Page 17 of Hollywood Fairytale

“Prue, sweetie. Are you okay? Is there anything I can do for you? Luke told me about your dad.” I said the last barely above a whisper.

“Can you bring him back, cancer free?” She asked brokenly.

“I wish I could.” Picking up her hand, I held it as I watched her cry silently. “I’m so sorry, Prue. He was such a great man and I’m going to miss him. Can I make you a cup of tea or anything?”

“No, I don’t want anything, but to be left to mourn my father in peace.” She said quietly into her pillow.

“Who was that guy who was here earlier? Do we need to be worried about him?” I asked curiously.

She turned her face into her pillow and cried out. I rubbed up and down her back trying to soothe her as best I could. “What is it, sweetie?”

“It’s Holden,” she sobbed. “He’s back for some reason and showed up here demanding to speak to me. Saying he was already here and heard about my dad.”

“Who is he to you?”

He had to be special enough to cause her so much heartache.

“The man who broke my heart.” She sobbed. “I don’t want to talk about him though. I don’t want to remember what he did to me.”

“Do I need to be worried that he’ll come back?”

Turning her wet eyes to me, she spoke with conviction. “He’s not violent if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I wasn’t sure what to think.” Holding her, I let her cry until she seemed to be all cried out for the moment. I hated that after tomorrow I’d no longer be her neighbor. “Um… I hate to bring this up now, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since I got back from Mexico, but I’m moving.”

“What? Really? Where? When?” She giggled, and it made me smile. “Oh, gosh, listen to me and all my questions.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’d have the same one’s if you were moving. I’m moving tomorrow, but it’s still in town so we can see each other whenever. The deal was too amazing to pass up and eventually Luke will move in too.”

Prue sat up against her headboard wide eyed. “Wow. Things are really serious between the two of you. I guess Mexico was a hit.”

A smile came over my face as I thought of our time in Mexico. “It was amazing and so is Luke. Every day I wake up and have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. How am I living this life? How did I get so lucky to have such an incredible man find me and get along with Mason so well? It’s wonderful and sad at the same time to see. Mason’s father has never given him the time of day and Luke listens to every word he has to say. Right now, they’re making pancakes together.” Happy tears filled my eyes and so did Prue’s.

“Oh, Alex, I’m so happy for you. You and Mason.” Leaping forward, she wrapped her arms around me in a hug.

“Thank you! I didn’t mean to make this about me, but I didn’t want you to find out I was moving when you saw the truck show up in the morning. We won’t be far, and you can come over anytime or call if you need me. Please, it’s going to be so weird at first being in a new house. I need someone to help me pick out furniture because I can’t decorate to save my life.”

“I’d be happy to help. Just tell me when you need me. It’ll help keep my mind off of my dad and Holden.”

Pulling back from our hug, I let her know I’d help her anyway if I could. “If you need a place to get away or hide from Holden just say the word. I’d be happy to help. If you’re sure you don’t need anything I should probably get home to help pack. I have no clue how he packs, and I’d like to know where all my stuff is since he’ll be leaving me to do all the unpacking, and I won’t be able to ask him where everything is every time I can’t find something.”

“Thank you for coming by to make sure I was okay. I really appreciate it. I’m going to miss you and our talks even as infrequent as they were.”

“Call me if you need anything. I mean it.” Giving her a knowing look. Prue was like me in that she rarely if ever asked for help. “Day or night I’m here for you, and I’ll miss you, too.”

“I will, I promise.”

We hugged once more before I left to head home. A little life shined through Prue’s eyes as she waved goodbye.

It was time to pack up my old life and start my new life with Luke and Mason. I was finally getting my happily ever after.

9

Standing in my new kitchen,I was trying to figure out how I was going to organize everything. I had way more space than ever before and yet I still couldn’t figure out where to put everything.

When my phone rang, and Taylor’s picture showed up on my screen, I was happy to stop and talk to her.

“Hey you!” I answered as I sat down on a stool at the kitchen island.

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