Page 63 of Finding My Charming

Armed with a few bags of food and a milkshake apiece, we settled onto a bench in the middle of the park hidden below several oak trees. We ate in silence for a few minutes before Ari balled up our trash and shoved it into a bag. She turned to face me and waited for me to speak first — which I couldn’t bring myself to do. The moment I said it aloud was the moment it would become real, and I wasn’t ready to face it. With or without the support of everyone I loved, this wasn’t going to be easy.

I may have found him. Vincent could be the guy who’d changed the charm, but then again, he may not be. The first few dates we’d been on had proven he was perfect — on paper. He was kind, thoughtful, funny, and handsome — more than any girl could ask for — but… There was a but. I just couldn’t pinpoint what wasn’t right. Something with him was missing, and despite the hours I’d been thinking about it, I just couldn’t figure it out. He was everything I should want. Everything I did want. But.

“Come on, Elle. You can tell me whatever it is.” She gave me a chance to start, and when I didn’t, she reached for my wrist and squeezed. “I bet whatever it is really isn’t even that big of a deal. We can work through anything. Nothing’s been able to stop us so far.”

I laughed halfheartedly and finally met her eyes. “I’ve ruined everything, Ari.”

Instead of laughing like I was expecting, she narrowed her eyes in a challenge. “Explain?”

“I’m running out of time. I’ve only got a few days left before the charm won’t work anymore. I’ll have ruined it for April and every generation after us.”

Ari had turned to look forward halfway through my explanation. I was starting to think she’d zoned me out when she didn’t reply after a few moments.

“I know this is a tough one, Elle.” Her focus remained in front of us, but I knew she was really thinking this through. “Is there some signal when you have decided on the right guy?”

“Unfortunately, no.” I shook my head. “Apparently, my ancestors expected more from me.”

“So, we’ve eliminated most of the options. Vincent seems like the most likely, though, right?”

That was the one question I was dreading. I dropped my head into my hands and leaned forward to rest against my knees. “I don’t know, Ari.”

“No pressure or anything, but we need to figure this out quickly. And by we, I mean you.”

I nodded into my palms while trying to not burst into tears again.

Her hand began to rub circles on my back, reminding me that even though I needed to come to my own conclusion, I didn’t need to do it alone.

“There’s something missing with him. Maybe we need more time together, or maybe it’s just not right, but I don’t have the luxury of waiting to find out.”

“Valid points. What are you going to do now?”

I focused on the gentle strokes on my back to calm my anxiety and made a list aloud. “Continue dating Vincent and try to get to know him as well as I can. Go back and look at the pictures to see if anyone else stands out, but we’ve been through them at least a hundred times.” A small groan escaped.

“What about the other option?”

I sat up, confused. “What other option?”

She let out an exasperated sigh as if she was explaining things to a disobedient child. “Dallin.”

My confusion grew to frustration. “Ari, no. He’s annoying and cocky.”

“He was at the party. You remember running into him. He’s become a part of your life.”

“Delivering my lunch is not really a part of my life.”

She ignored my interruption and continued. “He said such nice things about you the other day, and I think he’s definitely interested in you. Just because you refuse to see it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.”

“You’re delusional. He said what any normal person would say to someone’s friend. He wasn’t going to call me a freak in front of you.”

“He did not have to say those things, Elle! You of all people should believe in fate, and you can’t ignore what it has thrown in your face.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. He’s given no indication that he’s interested in me, but you’re right.” I turned toward her and saw a hint of a smile on her face. “I can’t afford to eliminate any possibilities. What do I do now?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “You get to know him. Talk to him. Maybe there is something you guys have in common.”

I held back my retort and simply nodded. That was really all I could do.

“You’ve run into him after work before. Maybe you can make it happen again. That would give you an opportunity to talk to him without having to go over for lunch. You can only eat at the same place so many times before you turn into a creep.”