She sighs. “I knew this day would come. I hoped it wouldn’t be so soon. You’re too good for this place, though. I’ll give you a good recommendation,” she says.
“Thank you,” I tell her, “and I’ll take you up on it … one day. For now I want to do something different.”
She smiles. “I can understand. I wish you all the luck, Sloane. You’re very talented.”
“Thanks, April. I’ll get my stuff out of your way.”
“Take your time,” she says and then goes back to her clacking.
When I come out of April’s office, Lyndi comes up to me, and says, “You’re quitting, aren’t you?”
Jesus Christ, did April announce it over a loud speaker the second I closed the door? Well, obviously not or I wouldn’t heard it. So, how?
“Yeah,” I say puzzled. “How did you know?”
“It’s written all over your face.”
“I’m going to miss you,” I tell her honestly.
“This isn’t goodbye,” says Lyndi. “We’ll still see each other. Maybe do lunch one day?” she suggests. “We’ll still be friends no matter where you work.”
“That would be great,” I say honestly. I don’t want to lose my friend. It took me too long to make one and I’ve learned how important friendship is.
She goes back to her little cubicle but leans over the partition to talk to me while I pack up my stuff, there isn’t much. I’ve never been the type to clutter my work space.
“How was it seeing your mom?” she asks.
“It was great. She drives me nuts but at least she makes me laugh. She set me up on a date,” I admit.
Lyndi laughs. “I bet you loved that,” she says sarcastically.
“You know it. I went kicking and screaming the whole way. I think she now understands how much I love Siva; so I guess it was worth the torment.” I shrug. “Actually, Nate was a great guy. You two would be perfect for each other except for the whole distance thing,” I say, clearing out my desk.
Lyndi giggles. “I’ve dated practically all the male population of London. I doubt one guy from America is going to tame my wild heart.”
“You never know,” I sing-song.
“That’s true,” she agrees, looking away lost in her thoughts.
I dump a pack of pencils into the box. Realizing it’s the last of it I look into the box to see what I have. Pencils, notebooks, pens, an eraser. It’s pathetically little to have collected as long as I have been here.
I pull out my phone and call Siva.
“Sloane? Are you okay?” he asks. I hardly ever called him and he always freaks out when I do. No doubt, he remembers the night at the bar with Mac.
“I’m fine, Siva.” I laugh in an amused tone. “I was wondering if someone could pick up my belongings from work. I want to walk around for a bit and then I’ll take a taxi home.”
“Yeah,” he says quickly. “I’ll send someone.”
“Thanks.”
“So you really did it? You quit?”
“I did,” I say. I can’t wipe the stupid grin off my face. This feels right.
I can feel his smile over the phone.
“I’ll see you later,” he says.
“Bye,” I reply and hang up.
“You’ve got that dreamy, drool running out of the side of your mouth face,” comments Lyndi.
“It’s called being in love. It’ll happen to you one day,” I warn her.
“Yuck,” she gags. “I can’t be tamed. I’m a wild flower. Wild and free.”
“Wild flowers are never alone,” I remind her with a laugh. “I better go,” I add, “before April thinks I changed my mind.”
Lyndi smiles. “Don’t forget to call me.”
“I won’t,” I promise.
***
The sounds of the outside world bombard me. The taxis, the people chatting on their phones, the click-clack-clacking of heels. I smile. It’s nice to be free. I rarely ever get to experience this time of day in London and definitely never during the work week.
I walk down the street wandering. I go in and out of odd little shops I’ve seen but never had the time to venture into. I walk a couple more blocks before entering a unique little bookstore. Every surface seems to be covered with books. The walls, the floor, every available space is littered with them. A huge oriental rug covers the floor and the walls are painted hot pink and cobalt blue. The books range from newly released, to obviously very old copies, some maybe even hundreds of years old. String lights hang from the ceiling creating a tent like atmosphere. The smell of old books is dulled by the smell of fresh coffee being made. I have to tiptoe around the stacks of books to make sure I don’t knock any over. Suddenly, a ball of golden brown and black hair comes running at me. A pink tongue flicks out at me.
