini breakdown, but they’re happy now. It is possible.”
I nudged Austin’s arm. “Or maybe we’ll just enjoy our lives with no kids in the house, able to leave and vacation whenever we want.”
She looked at me whimsically. “Yeah,” she said with a pout. “I’m already envious.”
I laughed and used the opportunity to shift the conversation to her. Diana told me stories about her kids and husband, and we chatted as though no time had passed. Austin listened silently, getting another round of coffees when we needed them, with a couple of bakery items to go with them. He never showed boredom or impatience, though he didn’t have much to add. After about an hour and a half I checked the time, knowing we should probably get going. We were supposed to have an early, getting-to-know-Camila supper with my ex when we dropped off Jimmy, and then I hoped to take a drive with Austin and show him a few of my favorite places in the area.