by C. J. Lake
Casually, Mick dismissed any concerns as he bent down to zip his suitcase. “We'll be fine, babe.” As he pocketed his phone, he said, “You know what? If you have no plans after you graduate, you should come with me to Italy.”
Cady's eyes widened, as her mind digested what he'd just said. Come to Italy? He'd suggested it so nonchalantly, as if the idea was not blatantly premature. “Mick, that's so far away,” she said.
He shrugged. “Seven months. So?”
“So...we could hate each other by then.”
With a genuine laugh, he rolled his eyes, shook his head. “Fine, Cady, so if we hate each other at that point, then you don’t have to go. All right?”
Well, when he said it like that...it made her seem a little ridiculous.
“Didn't you tell me once that you'd love to work in a museum?” Mick continued, ignoring his phone which was buzzing.
“Yes.”
“And you love books? Poetry? Art? Film?” Cady nodded. “Well, last I heard, Italy had a lot of those of things,” Mick said smugly. “Maybe you would find your path,” he went on, trying to convince her, “or find some inspiration. Or maybe you'd just have a hell of an awesome time.”
Smiling, Cady bit her lip, looking thoughtfully at him. “You are good for me, I think,” she said, meaning it 100%. Really, her life before Mick seemed so drab and dispassionate now, it was hard to believe she hadn't minded more.
“Same,” he agreed softly. “In fact, I'm pretty sure I aced my finals because of you.” Then he leaned down to kiss her, gently and romantically—it was very boyfriend-y. When their mouths broke, he said, “So, we'll head to your place and pack a few things, and go.”
“Okay,” Cady murmured, lingering near his mouth.
“I just have to stop at my mom's condo on the way to the airport,” Mick added, as he pulled out his phone. When he read the text that had just come in, he amended, “Or not.”
“Or not what?” Cady asked, confused.
“Message from my mom,” Mick told her, passing over the phone, letting Cady read the screen herself:
Hi! Brandall stopped by to take me out to lunch. I figured we could stop by your apt. to say goodbye, so I won't miss you + you won't have to worry about coming by the condo. Are you home right now? We're close by...
“Oh, no! How close are they?” Cady said, panicked. “If they see me here, then—”
“Well, when you go to Hawaii with me, they're going to know something's up between us anyway, right?”
“True...I wasn't thinking that far ahead, but of course,” Cady mused, chewing her lower lip now, thinking this over; she knew they'd have to tell their families about their relationship at some point, but it seemed too new—and possibly fragile—to bring the rest of the world into it yet.
Then again, was she just rationalizing that it was “fragile,” that she was protecting it, when really she was more afraid of the reaction? Of the likely disapproval?
Was she just being a controversy-avoiding coward?
“Well, we'll have to tell them the truth at some point,” Mick pointed out reasonably, as if reading her mind. “Why not now? Let's get it over with and we don't have to keep pretending in front of everyone.”
Before Cady could reply, his phone buzzed again. He glanced at the screen. “Shit, they're here,” he whispered.
“Where!” she yelped.
The sudden knock at the door was her answer.
She panicked, eyes darting all around for cover. “I can't do this now,” she blurted, “I'm not ready—I didn't plan anything—I am not sure what to say or how we should explain this.”
“Mick?” came Linda's voice through the door. Then her muffled words to Brandall: “I hope he didn't leave yet!”
“Coming,” Mick called out, then shot an assessing glance at Cady, before offering, “All right, just wait in my bedroom, if you want. We'll figure out how to tell people after they leave.”
“Really?” Cady said hopefully. She knew it probably seemed silly to Mick for them to hesitate, but that was because he was self-assured and spontaneous. Yet, to Cady, this was just too big of a bomb to drop on their parents without at least a bit of thought.
“Sure, if that's what you want,” he promised her now. “Hey, you're an English major; you can craft the perfect text message about us, if that makes you feel better.”
“Hmm,” she murmured, considering that cowardly idea for a second.
“Now go,” Mick whispered, gently turning her toward the bedroom, “they won't be here long.”
