As Cassidy basked in the spotlight, I couldn’t help but smile. This was where she belonged, where she’d always belong regardless of what happened between us. She was in her element, and as she slowly played a handful of cords from one of my favorite songs, I found myself looking back on the journals and the long history behind them.
Cassidy never mentioned Laura or how she was Cassidy’s inspiration to sing in the first place. Instead, she simply played her music and let the audience think whatever they wanted, her form swaying back and forth to the melody.
Seeing her with her silhouette highlighted in a white glow, my heart filled with warmth. She wasn’t kidding when she said she could fly. As I watched her sing and dance across the stage, there was no mistaking just how happy she truly was.
And that makes two of us.
Epilogue
Once David’s contract was up, things got infinitely better.
They were so good, in fact, that months later, we divided our time between her visiting the shop and me joining her on tour.
It was a strange routine, but it was ours, and with Bridget’s help, I was able to leave the store for weeks at a time.
In the end, I added the ereaders along with a cafe to the lower level of the store. It wasn’t something I’d wanted but if it meant keeping the store alive, then it was way better than the alternative. Cassidy offered to help, but I couldn’t stand the thought of her working two jobs just because I refused to change.
So I did, and once we made the shop our own, Bridget was more than happy to share it with me.
Walking into the shop one Friday afternoon, I just about had a heart attack when I walked right into Charlie, the bright orange dragon. My sister must’ve set him up the night before, clearly getting a kick out of my tiny scare as she chuckled from her spot up front.
“Can I ask why he’s here?” I called up toward the front
of the store, removing my coat before draping it over one arm.
“You could’ve killed me.”
“Which would’ve been a real shame considering who’s here.”
Someone’s here? We weren’t supposed to open for another half an hour.
Fighting back my nerves, I hurried toward the front, my smile as wide as it could go. “You’re early,” I said with surprise, throwing my arms around Cassidy as soon as I was within range. “I thought your flight wasn’t due for a few hours.”
“That’s what we wanted you to think,” Bridget said with a huge grin on her face. “That was a later flight, but not the one we picked.”
We? “Do either one of you want to tell me what’s going on?” Not only was Charlie hanging right inside the back door but there were streamers hanging all over the front of the store as well. “Please tell me you two aren’t trying to do one of those grand re-openings.”
Bridget loved a good party, but all I could think about was the rush of people and the half-empty coffee cups they left behind. I’d be stuck in the shop for hours trying to clean up after the fact. Considering the fact Cassidy was in town after weeks of being away, I had better things to do with my time.
“Oh, we should really do that,” Bridget said, her smile never leaving her face.
“But this isn’t it?” I asked nervously, looking right at Cassidy who wore the same grin my sister did. “What have you done, and why is no one telling me about it?”
“Do you know what today is?” Cassidy asked, taking my coat before handing it off to my sister.
“Friday?” With so much going on, I wasn’t sure what she expected me to say.
“Ten months ago, I walked through those doors,” Cassidy said, gently kissing me on the lips. “I was an absolute mess and a complete stranger to you.”
“Ten months?” Had it really been that long?
Cassidy offered me a nod, then continued. “I could’ve gone to the other shop, but I came here. Then you gave me your card. I’ve been in this store countless times since I was a kid, but coming here because of those journals is one of the happiest mistakes I’ve ever made.”
Oh god. She wasn’t going to…
Cassidy took my hand in hers and rummaged in her pocket for a small black box.
Oh my god, she is!