AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Magical, huh?” saidHazel, returning her gaze out the window.
“Haveyou ever read the story?TheLegendofGossamerFalls?”
Hazelshook her head. “Ican’t sayIhave.”
“Ibet there’s a copy in here somewhere…”Shestarted skimming the titles on the shelves below theTV.Suddenly, a book slipped off the shelf by the window, landing on the floor with a thud, makingHazeljump.
Autumnsmiled. “Thanks,Grams.”
“Noway,”Hazelsaid, shaking her head. “Noway.”
Autumnpicked up the book, but then frowned. “Oh.Well, not the right one.Butthat’s okay.Shepointed us in the right direction,” she said, sliding the book back onto the shelf and slipping another one off.Itwas old and worn, the fabric cover frayed at the edges.Shehanded toHazel, who traced her fingertips across the gold-foiled title, faded and scratched with age and use.
“Anyway, you should read it.”
Hazelnodded. “IthinkIwill.”
Autumnchecked her watch. “Ihave to get going.Butwe’re meeting out front at eight for the trip to the falls.”
“Isit far?”
Sheshook her head. “No.It’sonly about a ten minute drive from here.Thenwe hike in, about another ten minutes.Don’tworry, the path is paved and well-lit, so even though we’re going at night, it’s perfectly safe.”Hazelnodded, and thenAutumncontinued. “Ifyou’re hungry, there’s a restaurant attached to the hotel calledOurPlace.Youcan eat there or have food sent up.Alternatively, you can walk back down to the main strip and there are options there, too.”
“Great, thank you.”
Autumnstarted toward the door, but then turned, hesitating. “Hazel?”
“Yeah?”
“I’mglad you’re here.”
Andthen, with a funny little smile, she turned around and leftHazelalone in her room.Shelet out a sigh and sank down onto the cozy chair by the window, her attention held rapt by the riot of fall colors rippling before her.Theclouds from earlier had mostly cleared, bathing the trees in a soft, golden light.Itwould be a clear night tonight, perfect for visiting the falls under the full moon.
Hergaze darted to her laptop bag on the bed, and that nagging sense of what sheshouldbe doing swamped her, and she sank back against the chair.Shesuddenly felt too heavy to do anything but sit in her snug room and just be.Besides, she knew that all that was waiting for her on her laptop was a blank page, increasingly frustrated emails from her editor and agent, and readers wondering if she would ever publish again.Shedidn’t usually answer those emails because she didn’t know what to tell them.
Soshe left her computer where it was, and returned her attention out the window, pulling in deep breaths and letting the fiery landscape soothe her anxiety.Lookingaround the room and out the window, it felt almost surreal that she’d been inNewYorkCity, the place she’d called home most of her adult life, just a few hours ago.GossamerFallsfelt so far removed that it was hard to believe it had only taken a short train ride north to get here.
Shemused over the town’s slogan: where magic happens.Didshe believe in magic the wayAutumnso clearly did?Insigns and ghosts and legends?
Shedidn’t know.Everythingshe’d experienced today could be chalked up to coincidences and timing.Draftsin an old mansion.Randomlypicking a place out of a travel magazine.Findingan old book she’d loved long ago.
Maybethe better question was this: did shewantto believe?
Andthe answer was that, yes.Maybeshe did.
MaybewhatHazelneeded most in the world was a little magic.
THREE
Sundaynight dinnersat theShephardhouse were an all-hands-on-deck affair.Everyonewas expected to bring something—wine, a side dish, a dessert—and no one was allowed to leave until the last dish was dried and put away.Itwas something they’d always done, a tradition that went back to whenAdam’sgrandparents had still been around and they’d hosted everyone for theSundayfeast.AfterGrampshad died fifteen years ago, the tradition had shifted to his parents’ house to alleviate the burden onGrams.
Adamhad driven over withAutumnfrom the hotel just a couple of blocks away.Afterdinner, he’d drive her back so she could run her tour, and he’d head home to his cabin on the edge of town.Onthe edge of theHudsonHighlands, really.Itwas just secluded enough to feel cozy and private without being far from town and his family.
“Youknow, our new guest overheard you telling those ghost hunters to get lost,” she said nonchalantly as they pulled up to the curb in front of the sprawling colonial where they’d both grown up.Heknew whatAutumnbelieved, and that was fine.ButAdamknew for a fact that there was no such thing as ghosts.Justlike there was no such thing as magic.Itwas a pretty story that brought people to the town, and for that he was grateful, but there wasn’t more to it than that.
“Oh.Ihope it didn’t make a bad impression, or scare her off thinking the place might actually be haunted,” he said as he shut off the ignition.Notthat the hotel was hurting for guests—they weren’t—butAdamhated the idea of making a bad impression on someone, especially a newly arrived guest who was staying for two weeks.
“Idon’t think so.Sheseemed more concerned than anything.Ireally like her, actually.Hername’sHazel, and she’s from the city.”Sheleaned in, elbowingAdam. “She’sa famous writer.”
