Miles Apart

by A. L. Brooks

  Warm hands on her waist a couple of minutes later announced Sonia’s arrival and Alex turned to smile at her.

  “Sorry I am late.” Sonia looked contrite as she leaned in for the obligatory two-cheek kiss.

  “No worries.” Alex held up her glass. “I’m good. I have beer.”

  Sonia laughed and signalled the bartender over, then ordered a glass of wine for herself. “Shall we get one of the small tables?” She nodded towards the back of the room.

  When they’d settled at a table, they clinked glasses.

  “So how was your first day?” Sonia asked after she’d taken a couple of sips of her wine.

  Alex shrugged. “Tedious. Meetings all day. With some people who were pretty unhappy about how some things have gone.”

  Sonia lifted her eyebrows.

  “Do you remember I told you it was a takeover?” Sonia nodded. “Well, it wasn’t hostile, but not exactly welcomed with open arms.”

  “Ah. People do not like change.”

  “That is definitely true. From the sound of it, I may have my work cut out for me in the training sessions. The new people are reluctant to learn, apparently. Which, really, is why I’m here, I suppose. If they were okay with it, I wouldn’t be needed.”

  “Well, I am glad you’re here, even if they aren’t,” Sonia said with a wink.

  Alex laughed. She knew Sonia wasn’t flirting, not for real, but her playfulness was heartwarming. And flattering.

  “Sonia!” They both turned at the voice that came from behind them.

  “Sylvie!” Sonia leapt out of her chair and practically ran around Alex to greet the petite woman standing behind her. Alex watched as they hugged fiercely, exchanging multiple kisses and laughing.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another movement and swivelled slightly in her chair. Standing behind the two hugging women, and presumably Sylvie’s company for the evening, was a tall blonde, a laconic smile on her—wow—beautiful face. Alex stared. For the second time in two days, she was physically responding to another woman, something that hadn’t happened in years and definitely nothing that had happened while in the relationship with Terri.

  She should look away, try to get this unnerving response under control, but she was helpless. The woman in front of her was gorgeous. Her hair fell just past her shoulders in what looked like totally natural twisty curls. Her eyes were a pale blue. She looked to be a couple of inches taller than Alex but had the same slim build. Dressed in low-slung jeans, boots, and a dark green button-down shirt, she was casually sexy, and even more so when she shoved her hands in her pockets and settled her weight on one hip. Alex let her gaze travel back up the body before her, trying extra hard not to stare at the flat stomach and small breasts, and startled as the stranger caught her staring.

  Alex looked away, her face ablaze.

  “Alex.” Sonia grabbed her arm, urging her to stand. Alex was extraordinarily grateful for the interruption of her mortifying moment. “This is Sylvie, a dear friend I haven’t seen in about, what, six months?”

  “Something like that, oui,” Sylvie replied, smiling widely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alex.” She held out her hand and shook Alex’s before air-kissing Alex on both cheeks. She was shorter than Alex by a few inches and had to lean up to effect the greeting.

  As she let Alex go, she gestured to the stunning woman beside her. “Sonia, Alex, this is my friend, Justine.”

  Alex swallowed hard before turning to face Justine, who stepped forwards and smiled confidently at her and Sonia as she shook their hands.

  “Enchanté,” she whispered as she kissed Alex’s cheeks. Her lips were incredibly soft against Alex’s skin. Her hand gripped Alex’s a little tighter and lingered a little longer than was normal. Alex swallowed, overwhelmed with a surge of desire that swept up out of nowhere and scorched her body. As soon as Justine let go of her hand, Alex stepped back, only just avoiding clutching at her chest to check her thumping heart. This was…ridiculous.

  She watched as Justine greeted Sonia, and noted with a discomforting sense of triumph that Justine’s attention to Sonia was significantly muted in comparison to that which she had bestowed on Alex.

  “Can they join us?” Sonia asked.

