Epilogue
Claire
One Year Later - Early December
The snow falls all around us as Everett and I maze down the street with our goldendoodle, Mac, exploring West Village together.
The store window displays are decorated for Christmas, and the neighborhood is busy with people coming and going.
Their hands are full of shopping bags, and everyone, but us, seems to be in a hurry.
“Mom and Dad said they are excited to see you perform,” he says as we move around a couple of tourists staring at their phones in the middle of the sidewalk.
“I’m really excited they get to come this year,” I say, squeezing his hand. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to have everyone together.”
“I think so too. They mentioned dinner with your family to celebrate our engagement since everyone will be in town.”
“Like a mini engagement party?”
“Yeah.”
“That sounds perfect.”
My heart expands in my chest, and happiness settles over me.
The past year with Everett has been pure magic.
Everything in life feels more settled with him by my side, and while I have everything I could ever want with him, Mac, and our families, I still find myself missing the people we left behind in Sugarplum Park.
“I’m really happy I get to marry you again,” I say, glancing in his direction.
“You have no idea, Sugar.”
He bends down, placing a kiss on the top of my head at the same time someone bumps into my shoulder. Turning my head, I catch a flash of pink in my periphery, but when I look behind me, there’s no one around.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Oh…yeah. I could’ve sworn I just saw…”
“Saw what?”
“Stella.” I laugh.
Whipping his head around, his eyebrows raise. “Really? Where?”
“I think sometimes I want to see her, but I haven’t since we got back. It was nothing, probably just my eyes playing tricks on me or something. I’m tired.”
“Want to get some cof—”
“Mac!” I yell, tightening my grip as he jolts forward, straining on the leash and almost pulling me over. He continues to tug, causing me to lunge forward again and the leash to fly out of my hand.
“Fuck!” Everett shouts as we both break into a sprint to chase him.
“Mac! Stop, boy!” My heart rate climbs and the cold air burns my lungs as we zigzag around the holiday shoppers.
“Where the hell is he going?” Everett asks.
“You’re guess is as good as mine.”
We all weave in and out of the people passing by, none of them attempting to help us catch him despite our calls for help.
“This is why I wanted the rottweiler,” Everett shouts, breathing heavy.
“Don’t start. You love him,” I say.
“Mac!” Everett yells, but he continues to move. “I tolerate him. Love is a very strong word.”
I look over at him and roll my eyes.
“Says the man who was curled up on the couch with him last night watching Home Alone.”
“Ha!”
“Fuck, where did he go?” I ask, my eyes shifting back in front of us, but I can’t find Mac—just a large group of people. My stomach knots, and my heart pounds faster. If we lose this dog, I’ll never forgive myself.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
“He was just up ahead,” Everett says, his voice sounding a little more panicked as his eyes scan the street.
The crowd parts, and we both stop and exhale. Sitting outside the door of a shop a few feet away, unbothered, is Mac. His tongue hangs out of his mouth as he pants, and his tail is wagging like he didn’t just make us run after him.
“We should’ve known this dog was going to be a problem when we were seventh in line to adopt him, and we still got him.” Everett laughs as we walk up to where Mac sits.
Bending down, I ruffle the white curls on top of his head and grab his leash. “You’re such a troublemaker.”
He paws at my coat and licks my face.
“Ahhh, Mac. Not my mouth,” I say, wiping the sleeve of my jacket across my face and standing.
“Umm…Claire.”
“Yeah?”
I look over to find Everett peering up at the sign hanging above the shop. It’s orange and The Book Rack is written in a whimsical font.
My mouth parts, and I blink reading the sign a few more times.
It couldn’t be. Could it?
“That was the name of…”
“Ginger’s store,” I finish. “But, that doesn’t make sense.” I shake my head, and my calming pulse starts to rise again.
The building is painted orange, and large windows are painted with a mural of a candy-colored town covered in snow.
A flower arch with multi-color blooms frames the door.
It stands out among all of the neutral colored brick and stone.
It’s impossible to miss, yet we live just a few blocks away, and I’ve never seen it before.
Well, I’ve never seen it here before.
“Should we go inside?” Everett asks.
“We have the dog.”
“It says animals are welcome.” He points to a small sign hanging in the window.
“I don’t know. Do you think she’s in there…Ginger?”
“There’s only one way to find out.” He shrugs, and the corner of his mouth tips up.
“Okay.”
I nod, and he pulls open the door.
