7. Selene
7
Selene
P ushing open the front door to the cafe, the faint chime of the bell overhead signals my arrival. I scan the room, hoping to spot Theo at his usual spot behind the counter. I say usual—but he hasn’t been at the cafe all week. I’ve been stopping by in the hopes of seeing him after our date, but no luck so far. Instead, my gaze lands on Aubrey, who is sitting at the booth next to the register, with a steaming cup of tea in her hands.
A gentle, tired, smile touches her lips as we make eye contact. She lets out a soft groan as she gets out of the booth and goes to the register. Aubrey tells me to sit and gestures to the booth that she just vacated. In usual Aubrey fashion, she makes me a drink without letting me order. The only constant is that she always makes it iced. It’s a warm feeling in my chest knowing that she cares enough to remember my love for iced drinks. I mentioned it once in passing yet she still remembers.
She comes back over to sit with me, setting the drink in front of me without waiting to see if she got it right. She slides into the booth and almost deflates across from me, gripping her steaming mug with both hands. There’s an unexpected emotion in her eyes—almost a melancholic softness—I never expected to see from this vibrant woman.
Unsure what to say—Aubrey usually leads every conversation she’s in—I aim for casual as I admit, “I was actually hoping to run into Theo. Somehow, I never actually ended up getting his number.”
Aubrey tilts her head slightly, her smile growing faintly wistful. “Teddy’s not coming in today. He said he was helping my Morgan out today. He’s been so busy recently, I can give you his number if you want?”
I smile conspiratorially as she writes his number on a napkin for me. After she finishes writing his number down she hesitates.
“If I’m being honest though I’m glad it’s just us.” She says as she slides Theo’s number to me. “You remind me of someone I used to know.”
Unsure where this is going and how to respond I tell her, “I hope that’s a good thing?”
“It is,” she says with a small laugh. “It’s a compliment, trust me. It’s just been… hard for me these days, you know. After everything?”
Nodding slowly I take a sip of my, once again, amazing drink. I can tell that she’s deep in thought and she has more to say so I don’t want to interrupt her.
“I’ve lost a lot in my life,” Aubrey continues, her voice dropping to a more vulnerable tone. “My first husband, George, and just recently my Gabriel… They were the men I thought I’d get to spend the rest of my life with and around, but they’ve all been taken from me. It’s times like this where I’m alone with my thoughts that I start to feel like I might be cursed…”
The rawness in her voice catches me off guard. “Aubrey, I don’t think you’re cursed,” I say gently.
She lets out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “You might not say that if you knew the whole story.”
I lean forward slightly, my drink forgotten about, my curiosity piqued. “What do you mean?”
Aubrey takes a deep breath as if steeling herself. “Have you heard about what happened to my first husband, George?”
“Maybe,” I say as I slowly shake my head. “But all I can remember is that he passed away.”
Her lips press into a thin line, and for a moment she seems lost in a memory. “We were young, in love, and foolish,” she begins. “Or at least I thought we were in love. I thought a lot of things back then… I thought I was marrying the love of my life. After we said our vows the photographer took me away for a bit to take some wedding portraits—” she cuts herself off and drags in a shaky breath. After she takes a few moments to compose herself she continues. “He went missing and I found him and my best friend Cassie alone together in the bathroom.” Her voice breaks at the last word.
“That’s… awful. I am so sorry.”
Aubrey shrugs, her expression tight. “It was. George had her pressed up against the wall and her dress was up around her waist. I was devastated. He was supposed to be the love of my life. We had this huge fight, and he got drunk— so drunk he could barely stand. I was still angry the next morning, but we had plans to go skiing, and… Well, I had hoped he had sobered up and a morning on the slopes would make things better. Our wedding was at the hotel we honeymooned at, and I didn’t want to cancel the honeymoon just because he was a cheating bastard.”
I reach across the table and grab her trembling hands in mine, waiting for what I know is coming next.
Voice trembling she continued, “We went out on the slopes and he just wasn’t himself. He was reckless. He lost control and hit a tree… Just like that, he was gone and I was a widow before the ink on our marriage license was dry.”
“Aubrey, you know that wasn’t your fault… Right?”
She gives a humorless laugh, “Wasn’t it? If I hadn’t pushed him to go skiing, if I hadn’t fought with him after I found him with Cassie…” She trails off staring down into her tea as a tear tracks down her laugh-lined cheeks.
