Page 87 of The Last Love Story
“I appreciate you getting the tickets for us. But… he knew I wanted them.”
Mark shakes his head and sighs. “Fair. I get it. That’s what good partners do.”
“Magically know what their girls need?” A voice comes from behind us.
Mark stands up, smiling. “Hey, Mands.”
Jade and I turn in our seats and see a curvy girl with long strawberry blonde hair.
“Wait, Amanda?” Jade asks.
She turns to Jade, eyes wide. “Jade?”
Mark and I share a bewildered look as Jade stands up and they share a quick hug.
“I didn’t even think about you being here,” Jade says, glancing over at the field.
Mark waves a hand. “How do you two know each other?”
“Amanda is also from Woods Junction. We met for the first time years ago when she came to one of my signings. She’s come to almost every local one since then, even after getting all her books signed.”
Amanda shrugs. “I like to support other badass women.”
Jade smiles brightly at her. “Last year, she was wearing a jersey for the Metros triple A team, and since my dad and I used to have season tickets there when I was a teen, I asked her about it and found out her boyfriend was their pitcher. He’s on the Metros now.”
“Jamie Henderson,” I say, putting all the pieces together.
Mark holds up a hand. “Wait a sec. That means you’ve totally met my cousins too.” He looks at Amanda. “I know you’ve all gone to signings together.”
Jade’s eyes get even wider as Amanda nods.
“Yep. Rae, Sarah, and Dani.”
Jade slowly shakes her head. “It’s a small world.”
“That’s the shit I love about small towns,” I say.
Amanda smiles at me. “Yeah, me too.”
“Are you sitting with us?” Mark asks.
“Did you think I’d get you tickets and not hang out? I mightneed you to move so I can sit next to my author bestie and get spoilers from her.” Amanda winks at Jade and Jade laughs.
I wrap my arm around the back of her chair, happiness growing inside me.
Maybe it’s nothing. A totally stupid idea. But before I ever contacted her or knew she existed, we had this connection to each other. The romance nerd in me wants to get swept up in that and believe we’re here because we’re destined to be.
All this time, fate was weaving the threads of our lives together, so one way or another, we’d find each other.
This woman was meant to be mine, and there’s no doubt in my mind she’s the one for me.
I look around McGills Tavern.The same bar I went to with my friends for years. The same bar we sat at a little over a month ago when Jade and I had first started texting.
So much has changed in such a short time, but I wouldn’t change a second of it.
Mark and Frannie went back to their apartment after the game so they could have some time together, and after Jade traded numbers with Amanda, they promised to meet up when Amanda is back home next.
Home.