Hurrying, Cady slipped into Mick's bedroom, closing over the door just as she heard Mick greet Linda and Brandall.
“We won't keep you,” Linda was saying, “but we were right around the corner at DiNato's Grill, and I just wanted to make sure I saw you before you left.”
“Thanks, Mom. I was going to come by your place,” Mick assured her.
“Still, it was easier for us to stop by. I'm happy I caught you. Here, give me a hug goodbye,” Linda urged sweetly. Then her voice became more muted and Cady could tell she was embracing Mick, talking against his shoulder. “Goodbye and have a great trip!” she said. “Be safe.”
“Thanks, Mom. I will.”
“Well, uh, we'll miss you for Christmas,” Brandall threw in, which sounded a little weird to Cady since Brandall hardly knew Mick yet and had never spent a Christmas with him. But she figured her dad was trying his best to do the insta-family thing, probably to make Linda happy.
From there, the three of them made some small talk—with Linda asking what Mick's dad, Tony, had planned for the trip, and Mick relaying what Tony had told him (about his friends in Honolulu, which included a couple who ran a surf shop in Waikiki, and their brother who owned a resort).
As they talked, Cady's ears focused in on Mick's voice. The deep timbre of it, the thick, gruff lure of it...he was so masculine, so sexy, so addictive...she knew she could never get tired of that voice, of the primal excitement it spiked in her. How could someone who was so relaxed and easygoing sound so commanding, so dominant? The more she focused on him, the more she realized how absurd it was for her to be hiding behind his door. Mick was hers now. The fact that he was her boyfriend basically sent her into a euphoric state of mind—and she was hiding?
Impulsively, she opened the door.
She walked down the short hall and emerged, as Brandall, Linda, and Mick all looked over as she entered. Mick appeared surprised, lifting his brows, waiting for her to say something.
“Cady...” Linda began, visibly startled to see her. “Hi...”
“Hi. Sorry to surprise you, but...I have something to tell you.” Suddenly Cady looked to Mick for support.
“You want to do this?” he said quietly.
She nodded. “I think it's time.”
“Do what?” Brandall said curiously.
“I agree,” Mick told Cady.
“Mick, what's going on?” Linda asked, confused.
“Yes,” Brandall jumped in with a befuddled sort of chuckle, “I'm lost myself. Cadence?”
“All right,” Mick said, turning back to their parents, “this is the thing...”
“We were going to wait to tell you,” Cady added.
“But it makes no sense to do that,” Mick remarked.
“Right,” she agreed. “So...”
“The fact is...
“We're dating,” Cady said—at the exact same time that Mick said, “We're in love.”
Softly, she gasped, as her eyes flapped to his. In love? Now her gaze focused solely on him. He seemed to hesitate for a second, not walking back what he'd said, but appearing cautious—until a smile broke from Cady's lips, which triggered a grin from Mick. Her heart pounded faster as they looked at each other for a long moment, sharing something interlocking. Deep and romantic and elating. For that moment, it was like they were in their own insulated world.
Except they weren't. Linda and Brandall were still standing there, apparently having troub
le processing.
“Dating?” Linda responded, blinking rapidly. “But how...when...?”
Sharing her confusion, Brandall scrunched his brow in bewilderment. “I don't understand,” he began.
“Really, Dad, what's not to understand?” Cady said, not bothering to remind him that he had a PhD. She crossed over to Mick, who took her hand. Instantly, he laced his fingers through hers and kept a firm, comforting grip on her. “Mick and I are in love, like he said.”
Saying the words out loud almost felt surreal. This was the naked truth, she realized, which should have alarmed her—should have made her feel way too vulnerable and exposed—but instead, this declaration was profoundly liberating, and this moment such a relief.
Even the disenchanted expressions on their parents' faces couldn't spoil it. “We're in a relationship,” Cady went on. “I'm sorry if this is, you know, awkward, because of you two being married, but...”
“This is how it is,” Mick cut in, leaving no room for them to argue.