“Astor!” cries a voice from the back.
I bend down to the dog offering my hand for him to sniff. He must deem me worthy because his pink tongue licks my hand leaving behind a slobbery wet spot. I laugh and scratch the dog behind his ears.
“Astor,” scolds a woman coming from a back room. I stand up to greet her.
She’s pretty, probably around nineteen, and her shoulder-length hair is hot pink.
“I’m so sorry about him,” she says grabbing the dog by the collar. “Bad Astor,” she scolds.
“It’s okay,” I say. Just then, a ball of gray fur jumps down from somewhere onto the counter behind me and hisses.
The girl sighs. “And this is Ruby. I’m not going to even bother apologizing for her behavior. She’s a bitch through and through.”
I turn around and glance at the Persian. Her green eyes are narrowed at me and she hisses again. I jump away.
The girl sighs. “She’s like that with everyone. She only likes my great-grandma. Two of a kind,” she mutters.
“Are you talking about me, child?” calls a gravelly voice, and a moment later and old, stooped over woman, appears.
“Of course not, Grannie,” says the girl, giving me a conspiratorial smile.
The older woman is … old. She looks about ninety-five. Her face is wrinkled and her hands are covered in liver spots. Her gray hair is wispy around her skull, barely covering it. She uses a cane to get around. But her smile is kind and her pale blue eyes sparkle with laughter. She comes up to me and pats my cheek in only the way a grandma can and get away with it.
“Hello, child,” she says in her crackly voice. “I’m Alice and this disgrace here is Mae, my great-granddaughter.” She smiles at Mae fondly and you can see how much she loves her great-granddaughter and the joking banter between the two is cute. Mae rolls her eyes playfully.
Mae looks over at me. “Grannie thinks the pink is too much,” she says and fluffs her hair.
Alice glances at me. “The carpet must match the drapes,” she chortles.
I laugh too. “I love your store,” I remark. “It’s absolutely lovely.”
“This old place?” asks Alice.
“Yeah, it’s great.”
Alice tsks. “You need better taste, girl.”
“You aren’t hiring by any chance, are you?” I inquire.
Alice looks me up and down. “I wasn’t but … well an old woman needs a break. You look like a hard worker. When can you start?”
“Now?”
Her smile lights her face. “Great! Mae show—what’s your name?”
“Sloane,” I answer.
“Show Sloane how to work the register and espresso machine.”
“Okay, Grannie. Do you need help to the back?” Mae puts out a helping hand but Alice bats it away.
“I’ll get back there like I got out here; on my own two feet,” Alice harrumphs and then shuffles away.
“She’s a spit-fire,” I say.
Mae laughs. “She’s a pistol all right. Come on.” She motions with her head behind the counter. “This is the register.” She points to an antique monstrous contraption. “It’s intimidating, I know,” she warns, upon seeing my face. “
But fortunately it’s not hard to work.” She goes through the instructions and then leads me to a back room where an equally intimidating espresso machine sits with a cluster of odd little coffee cups around it.
“We always offer our customers a complimentary cup of coffee,” she says and shrugs. “Grannie says it’s called hospitality. When I remind her this is a store and not a house she turns her nose up at me.” Mae’s blue eyes sparkle. They’re a shade darker than Alice’s. Mae runs through the instructions and then says, “If you ever forget they’re written down here. Just don’t tell Grannie.” She giggles.
“No problem,” I say with a chuckle. I have no doubt Alice would lose her mind if she knew Mae had written down instructions.
“Think you can man the front? I’m trying to help Grannie with some paperwork.” Her voice is soft but with a husky undertone to it.
“I’ve got it.”
“Great,” she chimes with a smile and claps her hands. “If you need me holler. Come on, Astor,” she calls to the dog. The wheaten terrier looks longingly at me and then trots after Mae. I take my post at the register where Ruby resides on the counter. She promptly turns her green eyes on me and hisses. I know we’re going to be great friends.
