Page 63 of Heal Me

I take a look at the menu board hanging behind the counter. “I’ll have the mixed berry iced tea and oatmeal with blueberries. Thank you.”

Gabe walks over to the counter, leaving me alone with the ex. “So you live in Beacon Hill?” I ask.

“No. Dorchester.”

“What brings you to this neck of the woods?” Please don’t say to meet up with my boyfriend. But before she can answer, Gabe returns, taking a seat beside me. I’m glad to see he’s regained his mental faculties.

“Well, I have to run along. Gabe, it was so nice to catch up. Charlotte, nice to meet you.” Orla stands and glides out of the shop with the confidence of a runway model. She really might be one, I think glumly.

A barista calls my order and Gabe walks to the counter and returns with my breakfast. I sip on my tea and move the oatmeal around with my spoon, but I’m no longer hungry. Play it cool, I tell myself. “How did you happen upon your ex in a city of nearly 700,000 people?” So much for playing it cool.

“Orla happened to call me with a legal question and I told her where I was,” he smoothly replies. “Did you have a nice run?”

“I did, thank you.” I take a few bites of oatmeal and try to stamp out these horrid feelings of jealousy. I’m friendly with my ex, William, and it’d be hypocritical if I said Gabe couldn’t be friendly with his ex too. His supermodel ex. Shaking away the insecurities, I say, “Let’s head back to Dad’s house so I can get ready. Then we can decide what we want to do before we return home.”

“Your itinerary awaits.” He holds up a piece of paper.

“Vivian has a fast turnaround.”

“I created this one.” He takes my hand and we step outside.

“Let me see.”

“No, ma’am,” he says, folding the paper and sticking it in his back pocket. “Patience.”

We return to Dad’s house and I take a quick shower. Having no idea what to wear, as I don’t know what we’re doing, I settle on a T-shirt dress and flat sandals in case we’ll be walking. Supermodel Orla might be able to traverse the city in stiletto sandals, but I can’t. “Ready,” I tell Gabe. “Are we walking somewhere?”

There’s a knock on the back patio door; of course Gabe beats me there. “Charlotte, may I introduce you to Amer,” Gabe says.

“What’s your favorite medieval weapon?” he asks me with such intensity I fear my life might depend on it. Amer looks to be around Gabe’s age, with long auburn hair he’s pulled back in a ponytail. He’s a bit shorter than Gabe, and far less muscular and scary-looking than Sam.

“Battle axe?” I try, only because it’s the only medieval weapon that comes to mind.

“Not a bad pick. Effective on the battlefield in shieldwalls, and will best a longsword nine times out of ten.”

“Okay,” I say, looking to Gabe for help. He just shakes his head. “What’s your fav—” I start.

“No!” Gabe cries, cutting me off. “Do not open Pandora’s box.”

“You’re no fun,” Amer huffs. “Ready, milady who loves the battle axe?” he asks me, extending his hand.

We return to Hecate’s house. “Thank you, Amer. She’s not your lady, and that is all,” Gabe says.

“Charlotte, a pleasure,” Amer says, kissing the top of my hand. Gabe growls, but Amer just laughs and disappears.

Gabe uses the skeleton key and opens the door. “Your Watcher friends are interesting.”

“That’s putting it nicely.”

He leads me upstairs to the bathroom, where candles flicker and soft music’s playing in the background. “What’s all this?”

He runs a bath and then throws in some bath salts that smell like jasmine. “I wanted the chance to redeem the Salem itinerary,” he says, popping open a bottle of champagne.

Redeemed.

Chapter 27

Gabe

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