  “Of course,” Alex replied, inwardly groaning. Her pulse was racing and a warm flush still held court in the hand Justine had held on to for those delicious few moments. She dropped back onto her stool, willing her breathing to settle and her hand not to shake as she reached for her beer. She needed to get on top of this, whatever this was, and fast. What the hell was happening to her this week? First Sonia, now Justine?

  The two new arrivals pulled up chairs from a table nearby, and Sylvie and Sonia immediately launched into a conversation about the last time they’d seen each other. Alex sipped her beer and listened, smiling politely at the two friends’ amusing banter. But she was aware of Justine the entire time. She didn’t dare look at her, fearing her flushed cheeks would give away her completely unexpected reaction to the beautiful woman sat beside her. This visceral level of response to another’s presence had never happened to her before. It disturbed her greatly, and she wished she could just shake it off.

  The sudden and almost desperate need for some breathing space propelled her out of her chair.

  “Bathroom,” she muttered at Sonia’s questioning look, then followed the way Sonia pointed out for her to the washrooms at the back of the bar.

  Alex locked herself in a cubicle and perched on the edge of the toilet, breathing deeply. She took her time, rationalising away her response to Justine. She was tired, still jet-lagged, in fact. Emotional after the turmoil of the last few weeks. Justine was beautiful—anyone would have been flustered to be greeted so warmly by someone so visually appealing. Alex was lonely, and having someone pay attention to her like that, even for just a moment, had been flattering. She’d been feeling unattractive, undesirable even, after Terri took her attentions elsewhere, so a kiss and a touch from a beautiful stranger was bound to stir her libido a little.

  Wasn’t it?

  Justine sipped her beer, laughing at the interaction between Sylvie and Sonia, but her mind was elsewhere.

  Alex.

  God.

  She’d promised Christina and Sylvie she’d take a break from sleeping around, but if there was any way she could take Alex home that night, she would do it. She was…gorgeous. Sexy for days, with her auburn hair, stunning green eyes, and slim yet curvy body. Curves Justine’s hands itched to travel a path over. And that zap of…something between them when they had shaken hands. Wow.

  She took another sip of her beer, her eyes flicking towards the back of the bar to see if Alex had returned yet. When she saw Alex pushing through the washroom door, Justine sat up a little straighter in her chair, watching Alex advance towards their table. She felt Sylvie’s hand on her thigh and turned to look at her friend.

  “Justine…” Sylvie’s face was creased by a frown. “You said—”

  Justine exhaled swiftly. “I know, I know. But look at her,” she whispered, turning her gaze back to Alex, who was now only a few feet away.

  Sylvie tugged on her arm, bringing Justine back round to face her.

  “Justine, just take a moment,” she said, a wry smile on her lips. Sylvie flicked a glance at Alex as she sat back down alongside Sonia and they began chatting. “Remember what you said? Remember how you admitted your life was a little empty these days?”

  Reluctantly, Justine nodded.

  “So now is your chance to try something new. Why not break out of your pattern and actually get to know this woman? Talk to her. Learn something about her. And go home alone tonight.”

  Justine sat back, her breathing deep. She knew, deep down, Sylvie was right. Why had her first reaction been to see how quickly she could get Al
ex back to her place and into her bed? Surely she needed to change things, and soon—this bed-hopping lifestyle really wasn’t what she wanted anymore. So, yes, why not start changing things, here and now? She looked at Alex, who was laughing at something Sonia said, her head thrown back, her hair bouncing on her shoulders. It would be difficult; Alex was so attractive. But it was long past time Justine stepped away from her past and made at least some effort towards changing her future.

  She turned her gaze back to Sylvie and smiled. “Merci, mon amie,” she whispered and pulled Sylvie into a quick hug.

  “You mean you’ll actually do it? Listen to my advice?” Sylvie looked shocked but there was a twinkle in her eyes.

  Justine released her from the hug and tapped her arm playfully. “Oh, very funny,” she said. “Please try not to gloat too much to Christina.”

