Now she was most definitely rolling her eyes.

Owen laughed. “You and this family are the biggest fuckin’ romantics in the entire universe, Ellie.”

Yes, they all called their grandmother Ellie and their grandfather Leo. Because all of their grandparents on both sides of the family lived in town, so simply referring to them as “grandma” and “grandpa” had never been specific enough.

“Sure, we’re romantic,” Ellie said. “We know when it’s right and we’re willing to go big when that happens.”

It was true that the Landrys were known for their grand, romantic gestures. It was countywide legend, actually. But he supposed that didn’t mean they thought the falling-in-love part was all that complicated.

“Well, I won’t tell Cora that you think her love potion is bullshit,” Chase said.

Cora made all kinds of “potions”. She also made balms and salves and other homemade “cures”. The thing was, even skeptical physician-to-be Chase had to admit the stuff worked. Mitch fully expected Chase to incorporate some of those things into his medical practice when he came back to Autre for good.

“Oh, she knows it’s bullshit,” Ellie said. “Who would believe a love potion? You can’t make love happen.”

“But… wait… what else of hers is bullshit?” Chase asked.

Mitch snorted and heard Owen laugh as well.

“Oh honey,” Ellie said, and Mitch could picture her putting her hand on Chase’s cheek.

“The only stuff that’s bullshit is the stuff that doesn’t work,” Ellie told Chase placatingly.

“But…” Chase was clearly thinking on all of the things he’d tried while in Autre. “All of it worked. Didn’t it?”

“Then I guess it’s all real,” Ellie told him.

“That’s not how science works,” Chase said. He sounded tired.

The Landrys had that effect on people. Chase was still getting used to them all.

Ellie laughed. “Oh well, we aren’t talking about science.”

“Then what are we talking about?”

“Love.”

“Love isn’t science?” Chase asked.

“Is it?” Ellie challenged in return. “You tellin’ me that what you’re feeling for that beautiful accident-waitin’-to-happen over there is all just synapses and endorphins?”

“Well…” was Chase’s only response.

Mitch assumed that Bailey, who was indeed a beautiful accident-waiting-to-happen, was across the room and Chase was now gazing at her adoringly.

Mitch shook his head even though he was grinning.

“Exactly,” Ellie said after a moment. “You’ve probably had your hormones get all stirred up before. Chemistry and whatever. But what you feel for Bailey is different. And I don’t think you can explain it with science.”

“But,” Chase tried again, “science is real.”

“Well, of course it’s real,” Ellie said in her no-shit tone of voice. “Germs and stuff are real. You come out of the bathroom without washing your hands or cough on my bar without covering your mouth, and I’ll slap you upside the head and cut you off from gumbo for a week.”

“So…” But Chase didn’t add on to that start.

“So science and things beyond science can both be true at the same time,” Ellie said.

“Then Cora’s potions and creams do actually work?” Chase asked.

Mitch knew his friend was rubbing his head.

Ellie blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m tellin’ you that you boys are bein’ nitpicky dumbasses.”

“Dumbasses?” Chase repeated. “To want to prove something is true?”

“Good lord,” Ellie muttered. “Do you need a research paper to tell you something is working if you can see it and feel it with your own eyes and heart?” she asked.

“If millions of people use condoms and there are fewer women gettin’ knocked up, then you know that the condoms are working, right? If people start wearin’ seat belts and more people walk away from car crashes, you know the seat belts are working. If you burn your hand and put a salve on it and it feels better the next day, then it worked to make your hand feel better. And if you find a woman who makes you think about turning your whole life upside down to be with her, then you’re falling in love with her.” Ellie’s voice softened. “Nothing changes a life more than love does.”

“I…” Chase trailed off. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

Ellie scoffed. “Of course I’m right. I’m old. I know a lot of shit by now.”

There was a pause and the sound of shuffling on the other end of the phone.

“Well, there you go,” Chase finally said to Mitch.

“She’s gone?” he guessed.

“Dropped her knowledge and then went to harass someone else,” Chase said. “You feel better?”

“I don’t know how we got from salves to me moving to Iowa, but, yeah, I guess I do.”

“So I need to pack your stuff and haul it up to Iowa?” Owen asked.

“Maybe,” Mitch said, feeling a warmth in his chest. “I need to talk to Paige.”

“Okay, good luck,” Owen told him. “But, in all seriousness, Ellie has a point. When you find the girl that makes you feel different. Different from the other girls but also like you’re a different person, better than you were before, then she’s worth a U-Haul and a change-of-address form at the post office.”

Mitch felt his smile spreading. “Yeah. You’ve got a point.”

He and Paige hadn’t been together enough for him to be different, but he thought maybe he could be.

“I’m jealous,” Chase said. “Bailey and I can’t really do the change-of-address-U-Haul thing. I mean, she could move to DC, I suppose, but she’s happiest down here on the bayou, and I’m only in DC for a couple of years before I’ll hopefully be heading back down here anyway.”

Mitch grinned. His friend had already decided he wanted to be back closer to Autre. “You think you can do the long-distance thing?” he asked.

Chase paused, and again Mitch imagined he had located Bailey across the room. “Yeah,” he said, his voice softer. “Fuck, yeah. We’ll get together as much as we can, and the future together is worth however hard it is now.”

“And with the way you two are when you’re together, it’s probably safer if the two of you are mostly together on Zoom or FaceTime,” Mitch teased.

Just the other night, they’d disappeared down to the docks for some alone time and come back dripping wet because they’d fallen into the bayou. Bailey was definitely accident prone and she took Chase right down with her.

Chase chuckled. “Good thing I’m going to medical school, huh?”

Mitch laughed. “For sure.”

“Okay, so go tell your girl that you’re going to need to buy some warmer clothes, and I’m going to go try not to get my nose broken under the mistletoe.”

Laughing, they disconnected. Mitch got out of the car and looked up at the light shining in the window of Paige’s apartment over the yoga studio.