Race

Chapter 27

"Okay, did I just see Adrien walking you to work again and kissing you on the cheek?" was the first thing Natalie said when I entered the book store.

It was true. Adrien had walked me to the store. All the while he had walked me here we had talked about the details of our date, which was set to be tomorrow evening. And once having arrived, he had kissed me on the cheek in way of saying goodbye. And then he had left immediately, walking away rather stiffly and awkwardly.

All I could notice was how unbelievably normal I felt. My heart wasn't racing, I didn't feel breathless, there were no butterflies in my stomach. The touch of his lips to my skin had not sparked any feelings, unlike every little touch I had ever shared with Harry. I had always felt flustered with him, even if it had only been our hands brushing when handing him his cup of coffee.

"He asked me on a date. We're going tomorrow," I explained.

Natalie's mouth dropped. "Goddammit! No way! I was convinced he was gay, to be honest. I have to call Roger up and tell him the guy that I thought would be perfect for him is not actually perfect for him. Such a bummer, I would have shipped them." She looked thoroughly disappointed. "Also, I was really convinced he was not your type. After everything you told me about your ex."

"He is not really my type, you're right. But he is so nice and such a gentleman. I mean it's worth a shot right?"

Natalie looked contemplative. "Yes, that is true. Do you think you could develop feelings for him?"

"I honestly don't know. I guess we both have to wait to find out."

"Anyway, there's another person that you will be spending more time with soon," Natalie said, her face lighting up. "Namely, moi. Seeing that Christmas is only a few weeks away, there is a good chance that we will have more customers. Therefore, starting next week, there will always be two people working at the same time. And naturally, I decided to just give myself all the shifts that coincide with your shifts. So you'll be seeing a lot of me over the next few weeks." She winked at me.

"Oh, what have I done to deserve such punishment?" I asked, dramatically rolling my eyes and putting my hand to my head as if about to faint.

"You spoiled the ending of Dragonfly in Amber for me," she said, glaring at me.

That was true. I had been too excited about it to keep it to myself. "Your punishment is just. I shall suffer through it."

-

I looked at myself in the mirror sceptically.

I was wearing a black velvet dress with sheer sleeves and a sheer cutout and neckline. The black outlines of peonies under my upper arm were visible. I had gotten the tattoo a few weeks ago, it was only one of few I had gotten. Most of them were pretty small, the flowers being the only bigger one.

I wasn't sure why exactly I had gotten them. I had always loved tattoos and wanted to get some but I had always been too scared, not because of the pain but because I wasn't sure I could commit to something so permanently. But getting these tattoos had been part of me becoming the new, improved Valerie. While having changed up my life completely, the tattoos had been a way of actually making the change I had gone through visible in a physical sense.

Was I overdressed? Was I underdressed?

Adrien had told me that we were going to a restaurant. A proper fancy one. And this dress was what I had felt to be the most appropriate.

Well, I would find out soon. There were only ten minutes left until he would stand in front of my door, punctual as he always was.

I groaned and continued to give myself a once over in the mirror – yet again.