Page 13 of Forgettable in Every Way

I took a moment to enjoy the view. My parents’ backyard was more like a forest of pine trees. When I was a little girl, I would play for hours out here and pretend I was Maid Marian searching for Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest or hiding from the Sheriff of Nottingham. I would climb the trees or make shelters using fallen limbs.

Through the trees, I could see the sapphire-blue lake. The calm water barely splashed against the shoreline. As I stood there, I felt a gentle breeze brush against my skin, bringing with it a cool sensation that contrasted with the warm sun on my face. In the distance, I could hear boats and people on Jet Skis, enjoying the warm, late-afternoon hours.

“Come on, buddy.” I tugged on Winston’s leash, and we headed toward the well-worn path through the trees to the lakeshore.

Deeply breathing in the pine and earthy air, I tried to find my equilibrium. I especially tried to expel any thoughts of finally being with the man I was in love with. At least I could get rid of the guilt I’d carried for a long time for being in love with a married man. In my defense, I loved him long before he got married, and it wasn’t like I would ever try to do anything to disrupt his relationship. Besides, I couldn’t exactly turn off that feeling like the flip of a switch. If I could, I would have flipped the switch a very long time ago. Sometimes, the pain of loving Simon made me wish I had never met him. But that would mean losing some of my fondest memories. Besides, loving Simon let me know I was capable of such emotion. Sometimes I wondered if I was defective. That perhaps no one saw me because I lacked something that other humans had.

If only I could be this Princess Jewel that Jack believed me to be. She sounded pretty amazing, being able to talk to animals and saving green ladies in the water and playing the piano in front of cheering crowds. Honestly, I might even take the Daft Prince, whomever he might be. As long as he wasn’t like an idiot prince. There was a difference. We were all foolish from time to time, but being an idiot seemed more innate to me. Maybe he was only foolish because he did silly things. That I could live with. Although, I had to wonder what bad choice he had made.

If only I could figure out where they sold the book, I could find out for myself. I wanted to ask Jack more about him, but that was a foolish thought. I needed to keep my distance for the risk of loving two Harrison men. And I knew I would love Jack. There was something about him that spoke straight to my soul, to places in my heart I didn’t know existed. Not even my nephew and nieces made me feel the way he did. It was something I couldn’t explain. But I also knew I couldn’t explore it either. I had to get over his father for my well-being.

That’s why when Winston and I got to the beach, we turned left instead of right. Right led to Sapphire Bay and the cozy cottage where Simon and Jack were staying. It was a weird coincidence, but my old piano teacher, Miss Sally, used to own the place. Of all the big fancy houses on the lake, her cottage was my favorite place. There was something storybook like about it. I wasn’t sure if it was the large stone chimney or the rose garden in the front yard that made me love it so much. Or maybe it was that Miss Sally was one of the few people who always saw me and loved me that made the place so magical to me. Before every piano lesson, we had a tea party with cookies, but Miss Sally would call them wafers because that sounded fancier. Simon would have appreciated that she used steeped tea leaves and not bags.

I was so sad when she passed away several years ago. When her house went on the market, it disappointed me that I couldn’t afford it at the time. I could now. Not that I wanted to live in Aspen Lake, but as weird as it sounded, I felt at home in that house and felt like maybe if it were mine, I would feel like I belonged somewhere. I was sure that wasn’t the case anymore. I definitely wasn’t going to test out that theory. Which was why Winston and I would always take our walks away from the bay from here on out.

Not that we would walk much at all. We had barely made it to the shoreline when Winston plopped himself down and made his normal congested breathing sounds.

I sat down next to him to give him a pep talk while I let the cool water tickle my toes through my Tevas. I grabbed his scrunchy face with both my hands. “Listen, big guy, I know my parents have let you be lazy and given you any treat you’ve wanted lately, but things need to change. You’re getting a little too tubby and it’s not good for your heart. So, we are going to get up and walk and not complain. Okay?”

He playfully barked at me and then snorted.

I laughed, and then he howled. His howl sounded like a broken foghorn, which made me laugh harder.

While Winston howled and howled, the cutest voice cut through the air. “Look! There’s the princess, and she’s talking to that dog! Just like in the book!”

Well ... so much for avoiding Simon and Jack.

“Oh, Winston,” I whispered. “See what you did?”

“Princess Jewel, it’s me, Jack.”

There was no way I could ignore his sweet call. I turned my head to find him running toward me and waving. Behind him trailed his dad, wearing a mischievous grin and holding a vintage, red kite, and looking way too good. He was wearing the same outfit from earlier, but the sun’s rays enhanced the entire ensemble and made his light-green eyes shine even brighter.

I was beginning to wonder if the universe was testing me. Like maybe it was trying to see if I’d learned my lesson last time, and if I was smart enough to walk away from certain doom, it would reward me and make me magically forget I was ever in love with the demigod smiling at me.

Before I knew it, Jack had reached me and threw his arms around my neck. “Princess Jewel, we found you.”

I naturally wrapped my arms around him before I could stop myself. The universe laughed in my face. But my heart sang.

“I came to protect you,” Jack whispered in my ear. “You have to remember the Daft Prince.”

I squeezed Jack tighter, feeling like maybe someone had cursed me. Cursed me to love those who would never love me back. Or worse, to find people who could love me, but the universe made me invisible. I bet even if this Daft Prince fellow fell in love with me, the universe would make sure that he forgot about me. You know, if he were a real person, and I were truly a princess.

“Thank you, Jack,” I whispered back, wishing he could truly protect me from all curses.

Simon hovered above us. His grin had now turned into an adoring sort of gaze. Maybe. I couldn’t be sure. It felt like an evil trap.

“Hello, Jules.” He held up the kite. “We thought you might like to fly a kite with us.”

“Please, please,” Jack begged as he let go of me. “Then you can teach me how to talk to your dog.”

I giggled, although part of me wanted to cry. The universe definitely had it out for me. There was no way I could deny the sweetest boy I’d ever met. It wouldn’t be very princess-like behavior. “I would love to fly a kite with you and teach you how to talk to Winston.”

“Yay!” Jack shouted.

Simon flashed me a smoldering smile that made my insides melt.

Yep. I was so, so cursed.

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