Page 50 of March

“Will we... I mean, when you say work out…”

“You’ll find out for yourself soon enough,” the woman replied. “Now, I have a paying customer behind you.” She looked over Sophie’s shoulder.

Sophie turned and found three college-aged girls checking out the tables of fortune tellers and Tarot card readers. She didn’t know what else to say, so she moved out of the way, and one of the girls sat down in the chair. Sophie looked at the woman once more, who just winked and smiled at her, giving Sophie one more reason to be totally confused. Then, she walked on, but she didn’t make the lap she’d intended. She turnedaround and walked briskly toward the parking lot, where she’d managed to find one small spot for her car.

Shortly after that, Sophie opened her front door and walked inside her apartment. She was trying not to take the fortune teller seriously, but the woman had known so many things that there was no way for her to know. Maybe she just had some kind of gift that was tied to Sophie’s behavior. Sophie had probably looked confused or pensive to her while she’d been walking. Had she gotten her phone out? Did this woman have such amazing eyesight that she’d somehow read her emails while Sophie was walking?

Sophie had no decent explanation, so she just changed into her sweats and a T-shirt and climbed into bed. It was now later than she’d anticipated getting home, so she didn’t know if Bryce would still want to talk. They were seeing one another tomorrow. It could wait, right? Bryce could hear her voice tomorrow when they met up. No, she’d told Bryce that they could talk tonight. Plus, the apparent psychic at the Square had told her that it would work out. She’d told her to go home, and Sophie had listened. She should probably keep listening and see what happens.

Sophie Santiago: Is it too late for a call?

She waited only a few seconds before the three dots appeared. Then, they turned into Bryce’s simple message.

Bryce Wilburn: No way.

Sophie smiled, bit her lower lip, and held on to it as she pressed the phone icon by Bryce’s name. Then, she swallowed hard, let go of her lip, and put the phone to her ear as she slid farther under her blanket.

“Hi,” Bryce said.

Sophie closed her eyes at the sound of the voice she’d heard in her mind over and over for a year. It was a little differentbecause they were on the phone, but it was Bryce. It washerBryce.

“Sophie?”

“Oh, sorry,” she said. “I kind of forgot to say anything because your voice… It’s you.”

“And it’s you,” Bryce replied. “God, it’s you.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“Me neither.”

“I knew it was you. I mean, we’ve been messaging, but this…”

“Is so much better?” Bryce asked. “I hope.”

“So much better is seeing you tomorrow.” Sophie smiled to herself, feeling like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush.

“God, I get to see you,” Bryce said. “I can’t explain how good it feels knowing that. I’m all checked in.”

“And this time, you’re actually getting on the plane, right?” Sophie teased.

“The sixth time is the charm,” Bryce joked back. “Nothing will stop me from getting on that plane, Soph. If my flight gets canceled, I’ll find another one. If they cancel all of them, I’ll get in the car and deal with all the speeding tickets to get to you.”

“How are you still single?” Sophie said as she chuckled.

“Because I’ve been waiting for you,” Bryce replied. “No pressure.”

Sophie laughed harder and said, “I tried to find you.”

“I tried to findyou,” Bryce told her.

“No, I mean, I really tried. I went back to the bar over and over again so many times; I think they named that sofa after me. I’ve walked around New Orleans. God, the day after, I thought I saw you at Café Du Monde, and I ran after some car, trying to get to you.”

“You were there the day after?” Bryce asked.

“Yeah, I called in sick. I was–”

“Soph, thatwasme. I was there, too.”

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