Chapter 24 #3
“Would you like a drink?’ Rue asks as she walks me over to the table at the back of the shop. My books are scattered around on what looks like makeshift bookshelves and my heart throbs inside my chest.
“Whatever you’re having,” I suggest, not wanting her to go out her way when she’s made such a big deal for me.
“I devoured these stories,” she gushes.
My cheeks burn. “I’m glad you enjoyed them.” My voice trails off as I look around the shop again.
This is a real pinch me moment. I would love to call my parents, tell them this was happening because this is a huge deal. But I won’t, because they don’t care. They don’t see this as a real job.
I ignore the way the blood rushes to my ears, anger biting at the base of my neck.
“Wine okay?’ Rue pulls me from my thoughts and I nod, giving her a smile.
“Wine is perfect,” Edel chimes in, placing her bag on the floor next to Rue’s counter.
“Okay, I’ll go get a bottle or two. Doors open at four, so we have a bit of chill time before people turn up,” she says in a blasé way as she grabs her phone, keys and bag.
I swallow down the nerves. “What if no one comes?” I have to ask for my own peace of mind.
“Then we get drunk.” Rue smirks at me and my stomach drops. “Only kidding, doll, the event is sold out.”
I blink at her. Sold out.
“Yup.” She must read my expression. “So, no worries about that, anyway. I’ll be back in five.” She winks at me and disappears out of the shop, the twinkling of the bell filling the quiet.
“Holy shit,” Edel whispers, her hands pressed to her cheeks.
“This can’t be real. Who would come all this way to see me?” My fingers pinch at the skin on my arm.
“Babe, you’re a big deal.” She glares at me as if I should know this. “Your socials have rocketed; you said your sales were up…” She pauses. “Or are you lying?”
I shake my head. “Not lying, just haven’t been checking. Maybe that’s why Maria keeps calling me… I don’t know, I’ve been ignoring her.” I cover my face with my hand.
“Why? Athena…” She trails off and steps closer to me. “This is all you’ve ever dreamed of, and now, look around you…” She follows my gaze. “It’s all coming true, babe, accept it, claim it, do whatever you need to do.”
My bottom lip trembles.
“This is happening, and there has never been a more deserving person than you.”
A tear trails down my cheek. I launch myself into her as she wraps her arms around my body.
“Believe it, Athena, you’re living the life you always wanted.”
I nod, refusing to cry and ruin my makeup.
The bell above the door rings. “Oh my goodness, what’s happened?” Rue’s voice fills the room, and I laugh in Edel’s arms.
“Nothing, she got a little overwhelmed,” Edel speaks for me as I step back and run my ring fingers under my eyes.
“Good overwhelmed, I hope.” Rue raises a perfectly raised brow as she places two bottles of white on her counter.
I nod; I don’t want to tell her that there are a few more emotions that are floating around inside of me.
“Don’t sweat it, it’s going to be epic.” She dumps her bag behind the counter then disappears for just a second, returning with three wine glasses.
“God, I need this,” Edel admits. “I feel like my feet haven’t touched the ground since I landed.” She laughs softly, her fingers wrapped around the stem of her glass as Rue unscrews the lid and begins to pour.
“Oh, wow, you landed today?”
Edel nods, thanking Rue then dragging her glass towards her and taking a sip. “Yup, it’s been go, go, go ever since.”
I pad towards the girls, who are chatting like they’re two old friends catching up after months of not seeing each other. Rue smiles at me, sliding my wine across the counter and I thank her as I bring it to my lips and take a mouthful.
“That’s yum.” I lick my lips and take another mouthful. “It definitely is helping settle the nerves,”
“No need for nerves. It’s going to be great, you’re going to be awesome.” She winks at me just as the bell sounds. All three of us turn around to see Nora and Ana?s walk in.
“Well, hello girls.” Ana?s beams, holding a bottle of champagne in her hand, Nora follows next to her.
“Seems they’ve started without us.” Nora pouts, waving hi to Edel again.
“Ana?s,” I say, “this is Edel.”
They greet each other, warm smiles all around the room.
“Now this is a girl gang.” Rue nods, looking slightly misty eyed. “Wine?” she chimes before disappearing and grabbing another two glasses.
Ana?s is next to me, her arm wrapped around my shoulder as she leans her lips closer to my ear. “Don’t worry about Royce, he goes like this sometimes.”
It takes me a second to realise why she is trying to reassure me. Then it clicks. She dated him. I nod.
“He spooks like a horse bolting from a racing gate. He can’t help it. He’ll come around.” She gives me a soft smile.
I ignore the sting behind my eyes. I hate that he has made me feel like this.
Rue returns with two extra glasses and tops up Nora and Ana?s glasses.
“So, how do you all know each other?” Edel asks, her eyes bouncing between the three girls.
Ana?s looks to Rue, Rue to Nora, Nora to Ana?s. It seems Ana?s takes the lead.
“Okay, so last year, I ended up in Monaco,” she gushes, flicking her red hair over her shoulder.
She looks cute dressed in a tweed navy two-piece, a white bodysuit, and cream wedged heels.
Her hair styled in soft waves. “Nora, who I have known for most of my life”—she looks to her best friend—“booked me an apartment here after a very public breakup.” She winces before her eyes slice to me.
