Chapter Twenty-Three #2
A moment later, Elle walks past with an armful of linens, and my chest fills with a fluttery, delightful warmth at the sight of her. I get it, dude, I agree with Mark silently. Love is great.
“Have we met somewhere before?” Xander asks as he hands over the key to Mark’s room. “Do you work at one of the shops downtown?”
Mark shakes his head. “This is my first time in Oak Spires.”
“Strange,” Xander murmurs. “You look familiar.”
The front door opens again, bringing a gust of cold autumn air, and when I turn to take in the man who has inspired such strong emotions in Mark, I find myself face-to-face with the last person I expected to see at Midnight Manor.
Xander’s ex-fiancé. Barrett.
“There he is,” Mark says warmly before turning back to Xander and me with a conspiratorial glint to his brown eyes.
“It’s been such a whirlwind romance. We dated in college ages ago, lost touch for nearly a decade, and then recently bumped into each other at an art exhibit.
It’s like the universe gave us a second chance.
” He reaches for Barrett, who’s had eyes only for Mark as he strode through the foyer, but now Barrett looks past his new fiancé and finally sees Xander standing behind the desk.
“Alexander?” Barrett’s voice is choked, and he clears his throat decisively. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I—” Xander looks from Barrett to Mark and back again. “I work here.”
“He doesn’t just work here,” I cut in. “Xander is the co-owner of Midnight Manor. He’s also responsible for all the design elements.”
Mark scans the foyer, worry deepening the otherwise barely there lines on his forehead. “The place looks lovely…” He turns to Barrett. “Did you say Alexander? As in your ex-boyfriend, Alexander?”
“Ex-fiancé,” Xander corrects, though there’s no bitterness in his voice. Instead, he sounds like he might be in shock, detached from the reality playing out before him.
“Right. Of course,” Mark says, and damn him, he’s just so nice.
“I’m sorry about this. I had no idea the connection when I booked the retreat.
I’ve been following Mx. McKinley’s work for years, but I never had anyone willing to come with me before.
” He turns those lovesick eyes on Barrett, and fuck, I can feel Xander crumbling on the other side of the desk.
Barrett rests a hand on the small of Mark’s back. “I’m sure this won’t be a problem. Right, Alexander? We’re all adults here. We can be civilized.”
“Right, because cheating on Xander and throwing him out of the apartment the next morning was civilized,” I snap.
“It’s okay, Pip.” Xander’s reassurance is robotic at best. “It’ll be fine.”
I meet his gaze, and the pain there nearly breaks me.
But then behind him, I spot the reflection of the spirit board in the mirror.
“Maybe for you,” I say as teal handwriting streaks angrily across the board.
I turn around to face the spirit board properly and point it out to the three men.
“But the ghosts who live here disagree.”
The men turn to look at the spirit board, and the teal words scream back at us as Laney adds the final line.
Is This the Ex??
OMG and the New Fiancé???
Hell No.
They Are Not Staying Here.
Mark is wide-eyed when he turns back to Xander and me. “The ghosts know about us?”
“That’s why he looks familiar,” Xander mutters to himself. “God, I hate social media.”
“The ghosts at Midnight Manor are protective of the owners,” I say, injecting apology I don’t feel into my words. “Given their distress at the way Xander was treated, I’m afraid the retreat won’t be of any use to either of you.”
“But—”
“I’ll make sure your new fiancé is given a full refund,” I say, cutting Barrett off as I usher him and Mark toward the front door. “Have a safe trip back to Brooklyn.” Both men stare at me, bewildered but complying, as I all but bodily shove them outside and close the door behind them.
My smug satisfaction deflates when I turn around and find Sebastian standing at the reception desk, looking displeased. “What was that about?”
Xander shoots me a panicked look, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice the spirit board flash a brilliant teal as Laney erases their messages.
I shrug as I return to the desk. “There was an emergency with one of their wedding vendors,” I lie, hoping that will explain the concerned looks on Barrett and Mark as I kicked them out. “Apparently, it needed immediate attention.”
Sebastian harrumphs. “Yet another reason I’ll never get married,” he mutters, pulling out his phone and checking the time.
Xander’s shoulders relax away from his ears. “You and me both.” Slowly, the haunted look bleeds away, and he plasters on his brightest smile. “Is there anything else you need before the night gets underway?”
“I wish I had a complaint, Owens,” Sebastian says, pocketing his phone and glancing toward the dining area, where guests are mingling with a general air of excitement. “But no. Everything is exactly as it should be.”
“As promised,” Elle says, descending the stairs with Sloane at her side. “But if anything at all comes up, please let us know immediately.”
Sebastian nods, and the moment Elle and Sloane reach the landing, Olli strides down the hall in her crisp white chef’s coat.
She beams and raises her voice to be heard over the murmur of conversation. “Dinner is served.”
By the time all the dinner-only guests have left, leaving Sloane and their students behind, my heart is full and exhaustion prickles at the edges of my awareness.
It’s going to be a long drive back to Windsfell.
Sebastian ushers the last of the stragglers into the sitting room, where Sloane will deliver their official opening night remarks, and gives the three of us an appreciative nod before closing the door.
“Well, I guess that’s it, huh?” I rub my arms, my skin chilled despite my sweater. “My job here is officially done.”
“You did good, Pip. Exceptional.” Xander wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me tight against his side. “I’m glad you agreed to help with this. It’s been incredible living with you these past few weeks.”
Elle smiles softly at me. “Beyond incredible.”
I fight the prickle in my eyes. I will not cry tonight. Being here the past month, I got used to being surrounded by other people. Now, I have to go home to my empty apartment. The thought of spending all my time alone, of sleeping alone, aches.
Maybe I’ll finally adopt those cats I’ve always wanted…
Beside me, Xander sighs, and there’s a weariness to it that spikes my adrenaline. “I can’t believe Barrett was here.”
“Barrett was here?” Elle’s green eyes go wide with alarm. “What? When? How?” Her gaze flicks to me. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“The registration was under his fiancé’s name,” Xander says miserably. “His fiancé, Lou. All this time, I thought he didn’t want to get married. I thought he wanted to be single. Turns out, he just didn’t want me.”
I slip out from under Xander’s arm to face him fully. “That has nothing to do with you, Xan. Nothing. Barrett wasn’t the right guy. He didn’t deserve you. Not the other way around. You are incredible. You’re funny and kind and charming. You deserve to be with someone who sees what a gift you are.”
Xander chokes out a laugh. “Since when are you team true love?”
My gaze slips to Elle, but instead of the smile I expected, she’s staring at her phone. “What is it?”
Elle glances up, the color draining from her face. “It’s my sister…” Elle accepts the incoming call. “Viv? What’s wrong?”
I can’t hear what Vivian is saying on the other end of the line, but the horror and grief spreading across Elle’s face make it easy to guess.
Willa.
So when Elle looks to me, question and hope and panic written all over her face, I nod. “Whatever you need,” I whisper, tension curling in my gut.
“We’re on our way, Viv. Hold on until we get there.” Elle hangs up, and the first tears slip down her face. “We need to go.”