I squeeze her hands, “You couldn’t have known. It was an accident, he was the one being reckless, not you.”
Aubrey’s glassy eyes meet mine. “Maybe. But when I got back after the honeymoon and moved into what was supposed to be our marital home, Cassie came over one day. She was so hateful and confrontational. She demanded to know how such an experienced skier could be reckless enough to hit a tree the way he did. She blamed me for it and started a rumor around town that I was responsible.” She pauses. “Maybe that’s where a bit of the guilt comes from. Of course, the police did an investigation, and I was obviously cleared of any wrongdoing, but it still shattered any piece of me that wanted to continue our friendship. Because of her accusations, she almost got the entire town to turn on me. I’m ashamed to admit it but I ran away for a while—to get my head back on straight.”
Aubrey’s glassy eyes meet mine, “Then there was my Gabe. My person. The only person that ever truly understood me. And now he’s gone. How do I not blame myself for that? He wasn’t feeling well and was coming home to me.”
The weight of Aubrey’s grief hangs heavy between the two of us, I can’t think of anything to say.
How do you tell a new widow that everything will be okay? It’s not like these deaths happened close together, they were at least twenty, maybe thirty, years apart. She’s not cursed.
She sighs, forcing a weak smile, “It’s because of that I’ve decided I’m not going to let anyone else get caught in the crossfires of my bad luck—my curse. No more relationships, no more men in my life. I am going to die alone, I’ve made peace with that.”
I open my mouth to ask more about Gabe, but any illusion of privacy and any other secrets that might’ve been shared—shatter when the door from the kitchen flies open. Theo bursts into the room with a tray of muffins in his hands singing, “This is the worthwhile fight, love is a ruthless game!” The last part goes up an octave as he suddenly notices us sitting at the booth in front of him.
Blinking in surprise, caught between secondhand embarrassment and amusement, I let out a chuckle. Red faced he starts putting the muffins in the display.
Aubrey raises an unimpressed eyebrow, “Really, Teddy?” she asks dryly. “You’re a grown man.”
Fully recovered from his own embarrassment he shoots her a sly grin, “What? It’s a bop!”
I let out a laugh, “Is that what the kids are calling it these days? Whatever it’s called, it was a bold choice for a grand entrance, Hot Shot.”
Theo bows at the waist and straightens with a devilish smile and a wink. “Thank you, Selene.” He shoots a playful glare at his aunt. “At least someone appreciates my artistic genius.”
Aubrey shakes her head, her expression torn between amusement and exasperation. “I thought you weren’t coming in today.”
Theo shrugs, glancing at her before focusing on arranging the muffins. “Yeah, well, you’ve been picking up the slack a lot lately, and I figured you could use the break. Mo and I finished earlier than I expected.” He flashes her a grin, but it seems slightly off about it—like he’s forcing it a little too much.
Aubrey narrows her eyes, arms crossing as she leans against the counter. “Okay. What’s going on with you?”
He frowns. “What do you mean?”
She gestures vaguely in his direction. “You’ve been acting weird the past few days. First, you barely answer my texts. Then you say you’re taking today off, and now you just show up out of nowhere? I know you, kid. You’re hiding something.”
Theo laughs, a little too quickly. “Damn, maybe I just missed my favorite aunt?”
Aubrey snorts. “Uh-huh. Sure.” She studies him, her sharp gaze not missing a thing. “Seriously, though. Are you okay?”
He grabs a rag from under the counter and starts wiping down the already-clean surface. “I’m fine, Aubrey. Just been… tired.”
Aubrey watches him for a moment longer, clearly not buying it. “Right,” she says slowly. “You’d tell me if anything was wrong, right?”
Theo flashes her his most charming smile, the one that’s convinced half the town he’s got no worries in the world. “Obviously.”
Aubrey’s expression doesn’t change. She doesn’t press him, but she also doesn’t look convinced. After a beat, she sighs and waves a hand. “Fine. Be mysterious. But don’t think I won’t figure it out eventually.”
Smirking at me, Theo winks. “I wouldn’t dare underestimate you.”
Aubrey huffs, but before she can press him again, he leans against the counter and nods toward the door. “Speaking of things I wouldn’t dare do… I also wouldn’t dare let you overwork yourself any more than you already have. You’ve been picking up the slack for the past few days, Aubrey. Go home.”