I roll my lips, eyes darting to Edel who is already looking at me.
“I didn’t know anyone, it wasn’t racing season and due to the mess, Nora had to stay home to fix it.”
“Still trying,” she mutters as she tips her head back and takes a large mouthful.
“What she didn’t mention, though, was that it was Royce’s dad’s apartment she’d booked.”
“Penthouse.” Rue coughs, tapping her finger on her glass.
“Penthouse.” Ana?s rolls her eyes. “Anyway, on one of my lonely mornings, I made my way down to the market and a quaint alley caught my attention. Wandering, I found this idyllic bookshop.”
“You’re not writing a review.” Nora snorts and Ana?s laughs.
“That’s where I met the beautiful Rue.” She blinks her glassy eyes to her friend.
Rue flutters her lashes, smiling as she places her hand under her chin.
“Then jealous Nora turned up because she was worried I had replaced her.” Ana?s laughed loudly knowing full well that she was going to get a reaction.
“Erm, excuse me.” Nora stamps her foot on the floor. “You begged me to come out.”
Ana?s looks at her all wide eyed. “Did I?” she smirks
“Sort of.” Nora looks away.
“Anyway, we met because Nora booked me into my ex-boyfriend's dad’s penthouse, and what a wonderful fuck up that was.” Ana?s scrunches her nose.
Rue and Nora are constantly beaming.
“I love that,” Edel says, finishing her wine off. “So, what happened with the dad?”
Ana?s holds her left hand up. “We got married.”
“No way!” Edel’s mouth pops open.
“Yup, I know it’s fast, but when you know, you know, right?” She lifts a shoulder.
“Totally.” Nora nods.
“How did Royce take it?” Edel continues, and I don’t know why but it’s making me feel awkward.
“Pretty well. I mean, he was angry at first, but he accepted it. I think it was because he always knew I wasn’t his person…” Her eyes flick over to me and I drop mine. My heart gallops in my chest like a wild horse.
“Drink?” Edel changes the subject swiftly and Rue fills her glass.
“What’s the game plan?” Ana?s asks, her fingers drumming on Rue’s counter.
“Signing starts in just over an hour, then I’m thinking why don’t we go for food? We can use Creed’s yacht,” Rue suggests and Nora looks at her confused.
“He lost his yacht in a bet, didn’t he?” Ana?s words float through the bookstore.
“A bet?” I ask.
“Yeah, he was adamant nothing was going to happen between him and Ana?s. He was so sure that he bet his yacht… and yeah, I think you know what happened.” Nora smirks.
“He bought a new one,” Ana?s mutters. “Actually, two.” She furrows her brows.
“Of course he did.” Rue sighs, rolling her eyes. “I need to find myself a billionaire.”
“Get hunting, plenty will be flocking the streets of Monaco this weekend.” Nora winks.
“Ha, wouldn’t get that lucky.” I watch as her expression changes.
“Never say never,” Nora shrugs, finishing her glass.
“Do we have to do anything or is everything set to go?” Ana?s asks looking around her friend’s shop.
“Everything is all set,” Rue mutters, opening the fresh bottle of wine.
“Are you all set?” Ana?s turns to me and I swallow.
“I think so. I’ve never done anything like this before,” I admit, nerves making themselves known in the depths of my stomach.
“It’s going be amazing.” Ana?s claps her hands together. “I’ve read a couple and have been hooked.”
I shrink back.
“I can’t wait to read the new one. How is it coming along?” she asks, twisting her body towards me as she takes a sip of her wine.
I mirror her move. “Slow, but words are flowing,” I admit, giving a curt nod.
“Has Royce been helpful?”
The sound of Edel choking on air has me glaring at her, my whole body slowly burning from inside out and I swear I’ve turned red. Nora swings her face to look at me and I try and act normal.
“Yes, very.” I take another mouthful of wine. “I had no clue about all the terms and things when I first arrived.”
Edel is still trying to catch her breath. Rue gives her a concerned look, but she waves her off, sneaking away.
“Is that so?” Nora raises a brow.
“Yes, late night chats and letting me follow him around like a lost puppy.” I laugh at how pathetic I am. “Honestly. Superstar,” I squeeze out then drain the rest of my glass.
“I’m glad.” Ana?s gives a soft smile, completely unaware of what is going on around us.
Nora knows. Of course she does. She knows something has happened.
Edel waltzes back into the room, her chin lifted slightly.
“What did you choke on?” Nora asks.
“Air it seems.” She shakes her head, one shoulder lifting in a shrug then takes a mouthful of her wine.
“Champagne now or after?” Rue swoops in and I wait for someone else to answer.
“Fuck it, pop it now.” Nora claps before the sound of the cork being popped fills the room, the bubbles spilling over causing us all to laugh.
My eyes lift to the large clock on the wall. It’s not long until this meet and greet and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. Slipping my phone from my bag, I finally allow myself to look at his message from a while back. My lips pull into a smile.
Fuck, you look beautiful. X
I reply with a question mark.
His response:
I never got a chance to tell you before you left. I did come by your room, but you had already left. Didn’t want to miss my shot x
Just like that, my heart beats in a way it never has before, and it’s all because of him.