𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 ━━ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥

ᴛᴡᴏ

chapter two — small-town magic

Gray's Bed and Breakfast was the epitome of a quaint small-town inn. Its charming facade and cozy ambiance made it seem like it had stepped right out of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Y/N approached the reception desk where an older woman with a name tag reading "Betty" greeted her with a warm smile.

"Hi, can I get a room, please?" Y/N asked, her voice betraying her fatigue.

"Sure thing, sweetheart. How long you stayin'?" Betty asked, sliding a set of keys across the counter.

"What's the longest I can stay?" Y/N inquired. She hadn't planned her stay; she was only trying to find out if Tommie was cheating. However, with an entire summer ahead of her and no concrete plans, staying longer seemed reasonable

"Well, it's a week without a reservation, but you're in luck. We just had a cancellation. Your room's available all summer," Betty said, sliding the guest book toward Y/N. "But you gotta book now if you want the whole summer. Rooms fill up fast this time of year."

Y/N thought it over. Money wasn't an issue, so even if she booked the whole summer and couldn't get a refund if she left earlier, it wouldn't hurt her wallet all that much.

Besides, she had no other plans.

"Alright, all summer it is," she said, writing her name and length of stay in the guest book before sliding it back to Betty. As she reached into her bag for her wallet, a sinking feeling hit her—she didn't have it. Once again, the universe shit in her cereal.

She had left her wallet in the glove box of her car. "Shit. Sorry, could I pay later? I left my wallet in my car, and I need to get it towed, but my phone is dead."

"Don't worry about it, honey. Do you need the number for the mechanic?" Betty offered kindly.

Y/N nodded, feeling embarrassed.

Betty handed her a business card. "Here you go. Just settle up when you can."

"Thanks," Y/N said, taking the keys and her bag and heading upstairs to find her room. The keys had a little tag that read 206.

Once she reached her room, she collapsed onto the bed, her clothes sticking to her sweaty skin. She needed a shower desperately.

After plugging in her phone and waiting for it to turn back on, she called the mechanic. They said they could tow her car to the shop and replace the battery, but they wouldn't be able to do either until the next day.

That was fine, but she needed to retrieve her wallet to pay for her room and get something to eat.

After a refreshing shower, scrubbing the day's sweat and grime from her skin and hair, Y/N donned a white floral sundress and white sneakers. With her phone fully charged, she grabbed her purse and a hat to shield her face from the sun before hopping down the steps to the first floor.

"I'm off to get my wallet!" she called out to Betty as she stepped through the door onto the main street. She didn't want Betty to think she was skipping out without paying.

Thanks to Boothill, Y/N now knew the route to and from the main part of town. Her good sense of direction meant she could easily backtrack to her car, get her wallet, and return without getting lost.

She hadn't been paying attention the first time, but the town was more vibrant than she had anticipated. Outdoor patios were filling up by the moment as dinner approached. Boutiques, bookstores, and a variety of other shops and bars gave Aeragan a lively yet laid-back charm.

It was a stark contrast to Penacony.

Penacony was all neon lights and artificiality, with fumes that burned your lungs and people who felt as fake as the city itself. Aeragan on the other hand, exuded a natural carefree charm. It had a cozy, spirited vibe, the kind of place where everyone seemed to know each other, and it felt like home—even to a city girl like her.

She didn't notice the smile that had crept onto her lips. Aeragan's peaceful aura almost made her forget the reason she was there. Almost.

Y/N held her hat and dress down with a large gust of wind, her smile dropping from her face as she spotted a familiar red convertible. Her heart sank as she watched Tommie open the passenger door—something he had never done for her—for a pretty blonde girl in a dress so short it was practically indecent. Tommie closed the door and jogged around to the driver's side. Y/N quickly hid her face behind her hat as they drove past.

She'd come to Aeragan already expecting to catch him cheating. She'd been preparing herself for it. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

Part of her wanted to go back to Gray's Bed and Breakfast, tell Betty she no longer wanted the room, and return to Penacony to move on with her life.

Yet another part of her—the one clinging to hope or denial—wanted to believe there was an innocent explanation. Something like "maybe that's his cousin" or "giving a girl a ride isn't cheating."

Or maybe Aeragan had worked its subtle magic on her. Either way, she continued her walk back to her car to get her wallet. By the time she reached it, the sun was setting, casting long shadows over the street.

With her wallet safely tucked away in her purse, Y/N began her walk back to Gray's Bed and Breakfast, tears streaming down her cheeks as she went.