She blinks. “Excuse me?”
“Go home,” he repeats, more firmly this time. “Relax. Read a book. Spend some time in your garden. Or hell, just take a nap. But don’t act like you don’t need the break.”
Aubrey folds her arms. “I’m fine.”
Theo gives her a knowing look, not missing the tears in her eyes. “I don’t buy that for a second.”
She exhales through her nose, giving him a long, measured look. Then, finally, she shakes her head. “You really are a pain in the ass, you know that?”
He grins. “It’s one of my best qualities.”
Aubrey glances between the two of us, a flicker of emotion in her expression. Whatever it is, she doesn’t say it. Instead, she grabs her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. “Fine. You win. But if this place burns down, it’s on you.”
Theo clutches his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Auntie.”
Aubrey rolls her eyes but softens just a little. “Try not to do anything stupid, Teddy.”
She heads for the door, pausing only briefly. “Selene, it was nice seeing you.” She says, offering me a small nod. Then she’s gone, leaving behind a moment of silence.
Exhaling, he shakes his head. “Stubborn,” he mutters.
“You’re one to talk,” I tease.
His lips twitch. “Fair point.” He leans against the counter, arms crossed as his hazel eyes settle on me. “So, what exactly was going on before I barged in? You two had your heads pressed together like you were conspiring to take over the town.”
I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. “Not quite.”
His smirk lingers, but his gaze shifts—curiosity, maybe even a little concern. “It looked intense.” He tilts his head, studying me.
“Just stories from her past. Things she’s been through.”
Theo’s expression shifts slightly, his easygoing demeanor dimming just a fraction. “Aubrey doesn’t talk about the past much. She prefers to live in the present, as most of the town is aware.”
I chuckle. “I got that impression.”
He watches me as if trying to piece it all together. “And? What do you think?”
I exhale, choosing my words carefully. “I think she’s been through a lot. More than I realized.”
Theo’s jaw tightens for a split second, but then he forces a smile, shifting back into his usual teasing mode. “And yet, she still has the energy to remind me what a disappointment I am for my taste in music.”
I chuckle. “To be fair, that was a bold entrance.”
He grins, clearly pleased with himself. “Gotta keep things interesting.”
The moment lingers between us, charged yet comfortable. Then, he leans in slightly, lowering his voice. “She trusts you, you know.”
I blink, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity.
“She wouldn’t open up like that otherwise,” he continues, his hazel eyes searching mine. “Which makes me wonder—what kind of spell do you have people falling under, Selene Smith?”
I roll my eyes, but the way he says my name sends a shiver down my spine. “Oh, you have no idea.”
His grin widens. “Now I’m even more intrigued.”
Before I can think of a response my phone buzzes on the table between us.
I sigh when I see the name flashing across the screen. “Ugh. It’s my little brother.”
Theo chuckles. “Oh, I need to hear more about this, I didn’t know you had a brother.”
I shake my head, grabbing my phone. “Trust me, you don’t. He’s probably calling to interrogate me about why I missed our weekly call or he’s checking back in to see if he can ‘take out’ my ex. It’s a weekly question.”
He leans back, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Oh, I definitely need to meet him.”
I groan dramatically. “That is never going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Because,” I say, standing as I grab my bag. “You’d either team up against me, or he’d try to scare you off. Either way, I lose.”
Theo presses a hand to his chest before flexing his arms. “You wound me, Selene. Do I look that easy to scare?”
I smirk. “Guess we’ll never know.”
He huffs out a laugh as I step away from the booth. “You’re running away.”
“I’m walking away,” I correct, waving my phone. “Big difference. And besides, I know this is going to be a long call, so I might as well get comfortable somewhere else.”
He watches me for a moment before shaking his head with a grin. “Fine, go. But don’t think this conversation is over.”
I smile as I head toward the door. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
As I step outside and answer the call, my brother’s voice immediately comes through the speaker, full of suspicion and concern.
“Where the hell are you, Selene?”
I sigh, glancing back at the cafe. Theo is still watching me, his expression unreadable. I know this is a rhetorical question because we share our location.
“I’m getting in my car, about to head to my house from the cafe. Where the hell are you, Oreo?” I retort using his childhood nickname that I know annoys him.
“Your house.” He growls over the phone. Before I can even react he disconnects the call.
Fuck.