Before Linda or Brandall got to respond, Cady said: “The truth is that Mick and I met once before—before we ever knew about your relationship—and we liked each other right away. When we found out you two were involved, we tried to stay apart,” she explained, glancing up at Mick. “But we couldn't.”
“I see...” Linda mumbled, still appearing shell-shocked.
“We didn't want to lie to you, so that's why we're telling you guys this,” Mick said.
“Also, I know it might seem weird to people outside of our family who don't know the whole story,” Cady acknowledged, “so I thought of a way we can tweak the narrative. If you want, we can just say that you guys met through us,” she suggested. “The official story can be that Mick and I were dating, and then you two randomly hit it off.”
“I suppose...” Linda reluctantly agreed, mumbling, “We'll have to say something, I guess.”
“I don't see the point to that,” Brandall remarked candidly. This didn't surprise Cady, because her dad had never been one to care what random people a.k.a. “society” thought. But she figured that Linda might worry about social perception and cringe at the thought of two step-siblings in a romantic relationship. And going by Linda's reaction right now, Cady could see that her stepmom was put-off by the idea. Still, Cady figured that everyone would simply get used to it, because what choice was there?
Mick spoke up, “Look, we don't care what you tell people. That's up to you.”
“So...you're together then,” Brandall restated.
“Yes,” Mick and Cady both said.
“I never would have seen this coming,” Brandall mentioned with a short, blustery laugh. Not the “isn't this funny kind” of laugh—more like the “I feel uncomfortable” kind. But Cady figured he was still processing so it was a good start.
Finally Linda nodded and offered a warmish, if careful smile. “Well, of course we hope it works out,” she said, sounding uneasy.
“And obviously we want you to be happy,” Brandall offered.
“We are,” Mick told them.
Maybe it was his confidence. Or the way he squeezed her hand. But in that moment, Cady's mind was already on a Hawaiian beach with Mick, and happiness was by far an understatement.
Chapter Fifty-five
Six weeks later
It was a cold, clear night, twinkling and colorful with city lights. The air smelled thickly of winter. Cady and Mick were on their way home after having dinner in Chinatown, defying the wind as they walked down a narrow, vendor-packed sidewalk, instead of rushing to the warmth of the T. “You okay?” Mick said now. “Sure you're not too cold?”
“No, I'm good,” Cady assured him, holding his hand tightly as they turned the corner. “Let's go to The Tea Basket,” she suggested, referring to the little dessert shop they'd been to before; despite the name, The Tea Basket was also a full coffee bar and made delicious espresso.
“Okay,” Mick agreed. “Hey, speaking of baskets, you know what I realized the other day? I never helped your cousin with basketball. With the semester starting and everything, I completely forgot about it.”
“Oh, no—didn't I tell you?”
“What?”
“It turns out that the girl Jordan was doing it for moved to New Jersey,” Cady explained. “He mentioned it to me over text a couple weeks ago. Sorry, I thought I told you that.”
“Oh. So, what, basketball's out then?”
“Yep—he has zero interest.”
“Huh. All right, well, hey, baseball season's coming up. If he wants to try that, I can help him out.”
“Wow, really?”
“Of course. As long as you come to the lessons, too—so you can see how good I am,” he mentioned, sounding a bit cocky.
“Deal,” Cady agreed, snuggling against his arm a little as they walked. “Though I have a feeling that Jordy is a non-athletic intellectual at heart. Still, I'll keep your offer in mind, in case. Thank you,” she said, now reaching up to kiss Mick on the cheek.
“Sure,” he said, turning his face in time to catch her lips.
Cady grinned, whispering, “You always do that.”
When they neared the end of the block, Cady noticed a bright pink sign that was lit up and shaped like a heart. It read: Accurate Fortunes! In smaller font were the words: Mademoiselle Valentine will give you your LOVE FORECAST * now * !
Without realizing it, Cady had slowed her pace to a stop, while her eyes traveled from the sign to the woman she saw through the glass.
“What's up?” Mick asked, confused.
“Wait, I...I think I recognize her,” Cady mumbled, walking toward the sign.
