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A cursed faure out a way to break it But I’m okay if we don’t

All of a sudden, the brooch on my sweater feels extra heavy, as if it approves

EPILOGUE

Taylen

“Have I ever told you how much I like this place?”

Elodie turns around, soap bubbles dripping fro the dishwasher for sorins at me “Only about a thousand times”

“I like that we have privacy, and you have a huge balcony that overlooks just a fraction of the French Quarter It’s not too h that it’s fun to go for evening walks I like how you’re not that far from Luna’s shop, and you drop in just to surprise her on so freshly baked treats when you do I like that you drive to ive her some of your famous cookies and also pay a visit to Ash and Ellis because they’re close by I like…okay, I’ I just love that you love my family—my crazy, loud, obnoxious, and cursed family”

“Well, Leandra’s not cursed yet even though she’s been looking hard for her soul There’s currently a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven, and she insisted on cleaning the dishes right away She likes keeping her new condo clean

Even though it’s not that new, she’s been here for just over ato her parents, they were totally fine with her purchasing her first house She didn’t need the bug-out bag full of cash, and they never froze her accounts They were more than happy to help with her house hunt, even if it didout They didn’t put up a fight or guilt-trip her at all, and I was proud of them for that Instead, they helped her with the paperwork, finding an agent, and the location, and also, they did it all without shedding any unhappy tears But happy ones? Oh man, there were a ton of those

“She’s cursed,” I correct “We all are I think searching for that special someone has turned her into a monster She won’t leave it alone now It was better when she was avoiding it”

Elodie shrugs She turns to the right, soap now dripping on the floor, and stares at the cookies through the ovenThe condo is located in an ancient building The whole thing is baby blue stucco rought-iron balconies, but the interior has all been modernized, and the appliances are stainless steel The stove is a gas stove, which took so used to, but Elodie was so thrilled with her new place and incredible kitchen that she signed us up for cooking lessons She’s found a new love of baking Shetreats every week, and he absolutely loves them I think he really just adores Elodie, and he’d eat them even if he didn’t like them

I could say I’m the same way, too, because I’d eat her cookies, cakes, and pies even if they were bad But they’re not They’re incredible I’ve had to upElodie also found a new love of jogging She always hated tennis because her parents loved it, but when I confessed to liking it too, she ad, so we do that too And alk Jeffers together She’s also been talking about taking dance lessons together again as a throwback to the past

I have to say I’m in favor of the idea, but I also have to say that I hope we can do the ht here, like a self tutorial that ends without clothes on

“I think they’re pretty much done” Elodie wipes her hands on a tea toith puppies on it—one of the ifts from her parents—and pulls open the oven door

The delicious scent of burnt sugar and succulent chocolate wafts out, filling the kitchen My mouth waters as Elodie lifts the tray out and sets the cookies on top of the stove to cool After she shuts the oven off, she turns to me, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes

“The cookies turned out so perfectly that I think we should give therandma She’d appreciate them Chocolate chip cookies are her new boyfriend’s favorite”

“Don’t talk about her new boyfriend,” I groan “Especially since he’s ten years younger than her”

Elodie grins “Love knows no bounds Or is it no age? No age and no bounds?”

“I don’t want to think aboutin love”

“Why not?” She stands on her tiptoes and rubs my nose with hers playfully “I’et your granny back for the curse You’ve never thought about getting her a cursed heirloom of her own?”