Page 2

One

Confronting Dad

T ristan turned his car into the hedged pathway leading to his house. Too engrossed in Alexa’s story about a shopping disaster with Daphne years ago, he didn’t notice the blue sedan in the driveway until he pulled up next to it.

He stiffened in his seat. Alexa stopped mid-sentence.

Dad was home.

Suddenly, everything he had managed to forget in the last few hours of shopping with Alexa came flooding back. Jude’s visit, Merissa’s offer, and the part of the curse he had never been aware of.

Being with Alexa had a way of making him feel like he had never been cursed.

Alexa exhaled beside him. “Are you going to tell him now?”

He turned to her. “Yes.”

Her eyes softened, and his chest warmed. “Don’t be too hard on him, okay?” she repeated, as she had earlier that day. “I’m sure he only wanted what’s best for you.”

Tristan still couldn’t understand how his dad thought keeping him in the dark was best for him. But Alexa was right. He knew his dad; he had only ever wanted the best for him—even after Tristan had destroyed his life by unintentionally killing his wife and unborn daughter.

He sighed deeply at the reminder that hadn’t grown any less agonizing over the years. “I know.”

Alexa stared at him momentarily before unfastening her seatbelt and sliding over, closing the distance between them and straddling him in his seat. His hands grabbed her waist to hold her steady as she cupped his face and kissed his lips gently.

Tristan felt all the tension drain out of him. This girl… He sighed, forgetting everything else but her, before tilting his head and kissing her back. Her fingers ran through his hair; she loved doing that as much as he did.

When she pulled away for air, he murmured, “What do you want for your birthday?”

Her eyes flew open, staring at him at the sudden question. Then a smile pulled at her lips. “I would love… nothing more than to spend the day with you.”

He chuckled and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. “There’s nothing I’d love more than that, too, but I’m sure Cass won’t be so pleased if I steal you away on your birthday of all days.”

“Right.” She became thoughtful. “You can buy me some books. But honestly, the best gift I could ever ask for is right here.” She bumped her nose to his. “You.”

“I guess I’ll wrap myself in gift wrap, then.”

Alexa snorted before she began to laugh. He basked in the joyous sound. “I’m serious, Tristan.”

“Me too, Lexampkin,” he said with an uncontrollable grin.

She laughed harder, just like every other time he called her that. Seriously though, Lexampkin ? Couldn’t he have come up with something more…

Adorable? Naughty? Playful?

He guessed that was exactly why he called her that.

“We should get out before your dad comes and catches us like this.” Alexa tried to move and swatted his shoulder when he refused to drop his hands from her waist.

“I don’t know…” He let a mischievous tone creep into his voice. “Maybe I like the idea of getting into trouble with you.”

Alexa rolled her eyes, even as she smiled and pink colored her cheeks. “Oh, yes. You love trouble.” She tugged again, and this time, he dropped his hands. She slid back to the passenger seat before opening the door and stepping out. “Come on, let’s show your dad your new, colorful wardrobe.”

Tristan shook his head as she shut the door and grabbed the shopping bags from the back. They walked inside together. Upon hearing movement from the living room, he directed them there.

Albert Knight lay on the sofa, fully dressed but visibly tired, his eyes on the TV where a football match was playing on mute. Tristan rolled his eyes. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t a TV person, but he never understood why people preferred watching something on mute—even news reports.

Tristan cleared his throat, and his dad’s eyes darted to them. He smiled and sat up immediately. “Hey, you two!” He eyed the shopping bags in Tristan’s free hand—the one not locked with Alexa’s. “Shopping?”

Alexa shrugged. “Tristan decided to add some color to his wardrobe.”

His dad’s eyes turned to him, looking as though he’d sprouted two heads. Tristan didn’t expect anything less. His all-black style was famous in his family, and everyone who knew him would react the same way. He could imagine his little cousins bouncing up and down when he told them Alexa was the inspiration for this change.

Alexa squeezed his hand, and when he looked at her, she said, “I’ll be upstairs.” She reached for the shopping bags and left the room after giving him a knowing look.

Right. The curse and all. He forgot—again.

His dad shook his head, awe evident in his eyes. “Wow. What happened to my son?”

Tristan chuckled. “Fell in love with a wonderful girl who brings out the best in me.” He took the couch next to the sofa, facing his dad.

Dad’s eyes softened, pained altogether. For once, Tristan realized why his dad looked pained whenever he mentioned Alexa. It wasn’t because he was reminded of himself and his wife; it was because of Tristan’s hopeless future.

“I am happy for you, Trist.” But his eyes said otherwise.

This was his cue. Tristan gave a curt nod and launched right into the matter; the smile dropped from his face. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

Dad leaned forward curiously. “Of course, what is it?”