“Welcome in,” a voice says once we’re fully inside, causing us both to turn. Behind the counter is a woman who looks just like Ginger. Full figure. Red curls. Freckles. They could be twins.
“Hello,” Everett says.
“Come in. Come in,” she encourages, walking over to where we stand by the front door. “Today is our grand opening, so we have some refreshments in the back of the store, and everything is twenty-five percent off for Christmas.”
I glance at Everett and then around the shop. It’s a carbon copy of The Book Rack from Sugarplum Park, but instead of being there, it’s here.
Mac jumps up and licks the woman’s face. “I’m sorry,” I say, pulling him off of her. “He’s still learning his manners. Mac, sit,” I grit out.
He obeys, and his tongue falls back out of his mouth.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” she says, scratching his ears. “I’m Ginger, by the way. Do you two live in the neighborhood?”
Ginger.
My eyes cut up to Everett, and my stomach bottoms out.
“We do,” he says. “I’m Everett. This is my fiancée, Claire, and our dog, Mac.”
“It’s so nice to meet you. Please check out the refreshments and make yourselves at home.” She walks away, and we make our way around the store. It’s semi-busy, and I look at each person we pass expecting to see Stella, but no one has pink hair or violet eyes.
“Holy fuck,” Everett whispers as we continue to explore.
“Do you think that means the others are…”
We both freeze as we arrive at the back where the refreshments are set up.
“You’re Everett Nuttall!” a man who looks just like Chip exclaims.
My head whips toward Everett. He’s standing there stunned, and my eyes widen. How does he know who Everett is? Could Ginger not know who we are, but Chip does? Why would that happen?
“You…you know who I am?” Everett stammers.
“Yeah, you’re an assistant coach for the Crowns, right? I’m a huge fan.”
Oh.
“Oh, right.” Everett chuckles, grabbing a piece of peppermint bark off the table in front of Chip and taking a bite. Mac moves toward the chocolate, but I grab him by the collar, holding him back.
“Hey, honey,” Chip calls. “Get over here. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Turning my head to where he’s looking, I see Lolly and Cami walking up to where we all stand. A wide grin is spread across both of their faces. The urge to hug them overcomes me, and I have to force myself to keep my feet planted on the ground.
Reaching out, Everett must sense the way I’m feeling because he grabs my hand and squeezes it gently, instantly helping me to relax.
“This is my girlfriend, Lolly, and our friend, Cami. This is Everett Nuttall and…” He looks at me.
“Claire. I’m Claire. His fiancée.” I let go of Everett and put my hand out in her direction.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Lolly adds, shaking my hand and then turning toward Everett to do the same, but his hands and mouth are now full of the peppermint bark.
“Oh, sorry,” he says over a bite of the candy, fumbling to try to empty one of his hands.
“Quite alright.” She laughs. “How do you know Chip?”
“We don’t,” Chip explains. “Everett coaches for the Crowns and used to play for them too.”
“That’s cool,” she says. “Chip’s a huge hockey fan.”
Mac jumps up on Cami and wags his tail.
“Mac!” I tug the leash, pulling him down. “Sorry.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. You’re just a big softie. Aren’t you,” Cami says, scratching between his ears.
“The peppermint bark is delicious,” Everett notes. “Is it a family recipe?”
“My grandfather’s,” Chip boasts. “The real show stopper is Joe’s hot chocolate.” He gestures over to another table where a man stands from the floor.
“Sorry, I was looking for my stash of marshmallows,” he says, offering us both a warm smile. “Cami, do you know where we put them?”
“Hmmm? Should be in the plastic bin under the table.” She walks past us and begins to search.
“Care to try some?” Joe asks.
“Thank you,” I say, grabbing a cup.
“Found them,” Cami says, standing. “Joe, I swear you need to get glasses. They were right on top.” She looks toward me. “Sorry about that. Would you like some marshmallows?”
“Um…sure.” I hand her back the cup, and she tops it with a few.
My eyes scan the four people in front of us.
Chip. Lolly. Joe. Cami.
They all seemed unfazed by seeing us. It’s a strange feeling knowing who they are and them not knowing who we are. It doesn’t make sense, but nonetheless my heart expands at the thought that we might actually have a chance to have them back in our life. That they actually exist.
“Can we get you something else?” Lolly asks, tilting her head to the side.
“Oh…um, no. It’s all delicious.”
“Should we keep shopping?” Everett asks, nodding away from where they stand.
