He nodded to her. 揟h閞鑣e.?He didn抰 move from his spot, still waiting for me.
I could escape out the back. Liya had left early but maybe if I went home, he抎 get the message and leave.
It wasn抰 that I didn抰 like Wyatt. Everyone liked Wyatt. He was impossible not to like.
It was that I had had a crush on Wyatt for as long as I could remember, and I had no freaking clue how to talk to him. I could barely look him in the eye. The only men I could talk to were the fictional ones from the books I sold.
揅ome.?She gestured for me to follow her, and I shot a glance at Wyatt, still waiting and watching. 揑 have something for you.?
揊or me??I followed her to the back of the store, where two overstuffed blue chairs sat. These chairs were older than I was, and my friend Avery and I often hung out back here after hours, drinking wine while I played Spice Girls or showed her hilarious Scandinavian music videos. I lived with my dad in a tiny house a few blocks away, and until last year, Avery lived in a crappy old apartment that smelled like feet, so the back of the store was our hangout zone.
Th閞鑣e took a seat and handed the bag to me. 揗y love, I will be flying back to Paris for the summer, and I抦 not sure I抣l be home in time for your birthday.?
Cold dread trickled through me, and my throat constricted.
My thirtieth birthday was two months away, in September.
揅hanel has invited me for a residency at their fashion house.?Th閞鑣e paused and tapped her chin with narrowed eyes. 揙r perhaps it was Yves St. Laurent.?She tilted her head. 揋aultier? Mon dieu. I cannot remember.?She laughed at herself. 揝o many haute couture designers call my agent, I can抰 keep them all straight.?She gestured at the bag. 揙pen it.?
I slid a white box from the bag and placed it on my lap. 揥hat抯 a residency??
She waved a manicured hand with a sigh. 揑 sit around and they create couture dresses for the next season.?
I blinked. 揧ou抮e their muse??
She shrugged in that casual French way of hers. 揝omething like that. Hannah, open the box.?
I flipped it open and my mouth fell open.
She made a noise of disappointment. 揧ou hate it.?
揘o,?I was quick to tell her. 揑t抯 just厰 The gold sequins sparkled even in the dim light as I lifted the dress, pinching the fabric of the sleeves like it would burn me.
It was a Hot Girl dress. The hem would fall around mid-thigh. Short sleeves. Deep V in the front. This dress was for a woman who wanted to be seen and adored. The dress was gorgeous, no doubt about that. Fun and flirty and wild and glamorous. Unfortunately, I was none of those things.
This was a Th閞鑣e dress. This was not the right dress for me. I was shy, quiet Hannah Nielsen, the girl with her nose in a book.
Th閞鑣e nodded with understanding. 揧ou already have one like it.?
I snorted. 揘o. Definitely not.?I shot her a curious glance. 揟h閞鑣e. I抦 grateful for the gift, but why did you choose a sparkly gold dress for棓 I gestured at my oversized wool sweater, black jeans, and white sneakers, the same outfit I wore every day. 摋me??
Th閞鑣e smiled to herself and shot me an appraising expression. 揑 was in Sydney a few weeks ago, and when I saw this, I thought of you.?She propped an elbow on the chair抯 arm and watched me. 揑 knew it was perfect for you.?
揑f I wear this dress, everyone will look at me.?My skin crawled at the thought.
She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. 揝o let them look. Make their view worth it.?
Th閞鑣e had clearly hit her head and thought I was someone else. 揑抳e always wanted to visit Sydney. I heard the food is incredible.?
揑t抯 like Vancouver but warmer, and the people are much friendlier. I fell in love several times while I was there.?
揑n love with people??
She nodded with a serene, dreamy smile. 揙ui.?She sighed. 揑 love falling in love. I抳e been in love many, many times.?
揙h. Wow. I抳e never been in love.?I抎 read about it hundreds of times in books. My mom had read me Pride and Prejudice when I was a kid, and the store was named after his estate in the book. I loved reading about love.
But I抎 never been in love. My heart twisted in longing at the reminder. When I returned to Queen抯 Cove after university, I took over the daily running of the store so my dad could retire. For seven years, I抎 been hiding in this dim little bookstore with shabby carpets, broken shelves, and peeling paint.
Th閞鑣e tapped her chin again. 揙ui, I do not think there would be many eligible suitors waltzing into your store.?She gestured in the direction of the front door. 揌annah, you must go outside and find someone to fall in love with.?
I laughed. 揙kay.?I flipped the box closed and tucked it back in the paper bag. 揟hank you for the gift, Th閞鑣e. It抯 lovely.?