“Do you know Alexa’s ex?”

One of his dad’s eyebrows quirked in response. “What about him? Anything… wrong, bud?”

Tristan realized his dad got the wrong impression. “Of course not,” he assured immediately. “Nothing’s wrong between me and Alexa. I was just wondering if you know something about him other than the fact that he was Alexa’s ex.”

Dad shook his head, his bafflement was obvious. “I’m afraid not. I haven’t seen him since Mark’s funeral. Before that, our paths only ever crossed when he visited Alexa in the hospital when Mark was admitted, and also when he dropped off your car after I bought it from Alexa. Why?”

Tristan ignored the ridiculous pang that came from learning Jude used to visit Alexa in the hospital, and nodded. “So, you have no idea.”

“No. What is it, Trist?”

Sometimes, his dad was too curious for his own good.

“He came to see me at Alexa’s when he couldn’t find me here.”

Up went his dad’s eyebrows. “He wanted to see you ? Why?”

“He said he was Merissa’s son.”

Dad froze. The taken-aback expression was etched on his face for a few seconds before he gained composure. “ What? ”

“He knows everything about me—even things I don’t know myself,” Tristan said before he asked, “When were you going to tell me that I’m going to die on the first lightning strike after my twenty-fourth birthday, Dad?”

The color drained from his dad’s face.

That was all the confirmation Tristan needed. Anger pulsed through his veins, but he reined himself in, remembering Alexa’s words to go easy on his dad. But it didn’t stop the words that spewed out of his mouth.

“Can you imagine my shock when I learned that? Alexa was crushed. I was crushed. Here I was, dreaming up a life with her, and suddenly, it felt like just that—a dream. Of course, I didn’t believe it at first. I told Jude that you would never hide such a thing from me. But you know what he did? He challenged me; he challenged my belief that my dad would never keep such a thing from me. I didn’t want to believe him. But I did—after he told me why Merissa wanted me to die in my twenty-fourth year when she cursed me.

“The sweet girl you knew as Merissa died in her twenty-fourth year too, didn’t she? When were you going to tell me, Dad? After I had proposed to Alexa? After we had dreamed up our entire future? When I was mere seconds from dying and about to leave the girl I love behind with empty promises?”

Tristan was on his feet now, pacing in front of the sofa where his dad sat too still. He might as well have been an alabaster statue.

Tristan paused and tore his hands through his hair and over his face. He needed to calm down. He took a deep breath, but the calm was barely there now that he was once again faced with what-ifs .

What if he’d been too late to learn his fate? He didn’t just live for himself anymore; he lived for Alexa too. What would’ve happened to her when it all crashed upon them suddenly? He couldn’t bear to even think about it.

“I wanted to shield you from it,” his dad said slowly.

Tristan turned toward him. “ Shield me?”

Dad’s electric blue eyes met his. They were tormented. “If you had known you were going to die, would you have let Alexa into your life?”

Tristan’s rage stilled. He hadn’t thought of that.

Dad continued without his answer. “Of course you wouldn’t. You are too good to cause someone pain. You are selfless to the core. You have a heart of gold. You would sacrifice your chance at a mere moment of happiness before dying, just to protect her heart from pain. I know you, Tristan. That’s you; that’s my son.” He sighed heavily and dropped his gaze as a glassy sheen entered his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to tell you because I wanted you to enjoy your life while you can, without the thought of death plaguing your every step. I… I did try to persuade Alexa to keep away from you because I knew she was going to end up broken when the time came, but she had to tell me then and there that she loved you. I realized it was too late for either of you to stay away from each other.

“You have no idea. I’ve been burdened for the past months, watching you both, wondering how I was ever going to break the news to you, wondering how you would react to it. I didn’t mean to cause you pain by keeping you in the dark, Trist. I only thought it was the best. You have always been a withdrawn person who never went near a girl who wasn’t your cousin, so the last thing I expected was you falling in love. I’ve never seen you happier, smile so much, and even sheepish. At first, I thought it was just a fling, but then…” He sighed again. “I’m really sorry, Trist. I’m really sorry.”

“Dad…” Tristan sighed as well, remorse coursing through him at his dad’s regret and pain. He ran a hand over his face and went back to his dad’s side. “Dad, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have reacted so badly.”

Dad reached out and clasped a hand on his knee. “No, don’t blame yourself. I just wish I had been the one to tell you, even though I’m late. But really? Merissa’s son? I didn’t know she had one.”

“He lives with his dad and Alexa’s mom. Either Merissa divorced his dad or…” He trailed off, shrugging.

“Oh, right. I forgot. That boy is Alexa’s stepbrother, isn’t he?” At Tristan’s nod, Dad continued with a sharp look in his eyes. “I wonder why he had to come to find you and say it all to your face.”

