Page 73 of Somewhere Without You
“Your crazy piece of shit ex?”
“Nottechnicallyan ex yet. But yeah, that one.”
“Yikes.” She uncrossed her arms, walked over, and gave Winston a gentle scratch behind the ears. “And you still walked here?”
I nodded. “I needed to talk to you.”
“Sounds serious,” she said, straightening.
I drew in a breath before letting it out slowly. “Remember when you told me you thought Magnolia House was rumored to be haunted?”
“Yeah. . .” Her green eyes sharpened. “Wait—did something happen?”
“Sort of,” I admitted. “Honestly, I don’t even know how to say this without sounding completely unhinged, but. . . here goes.”
I spent the next half hour explaining everything. The letters, the stupid, impulsive decision to write back. My complicated history with Logan. When I finally finished, I handed her the photograph I’d stolen from the Charleston library—bracing myself as she studied it.
She didn’t speak right away. She just stood there, staring at it like she wasn’t sure it was real.Then, slowly, she exhaled through her nose and ran a hand through her short hair.
“Okay,” she said finally. “That’s. . . a lot.”
I blinked. “Wait. So you believe me?”
“I’ve seen enough weird shit not to rule anything out,” Dani said, handing me the photo back. “Can’t say you have bad taste in men, though. He’s hot.”
I rolled my eyes. “He doesn’texist.”
“Obviously he does if you’re talking to him,” she argued. “Maybe not here, not now, but somewhere, there’s a very fine man—or two—pining after you. At least, that’s what it sounds like to me.”
I shot Dani a pointed look.
She grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Personally, I’d keep both. It’s not considered cheating if one of them is technically dead.”
“This is crazy,” I said, my voice a little shaky. “I sound insane.”
“No,” she said firmly, stepping closer. “You sound like someone who’s been through hell and is still trying to make sense of it.”
I let out a dry laugh. “So what, you think I’ve been writing love letters to a ghost?”
“Maybe,” she shrugged. “Or maybe it’s someone you’re connected to—like from a past life or something.”
I stared at her. “Is that actually a thing?”
“Absolutely,” she said, making her way behind the desk and sinking into the chair. From somewhere down the hall, Henry appeared, looking just as dissatisfied as the day I met him.
“Your soul’s just energy,” she continued, scooping him into her lap. “When the body dies, that energy has to go somewhere. Think of it like, spiritual recycling.”
I studied her. “So, reincarnation?”
“Exactly. Maybe you and this James guy have done this before—been something to each other in another life. I’ve never heard of soulmates reconnectingthisway, but hey, stranger things have happened.”
I sat with that for a second, my thoughts spinning. “And what about Logan?”
She looked down at Henry, stroking his fur absently. “What about him?”
“I mean, where does he fit in? If James and I have this whole soul-connection thing, then what does that make Logan?”
Dani shifted slightly in her seat. “Wherever you want him to fit. Soulmates aren’t always romantic. You can have more than one. Hell, I’ve had twelve in this lifetime alone. Some were partners, some friends, one was definitely my dog.”
