“It was going to be awkward regardless.” I smile, giving his hand a squeeze before releasing him and leaning back in my seat.
“All I can say is I wish you two the best, then.” He comes around the side of the counter to meet me.
“Are you sure you’re not mad?”
He shakes his head. “Naw. I love my sister. She deserves the world. And you already know I like you. If there’s a way for you both to be happy, then that’s the future I want.”
I stand and wrap my arms around him for one last hug. He holds me tightly, resting his chin on top of my head. “Thank you,” I whisper past my tight throat.
“So, what next?” Olsen asks, releasing me. “Are you still coming to Gabe’s play?”
“You bet your ass I am. But first—” I slip my laptop out of my purse and set it on the counter. “I could really use your help.”
chapter twenty-eight
It Was You, the Whole Time
The drive to Gabe’s school with Olsen is surprisingly not awkward. It’s almost as if facing my past, digging it all up, righting my wrongs, and moving forward with a clean slate is a good thing. Who knew.
The parking lot is packed and it takes Olsen a while to find a spot. We’re running a bit behind because of all the stuff we had to set up back at his place. In the end, though, I think it will work. At least, I hope it will.
Olsen and I bustle into the school and through throngs of people making their way to the auditorium. After checking his phone, Olsen steers us past the open double doors and through the crowd to the dressing room, pulling the door open and holding it for me. As soon as I step inside I spot Lex surrounded by a gaggle of parents, kids, and teachers in the middle of the long, narrow room.
She takes my goddamned breath away. Her cropped brown hair is tousled stylishly and her clothes are loose-fitting andandrogynous, suiting her completely. Her bright blue eyes light up when they see me, and she breathes a sigh of relief. She says something, her mouth moving, but I can’t hear her over the cacophony of all the students finishing their preparations. Then, a little face pops up from behind a stack of props. Gabe, wearing noise-protective ear coverings, grins widely when he sees me. My heart swells with pride and love for this cool little kid.
I wave at him, but can’t get any closer, my route blocked by the crowd. Olsen steps up behind me and places his hand on my lower back, then brings his mouth to my ear and tells me he’s going to save us some seats. I look up at him and smile. When I turn back to look at Lex her expression has shifted, eyes guarded and a frown meeting her lips. She looks away quickly. My heart sinks as I realize she thinks I chose Olsen over her.
The curse knows I’m close—soclose—to being happy, so of course it’s going to do anything it can to stop me. But fuck this curse. I’m not going to let it get in the way of my happily ever after. Pushing past the discomfort of Lex’s misunderstanding, I weave my way around all the people until I’m finally there with her and Gabe.
After offering Lex a small smile I squat down and meet Gabe face to face. “Damn, dude! Your makeup is on point!”
“You made it!” He grins, his cheeks turning even more pink beneath the layers of blush.
“Of course! I told you I’d be here, didn’t I? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Gabe looks up at his mom. “Told you she’d be here.”
Lex had been preparing for me to disappoint him. Even though I can’t blame her, it still hurts. I swallow past that and focus on Gabe. “You did a smoky eye! That’s incredible! I love the details you did with a little hint of green in the corners, and using sparkles as freckles, genius—”
Gabe interrupts me with a big hug, wrapping his armsaround me and squeezing me so tightly I think my heart might literally burst. I don’t take lightly how rarely he expresses himself like this, so I hug him just as fiercely back, waiting for him to let go before I release my hold on him. I sniff back proud tears and look in his bright hazel eyes, then take his little hands in mine. “You’re going to be amazing out there.”
“I know,” he says, and I laugh.
A backstage person hollers over the noise for all parents to make their way to their seats. I stand and my arm brushes Lex’s, tingling with warmth at just the barest hint of connection. I want so badly to pull her aside and tell her everything and make it alright—but it’s not about me, or about our future right now. Right now it’s about supporting Gabe.
After a final farewell, Lex and I follow the stream of other parents back through the hall and into the auditorium. I look over my shoulder to Lex, but she ignores my eye contact. I can only imagine what’s going through her mind right now. I wish I could make it all better so that we won’t have to sit through the whole play with everything looming over us, but that’s not going to happen. Things are going to be awkward. And that’s okay.
It takes us a moment to spot Olsen, who’s standing somewhere in the middle and flagging us down. I scooch past a long row of people until we arrive at two empty spots. In the middle of the row a guy with blond hair stands and regards me a long moment, eyes cool and assessing.
Lex leans closer, her breath tickling the hairs on the back of my neck. “Aubrey, this is Gabe’s dad, Jared. Jared, this is Aubrey, my...”
I look over my shoulder at Lex as she searches for the term to call me, but comes up empty. After waiting three uncomfortable beats with Lex’s unfinished introduction hanging in the air, I offer my hand to Jared to shake.
“Nice to meet you,” I say with a sincere smile before moving past Jared toward an older, well-dressed couple.
“Aubrey, these are my parents, Carol and Robert,” Lex says as I shake each of their hands.
“Ah! Yes, Olsen’s new girlfriend,” Carol says. She looks over her shoulder at Olsen and says, “She’s gorgeous! You two will make such pretty babies!”
