Living with Her [Book 3]

Chapter 29

It was Christmas Eve, and Dusty walked to the local convenience store to pick up some cranberry sauce for her mother. The air had turned bitterly cold with the promise of snow that excited her. She'd love to have a white Christmas. For a while she aimlessly wandered the aisles, her movements in stark contrast to the other hurried shoppers, who were frantically picking up forgotten last minute items before the big day.

Christmas carols were playing overhead, and Dusty was enjoying taking the time to enjoy the day. In New York, everyone was always in a rush, so back home in West, she wanted to move at a slower pace. She found herself browsing the magazine stand. Each front cover boasted some reference to the season. She picked up a fashion magazine and browsed through it.

There were images of immaculate models wearing designer labels with hard expressions on their faces. It was the sort of magazine that Ashley would have pored over with eager interest. "Dusty?" Dusty immediately looked up at the sound of her own name being delivered almost as a question rather than a greeting. She looked around to find the source of the call, and her heart almost stopped beating in her chest.

A bit further down the aisle stood Valentine holding a plastic shopping basket filled with vegetables and a loaf of bread, her eyes fixed on Dusty in disbelief as though she'd just seen a ghost. "Hi," Dusty said, feeling her cheeks begin to burn. She placed the magazine back in the stand and turned to face her. The past four years appeared to have been kind to Valentine.

Valentine had barely aged since she'd last seen her. If anything, she had become more beautiful. She had the same sharp eyes and dark hair. Looking at her, Dusty remembered the intimate moments they'd spent together. Her lips upon hers, their naked skin brushing against each other. She shook her head and dismissed the memories, forcing herself to focus on the present.

"I... I didn't expect to see you here." Valentine edged towards her, seeming uncertain of herself.

"I came home for the holidays," Dusty admitted, her tone polite and formal.

"Oh, well, that's nice." Valentine nodded. "So you've graduated now?" She looked at Dusty, and she noticed a sadness in her eyes. There was a wall between them now, one which she had put up, a wall which kept her away from her life, from what was going on, and she could see that it pained her to be shut out. The words of the letter flickered through her mind, but she shut them out. This was neither the time nor the place to discuss them.

"Yeah, I graduated over the summer." Dusty smiled. A customer edged past them, forcing them to draw closer together. She could smell Valentine's sweet perfume. She smelt clean and fresh. Her scent clung to her hair, to the jacket she was wearing, and Dusty had to fight the urge to want the scent also on her. She missed losing herself in her. With Valentine standing so close to her, it reminded her just how powerful her passion for her had once been.

How had she managed to repress such a magnetic connection for so long? "I work in New York now," Dusty told her, desperate to break the sexual tension that was gripping her mind like a vice.

"In New York?" Valentine's eyes widened with approval. "That's amazing."

"Yeah, at Goldstone," Dusty added.

"Goldstone?" Valentine's eyes grew even wider. She'd heard of Goldstone, of course she had. She was an educated woman, and they were one of the most prestigious insurance companies in the world. "That's really impressive, Dusty. I'm glad you're doing so well." And Dusty knew she meant it.

"What about you?"

Valentine shifted uncomfortably as the topic was reflected onto her. "I'm still working at the school," she told her, her voice flat.

"Well, that's cool." Dusty smiled. Valentine left out the part that she was seeing someone, in fact living with someone. For some reason she didn't want to tell Dusty that. Another shopper pushed past them. Dusty glanced at Valentine sheepishly, aware that she should soon go but also reluctant to let the moment between them conclude.

"This isn't really the most convenient place to run into each other." Valentine smirked.

"Even though it's a convenience store." Dusty smiled. Valentine's eyes crinkled at the joke, which pleased her. "I'd better get going." Dusty looked down at her feet. "I'm supposed to be helping my mom with some stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, of course." Valentine nodded, but she saw the flicker of sadness dance through her eyes at the announcement of her departure, which filled her heart with the hope that perhaps she still felt something for her. Dusty turned to walk away from her, but she called her back. "Listen, are you doing anything New Year's Eve?" she asked, looking as terrified as a high school girl asking a date to the prom.

"Um." Dusty was caught off guard.

"Of course, you're probably busy. Are you heading back to New York to watch the ball drop in Times Square? Of course you are. It was stupid to ask. It's just my friend is throwing a party, and I was thinking that if you're not busy, we could maybe go together... as friends, but of course, you've already got plans." Valentine was rambling nervously as she spoke.

"That sounds great." Dusty smiled at her, her heart racing with delight at the invitation.

"So you can come?" Valentine asked, unable to hide her surprise.

"Yeah, I don't have any plans. A party sounds fun." Dusty smiled sweetly at her.

"Great." Valentine beamed, and in her euphoria she turned too sharply and knocked down a row of magazines. Embarrassed, she began fumbling for them on the floor as Dusty knelt down to help. Once the magazines were all replaced, they stood back up, Valentine still blushing. "So I'll see you New Year's Eve?" Valentine confirmed.

"Yeah."

"I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Sounds good."

Valentine began to walk away from Dusty, back up the aisle, though she was struggling to take her eyes off Dusty, as if frightened that she was just a figment of her imagination and if she looked away, she'd disappear forever from sight. "Have a lovely Christmas," Dusty told her softly as she approached the end of the aisle.

"You too." She smiled, finally disengaging from her gaze and heading towards the register.