Page 98 of Love Again

The place is empty. The tidy apartment above the clinic is dark, and when I flip on the lights, there’s a huge bouquet of flowers on the dining room table—gladiolus, roses, carnations, freesia, and sprays of baby’s breath.

I lay my little packet of makeup and my dress, still zipped up in a travel bag, on the sofa.

It’s chilly enough to warrant a fire. Claire already has the small Vermont Castings stove loaded with wood and tinder.

I strike a match and light the stack in four different places and then close the door, open the damper, and watch the flames grow through the glass. I set a metal teapot on the top. I’m too excited about tomorrow, so chamomile tea is in order.

I turn on the radio by the sink, reminding myself to get Claire a Bluetooth receiver for her birthday this year. I dial it to the news.

Then there’s the bang of the door and a bunch of footsteps on the staircase. In a moment, Claire, Chloe, and Laurel all arrive, and a moment later, Travis. They’re all in PJs.

“What’s this?”

Laurel goes over and turns off the news. “What’s the matter with you? It’s the night before your wedding, you don’t want that.” She finds some soft rock and turns the volume down.

Claire opens the fridge and pulls out a six-pack. After reaching around behind the toaster, she slides over a bottle of red wine. “You don’t get to be alone tonight,” she says.

“Mateus is with Cory,” says Laurel, “and I’ve never had a night off, so don’t complain.” She grins and uncaps a beer.

“And Bryce and Finn and Nic are all having a bromance on the beach with your guy and Keller. Even Geo is hovering. It’s too sickening to watch. We had to come here,” says Chloe.

Travis stands, staring at the teapot. “I’ll have tea. Someone has to be responsible.”

“You’re all spending the night here?” I’m surprised and a little overwhelmed.

Claire puts an arm around me. We are the Russos,” she says, and one by one, Chloe, Laurel, and Travis join her.

“And I have a story to tell you,” says Chloe. “About this girl who fights fires and this boy who she falls in love with. It starts with a rain of embers and ends with a kiss.”

I smile. “Are there fairies and unicorns and dragons?”

Chloe holds my hand a moment. “Yep. The metaphors are real.”

It’s about as sloppy as it gets, and I love it. I love them.

΅

The morning could not be more beautiful.

The breeze is light, just enough to chip little whitecaps across the bay. Boats dance and bob, gulls wheel in the sky, and there’s little movement out on the water. Sunday is usually quiet, and the fishermen are home, sleeping late or getting ready for church. Yesterday, it was temple or mosque.

All the hugging, kissing, and warm wishes from last night have evaporated—the Russo sisters are crazed. Legitimately crazed. They seem to think it’s going to take me two hours to get ready.

Travis sits in the middle of their whirlwind, sipping coffee and looking a little stunned as he sleepily scratches his head. I finally sit down next to him after Chloe flounces off down the hall, frustrated that I don’t want her to braid my hair right this second.

“Thank you for not being insane,” I say to him.

“As a man, I’ve learned to survive this family by just letting you ladies be,” he says and gestures magnificently at Claire and Chloe, who are each standing with a hand on their hip.

There are more footsteps on the staircase. It’s Geo with a bag of muffins. He’s dressed in tails that look a little tight across the chest, and he’s wearing shiny patent leather shoes.

“I made a big quiche for this morning,” says Chloe, fishing around in the fridge.

“And how’s it going?” says Geo, winking at me and setting the bag on the island.

“Well,” says Laurel, returning from the hallway, “Devon wants to wait till the last second to do everything.”

Travis puts an arm around me. “Unlike everyone in this room, Devon can get dressed in like half a minute. It’s scary.”