Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Astrid
“I can’t sell that one.” Eloise levels a finger in the air in my direction. “It looks too good on you, Astrid.”
I won’t argue with her.
The light green sweater I’m wearing fits me like a glove. It also happens to be the same shade as my eyes.
It looks amazing with the ripped, dark wash jeans and brown boots I’m wearing.
Eloise and I are wrapping up an impromptu photo shoot.
Vinyl Crush closed a little less than an hour ago.
Eloise showed up at my apartment with a cheeseburger and fries that we shared.
Now, we’re in the store using the record stands as a backdrop for the photos my cousin is snapping of her latest creations.
The first sweater was gray with a white stripe running around the shoulders. After Eloise took a bunch of pictures of me in that, I ducked into a corner and changed into the second one. It was a cropped light blue cardigan with a rainbow pattern knitted on the back of it.
This light green one is by far my absolute favorite.
“I’ll buy it from you,” I offer.
Letting out a soft chuckle, Eloise shakes her head. “Nope.”
“I want to,” I insist. “Your sweaters usually run around one fifty, right?”
She nods. “I’m not taking one hundred and fifty of your dollars for that sweater, Astrid.”
“Two hundred then.” I smile.
She laughs. “No. Zero dollars and zero cents.”
“Please.” I lower my voice. “I want to pay for it, Eloise.”
I see her resistance melting away as she stares at me. “You’re not paying my usual price. I can’t take that much money from you.”
She can, and I wish she would.
I’ve offered to help Eloise since my mom died and left me some money, but she refuses it. I know it would benefit her greatly if she could live alone since she’s always complaining about her roommates, but Eloise is determined to stick it out until after she graduates.
“How about one twenty five?”
She laughs. “No, Astrid. You can pay me for the cost of the yarn.”
I join in with laughter too. “That doesn’t work for me. Let’s split the difference and go with one hundred dollars.”
She nods. “I can live with that.”
I can too. I feel good knowing that I’m putting something in her hand for all the hard work she put into knitting the sweater.
“Now that we’ve settled that, let’s talk about Hot Dad.”
“Let’s not,” I snap.
I’ve been slightly disappointed that I haven’t seen Berk in almost a week.
I don’t expect him to make daily trips to Vinyl Crush, but with each day that passes, I’m left wondering if once he was completely sober, he realized that I tried to make a move on him, and he’s decided our blossoming friendship needs to end.
“You been busking the last few mornings,” she points out. “Are you telling me he didn’t stop in to be serenaded by the woman who is dying to kiss him?”
I jerk my thumb toward my chest. “Are you referring to me?”
Nodding, she smiles. “You and only you, dear cousin.”
I drop both hands to my hips. “I’ll have you know that I’m not dying to kiss anyone. I got caught up in the moment and leaned in to test the waters.”
“And he swam right by.” She moves her arms as if she’s swimming the breaststroke.
Hearty laughter bubbles out of me. “Thanks for the reminder, Eloise.”
“So maybe Hot Dad isn’t the one for you.” She winks. “There is a man somewhere in Manhattan dreaming about kissing a woman just like you. All we have to do is find him.”
I point at the locked door of the store. “You can head out on that search alone.”
“If you come with me, I’ll treat you to a glass of lemonade with a little splash of gin in it.” Her brows lift. “I did just make a cool hundred bucks on a sweater.”
Shaking my head, I smile. “One drink and I’m buying, but only if you promise you won’t try and set me up with anyone.”
She studies me for a second. “I can live with that. Let’s go.”
Eloise led me straight to the same bar I went to with Berk last week.
Tonight there are a lot more people. I suspect that has to do with the fact that there’s a hockey game on every big screen TV.
Just as we’re taking our seats, the room erupts in cheers and applause when a goal is scored.
Eloise glances around as she settles in a chair at a table in the middle of all the action. “We just walked into man central.”
My gaze darts to the left and then the right. I spot a few women, but she’s right. The majority of the patrons are men. “We can go somewhere else.”
“No way in hell.” She laughs as she slips out of her jacket. “We both need a drink, and being hit on is always fun.”
I follow her lead and take off my jacket, placing it on one of the vacant chairs at our table. “What makes you think we’re going to be hit on?”
Her gaze drifts to something beyond my shoulder. “The gorgeous guy coming our way.”
I don’t bother to steal a glance because I hear him clearing his throat before he’s suddenly standing next to our table.
Eloise glances up at him. “Hi.”
I look up to find an attractive man wearing jeans and a hockey jersey. His blond hair is a mess, but it somehow makes him cuter than he might be if he had styled it into place.
“Hello, beautiful ladies.” He extends a hand into the air in front of him. “I’m here to buy you both a drink.”
Eloise grabs his hand and gives it a soft shake. “I’m Eloise, and this is my cousin…”
“We’re good here,” I interrupt her. “You don’t need to buy either of us a drink.”
“But he wants to.” Eloise stares at me while still holding tightly to the guy’s hand. “I, for one, appreciate the gesture. It tells me that he’s a gentleman.”
It tells me that he wants inside Eloise’s panties.
I glance up to find him staring at her.
“I’ll have a cosmopolitan,” Eloise says before she looks in my direction. “Astrid will have a lemonade and gin.”
Shaking my head, I smile. There is no way out of this now. This guy, and likely a friend or two of his, will sit down at our table and spend the next hour trying to charm us into some late night fun.
“Let me grab those drinks and my friend.” He looks to the left before he waves his hand in the air, summoning someone to come over. “I’m Heath.”
Eloise finally lets go of him. “It’s nice to meet you, Heath. Thank you for the drinks. We both appreciate it.”
She appreciates it more than I do, but I nod along in agreement because I can tell that Eloise is attracted to him.
I won’t be going home with anyone tonight, but there’s no harm in a little small talk and one drink.