  Sylvie sniggered. “Oh, chérie, I am not going to promise that!”

  Justine sighed, but she was smiling.

  “So Justine,” Sonia said, leaning across the table, “how do you know Sylvie?”

  “Sylvie stole my best friend,” Justine replied, dropping her face into a sad-puppy expression. Sylvie snorted and the other women laughed. Justine smiled at Sylvie. “Sylvie is the woman who makes my best friend, Christina, very happy. Christina and I go way back, to college.”

  “Ah, I see! Yes, Christina I have met a few times. She is lovely.”

  “She is,” Sylvie said, sighing blissfully, and the others laughed again. “And you, Alex, how do you know Sonia?”

  Alex shifted in her seat before answering, and Justine tried not to stare at her as she spoke. Tried not to imagine again what it would feel like to kiss the smooth skin of her cheeks, or her lips, or… Stop! Just talking, remember? Break the habits. Break the habits. Justine repeated the mantra to herself as she listened to Alex’s response.

  “My best friend, Danielle, is Sonia’s cousin,” Alex said. “I met Sonia at Danielle’s fortieth birthday celebration a few years back. When Danielle knew I was coming to Montreal at the same time Sonia was going to be here, she put us in touch with each other.” Justine loved Alex’s accent, having rarely heard a British accent other than on TV.

  “Lovely,” Sylvie said. “And what brings you to Montreal?”

  “Work. My company has a large office here.”

  “So how long are you here?” Sylvie asked.

  Justine tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach; Alex was only visiting. Should she even bother to get to know her? Maybe she should just try to get her into bed instead and—

  Her thought process was derailed by a quick, sharp pinch on her arm. She looked round to discover Sylvie frowning at her and knew that Sylvie knew exactly where her thoughts had taken her. It was irritating—and a little scary.

  “All week,” Alex replied. “I arrived Saturday, and I fly back on the overnight on Friday.”

  “And what do you do?”

  “Oh no, please let us not talk about work!” Sonia broke in. “Alex is only here to attend some very dull meetings.”

  Alex laughed. “Yeah, that’s about right.” Justine smiled at the way Alex’s face transformed when she laughed. Her eyes sparkled and a little dimple appeared just to the left of her mouth.

  “So, what do you want to talk about?” Sylvie grinned at Sonia. “If work is not allowed, what is?”

  “Art. Food. Life. Sex!” Sonia enthused. “There are so many more interesting subjects than work.”

  Justine caught the cute way Alex blushed at the mention of sex. Shy? She didn’t think so. Something about the way Alex carried herself, a quiet confidence, didn’t speak of shyness. What then? Simply a case of the infamous British reserve?

  “Shall I get us another drink?” Alex asked suddenly, standing. “Same again?” She gestured around the table at their nearly empty glasses. All three women nodded enthusiastically.

  “Would you like some help?” Justine started to rise from her chair.

  Alex shook her head, blushing faintly. “Oh, no. I-I’m okay. Really.”

  Justine smiled and it took all her strength to resist pushing, which was what she would have done if she’d been intent on pursuing Alex as a one-night stand. But with Sylvie’s hawk-like eyes staring at her—she could feel them like lasers on her back—she pulled herself back and shrugged lightly.

  “Okay, just wave if you change your mind.”

  Alex smiled and walked quickly towards the bar, and Sonia excused herself to the washroom.

  “Well done,” Sylvie murmured close to Justine’s ear.

  Justine turned to face her, her grin rueful. “Have you any idea how hard that was?”

  Sylvie laughed lightly. “Oh, yes, Justine, I do. But I am very proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Justine said, smiling to take the sting out of her sarcastic tone.

  Sylvie’s expression transformed to serious in an instant. “I know she is only here for a week, but I stand by what I said. You could use this as, um, practice—” Justine snorted “—in how to do this. How to take the time to talk to someone.” Sylvie shrugged. “And hey, you may end up with a new friend out of it.”

