Close to Destiny (A Magical Love Story)

Chapter 52

May 20, late

I was sitting at the hotel's quietest bar trying to drown my confusion in a glass of champagne when Gwen Garnier made her grand entrance. She immediately caught my eye, left the perfect-looking man at her side and rushed over to me.

"Kat! You've returned. You know, you missed out on a fabulous exhibit. Tell me, will you work with me on another?"

All of this as she kissed me on both cheeks and sat down in the foamy bucket seat across from me.

"What about your date?" I asked.

She waved her hand in his direction and signaled for him to grab a table.

"Oh, he's used to the fact that I'm always running into people," she said with a laugh. "He can wait a few minutes. How about answering my questions?"

I took a sip of champagne and sighed.

"What is it?" Gwen asked, wrinkling her brow.

"Gwen, my life as an artist, if you could call it that, is over. I'm trying to return to what I know. But the problem is even that isn't proving to be very easy."

"What do you mean?"

I gazed at the bubbles that rose endlessly to the surface of my glass.

"I'm writing a magazine article about The Grand East Hotel and everything that's gone on here. But my research is leading me to more questions than answers. I've fallen behind on this thing, and finally I'm wondering if it's one big mistake."

"Why do you say that?"

"I have to get to the bottom of the story about Destiny, those parties, everything. My editor is looking for a piece with a bit of a spark, but what I'm coming up with is a handful of ashes."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," she said, squeezing my hand. "Things will work out. An article about the hotel is a wonderful idea. I'm sure management would love the publicity."

I bit my lip. I couldn't tell Gwen about the strange experiences, my meetings with Zachary Taylor and the shocking revelation earlier in the day at the library. What was the point of continuing the conversation? One single part of this story couldn't be isolated from the whole.

"You're right," I lied. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You probably should go back to your poor abandoned date."

Gwen squeezed my hand again.

"All right, but promise you'll reconsider my offer about working together."

"We'll see."

"Ah, I know what that means." She rolled her eyes. "I won't hold my breath."

I watched her return to the young man whose eyes brightened as she slipped into the chair opposite him. I refused to think about how things could have been with Will. But when my eyes returned to the champagne bubbles, how could I think of anything but the parties that had brought us together?

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