Blood pounded in my ears. When I’d looked at the time in the café it had been 1:45. Were the echoes of myself and Robin actually in there eating chili right now?
Darcy reappeared at the door to the café. Her sunglasses were perched on top of her head and she didn’t bother to replace them as she marched with purpose toward the car.
“Well?” I asked as she climbed in next to me. “Was I there?”
Slowly, she nodded. “Only your hair looked like hell.”
A rush of dizziness washed over me. It had worked. Darcy had seen me sitting there with Robin.
Not me. My echo.
“How did you do that?” she asked. “Is it some sort of actor dressed like you or…?”
“No.” I swallowed. “Would you believe me if I said magic?”
She stared at me. “You’re serious?”
“The guy I’m with…he’s a faery.”
“A faery,” she repeated, her tone flat. “You mean like he’s batting for the home team? Because the way he was looking at you—”
“I mean he’s a legit full-sized fae. And I made a bargain with him. Three trips back through time in exchange for a favor.”
One of her eyebrows went up. “And you used one of those trips to drag me out here to watch you eat chili?”
“No. I mean, not really. This doesn’t count because I didn’t ask him to bring me back here.” At least I’d hoped it didn’t. Robin hadn’t said that this was one of my three trips back in time so I had assumed it was a demonstration.
Darcy pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “I need a minute here.”
“Sure.” I put the car in drive and headed to Grammy B’s. I’d make that vet appointment no problem, now that I had all the time in the world.
I ran into the house, got Puck into the cat carrier with only one set of claw marks to show for my efforts, kissed Grammy on the cheek, and was back out in the car and was halfway to my destination before Darcy spoke again.
“So, let me get this straight. You bargained with a fae and traded an open-ended unnamed favor in exchange for three trips through time. And you aren’t worried about what aforementioned favor might entail?”
“Not too worried.” I was trying not to think about that part.
“You’re a little too old for him to claim your firstborn. Maybe he’ll demand sexual favors.” She made one of those stupid fanning motions with her hand.
I shivered a bit at the thought. “You did see him, right? He wouldn’t need to bargain for sexual favors. Most women would give it up without a valuable time travel incentive.”
“Maybe he’s into some twisted kink,” Darcy suggested. “Something no normal woman would give him without the big bargain.”
I cast her a sidelong look. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Joey, this is the most reckless thing I have seen you do in years!” She sounded excited. “So, what are you going to change?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Do you even have to ask?”
“The accident.” She nodded. “Makes sense. So how, exactly?”
“I haven’t worked out all the details yet.” Though I did recall that day and my movements very clearly. School, gymnastic practice, and then the date I’d been so excited to have that ended in tragedy.
“What about George?” She asked as I pulled up to the vet’s office.
“George didn’t move here until after high school.” I pulled into the parking lot of the vet’s office and put the car in park.
“Are you going to undo your marriage?”
“I’m going back to avoid the accident,” I explained to her. “If I do that, then I’ll make a name for myself, maybe even the Olympic team. So I won’t be schlepping around this mountain top until I’m thirty-five. I won’t be so lonely that I latch onto George when he pays attention to me and decide it’s now or never. Don’t you see? The marriage to George will never happen.”
“Wow,” Darcy looked impressed. “You really thought this through.”
I nodded, unwilling to explain that I’d been imagining the way my life could have gone if only I hadn’t broken my wrist every day for the last twenty-four years.
I popped the car door and climbed out and then reached into the back for the cat carrier. Puck glowered at me, obviously annoyed that she had been carted around in such an undignified manner.
“It’s okay, kitty,” I soothed. “Dr. Green is just going to make sure you’re healthy and find out if you have an owner.”
Darcy held the door for