“Who?” Mick said, still holding Cady's hand as she led them down the sidewalk again, this time toward the shop of “Mademoiselle Valentine.”
“It is her!” she whispered to herself, as she peered through the hazy glass. The “love forecast” shop was tiny, hardly bigger than a walk-in closet. Perfect for seasonal businesses and short-term leases.
Inside, the décor was different than the fortune-telling shop that Mademoiselle Gigi ran in Salem during Halloween. This space was streaming with reds and pinks and sparkles, and there were lit candles everywhere. Instead of being ominous, the candle-fest was more reminiscent of a Lifetime movie bathtub scene. Obviously—between the heavy-handed “romance” theme of this place and her name change—this was how Mademoiselle Gigi peddled her fortune-telling in February.
Through the window, Cady recognized Gigi's youthful, attractive face—despite the fact that she was missing the heavy eyeliner and this time wore a glittery, pale blonde wig.
“Mick, wait—I want to go in there,” Cady said.
“Seriously?” he said, surprised, re-reading the sign. “A fortune teller? You?”
With a little laugh, Cady said, “It's just...it's hard to explain, but I just want to talk to that woman—real quick. Can I meet you at The Tea Basket in a few minutes?”
“All right,” he agreed.
When he leaned down to kiss her, Cady clutched the front of his jacket. “I love you,” she said softly when their mouths broke.
“I love you, too, babe,” he murmured, brushing his lips against hers for one more kiss.
As Cady entered the shop, “Mademoiselle Valentine” looked up right away from whatever she was reading and offered a wide, welcoming smile. She shoved what appeared to be a magazine underneath her table, then waved Cady forward. “Hello there—please come in, sweetie, come in!”
Instantly Cady realized that Gigi didn't remember her. There was zero recognition on her face. But, honestly, why would she remember? Cady had been one of probably thousands of passing customers, especially if Gigi operated in various locations. This time, instead of being cynical as she sat to receive her fortune, Cady decided to be pleasant and upbeat. Instead of putting Gigi on the defensive about the veracity of what she was saying, why not be positive, sunny—act like a believer?
In truth, it wasn't just a social ex
periment; it also reflected Cady's genuine mood at the moment. She really was optimistic these days. Back when she'd first met Gigi she hadn't been—and she'd been given a pretty bleak forecast. Now she wondered if the change in her own outlook would matter, or if Fate would deal out the same reading.
“Hi!” Cady said brightly. “I wondered if I could get a reading—a love forecast, like your sign says.”
“Of course! That's what Mademoiselle Valentine does,” Gigi said, still smiling, being friendlier this time around. She motioned to the satin-covered chair opposite her.
After a few preliminaries—like Cady pulling out cash and Gigi flipping over some cards—the fortune-telling was underway. Her hands swirled over a crystal ball as she shut her eyes and murmured, “Hmm...” a few times. The wind chimes hanging outside the door tinkled, delicately at first, then becoming louder, and finally Gigi said, “Yes, I see your life clearly—it will be filled with love.”
“Wow, really?” Quite a difference from the first time they spoke.
“Yes,” Gigi nodded, smiling, “you will most definitely find true love. This man's love for you will be real and never waiver—and it will be filled with passion,” she gushed. “I'm getting a deep-red vibe, and that means passion,” she explained.
“Oh, I see. Interesting,” Cady replied amiably. “Do you see anything else?”
“Yes. I see brightness, which means laughter, in your love forecast.” Cady thought of Mick's boyish grin, and smiled. Gigi finished, “You and this man will have many adventures and long journeys together.”
Once the reading was over, Cady thanked Gigi for her time and dropped a five in the tip jar.
As she left the shop, she considered two possibilities. Either Gigi's psychic powers were real, but Cady had changed her destiny by getting involved with Mick. Or, more likely, Gigi was feeding off of Cady's energy and responding in kind. When Cady had been sarcastic and snide, Gigi had zinged her back with a terrible fortune. When Cady had been warm and open, Gigi had wanted to make her happy.