Page 31 of Third Time Lucky

LUCY

My God. I think I had a breakthrough. Yesterday, I told Brandon to be gone, and he left. And it felt… pretty good. Then, this morning, I successfully used the oven. Of course, Ash wrote down very detailed instructions, but still, I think my luck’s turning around.

Morning sun rays dance across the room, illuminating every surface as they stream through the windows, painting us in warm hues. The enticing smell of freshly made espresso wafts through the air, accompanied by the delicate hint of cinnamon emanating from Asher’s homemade rolls.

He’s not here right now, as eight in the morning is too early for his liking. But the cinnamon rolls he could sell on the sidewalk to strangers, now sit, fully baked, on a serving place in the middle of the dining table, tempting us all.

‘Where did you say you got these?’ Dad asks, helping himself to his second.

He stops by before work a couple of times a month to catch up, make sure everything is in order, and ensure Mitzi is still kicking. We’ll worry if she ever loses her biting wit.

‘Asher, our chef, made them,’ Mitzi says, sipping her coffee.

‘You have a chef?’ he asks, then lifts his head, looking right at me. ‘Asher? How do I know that name?’

‘Kris’ best friend.’

‘Right!’ he says as if it were on his tongue’s tip. ‘Do you see much of him?’

‘He’s here Monday through Friday,’ Mitzi says. ‘A wonderful young man.’

Dad looks my way. ‘Do you think so too?’

He’s always trying to marry me off. Or at least hoping I find a man who will take care of me, so he doesn’t have to worry.

After Brandon and I broke up, Dad stopped by every morning on his way to work just to make sure I was eating and leaving my room.

He’d bring me coffee and breakfast, and Mitzi would check on me in the evenings, ensuring I had dinner.

I was depressed, to say the least. Humiliation masked some of it.

I never wanted to show my face again anywhere.

But the world doesn’t work like that. Sure, I can order pretty much anything I need and have it delivered right to my door but a girl’s got to get out of the house at some point.

‘If we compare him to the last guy I spent time with, he’s a saint.’

‘Wouldn’t take much to outrank the Antichrist, would it?’ Dad says with a chuckle.

Should I tell these two I ran into Brandon? How dare he act as if I was the problem in our relationship. Like I’m the reason he got caught. That bastard. And he gave my ring – a custom-made diamond that I personally picked out – to someone else? That seems wrong on so many levels.

‘No, it wouldn’t,’ I say, hesitating. ‘Question for you—’ I summon the courage to bring it up – vaguely – at least. I need to know.

‘Let’s say you’re a man whose engagement ended badly, and you find a spark with someone else, so you propose. Do you use the ring you already have from the failed engagement or buy a new one specifically for this relationship?’

Both Dad and Mitzi turn their gaze to me, Dad with a cinnamon roll mid-air to his mouth.

‘The ring is a promise. Giving that promise to someone else might curse the whole darn thing. So, I say, you return the ring you had and buy a new one, no question,’ Dad answers.

Mitzi eyes bore through me. ‘Did this happen, darling?’

I nod. ‘Yes. Ash and I ran into Brandon yesterday, and he’s engaged. Again.’

Dad nearly drops his coffee cup but saves it. ‘Someone else agreed to marry that tool?’

Another nod.

‘That’s not right. Are you OK?’ he asks, quickly looking me over.

‘She broke his nose, Paul. I’m quite certain she can take care of herself,’ Mitzi pipes in, saving me from his worry. ‘You were with Asher yesterday?’

‘We went to Queue to discuss the menus.’

She smiles sweetly, her face wrinkling. ‘Fate may once again be trying to tell you something,’ she says with a slight smile. ‘Again.’

‘Well, as you know, I don’t speak the same language as fate, so please translate it for me.’

She sets down her coffee cup and folds her hands on the table before her. ‘Brandon’s moving on, and you seeing him in a new and even more hateful light might signify that you should let go of any lingering doubts or regrets about him. He is who he is – a wet rag.’

Dad laughs to himself.

‘And if the wedding didn’t prove that, handing over your engagement ring to a rebound girl should.’ Mitzi reaches across the table and covers my hand with hers, her touch grounding me.

‘I know. It was just – hurtful. Like one more knife to my back, ya know?’

Mitzi nods her head slowly, sipping her coffee. ‘Letting go doesn’t mean erasing the past, dear; it means making space for new beginnings.’

‘Mom’s right, Lucy. Life is too short to let ghosts hold you back, sweetie. Embrace the present and look forward to the future,’ Dad says, nodding in agreement, his eyes reflecting understanding.

Neither of them realizes how fitting their words are. I don’t have to forget where I’ve been or what I’ve learned. I just need to pave a new path, so making trips down memory lane isn’t as easy.

I take the final sip of my coffee, a sense of clarity washing over me like the morning sunlight filling the room. Perhaps it’s time to heed their advice and truly start looking forward. What might a future without the shadows of yesterday clouding my vision look like? I think I want to find out.

Dad gets up from his seat, stretching his arms above his head. ‘Well, on that note, I should really get going. Work beckons.’

Mitzi stands up as well, tightening her robe around her. ‘Thank you for stopping by, Paul. It’s always a pleasure to have my baby boy here.’

The two briefly hug as she sees him out, closing the door behind him. Then she turns to me.

‘Have you told him?’

‘Told who what?’

