Chapter 2
« May I help you ? »
« No thank you » replies the stranger with a soft voice by throwing a look over the top of her glasses. Her black eyes pierce me as a shiver runs down my spine. I quickly look away, dive back into the papers on my desk.
She left her fingers hanging along the books on the shelf, as if she was caressing them with the tips of her hands. My eyes were hypnotized by her thin fingers running over the edge of my books.
Suddenly, my gaze was captured by something much less pleasant, in the left corner of my field of vision was the monitoring screen of my camera, a man in the back of my shop allowed himself to put a book under a side of his jacket, thinking he could steal it from me.
« Excuse me » I said as I approached him. « You see this » I tell him while pointing my index finger at the ceiling to show him the small sphere serving as a surveillance camera. « I saw you put a book in your jacket »
« I didn't put anything in my jacket » replies the man without much conviction and a little shy.
« Are you sure ? » I asked
« No » he breathed after a little latency.
I decided to give him another chance, I didn't want to fight and have to call the police.
« We're going to pretend I didn't see anything, I'm going to turn my back and you're going to gently put the book back where you found it, okay ? » It was a rhetorical question, I didn't expect an answer. I turned on my heels as the man put the book away.
As I turned towards the entrance, I saw the brunette who was quietly waiting for me at the checkout. She seemed to have set her sights on a book about Canada.
« Sorry about that » I said, knowing full well that she must have seen the whole previous scene. It made me a little uncomfortable.
« No it is good. I wanted to steal one, but now I’ve changed my mind » she says, looking up at me with a light smile.
A nervous laugh comes out of my mouth as she looks at me. The nonverbal exchange lasts a few seconds before the man who tried to steal me previously approaches the exit and stops in front of the pretty brunette.
« Could I have an autograph ? » he asks while handing her a paper
« Of course » answers the brunette while grasping the paper and looking for a pencil in her bag.
I’m still puzzled by this scene. Why ask this woman for an autograph in my bookstore ? And especially why does it not seem to surprise her ? Is she used to it ? She seems used to this request.
Who the hell is this gorgeous young brunette ?
Why is her face not so unfamiliar to me ?
The man ended up going out with his request and having tried to give her his mobile number.
Stupid – I thought.
« Sorry about that » she said, echoing my sentence from a few minutes earlier.
« It’s good » I said with a slight smile. I feel her gaze fixed on me, I feel that she gauges me then gives me a big smile while supporting her gaze. I feel myself blushing at sight.
I grope around trying to find her bag with the book so I can give it to her and try to regain some capacity.
« Here, don't forget it » I give her her purchase, her fingers brush mine when she grabs her bag. I feel the soft warmth of her fingers on my hand. I quickly drop the bag as if I had just been hit by the electricity.
« Thank you » said the mysterious brunette before turning on her heels.
« Pleasure » I breathed
I watch her walk out still wondering – who is this mysterious pretty brunette I've never seen here before ?
The door closes behind her.
Lost in my thoughts, I did not see Alice enter the bookstore, two freshly bought teas at the corner of the street a little further in the hands.
« Hi Tina » she says jovially with a big smile
« Hi Al » I replied while trying to hide the confusion that still lives in me.
She hands me my tea, which I take with pleasure as she begins to talk about her date the night before with a certain Tasha she met in a bar one evening last week. Alice has always been talkative and likes to tell everything that happens in her life, a bit the opposite of me who sometimes follows a fairly secretive person.
I quickly understand that she has a big crush on this girl. She swallows her tea in one gulp once the display of her life is over.
« Do you want another one » I asked Al
« Yes why not »
« You keep the bookstore for me ? I'll be right back » I said as I walked through the door of my shop.
I quickly bought two more drinks a little further down the street. I linger in front of the press when suddenly her face hits me head-on. The woman on the cover was the same one who stood a few minutes before in my bookstore.
Bette Porter. The actrice.
How could I not recognize this bronze skin beauty ?
Bette Porter.
On the way back, a little lost in my thoughts I did not pay attention and I hit someone head-on, spilling all of one of the teas on her white top.
« Shit. Sorry, I'm really really sorry, I.. I was in the moon and I wasn't looking.. » I was talking fast and it was when I looked up after picking up the cup of tea from the floor that I recognized her, the stranger in my library, Bette.
She had her white shirt completely stained and tinted brownish from the tea. I casually grabbed a paper napkin that came with the drink and approached the brunette.
« Wait let me try to help you » I said, reaching out my hand to try and wipe away the damage as best I could.
« Don't put your hands on me » she said giggling as she moved away from my touch.
« I’m sorry, I live a two steps from here, I have soap and water, you can clean them up » I said naturally and really embarrassed by the situation.