***
A part of me can’t believe I quit my job at Avid News and the other part of me is ecstatic to be doing something different. Mae and Alice are great and make me laugh. They’re so accepting of me. I feel like a part of their family and I only met them hours ago. We’re practically strangers. I’m helping Mae and Alice close the store when my phone rings. I pull it out of my pocket. Siva.
“Go ahead and get it, dear,” says Alice.
“Thanks,” I tell her. “Siva?” I answer the phone.
“Sloane, where are you? Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you,” he rambles into the phone. “You said you were going to walk for a while but it’s been hours.”
“Slow down. I’m fine,” I say in a calming tone. “I got a job actually,” I explain and tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry I worried you. I should’ve let you know. That was silly of me.”
“That was fast. Where’d you get a job?”
“Callahan’s Books,” I answer.
“I have no idea where it is but I’m coming to get you. Don’t you dare get in a taxi,” he warns and his tone leaves no room for argument.
I rattle off the address and he promises to be here soon.
I sigh and turn to Mae and Alice. Alice is grinning at me. “Is that your young man?”
I laugh. “My very protective man.”
“My Willie was like that. Bless his soul,” she says, making the sign of the cross. She turns to Mae. “Let’s wait for Sloane’s young lad to get here before we go. I hate for her to be waiting here by herself.” She pats Mae’s hand.
Mae rolls her eyes and flicks a wild pink strand from her face. “Grannie just wants to see him,” she tells me. “She likes them young.”
“I do not,” says Alice and stomps on Mae’s foot.
“Ow,” Mae blurts and rubs her foot. “That hurt, you crazy old fool.”
“You can go on. I’m fine,” I tell them.
Alice looks sternly at me. “Nonsense, child.”
Mae gives me a look. “There’s no point in arguing with her. She’s a stubborn thing.”
“You’ve got that right,” Alice pipes up.
I laugh at them. They’re quite the duo and are going to make work enjoyable.
Fifteen or so minutes later Siva pulls up to the curb. Alice and Mae shuffle outside to see him.
“Mae, Alice, this is Siva. Siva, this is Mae and Alice.” I point to everyone.
“Nice to meet you,” he says.
Mae looks mesmerized. Alice looks Siva up and down and says, “You be good to our girl, now.”
“I wouldn’t be any other way.”
Alice glances at me approvingly. “You did good.”
I laugh.
“Now if only Mae could find a nice young man,” she comments.
“Grannie!” cries Mae.
Siva chuckles. “Well, it was nice to meet you ladies.” He kisses their hands and I swear they both swoon.
“I’ll see you guys tomorrow!” I call as they start down the street.
Siva gets the car door for me. He’s chuckling as he climbs in the driver’s side.
“What?” I ask.
He chuckles some more. “Only you could find a job an hour after quitting another.”
I join his laughter. “It was kind of an on the site decision. They weren’t even hiring.”
His laughter booms. “That makes it even better.”
“You’re in a good mood,” I comment. “Does this have anything to do with your mysterious plans?” I ask, using air quotes.
He chuckles. “Maybe.”
“Should I change for these plans?”
“No,” he says and I see then he’s dressed similarly. Jeans and a black sweater.
He drives through central London and comes to a stop in front of a fancy hotel. The parking attendant opens my door. Siva hands him the keys and then takes my hand.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he leads me into the hotel.
“Dinner,” he explains, and turns left into the hotel’s restaurant.
“Siva,” I say warningly. “This place probably costs an arm and a leg.”
“It’s fine,” he tells me. “Don’t ruin this night for me.” His violet eyes flash in playful warning for me to be on my best behavior.
“Name?” asks the hostess.
“Reservation for two under the name Kapur.”
“Right this way, sir.” The hostess grabs two menus and leads us to a private back room. Everything is done in black, gold, and cream. Before the hostess leaves, Siva orders a bottle of wine.
