Moonstruck at Midnight, the first of 5 books in the Moonstruck Series, was published independently on May 2021. It was later picked up by a major publisher (Grupo Planeta) and is currently being translated to Spanish. My books are available for purc...
ALMOST A MONTH had passed since I met Thomas, and still, not a single word from him. I wished it was the 19th century, so his delay in contacting me would be normal and acceptable behavior. But cell phones and texting are as essential as breathing nowadays. He had eagerly asked for my number. I just didn't get it.
I guess I was too green on the matter.
Thomas was the first guy I met the first time I went to a bar, and here I was waiting for him to reach out to me. Pathetic. I could hear the laughs.
In a poor attempt to achieve peace of mind, I convinced myself that meeting Thomas was merely a one-night fling type of situation and nothing more.
Caleb and I never spoke a word about what happened that day. We went about our days as if I never saw him kissing Noelle and he hadn't seen my interactions with Thomas.
Delicately swept under the rug.
We were leaving Paris on Easter Sunday, and that date had become a trigger for me ever since my mother died. We used to celebrate Easter with a huge paella that she loved to cook from scratch. The most delicious paella ever. And after she was gone, we kept the tradition alive with the help of the Embassy chefs.
But this year meant no paella on Easter Sunday. We would be flying over the Atlantic most of the day. It was going to be impossible.
I sat outside in the garden and lingered on one of the bench swings. I closed my eyes for a few minutes and soaked up the early morning sun. But the sound of steps rushing down the stairs made my eyes fly open. Caleb was hurrying in my direction.
"Happy Birthday, Red! Get in here!" Caleb held his arms out and gave me a long, warm hug that felt great in the chilly morning. He wore a grey hoodie, black running shorts, neon orange running shoes, and his curly earpiece that felt so out of place with his outfit. He'd been my running buddy for the past four years.
Going out for a run with Caleb was one of my favorite things in the world. But I wished it wasn't his job to come with me. I wondered if he would do it either way.
"Ready to go, birthday girl?" Caleb bumped his shoulder against mine, flashing a smile which I echoed back with a nod.
We walked out the front door and found Aaron standing by the car. He hugged me and wished me a happy birthday when we approached him. He then sat behind the wheel and pulled out the Mercedes while we walked through the gate to start our run.
We followed the usual route, but I detoured into Tuileries again once we were heading back. He ran beside me while I led him to the Bassin Octagonal. Caleb informed Aaron about the detour and current location.
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It was still early in the morning, but many people, mostly tourists, wandered around the area. We found a couple of free chairs and took a seat. It was our last day in Paris, and I wanted it to sink in fully.