Tristan could feel the bracelet in his jeans pocket. “Merissa sent him.”

Dad’s hand tightened on Tristan’s knee, and his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean she sent him?”

Tristan couldn’t remember the last time his dad had sounded—or looked—so grave. He reached into his pocket and fished out the thin silver bracelet. “She can reverse my curse.”

Dad snatched the bracelet from him and eyed it like he suspected there was a bomb hidden within. Then he looked up with a fierce expression. “Tristan, don’t tell me you believe that!”

Tristan pursed his lips.

Dad stared at him in disbelief. “Tristan…”

“I know, Dad,” he said. “I know I shouldn’t. I didn’t, but then… one look at Alexa, and I did. I want to live, build a family, and grow old with her. And if I don’t have to die in three years, if Merissa can lift the curse, I want it despite everything she has done to ruin my life.”

“Tristan…”

“She sent this to gain both of our trust.” Tristan reached back for the bracelet. “It’s a shield bracelet. She claims it’ll protect me from lightning, that I wouldn’t even feel a tingle of its effect. I still have to test it, but… think about it. If she went this length to gain our trust—”

“She wants something,” his dad interjected, his eyes still fierce. He glared at the floor carpet.

Tristan sighed. “She’s changed. She’s desperate. She regrets her actions. Not that I believe it, but that’s what her son said.”

“And how is she going to lift the curse? Is she going to come here, where she cast it from?”

“No, she wants me and Jude to go to South Africa. That’s where she is, and she specifically mentioned no one else should accompany me.”

Dad’s eyes shot to his. “And you still want to go after she set the most suspicious conditions?”

“I want to live, Dad.” Tristan’s voice broke slightly. “I’m not living for myself anymore. I’m living for Alexa too—for both of us. I want to do this.”

There was a long beat of silence while his dad stared at the bracelet Tristan kept twirling between his fingers. Then, he heaved a great sigh. “If you are asking for my permission, Trist, you must know, as long as Merissa is concerned in the matter, I don’t trust any of this. And I’m definitely not going to give you my yes . But, if this is what you wish, you will have my support.”

Those words meant more to him than Tristan could express. He smiled at his dad, solemnly and gratefully, and leaned forward to hug him. “Thanks, Dad.”

Dad held him firmly and clapped him on the back. “I’m sorry I never—”

“It’s alright. It’s alright.” Tristan patted him back and felt tears pricking his eyes. He pulled back after a moment. “I’ll leave you to your… muted game, then.”

A heartfelt chuckle escaped his dad. Tristan didn’t miss a playful slap on the arm before he stood and moved out of the way. He slipped the bracelet back into his pocket and went upstairs, feeling slightly light at heart.

Any tension remaining in him left the moment he reached the doorway of his room. Alexa had already unpacked his new clothes and was hanging them in his closet. A smile he couldn’t stop grew on his lips, and he leaned against the doorframe, watching her.

Her face was set in a thoughtful expression as she hung the shirts one by one on the other side of his many black ones. The way she rearranged his closet sent a tremor of excitement through him. She looked like she belonged here in his room, in his life, in his world. And if it was possible, from the way he already loved her immensely, he fell even deeper in love with her then and there.

A moment later, Alexa stepped back to admire her work. Tristan wondered whether he should let himself be known or watch her until she noticed him. Then she turned around and swiveled back in surprise, a hand flying up to clutch her cross pendant.

“Tristan!” she gasped. “You nearly— how long have you been standing there?”

“Not long enough to stare at my favorite sight in the world.” He pushed away from the doorframe and walked toward her. She blushed. He took her hands in his and glanced over at his closet. “Thank you, angel.”

“It was nothing.” She freed her hands from his hold and wrapped her arms around his neck. “So, how did it go?”

Tristan touched his forehead to hers and told her everything. When he was done, she sighed.

“So… what are we going to do?”

“We…” Tristan fished out the bracelet from his pocket, “are going to take Merissa up on that offer. But first, I want to test this. And then, we will let Jude know of our decision.”

“How are you going to test it?” Before he could answer, her gaze snapped up to his from the bracelet, wide and horrified with realization. “You are not—you are not—”

“It’s the only way, angel.”

“B-but what if it doesn’t work?” Her voice shook, making his heart soften like a marshmallow.

“Merissa is heartless but not stupid. So, I’m almost sure it will work. But it doesn’t hurt to experiment.” He drew her closer. “You have to trust me, alright, darling?”

Alexa nodded against his shoulder. He could feel her heart racing against his and wrapped both arms around her.

“I will be alright,” he murmured into her hair, reassuring them both.