She looks at me, suspicious. « What do you mean by ‘two steps away ?’ »
« I literally live right here » I was showing her the blue door.
She takes the time to think and then finally follows me home.
The house was a mess. I was picking up Shane’s stranded clothes from the lobby while she was walking behind me.
« The bathroom is upstairs on the left, go ahead, make yourself at home » I point to the stairs. She went up.
I took the opportunity to roughly clean the table and clear the sink where a lot of dirty dishes were piled up. I tried as best as possible to « hide the misery ».
I was leaning on the table when I heard footsteps on the stairs telling me she was coming down.
She had completely changed and was now wearing a black, tight mid-length skirt and a crop top revealing her toned belly. Her abs were drawn. She still wore her sunglasses, as if they were anchored in her.
This woman is perfection – I thought.
« Would you like a coffee ? » I asked her while clearing my throat to find some reason
« No »
« Maybe an orange juice ? »
« No »
« A cup of tea ? »
She arched an eyebrow. Considering the incident I mentally hit myself
« No actually, bad idea » I replied in stride.
As I walked towards the fridge, I tried to keep what little container I had left. I could feel her gaze on me. I was troubled.
« I can offer water or one of these super-sweet sodas that are very bad for your health but that the manufacturers absolutely want to sell us pretending it’s good ? »
« No » she replied with a slight smile.
« Do you always say 'no' to everything ? » I asked to teas her.
After a pause she replied « No » smiling.
« I'm going to go » she throws me while still looking at me.
« Of course » I said. I walked her to the front door.
« Well ; it was nice to meet you. Surreal but nice » I said, a little shy.
She smiled at me then glanced at the door, I leaned over to open it and then she disappeared into the noise of the street.
« Surreal but nice, what's wrong with you Kennard ? » I said to myself.
As I walked up the few steps to the entrance, the doorbell rang.
I opened and found myself again facing the brunette.
« I forgot one of my bags » she told me
« Oh sure, I'll get it for you » I said, already on my way to pick up the bag in question, put it on one of the chairs.
« Thank you » she breathed, taking the bag I held out to her.
She looks at me, a dark look, as before. I'm drowning in her eyes as I feel them softly deviate on my lips. Or maybe I'm dreaming.
No I'm not dreaming.
She takes a step forward and puts her free hand behind my neck as her head tilts towards me. Her lips tenderly come to rest on mine, the contact is soft, warm, enveloping. I close my eyes savoring the spontaneity of the kiss. She does not withdraw immediately and I do not dare to move for fear of breaking this moment of intimacy. I feel my heart pounding in my chest as I sigh with pleasure in the kiss.
She pulls away slowly. We stay for a few seconds, our faces close to each other, I can feel her hot, rapid breath, then slowly she moves away, the warmth of her lips gives way to the coldness of the emptiness they leave behind.
I flutter my eyes before opening them completely and once again dive into the beautiful brunette's gaze. Bette Porter, the movie star.
I give her a slight questioning look but feeling that she is panicking a little I quickly recovered
« And sorry for the 'surreal but nice' it was really bad » I said, not going back to the exchange that had just taken place.
« The part about the sodas and the manufacturers was more so » she replies while laughing lightly.
A sound of keys in the lock is heard breaking the moment. Shane.
« Oh my god, she's my roommate. Sorry in advance, it is unrecoverable » I said.
Shane walks through the door wearing a top that barely hid her chest and low-rise faded pants. She doesn't even glance at the brunette who is standing in front of me and going up to the kitchen.
« I'm going to eat something and then I'm going to tell you about the incredible threesome I just had with two beautiful girls, it's going to make you wet just thinking about it » she tells me without even looking at me.
I remain forbidden and embarrassed by my roommate’s behavior.
I look at Bette who seems slightly surprised.
« Better not tell anyone what just happened » she told me. I immediately understand that it refers to the kiss.
« No of course, I would say it to myself from time to time and I think I would even find it hard to believe myself » I answer her smiling. She smiled back at me. « I am Tina, by the way ».
« Hum… Bette but I think you already knew it » she looks at me, she gauges me. I don’t reply.
We stare at each other for a time that seems to me like hours, she smiles at me, a soft, warm smile. Then she turns her head and goes to the front door.
« Bye »
« Bye»
I close the door behind her and lean against it for a moment. What just happened ? I run my fingers over my lips, dreamy.
I was brought out of my torpor by Shane stepping into the kitchen doorway.
« This yoghurt tastes strange » she told me, dubiously.
« Maybe it's because it's not yogurt, it's mayonnaise... » I replied, trying not to laugh.
« Oh, I also thought it was weird » she said before disappearing again.
I stay alone for a while.
I need to find that Bette Porter.