to give up the fairy tale, just modernize it.”
I stuff the cheese wedge into my mouth. “Bigamy?”
“Funny. But no. Have you seen the new fairy tales coming out? There are still princesses and princes, but the princess isn’t sitting around waiting for a dude to shove her foot into a glass slipper. The new princesses are badass. They go after what they want—”
Lily’s impressive tirade is cut off by the sound of the front door opening. “Hey, Alec,” I call.
“Hey, Gracie,” he says, coming into the kitchen and dropping his briefcase onto the counter.
He goes immediately to Lily, setting his hands on her waist, and she grins up at him. I pause in the process of sipping my wine as I realize the tension between them over the past few months is nowhere to be seen. Instead, they look newly in love, like they can’t take their eyes off each other.
“How are we?” Alec asks her softly, brushing a kiss over her lips.
“Excellent, now that you’re home,” she says, kissing him back. And not just a peck either.
“Aaaaand, that’s my cue,” I say, hopping down and taking one last sip of sauvignon blanc before setting it aside. “But for what it’s worth, I’m really glad you guys are back.”
“Me too,” Lily says with a smile.
“Just curious, is there, like, a magic potion I can take to get me some of whatever fixed you two?”
“Just a good old-fashioned talk,” Alec tells me, framing Lily’s face with his hands. “We decided that families come in all shapes and sizes, and if ours stayed a family of two until the end, we’d count ourselves blessed to have each other.”
My eyes water. I want that.
“Of course,” Lily says playfully, “we didn’t mind learning the day after that talk that we’re going to be a family of three.”
Her words don’t register at first. And then all of a sudden they do, along with the previously missed detail that Lily poured me a glass of wine, but not one for herself.
“Wait. Oh my God. Are you pregnant?”
The twin grins on their faces answer the question, and with a happy squeal, I wrap my arms around both of them. “I’m so happy for you. Oh my God, you’re going to be parents! I’m going to be an aunt! I have to learn to sew. And of course plan a Disney movie regimen. And—”
“Gracie?” Alec says, a little distracted, since he’s busy kissing his wife.
“Yeah?”
“We love you. Get out,” Lily answers for him.
“Okay, okay.” But I sneak in one last hug before grabbing my purse and giving them their privacy.
Out on the sidewalk, I can’t stop smiling as I hum “I’ve Got the World on a String.”
Nor can I stop thinking about what Lily said about updating my fairy tale. No more waiting for Prince Charming.
No more waiting, period.
If I want happily-ever-after, I’ve got to go get it.
I pull out my phone and send a message.
To Sir, with a hope and a prayer,
I know we don’t know what this is. I know we’ve been careful not to label it. Screw that. Let’s find out what to label it. Let’s meet. Let’s give this thing a chance.
I have an art gallery opening next Saturday. I’m an artist. Have I ever told you that? There’s so much I want to tell you. So much I want to know about you.
Please come.
Lady
* * *
My dear Lady,
I’ll be there.
Yours,
Sir
Text Message from Gracie to Sebastian
Well. I did it. I asked him to meet, and he said yes. If he turns out to be a weirdo who starts out the conversation asking me what sort of saws cut through bone, this is on your head. :-)
Sebastian to Gracie
Don’t overthink it. I’m sure he’s something perfectly respectable. Like an aspiring magician or a mermaid aficionado.
Gracie to Sebastian
Is mermaid aficionado a real thing? Forget painting! I’m on the wrong career path…
Sebastian to Gracie
Not that I’m not enjoying this stint as Gracie Cooper’s career coach, but how did you get my number?
Gracie to Sebastian
Myron. Told him we’re friends but that I’d accidentally deleted your number from my phone.
Sebastian to Gracie
Are we? Friends?
Gracie to Sebastian
Depends. Will you come to my art opening?
Sebastian to Gracie
I want nothing more, but I have something going on that night.
Gracie to Sebastian
Ah. Finally decide to make it the Right Moment with Ms. Complicated?
Sebastian to Gracie
Actually, yes. Wish me luck that I’m not too late.
Gracie to Sebastian
Ooooh, sorry. I’m going to be needing all the luck in the universe that night to make sure