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“It’sfine,” he said quietly, because it was, mostly.Notevery dream was meant to come true.
“I’mtaking her to theFallstonight along with the other guests,” saidAutumn, lettingBeckett’scomment lie.
“Maybeshe’ll write about getting kissed by the mist in her next book,” saidJulie, sipping her wine. “You’llhave to make sure she gets a keychain or something to remind her.”
“Idon’t think she’ll need a keychain to remember,” saidAutumn. “It’sa pretty unforgettable experience.”
Juliesighed, a wistful expression on her face.AdamletOlitake back control of his sauce while he set about boiling water for the pasta. “Itis.AndIdon’t care what other people say.Thelegend is true.”
Adamsnorted. “No, it’s not.”
“Howwould you know?” shot backAutumn. “It’snot like you’ve ever been.”
“Maybenot.ButIdon’t even know how many times you’ve been, and you’re not exactly living it up with your true love.”
Autumnheld up her finger. “Thelegend doesn’t say that you’ll live happily ever after.Allit says is that if you’re kissed by the mist under the light of the full moon, your true love will berevealedto you before the next full moon.”
“Andhas your true love been revealed to you?”Adamasked.Autumn’sexpression flickered, sadness pulling at her pretty features, instantly making him wish he could take it back.
“Asa matter of fact, he has,” she said quietly. “Butit’s…complicated.”
“DoIneed to beat someone up?” askedBeckett, bracing his palms on the island.
Autumnlaughed, her eyes gleaming. “I’lllet you know.”
Conversationfell to regular topics as they finished getting dinner ready—hotel business, the changing season, the upcoming fall festival, books and movies.Finn, and if anyone had heard from him.Asusual, no one had.
Oncedinner was ready, they all carried it into the dining room.Adamavoided looking at the empty place at the far end of the table that had always been his father’s spot.Ithad been just over two years since the sudden heart attack that had takenJohnShephard’slife, but forAdam, the pain was still so raw.Soreal and sharp and awful.
Butat least he’d stayed.UnlikeFinn, who hadn’t been able to handle it and had run, burying himself in work and trying to single handedly solve the climate crisis.AdamthoughtFinnwas a coward, afraid of his grief.Afraidto face the truth that their father was gone.
Buthe couldn’t say that he’d faced his grief head on, either.Twoyears, and he’d never been to his father’s grave, despite nagging fromAutumnand gentle encouragement from his mom.
IfFinnwas a coward, then maybe so was he, just in a different way.
Beckettpoked him in the arm, bringing him back to the present, offering him the basket of fresh baked bread slathered in garlic butter.
“Yougood?” he asked, helping himself to another piece onceAdamhad taken one.Somehow,Beckettmanaged to pack food away like he was still a teenager. “Youseem quiet tonight, even for you.”
Adamsighed and put some salad onto his plate. “Yeah,I’mgood.Justa long day.Thosestupid ghost hunters were back, andAutumn’strying to fix me up again, this time with a guest.ButI’mgood.Thehotel is great, andI’mhavingSundaydinner with my family.Lifeisn’t perfect, but it’s good.”
Andit was true.Eventhough he was forty years old,Adamcouldn’t imagine not havingSundaydinner with his family.Theywere his anchor.
Theywere his heart, right along withGossamerFalls.Everyoneand everything he needed was right in this room.
“Whatabout you?” he asked, turning the tables onBeckett. “Yougood?Youseemed really absorbed in that text convo earlier.”
Beckettpushed a hand through his short hair, leaving it a bit dishevelled. “Yeah, it’s all good.Nothingtime won’t fix.”
“Whatdid you do?”
Hegrinned sheepishly. “Juggledone too many dates.”
“Rookiemistake,” saidJack, andBeckettflipped him off.
“Hey, none of that at my dinner table,” saidJuliefrom the other end, rolling her eyes and biting back a smile.
“Nomiddle fingers!” saidChloearound a mouthful of salad. “IfIcan’t do it, you can’t either,UncleBeck.”