“Yeah. Let’s.”
He grabs another piece of candy, and we continue to snake through the aisles, leaving the four of them behind.
“Do you think it’s really them,” I whisper when we are out of their earshot.
He shrugs. “It looks like them, and they all have the same names.”
“But how are they all here?” I keep my voice hushed as we step behind a shelf. Mac lays down at my feet with a loud thump. My heart aches for the friends I once knew, and my brain swirls, trying to come up with a way to befriend them that’s not completely creepy and weird.
“I don’t know. You did say you thought you saw—”
“You don’t think?”
“You two good over here?” Ginger says, popping around the corner and causing Mac and me to jump. “Can I help you find something?”
“Actually, we’re out looking for our nieces’ Christmas gifts,” Everett says.
No, we aren’t. We finished shopping for them last week.
“Oh yes, but you’re in the wrong section.” She begins to walk back to the front of the store, and I cut my eyes at Everett, who shrugs as we follow after her.
What is he up to?
“How old are they?” she asks when we get to the children’s section.
“Seven and five,” he says.
“Anything in this section should do the trick,” she says. “And then on that shelf over there”—she points—“are some easier chapter books the seven-year-old may enjoy.”
The bell above the door chimes, and she moves away to greet the incoming customers.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I figured we should probably support her store, and maybe if we’re loyal customers we’ll get to see everyone more often.” He shrugs.
“And then what?”
“Not sure.”
“Excuse me,” a voice says behind us, causing us to flip around. Standing before us is Aster.
“Hi,” I say, not fully believing who is standing a couple feet from me.
She smiles warmly. “Hi, I’m Aster.”
“Claire. And this is my Everett…I mean, this is Everett, my fiancé.”
“It’s nice to meet you both. I’m starting a monthly bookclub,” she says, reaching out her hand with the small flyer she’s holding.
“Lolly and Cami, who are in the back passing out the refreshments, are both a part of it, and Ginger, the owner of the store, of course. We’d love for you to join if you like to read. ”
My mouth parts, and my eyes blink as I stand there, unmoving. She gestures her hand again.
“She loves to read,” Everett says, nudging me with his elbow. “Right, babe?”
“Oh…yeah,” I say, taking the flyer from her outstretched hand.
“Amazing,” she chimes. “Our first meeting will be in January, and we’re reading A New Leaf by Samm Wilde. It was my pick, but if you join you can bring suggestions for the next one. Anyway, all the information is on the flyer.”
“Okay. Yeah, I should be able to make it.”
“Good. See you around,” she says, smiling as she moves away from us and over to another woman around our age perusing the game shelves.
“See ya.” Pressure begins to build behind my eyes, and I do my best to swallow down the emotions flooding my brain.
“Well, would you look at that?” Everett smirks as his eyes find mine. “Wait, what’s wrong?”
“I just didn’t think we’d ever see them again, and I’ve been trying to rack my brain since we walked in on how I could befriend any of them and it not be weird, and then she just appeared with a book club, and I don’t know…it feels a little too good to be true.”
He chuckles and pulls me into a hug. “Don’t overthink it. I have a feeling this is a good thing. Maybe you did see Stella, and this is her engagement gift to us.”
I smile. “Does that mean we have to invite her to the wedding?”
His whole chest moves as he laughs. “I hope not. The last thing we need is her meeting Andi.”
“Oh, my god. Could you imagine? She’d have a hey day.”
He presses his lips to the top of my head, and I take a deep breath.
“I love you,” I say.
“I love you too, Sugar.”
“So, now that there is a book club, do you still want to get the girls a gift?”
“Of course I do. I was thinking they each need at least three more.”
Pulling away, I watch as he begins to search the shelves for more presents for my soon-to-be nieces. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of him wanting to spoil those two little girls who mean so much to both of us.
His hazel eyes find mine. “You two coming?” he asks.
I nod and smile, joining him near one of the shelves. Mac falls to the floor at our feet, and my whole body relaxes as his arm wraps around my back, and I settle against him.
It’s amazing how wonderful life can be when you give into the magic and find someone who feels like home.
Someone who knocks you off your feet when you least expect it.
Someone who likes the things you like simply because you like them.
Someone who would go to the depths of every realm just to be with you.
And being loved by Everett, and loving him, feels like all of those things. It’s warm and all encompassing and wonderful. And how lucky am I to have found this kind of love—with the help of a little magic.