She shakes her head. ‘Sweet girl, you do not play an idiot well. Asher ,’ she says. ‘Have you told him how you feel?’

I’m caught off guard a little. ‘How do you think I feel?’

She fixes me with a knowing look. ‘More than you’re letting on, dear.’

‘I dunno… he sort of accidentally knows I’m attracted to him, and we have fun together. I don’t know what I’d say, really. “Hey, I’m a mess, wanna fall for that?” Seems like that might scare him off.’

‘Sometimes the heart knows before the mind catches up,’ she says sweetly. ‘You’ll figure it out.’

I exhale slowly, the weight of emotions pressing down on me.

‘I’m not sure if now’s the right time anyway… He’s busy opening a restaurant, and I don’t want to distract him.’

Mitzi places a gentle hand on my shoulder, her touch comforting. ‘Darling, there’s never a perfect time for matters of the heart. But there comes a point when holding back becomes heavier than taking the leap.’

‘What if my feelings change everything between us?’ I ask.

‘It happens to the best of us.’ She offers me a reassuring smile. ‘Love has a way of reshaping our world in ways we never expect. And sometimes, it’s worth the risk.’

I wonder if it happened to her.

The doorbell echoes through the house as if on cue, pulling me from my thoughts. Saved by the bell.

I open the door to Asher standing on the porch, a bright smile on his face, a take-out tray holding three Queue coffees, and that familiar twinkle in his eyes that makes my insides fizz like shaken champagne.

‘Hey,’ he says with a grin as if he’s happy to see me.

Perhaps the universe is aligning the stars in my favor.

‘Hi,’ I say, my voice surprisingly steady despite my heart racing.

Hanging from the crook of his elbow are his brightly colored reusable grocery bags, packed to the brim. I glance at my Apple Watch: 8.27a.m.

‘You’re not supposed to be up so close to daylight.’

‘You’re not wrong. And trust me,’ he says. ‘There were four coffees on this tray, but I drank one on the way over.’

‘Well, my dad left already,’ I tell him.

‘Perfect, because I’m going to need a second cup to make it through the afternoon.’

I take the tray of drinks he’s handing me.

‘So, you just came over early to bring coffee?’

He walks past me into the house.

‘That, you, and I knew you were having company and thought I’d come help clean up.’

He came to help clean up? What planet is this man from?

‘See,’ Mitzi says leaning into me once we reach the kitchen, taking a coffee from the tray in my hands. ‘Brandon is a wet rag. Asher is a dream boat, darling.’

‘All aboard?’ I say under my breath, causing her to grin with pride.

As Ash follows me, his eyes catch the nearly empty plate on the table, and a proud grin spreads across his face.

‘I see you nailed the cinnamon rolls,’ he says, winking playfully.

‘The oven was surprisingly as easy to use as you said.’

He’s unpacking groceries as I set the tray of coffee onto the counter and perch myself on one of the stools at the island.

Mitzi has disappeared, probably because she suspects there are underlying feelings between Asher and me, and I know she’s giving me the space to work that out and possibly find my words at last.

‘I’m sorry about yesterday. I can’t believe I embarrassed myself in front of you once again.’

Asher pauses, setting a container of fresh strawberries on the counter before turning to face me, his expression serious.

‘You didn’t. All’s good,’ he says. ‘Cheaters don’t worry me because usually they’re also liars, schemers and losers.’

Brandon fits the bill.

He reaches into the bags and takes out a few more items, placing them on the kitchen island. Then, he looks at me carefully as if trying to gauge my reaction.

‘Are you alright? That couldn’t have been easy facing evil again unexpectedly.’

I give a small shrug. ‘I had nightmares about it last night, and pretty consistently for many months, but thanks to you, I’m not overthinking it as badly as I expected I would be,’ I state.

‘Had you not been there, I’m unsure I would have been able to find the right words.

But now that it’s over, I feel like I said what I needed to say. ’

His smile widens. ‘You were incredible. I wanted to give you a high-five.’

I laugh. ‘He definitely knows how to push my buttons.’

A chuckle escapes him, filling the room with his warmth.

‘If he’s the reason for that fierce and fabulous version of you, perhaps we should send him a thank-you card,’ he suggests, a playful glint in his eyes.

‘Or a bag of dicks,’ I suggest. ‘There’s a website that does that.’

‘A dick for a dick, genius. Can you request small, misshapen penises?’

‘Maybe?’

We share a laugh as Asher arranges the groceries he brought into the fridge.

‘I’ve never done what you did,’ he says suddenly.

‘What’s that?’

‘Told off a cheating ex. Aaron reminded me of that recently. I usually just break it off, walk away and bury it deep.’

‘Someone’s cheated on you ?’ I ask, instantly mad at this mystery woman.

He chokes out a laugh. ‘Multiple someones. You inspired me yesterday. If it wasn’t rude as hell, I’d call each one of them and tell them my actual feelings right now.’

‘They deserve it. Who hurts a guy like you? You’re perfect! Give me their numbers and I’ll do it for you. I owe you a few favors at this point.’

A shy but curious grin grows on his face.

‘You know what I think?’ he says as he leans against the counter, his palms supporting his weight.

‘You’re worth so much more than Brandon,’ he says, his gaze intense and unwavering.

‘And I know there’s a man out there who would love to give you the stars, the moon, and the entire world if given the chance. ’

The lump in my throat grows at the weight of his statement. God, I’m beginning to hope that man is him so badly.