  “Damn it, you’re right again,” Justine said, throwing her arms up in mock disgust. “You can stop now, you know. Enough’s enough.”

  Sylvie guffawed and they chuckled together until Alex returned with a tray of drinks.

  “Wow,” Justine said, pointing to the tray, “table service. Very impressive.”

  Alex laughed as she placed the drinks down on the table.

  “I think the bartender took pity on the poor, weak Englishwoman. She’s got considerably more muscles than I have and must have feared I’d never make it with four glasses.” She blushed again, and Justine wished she didn’t find it so endearing. Alex sat just as Sonia returned to the table.

  Sonia launched immediately into a conversation with Sylvie in French, and Justine took a big breath before leaning slightly forwards onto her elbows to talk to Alex.

  “So have you been to Montreal before?”

  Alex nodded. “A couple of times, yes. Are you from here?” Her voice wobbled slightly.

  “Yes, born and raised.” She smiled as Alex’s eyebrows pulled together in a cute frown.

  “You don’t speak French?”

  Justine smiled. “I do, but as my second language. I have an English-speaking father and a French-speaking mother. English was the first language at home, but French at school.”

  “I was hopeless at languages at school. I’m envious.”

  “If you learn from early enough, it’s easy because you don’t know any different.”

  “True. When I was at school, you didn’t start until you were ten.”

  “Oh, that’s too late, surely?”

  “Well, it certainly was for me.” Their gazes locked and Alex smiled broadly. The sight warmed Justine in a way that went beyond physical desire. Something about Alex tugged at her in ways she hadn’t felt for a long, long time. She mentally pulled herself up. Remember, just talking.

  Sonia and Sylvie had switched to English and were in a lively discussion about a fashion show they both hoped to catch the following week.

  “Justine, could you come too?” Sylvie asked.

  Justine snorted. “Fashion is not my favourite subject, as you well know. Count me out,” she said with a grin.

  Sylvie shook her head in a display of exaggerated disappointment.

  Alex was smiling, her dimple on full display.

  “I’m not a huge fan of fashion either,” she said conspiratorially. “I like my clothes simple and functional. Quite boring, actually.”

  “Oh, me too. She loves all that catwalk stuff,” Justine replied, pointing at Sylvie and rolling her eyes.

  “So
if fashion isn’t your thing, what is?” Alex’s questioning had a hint of shyness, and it was utterly endearing.

  “I like to read. History and biographies, mostly. I also like to cook.”

  “I like cooking too. And I’m a bit of a movie fan. Not that I often find time to go to the cinema these days. It’s mostly DVDs or Netflix.”

  Justine noted that Alex seemed to be relaxing a little now that they were talking. Justine was enjoying it too—it actually felt good just to talk and to not keep working out how to turn on the charm.

  “I don’t watch much TV. I do like to dance, though. They have two dance floors here, you know. The music will start up soon, actually,” she said, glancing at her watch.

  “Hm, I haven’t danced in years,” Alex said with that wonderful smile again. “I’m not sure I’d remember how to.”

  “I’d be happy to remind you.” Justine just caught herself from adding a hint of flirty teasing to her words—that was the sort of comment she would have used to full advantage before. But not tonight.

  She breathed out as she sat back and listened to Sonia and Sylvie talking about a movie they’d both seen recently. Alex joined in the discussion, but just before she did, she and Justine shared a moment, a brief smile that held…something. Justine wasn’t sure what, but it felt very different from anything she’d had since Nadia.

  It felt good. Really good. But also a little…scary.

  Chapter 7

  Chatting with Justine was making Alex feel good in ways she wasn’t entirely comfortable with. She admonished herself for responding to it so…hungrily. Justine wasn’t giving her any signals that this was anything but a nice, friendly chat between new acquaintances, so she needed to calm down. It was…flattering, in a way. Justine seemed genuinely interested in her as a person, as someone of interest. But Alex couldn’t quite relax in her presence and she wasn’t sure why.