We sit across from each other and Siva smiles at me. It’s one of his rare blinding smiles. “Do try and enjoy yourself.”
“I am,” I say.
“You look like you swallowed something sour.”
I smile. “It seems a bit much,” I comment, looking around.
“Nothing is ever too much for you,” he says softly.
A waiter comes to get our order. We both order a steak costing three times what it should.
Siva takes my hand from where it rests on the table. His fingers gently massage my knuckles. I downcast my eyes. I can’t meet his intense violet-eyed stare. It’s too much.
“Come here,” he pleads.
“Why?” I smile slightly.
“Because I want you to.”
I stand and he pulls me down into his lap. His fingers tangle in my hair. He guides my mouth down to meet his. His mouth is warm against mine and clouds my senses. When Siva kisses me I can’t think. It’s like my brain decides to up and leave whenever his lips touch mine. My heartbeat speeds up. Finally, I back away breathless.
“Siva,” I gasp on a breath, “what if someone comes in?”
He laughs warmly. “Then they’ll see me kissing a beautiful woman.” He glances at the table. “Looks like they already did.”
I look behind me at the table. Our food has been brought and I didn’t even notice anyone coming or going. That’s what Siva’s kisses do to me.
I crawl out of his lap as dignified as I can. He chuckles and wipes lip-gloss from his mouth.
“Laugh while you can,” I warn him.
“Oh, I am,” he said. “Wine?” He asks with a knowing smirk.
“I think you know the answer,” I say sarcastically. He laughs and pours himself a glass.
We eat in silence, stealing glances at one another, and as the evening progresses Siva seems to become more and more nervous. He keeps clearing his throat and tugging on his sweater. He pays for the meal and clears his throat once more.
“Fancy a walk?”
“It’s kind of chilly but yeah,” I agree. “A walk would be nice.”
“Good,” he says and seems relieved.
He takes my
hand and leads me from the restaurant out of the hotel. We walk across the street to Hyde Park. The night is nippy and the stars shine brightly. It’s an oddly cloudless evening. The moon is nothing but a crescent. He leads me deeper into the park. Lights are spaced at intervals marking the path. Despite the chilly air Siva’s palm is sweating in mine.
“Siva, where are we going?” I ask.
“Almost there,” he says, his voice higher than normal. “Almost.”
He stops in front of the Serpentine; a lake in the middle of the park.
“Sloane, I know we haven’t known each other long,” he says, taking both of my hands, “and I know at times I’ve been a complete arse to you.” HIs lips quirk, the scar flashing in the moonlight. “But I love you. I never thought I would say that to anyone. But you’ve bewitched me, captured my heart, tamed the beast. Take your pick. You’ve melted my frozen heart and I want the world to know you’re mine. I never thought I could love anyone but then I met you and I find myself wanting things I’ve never wanted before. I want you to be mine forever.” He pulls a small dark box from his pocket and gets down on one knee.
“Oh, God,” I blurt. “Oh, my God.” Tears begin to leak out of my eyes. “Siva,” I gasp. To say I’m shocked is an understatement. I didn’t expect this at all.
He takes my hands in his. “Sloane,” he says, and his voice is thick like he’s trying to hold back his own tears. “Please say you’ll be my wife?”
The tears fall relentlessly down my face. My heart feels like it may burst from happiness and excitement. I love this man more than I ever believed it was possible to love someone. But I can’t find the words to answer him. My throat has closed up.
“Sloane?” he asks, nerves making his voice sound strange. “Will you be my wife?” he asks the question again, looking unsure now.
I swallow around the large lump in my throat.
“Yes,” I finally manage to breathe out.
He stands and his arms wrap around me. He twirls me and I squeal like a little girl. He kisses my cheeks, my forehead, my hair, my eyelids, and finally my lips. He lowers me to the ground and deepens the kiss. He pulls away and puts his forehead against mine, which is difficult with the height difference. “I wasn’t sure you were going to say yes,” he admits.
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